By now, people must have returned from their yearly trek to the cemeteries and columbaria to honor their dead in observance of "UNDAS".

UNDAS? The first time we came across the word, we thought it was a United Nations agency similar to UNDP, UNHCR, UNAIDS, UNESCO, and UNICEF. Since we were young, we always knew that the day we reserve to honor the departed is called "Todos Los Santos", meaning All Saints Day.

The word, we later found out, is as Filipino as it can be. Although originally derived from the Spanish "honrar" meaning 'to honor', it became 'honras' when conjugated to the first person.

Years and years of usage and typical Pinoy mispronunciation like cebollas becoming sibuyas, the word has later been used as "UNDAS." And it has, since then, stuck.

"UNDAS" ranks among the most important of Filipino holidays, along with Holy Week and Christmas.

Honoring the dead here in the Philippines is not only observed, however, on 1 November, the day we call All Saints Day. Most urban folks, owing to heavy traffic, choose to honor their departed loved ones as early as Oct. 30 and 31 — which this year fell on a weekend — and even extend it to All Souls Day on 2 November.

Growing up, we used to hang around with our elder siblings as the family gathered together at the tomb of our departed loved ones which we earlier cleaned up a day or two. We remember our hands getting sore rubbing compound to the monstrous golden candelabra or candle holders to make them shiny. It was a duty bestowed on us by our elders, otherwise, we won't be able to join the reunion.

Not so much interested in elderly banter, we would sneak out of the gathering to go around the cemetery and make wax balls out of candle drippings, the bigger the better. It's a contest, actually between us cousins. The one with the biggest wax balls at the end of the day gets handsome rewards from the elders, enough to buy snacks and toys.

Our cemetery experience in those days was not limited to family issues as children became teens and visited one another in their respective departed relatives' tombs and exchanged pleasantries. At that time, stories were no longer about childhood memories but about school crushes, etc. No more toys and dolls. More on girls and boys playing beautiful music with whom.