There’s no better time to be single and ready to mingle than this Valentine’s. Going out to celebrate (or curse) the holiday isn’t just for couples – it’s for people you’ve been through all the kilig and sawi with; the people who each gave you a carefully chosen word to reply to your crush’s kilig message, and the same ones who stayed out downing The Bar shots and San Mig Light bottles with you at Wednesday 2am when he broke your heart. This holiday is for you and your (single) friends. Because you know what they say – birds of the same feather… are the same birds.
So whether you all happen to be sawi and single, or lumalandi but committed to nothing except your collective trust issues, here are Valentine’s Day date ideas for your entire barkada (pro tip: you guys can set out to do this anytime for your regular hohol – but where’s the fun in sending collective glares and seething at annoying PDA-ing couples when it’s not this day of (broken) hearts?):
1. Five Pesos Per Hugot Videoke
For the barkada: That draws so much hugot from everything around them and best expresses themselves through tagos to the bones lyrics like these were written for or about their own kiligs and heartbreaks.
National anthems:
- I Will Suvrvive – for the strong independent all-girls, ‘we don’t need no man’ group
- Nandito Ako – for the hopia
- Basang-basa sa Ulan – for the legit, swallowed-all-pride heartbroken
- Kundiman – for the ones with bad timing and dakilang I-will-always-love-you type
- Kung Ako na Lang Sana – for the taken… for granted
- Ang Huling El Bimbo – for the quintessential Romeo and Juliet type, never na magkakatuluyan
- Let Me Be The One – for the one on the verge of a messy breakup
- Sila – for the ones with a million ‘where did I go wrong’ unanswered questions
- Paano Ba Ang Magmahal – for the hopelessly clueless in love.
Best part: The Philippines is literally the world’s karaoke capital! From upscale and pricier Music Box, to midrange Turtles, and down to your neighbor’s own videoke machine that’s five pesos per gut-wrenching, hugot-inducing song, your barkada can stop just about anywhere, fish for that magic songbook and punch in those numbers that bring your favorite songs (and ‘in denial’ feelings) to life.
2. Ang Araw ng Mga Sawi Film Festival
For the barkada: That prefers to stay in and shield themselves from disgusting PDA and instead profess that the only people they need are each other. Also works for friends who would rather snuggle up and cuddle with each other, ice cream tubs, Red Horse litro bottles because a) none of those Tinder matches are worth cuddling with; and b) who better to shamelessly ugly cry with when the most kilig and heartbreaking scenes come up than your non-judgmental, we’ve-seen-it-all-anyway barkada?
Don’t forget to watch and recite famous lines in:
- One More Chance – for the #WarriorsofLove
- That Thing Called Tadhana – for believers in destiny
- The Mistress – for the ones caught in something that’s so wrong but feels so right
- Unmarried Wife – for the ones torn between two lovers
- Sayaw Ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa – for the ones battling society’s prejudices
- Sana Dati – for the ones with unresolved feelings
- Ex With Benefits – for the ones still looking to get back together with the ex who’s their The One Who Got Away
The cheesy Facebook memories and friendship videos of your barkada with failed S.O.’s and bad news ex-everythings (strictly just for laughs, collective cringing about your growing up years and congratulating each other for learning to do better).
3. Saktong Active, Saktong Hipster Bowling
For the barkada: That’s looking for something new to try, especially if you partied your way a lot through college and are waaaay ready to embrace the Tita label.
Why you should give it a try: Your barkada can set a trend or bring it back. Plus, it’s something even the least active member of your group can handle. All it takes is a good throw – something you may have already practiced as you threw away all those keepsakes and monthsary gifts, or even hurled these angrily at your walang kwenta, manlolokong ex ala cheesy and all too familiar rom-com style.
4. The Bar Gamot Na Pampalimot
For the barkada: Looking for a good party and acting as (unwilling) supporting cast in their recently single friend’s 746th ‘I’m feeling gr8 without u’ post since the breakup two weeks ago (hint: you were all there too, from handing your friend ice cream and chocolates to prying them out of their pajamas and holding their hair while they buried their faces in the toilet while simultaneously cleaning their puke); and the latest upload of ‘look at all these boys (and girls) who want me’ party photos. Hashtag skwad goalz, hashtag that’s what friends are for – repeat until convinced, it’s OK.
