Nothing in reference to my dear friend, Aikat's post, but I certainly got the idea from her post to write something about the above question which I often hear from my friends.

Translated literally, it means "What date is it?" but particularly in the group that I currently belong, the words have an altogether different meaning/s.

Though I never knew exactly the history of its use in the our group's vernacular, I deduced that it is a spin - off from the usual greeting remarks which is "Ano na?" which could mean a vast array of questions concerning life, boys and being gay in general. Instead of the usual "Hi! How are you?", we combine our beso -beso's with this.

Prior to "Anong petsa na?", I usually had the "Ano na?" question to be followed up by specifics concerning the topic/s at hand, or an issue/gossip they want confirmed or simply fishing out something that could be the start of a new topic and gossip to talk about. But "Anong petsa na?" has been in vogue so we're kinda sticking with it.

You would also hear these words during our infamous drinking sessions at the tambayan. These liquor marathons would start at around 9 or 10 in the evening and will usually end when:

- No one has or willing to give money to buy the drinks - Emperador ( I just hate this devil, so if I can help it, I don't join them - which is more often than not) Spey Royal or Red Horse - the first one being their favorite ;
- Scarcity of topic;
- Any minute it would be sunrise;
- Tita's whistle (our friend's mom who tambayan) as a signal for us to call it a night because she can't sleep when we're too noisy; and
- We all agreed to do something else aside from drinking.

In these seemingly endless drinking marathons, it is sort-of-a-rule to drink your tagay ASAP. When the jigger has been in front of you for more than 2 minutes - either you caught up listening to the chatter or you got carried away by your stories you're telling - at least two of them will 'bring you back' to life:

"Hoy! Anong petsa na? Inumin mo na 'yan. Maraming naghihintay sa tagay."

The phrase is also our substitute for asking time. Instead of "Anong oras na?", we asked each other the phrase - which is more fitting because the drinking sessions goes well over the following day. It's really weird when you are talking about yesterday which is only minutes ago.

During these times of near - drunkenness, one would blurt:

"Mga bekla, anong petsa na ba? Kanina pa tayo nag - iinuman eh."

To be answered by:

"Anong kanina? Kahapon!"

It also our signal for us to finish our drinks for fear of being grounded for coming home too late - or too early (inumaga na!) - depends on which way you look at it.

Anong petsa na ba? Di pa tapos 'tong post na 'to.