The Coast Guards of Batanes

During my recent trip to Batanes I was invited for lunch at the barracks of the Philippine Coast Guard at Basco.

It was an invitation that I surely was glad to have accepted.  The 'sinigang-na-baboy' cooked by no less than SN1 Val F Bacolores PCG was a welcome fare to my hungry stomach.  The balanced mix of the sourness and the vegetables proved the cooking prowess of the master cook.  I arrived at the barracks and peeked into their kitchen in time when the last few ingredients were dropped into the cooking pot.

The sumptuous 'sinigang na baboy' and the sweet mangoes.

On top of the sumptuous food that we shared over lunch, getting to know these gallant men of the PCG Basco and Itbayat became one of the highlights of my recent Batanes trip.  

Men who came from all over the country (Zamboanga, Davao, Aparri, etc.), far away from their families and loved ones, called together for duty in this magnificent northernmost island in the archipelago.

The Master Cook and Me.

Till my next visit SIRs.  

Dios Mamajes.  Daghang salamat!

Coast Guard Kurt at the Chinapoliran Port, Itbayat

Kiamba's Little Secret Uncovered

As the first of the series of coves came into view, I can't help but get excited on what lies on the second cove of the Tuka Marine Park, the hidden secret of the municipality of Kiamba, Sarangani Province. 

En route to the coves, I marveled at how crystal clear the waters are, with the corals and fishes very visible from where I was sitting on the motorized boat that will bring me to the second cove of the marine park.  

There are four protected coves in the the Tuka Marine Park and only the beach on cove number 2 is open to the public which is commonly referred to by the locals as the Tuka Beach.

As the boat made its final turn towards the second cove, my jaw dropped at this magnificent view which almost seemed picture perfect!

The only fast, safe and scenic route to take when going to the coves is by sea. I learned later that an alternative would be hours of hiking through a series of hills from the town proper or walk through the rocky the beach sides during low-tides .

If you want solitude and serenity but still enjoy the little comforts of modern day life, then this place is for you.  

There are no vendors nor hawkers around.  No noisy tricycles nor smoke belching jeepneys.  I did not even see any presence of dogs around.

This place has been developed and maintained by the local government of Kiamba with the initial assistance of the Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao who happens to be the Congressman of the province with his wife, Jinkee, the current vice-governor.  Vice-governor Pacquiao came from one of the barangays  of Kiamba.  Kiamba is around two-hours by land travel through a concrete highway from General Santos City.

Guests can rent one of the rooms (aircon and non-aircon) of the Pacmans Beach House.  A few feet from the house is the exclusive private beach house of the boxing-champ. 

There are no restaurants in the park, so guest have to bring their own provisions of food and snacks and especially drinking water.

You book through the local tourism office at the children's park at the beach-front. They can arrange for your transportation and accommodation.

As for the food, there are several 'carenderias' near the plaza which would be a good source for packed snacks or meals.

The long stretch of beach front is perfect for sun-bathing or just simply basking under the sun.  

With the crystal clear waters and the abundance of corals and fishes in the waters around,  snorkeling should never be missed.  Of course for the more adventurous, scuba-diving.

For those who would want to venture out to the deeper part of the waters, there's kayaking and canoeing with a banca.  As for me, I contented my self in exploring the place, snapping pictures here and there and marveling at the pristine beach-front.

What a relaxing way to end a working-trip in this part of Mindanao and the least of what I expected is visiting this hidden paradise.

I arrived in Kiamba a few days before, after almost 12-hours of land travel from Cagayan de Oro.  I am here for some work with a client, the Kiamba Municipal Employees Cooperative (KIMECO).

It was almost sunset on the day I first arrived and from the town plaza I can already see a promise of a scenic sunset from the beach-front judging from the sun rays through the hillside.  

After exchanging brief pleasantries with my client and asking directions towards the beach-front, I grabbed my camera and off I went arriving just in time to witness the amazing sunset.

On my way back, I passed-by the children park's fountain.  There were a few kids on the see-saw and the benches.  I was impressed by the cleanliness of the park with its well manicured grasses and topiary.

Just across the park is the municipal grounds.  It is common to see statues of national or local heroes, but in Kiamba there's more -- a sculpted figure of a dragon!

