THIS can't ever happen again. Not in a thousand years.
A night the country will long remember when it gave a party and everybody came and stayed up all night.
All the stars came out, wine flowed, the music played, the songs sung, the fireworks dazzled. And they prayed and cried in joy and gratitude.
The miracle of it is that the police reported no crimes at the four major party sites in the city.
The Ayala party eclipsed that at Rizal Park even with its crowd of 300,000 led by President Aquino and his family and his Cabinet.
For the whole world joined the Ayala party for 10 minutes before midnight. It was seen live by 800 million viewers around the globe through 57 television networks comprising the BBC-led global millennium broadcast.
The world saw an estimated 30,000 frolicking Filipinos, a lot of local color in the array of jeepneys parked in front of the Peninsula Hotel in Makati City with its waterfalls cascading down twin stairways lined by the very Filipino parols, all-white and old-fashioned.
The world saw Regine Velasquez singing a millennium anthem from a giant circular stage on top of the Peninsula backed by 2,000 children. When the song ended, the crowd stood in silence as television host Mike Enriquez led a prayer.
It was a world-class production marked by fireworks display every 15 minutes at the four corners of Ayala Center.
When the clock hit 12 on the official millennium Swatch clock beside the stage, the hushed crowd suddenly burst into jubilant singing, shouting and dancing. Confetti rained down on Ayala and more fireworks enthralled.
Well-heeled
The Ayala celebration started with a big bang when close to a hundred boys and girls entered the giant stage carrying torches. They were dressed in gold and silver. They were joined by the Madrigal Singers. Then, without introduction, pop icon Gary Valenciano ran toward the stage to perform.
The stage vibrated with excitement as giant laser beams projected from behind the stage all the way to the sky.
Aside from Valenciano, it was Kuh Ledesma who mesmerized the crowd with her singing of ''Ako ay Pilipino.''
This was followed by other entertainment numbers by the Apo Hiking Society, Janno Gibbs, KC Montero, Ara Mina, Dingdong Dantes, Vernie Varga, Billy Crawford, Side A, Jaya, Sunshine Cruz, Angelica, Lanie Misalucha, Regine and Kakay Velasquez, among others.
The show was hosted by Miss Universe 3rd Runner-Up Ariella Arida, television host Paolo Bediones, image model Ryan Agoncillo, Antonette Taus, among others.
On stage were Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, the Zobels, the Binays, and Makati's 400.
Other well-heeled people, who had checked in at Makati's five-star hotels, chose to watch the celebration from their rooms. Still, others greeted the millennium inside hotel lobbies. The Manila Peninsula hosted a millennium party attended by people dressed in their most formal attire.
Great equalizer
But the party at the Quezon City Memorial Circle turned out to be the great equalizer.
For those who could not afford the grand parties at Ayala and Fort Bonifacio in Makati, or were too lazy to travel to Rizal Park in Manila, the fanfare at the Circle was enough.
Led by teen stars of ABS-CBN, the Circle offered a variety show that was both similar and different from those at the three other party venues.
Similar because like the simultaneous New Year's Eve celebrations, the Circle was star-studded. Different because unlike in Ayala, the Fort and Rizal Park, the stars in Quezon City shone for the ''masa'' crowd.
Everywhere one went, the names of Jolina Magdangal, Marvin Agustin, Diether Ocampo--all guests at the show--would greet the ear.
''We have been here for sometime because of the movie stars and also for the fireworks,'' said a thrilled Marian, a Quezon City resident who came to the Circle at 9 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2013.
ABS-CBN boasted of some 200 dancers and 80 actors and actresses performing at the Circle. Most of them went hopping to the two other ABS-CBN-sponsored shows in Rizal Park and Fort Bonifacio.
Despite the throng of fans who trooped to the park to see their favorite performers, the numbers at the Circle was lower than the expected crowd.
Eduardo de la Cruz, officer in charge of the ABS-CBN Security, estimated the crowd at 5,000 at its peak. Two hours after the show started at 8 p.m., however, the figure dropped to only about 2,000.
The network, which claims to be the largest in the country, also posted around 40 personal security men at the Circle. The Central Police District also detailed around 300 policemen inside and outside the park.
High society
Back to society's upper crust, they came out in droves to the Global City in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.