Pro tip: Instead of tailing your friend all night and making sure they don’t do anything they’ll regret in the morning – at this point you know there’s not much left anyway – let your hair down, too. It’s gonna be a party, so party away! You might even run into other groups with the same dilemma, and you know what they say about misery: it loves company. It can’t hurt to meet someone new and laugh about all this ridiculous getting-over-your-not-really-ex nonsense with.
5. Road Trip Escape (From Your Feelings or Running Away From Your Problems)
For the barkada: That’s dealing with ~adulting~ and need an escape to run away from their problems even for a while and breathe fresh air. Quick getaway destinations include all-time favorites Antipolo and Tagaytay because not all of us can easily board a bus to Sagada to shout our feelings out in the mountains. So between the traffic and work or school the next day, we’ll settle for these destinations.
Make the trip more exciting and millennial buwis-buhay style: It’s perfectly okay to roll down your windows to keep you from being bored while stuck in traffic and shout ‘magbebreak rin kayo!’ at unsuspecting, but totally gross, get-a-Sogo-room-please PDA-ing couples in the streets. Valentine’s is the one day the rest of the world will thank you for this public service.
6. No Need to DTR Quickie ala Speed Dating
For the barkada: That’s ready to be out there and meet new people, whether it’s just for fun that night, or maybe even discover something new and built to last among fellow former super sawi but now happily single people.
Best part about speed dating events: Apart from you and your friends, you never really know who’s going to be there, it might be very well legit meeting new people and give you a chance to step out of your comfort zone and stop going back to your default heartbreaker who can’t really give you anything real. Everyone in speed dating events knows and not knows in equal parts what they’re in for – and that, my friends, is the beauty of surprise.
7. All About Your Style na Bulok Trivia Night
For the barkada: With a competitive spirit, well-versed in the ways of the world… and lahat ng kanyang pasikot-sikot and palusot. Meet fellow pop culture geeks and find common ground among the things you like and set your spirit on fire. Get your barkada in action and remind each other what binds your group together.
Make it count: Choose a place with a theme for the night everyone would like and for sure be able to contribute winning points to. The lack of recent distractions and your dedication to keep winning at life will surely make all those malabo, walang kwentang ex-somethings sorry they can’t win you over anymore.
8. Laughter is the Best Medicine, Especially for Your (Broken) Heart Comedy Show
For the barkada: that needs a good laugh – because who doesn’t when all the sawi feelings subside? You’ll be able to look back and see clearly just how much better you are without the excess baggage – and laugh at yourself for being so miserable and heartbroken and at your friends who did so much worse (this one is a matter of opinion).
Goes best with: Reliving all your heartbreaks and comparing just how bad you each felt and how low you stooped. Bonus points for being in the exact same scenario the quick-witted stand-up comedian is making their latest joke out of. After all, when the dust has settled and you finally see through your tears and beers, you’re all going to realize just how cringe-worthy you were – but thankfully everyone in the barkada has been there and done that, so no one can rightfully judge. Looking up some old photos and digging through old conversations amps up the laughs after the show.
These barkada dates will definitely leave you less upset about the clichés of Valentine’s and instead leave you thankful that no matter the pieces of your heart you are all yet to put back together, there’s no better way to spend the holiday than with the people who have more or less sent the same pa-cute texts; had similar first kisses; covered for you as you sneaked out to go on a date; picked out every detail of your date outfits; gave you the sickest burns when someone stomped all over you; extensively researched (read: stalked) everyone you liked; held your hand and brought you trashy movies and ice cream when it didn’t work out; listened as you added one issue after another to list of relationship woes; and through it all promised that if you all end up – by some stroke of (bad) luck unmarried and uncommitted, you’ll move in and grow old together. Happy Valentine’s Friendship Day!