This dragon however is spewing not scorching flames but refreshing water.  I later found out that this statue was commissioned by the local government in honor of the current town mayor.

There are more secrets awaiting to be discovered in Kiamba and I can't wait to discover them in my subsequent visits to the place.  I'll keep you posted.

Furthermore, I can't wait to experience once again the warm hospitality of the Kiambans and their delicious seafood dishes.

Thank you KIMECO. See you soon Kiamba ...

Technical notes :

1. Images here were all shot using a mirrorless DSLR.

2. Most images were shot using a fish eye converter lens mounted on a 16mm/f2.8 lens, otherwise the fish-eye was removed.

3. Panaramic mode was also used in two of the images here as part of my experiment this feature of the camera.

Masskara @ The Plaza - Masskara Festival 2012

The previous year, I witnessed and covered the Masskara Festival from the streets.  It was an experience on its own - the running to and fro between contingents and participants, the heat, the bumping with fellow photography enthusiasts ...

This time I'm witnessing it from the Bacolod Public Plaza, where all of the street dancing culminate and where all performers give their final-best for the judges, the guests and the public.

No lengthy stories this time, but enough images to give you the feel of the festivities and to encourage you to experience one of the Philippines' grander festival.

no amount of rain can dampen the zest of the performers

At the plaza, I was shoulder to shoulder with fellow photographers as well as local media personalities covering the event.

I got to witness occasional interviews of prominent visitors who are sitting on the stage just a few feet from where I was standing or squatting.  The venue for such event was too small, one has to learn how to share the space with others.

then, Senator Migz Zubiri from Bukidnon

former, Congresswoman Riza Hontiveros

The best part is really seeing the performances of each contingent in its entirety, from start to end, something you don't see on their street performance.


The starting formation matters.  They provide for the immediate audience impact, especially upon hearing their initial shrieks and the oohh's and the ahhh's ...

The choreography and execution as well as the props, however, are ultimately the deciding factors.

sway here ...

sway there ...

resourcefulness at its best, using indigenous materials for their props

It's still a competition after all.

Even the Higantes are present, this time with familiar faces ...

The sun and the rain may have played its tricks to everyone present ...

including a few of the participants

 but in the end it's the another successful Masskara Festival 2012.

21 Oct 2012

Zipping the Delta Lines

This is one of the very rare moments that I get to be part of the blog I'm posting - that I get to be part of the pictures!  Bear with me ...

I was able to  arrange with the resort office the previous day that I'll ride with the Delta Adventure Park utility passenger jeep in going the the mountain park, otherwise I will have to drive up to the mountains to reach the place.  The Delta Discovery Park, a mountain resort, is around 30-45 minutes uphill from Butuan City proper.

I was met by the chief safety officer at the park office and escorted to the nearby briefing area.  There were no other visitors that time of the day yet,  so I had the full attention of the staff who gladly briefed me about the zip-rides and even the history of the park.

That's the 4-wheel Willys Jeep that took me to the starting point of the first ride.  The ride was already an adrenalin rush by itself.  We have to traverse several 45 and 50 degree hill climbs to reach the flight deck of the first zip line (the longest one at almost a kilometer in distance to the landing area).

Manong driver in all smiles assuring me that he knows the driving 101%.  We did reach the area safe and sound. Next, the zip down ....

This magnificent view is from the flight deck.  At my back is the whole of Butuan city and the Agusan del norte beyond.  I have to hold-on to the pole for it's hundreds of feet down if I ever slip.  At the base of that gray mountain side is the end of the zip-ride, almost a kilometer down, 

above lush and tall trees ...

in between hills that seemed so close, they seem to scrape my sides if ever I'd move and sway ...

and finally the landing ... That small structure on top of the mountain (upper left corner of the picture) is the flight-launch pad.

I had zipped a few times already in the different parts of Mindanao, but this is the first time that I have been photographed on flight! Wwwweeeeee ....

The park has other amenities too, like this pool and some rides.  As of this visit, they are still preparing to build cottages to cater to overnight staying guest.

16 Sept 2012

Exploring Panay Island - Kalibo, Roxas, Pan-ay

Kalibo is not even a city, yet their airport has been classified as international.  This is probably due to the fact that it is the alternative entry point of tourists bound for Boracay, especially those taking the jet-liners as compared to those taking the turbo-props that go directly to the Caticlan airport.