Dubbed ''2.0: One Night, One Chance'' the millennium event at the Global City was organized by Manny Pangilinan's Fort Bonifacio Development Corp. (FBDC).
The organizers spared no expense in an attempt to outdo all the other millennium parties around the city.
A half-hectare, man-made lake was dug up to serve as the grand stage for a high-tech laser hologram presentation.
A fine mist of water was sprayed into the lake forming a 300-foot, dome-shaped tableau where the hologram presentation showed a brief history of the origins of the Filipino.
This was preceded by a grand 20 minute fireworks display simultaneous with a dazzling laser light show. Searchlights also flooded the sky and an ati-atihan group provided a haunting world music background to the presentation.
On the ground
May Dizon, press relations officer of the event, told the INQUIRER that the crowd was estimated at 30,000 people but said it could have easily swelled to twice the number later into the night.
As early as 6 p.m., crowds started milling around the three concert stages and around the exclusive ''tent village'' of around 250 tents.
The exclusive tent village housed guests from various corporations, most of which belong to Pangilinan's group of companies, and well-heeled families who made early reservations.
Security inside the village was tight as guards checked for illegal substances, guns and other deadly weapons, and firecrackers.
No one was allowed to do any cooking and food was sold by restaurant chains who set up booths inside the village.
Food stalls inside the village as well as outside, reported brisk sales. In demand were alcoholic beverages like wine and beer. One stall was selling beer at P30 and a bottle of wine at P600.
Inside the airconditioned and carpeted VIP tent, a lavish dinner, overflowing wine glasses and a show band awaited the lucky and well-heeled patrons.
Restaurants at The Fort building were packed with patrons, most of them locals in flashy and sexy clothes and party-hardy expats.
Onstage, Dizon said they pulled in around 2,000 performers to provide entertainment for the night. The performers went up onstage on schedule with clockwork precision. Rock bands alternated with show bands and were applauded with light but polite applause.
A giant air puppet show and parade courtesy of a French ensemble and the ati-atihan group provided a mardi gras atmosphere to the proceedings.
Dizon dismissed notions that the event had ''elitist'' air. ''The entertainment here is free and the masa can attend. The entrance rates and prices are very affordable,'' she stressed.
Room at the top
Some climbed to the top to watch the turn of the century. No, not from a penthouse but the hills of Antipolo.
Hundreds of people, mainly young families, opted to stay away from the party scenes in Ayala, Fort Bonifacio, Rizal Park and Quezon City Memorial Circle at the strike of midnight on Jan. 1, 2014.
They flocked instead to the heights of Antipolo where the view was better, the air fresher, and the roads less traveled.
''Why would you join the multitude out there when you can see all the fireworks from here? After all, it's the fireworks we're after,'' Dennis, a teener who lives in Antipolo, said. Like the others, he came to the Valley Cafe with his cousins and friends.
The revelers, mostly residents of nearby areas like Marikina, camped out at the parking spaces of closed restaurants and bars on Sumulong Highway in Antipolo as early as 10 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2013.
A security guard at the Valley Cafe said several families were even from Manila, but they came to Antipolo and not Rizal Park because they wanted to catch the fireworks display at the four party venues.
''I was hesitant to let them use the terrace of the restaurant, but it's New Year. Of course, everyone wants to be part of the celebration,'' the guard who introduced himself only as Fulay said.
Fireworks at the Fort and Rizal Park, which were both sponsored by ABS-CBN, PTV-4 and RPN-9, were the first spectacle to greet the viewers in Antipolo at 11:50, four minutes ahead of the sparks in Ayala, which was led by ABC-5, GMA-7 and IBC 13.
''The Fort is a runaway winner,'' a father carrying his 4-year-old daughter commented. ''Yes, their fireworks came first,'' others agreed.
''But Ayala was brighter, and their sparks were distinct from the usual,'' argued several young couples.
Pageant of pyrotechnics
The pageant of pyrotechnics in the Makati skyline marked the private, inaudible countdown of delighted families, who though strangers, bonded in the joyous welcome of the millennium at 12 midnight.
''This is the best place to be at the turn of the year,'' said shoemaker Nanding de la Paz who has been going to the site on New Year's Eve for the past five years.
''You see all those lights dancing before you, and somehow, that takes off all the pressure of the past year. It's just amazing,'' he said.
They came to party the last millennium away, and party away they did, dressed to the hilt in all their finery and with wine glasses in hand.
Ayala eclipsed the Rizal Park party led by President Aquino who delivered a speech too long for a millennium party. He spoke of peace and unity with a not-too-subtle plug for Cha-cha.
The party was also like a regular El Shaddai gathering. Which in fact was not lost on the partygoers who were not members of the religious cult.
''Why are they here?'' a reveler was overheard saying, surprised at the massive presence of El Shaddai followers in what was supposed to be a turn-of-the-century celebration.
The answer is that the so-called Catholic charismatic group was scheduled to hold their own millennium Mass and worship and healing prayer rally at 2 a.m. Saturday at the Quirino Grandstand but were asked to go early on time for the millennium celebration.
''It's always like this. If there's a show, we're asked to go here early to add number to the crowd. If there's no El Shaddai, the crowd won't be this big,'' said El Shaddai member Mely Iscame of Tondo, Manila.
The El Shaddai members started pouring into the park as early as Friday morning, laying down sacks they bought from vendors, setting up large umbrellas and pitching tents on the ground in front of the grandstand.
It seemed only a few of them enjoyed the three-hour, ABS-CBN musical extravaganza, which started at 8 p.m. Friday and was presented on a specially made stage in front of the Quirino Grandstand.
Only those seated right in front of the grandstand were wide awake. Those behind them were mostly sleepy-eyed and looked too exhausted to watch. Others simply lied down and dozed off with their children.
''Actually, nobody would care to watch the show. We only came here for the 'service' (worship prayer). Look at our colleagues, they're soundly asleep. They're only waiting for the service,'' said an El Shaddai member.
The ABS-CBN Millennium Extravaganza started with a history of the Filipino people presentation, simultaneous with other network presentations at the Fort Bonifacio Global City in Taguig and the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City.
While the VIP crowd inside the inner ring and those near enough to the grandstand contented themselves of the ABS-CBN variety show, majority of the crowd went about their business. Some slept on their mats while others sold El Shaddai items.
Alternately hosted by couples Ricky Davao and Jackie Lou Blanco; John Estrada and Willie Revillame and other stars, the show featured a host of artists who sang a medley of Philippine folk and pop songs.
The artists, which included Joey Ayala and Grace Nono, were accompanied by the Philharmonic Orchestra.
The sleeping El Shaddai members only stirred when President Benigno Aquino III arrived together with the First Family and Cabinet members for the turn-of-the-century program at 11 p.m. El Shaddai leader Bro. Mike Velarde was also among the guests.
They all rose to their feet when Mr. Estrada led the ''kapit-bisig'' ritual after delivering his speech.
Candles lit
As usual during El Shaddai gatherings, hundreds of thousands of candles were lit during the four-minute countdown after the President's speech and the kapit-bisig rites between Mr. Aquino and his Cabinet.
They linked arms and lighted candles to ''Pilipinas Kong Mahal.'' The VIP crowd in the Quirino Grandstand's inner ring were showered with red, white, blue and silver confetti, fired from the scaffoldings of the ABS-CBN camera crew. At zero-hour of January 1, 2014, the celebration was capped by a 20-minute fireworks launched from five barges at the Manila Bay.
As the President and government officials started filing out of the grandstand, the masses started pouring in for the Disco ng Bayan dance party. Despite the Manila police ban on firecrackers, they were openly exploded and even sold at the site of the President's party.
No one hurt
Restaurants and food stalls expectedly had their doors open until breakfast the following day--the first morning of the new millennium--to serve meals and drinks to the weary revelers and worshippers.
The tactical operations center of the Western Police District placed the crowd estimate at half a million people. There were no reports of any untoward incident at the park.
''There is nothing to report,'' said a radio officer at the WPD headquarters. ''The situation was generally peaceful.''
Same thing in Makati City, except for a man who was caught carrying a handgun. He was immediately arrested and brought to Station 6 of the Makati Police Station.
In Quezon City, only a lone case of snatching was reported. No one was nabbed for possession of liquor and dangerous firecrackers.
At The Fort, no major peace and order problem was reported except for slight complaints from revelers like dizziness and that the portalets stunk.