Indeed the airport facilities (during this visit) are being upgraded to international standards, the reason why the baggage conveyors are not functioning.  

I took a tricycle from the airport to the town proper which is just 10-15 minutes away.  There are not taxis here - the tricycle  serves the purpose.

I'm here to explore the place prior to the Ati-atihan Festival -- know the schedule of the upcoming festival, where to stay and dine and the places to see.  

After depositing my stuff in the hotel, I visited the Municipal Tourism and the Ati-atihan Foundation offices and from there, the first half of my objective has been achieved.

The Sto. Nino Cathedral and the Kalibo Museum are just across the plaza, so I headed for these places to check them out.  The old bells at the church grounds will surely catch the attention of any first-time visitor to this place.  These are church bells dating back to the 1800s - impressive!

If not for the museum, I would not know that the late Cardinal Sin is from this place.  The Kalibo museum houses several socio-cultural and religious artifacts.  Several paintings from the local artists were on display at the time of my visit and are for sale. 

Saylo Cuisine came highly recommended, even from 30,000 feet up above.  I was sitting beside an off-duty flight attendant of Cebu Pacific airlines who was coming home to Kalibo and she mentioned the restaurant during our conversation.  It's located mid-way between the airport and town proper.  

I sampled various specialty of the restaurant -- food tripping.  It's their fried 'tamilok' though that topped among the food I ordered.  

fried tamilok

In one of my Palawan trips, I sampled raw 'tamilok' dipped in vinegar, so it was not my first time with the 'tamilok', but my first of it being fried. How was it? Hmmm.... it's up for you to discover...

Their turon is also something to look forward to and their halo-halo con bucayo.  

turon

Aside from the food, the ambiance of Saylo is what makes it worth visiting and dining in Kalibo.

halo-halo con bucayo

Latte Cafe is also a good place to go for snacks in Kalibo.  There's one in the airport road, a few blocks from Saylo and a smaller branch in the city center near a hospital.

The following day, I headed to the municipality of New Washington which is around 30-45 minutes from Kalibo.  

I wanted to visit the Sampaguita Gardens, home to the Precious Moments doll (with those signature tear-drop shaped eyes) designed and created by Sam Butcher.

At the center of the gardens is Jojo's Christmas Cottage which is a Victorian cottage that offers Christmas Everyday Experience. 

It has a Precious Moments store in the ground floor and the Jojo's Christmas Cottage Museum of Christmas in the upper floors showcasing Precious Moments collectibles. 

The Sampaguita Gardens is one of the better places to go as a side-trip during the Ati-Atihan festival or when coming from Boracay.  

If you plan to get an ati-dancer doll as a souvenir during the Ati-atihan festival, get one from here.

Its unique and worth the price.  I got mine here.

I'm sure this place would be dazzling with lights during night-time and during the cold BER season in time for Christmas.

Since the entrance fee to the resort is consumable, I decided to have my lunch (a huge burger) here before heading back to Kalibo.  Entrance to the resort is free during Mondays.

That night, as per recommendation by another guest staying in the same hotel I'm in, I headed to Bagobos Resto-grill to have my dinner.  

The food was okay.  They have a stand-up comedian and singer who made the place alive.  Expect mosquitoes around due to the garden setting they have.  

It's the Bakhawan Eco-park that I was not able to go for lack of time.  One good reason to visit Kalibo in the future, during the Ati-atihan festival.

Roxas City is around 2 hours from Kalibo via van-for-hire.  The roads are paved and the van sits only 3 to a row so it was a pretty comfortable ride.  

I stayed at a hotel a block away from the ancestral house of the late President Roxas, so it was the first place that I checked. It's not open to the public - it's a residence. I initially expected it to be like a museum with memorabilia of the late president and his family inside.

The Panubli-on is the museum of Roxas City.  It is similar to the Cagayan de Oro in a way since both used to be water tanks that served the place decades ago.  Located just across the City Hall, this circular piece of architecture offers every visitor a comprehensive view of what Roxas City, previous and current. It was constructed in 1910.  

The Balay Kapisnon houses handicrafts made of the capiz shells.  It was here where I met a former salesman assigned in the Northern Mindanao areas and who is currently one of the officers of the the city tourism.  

If not for him, i would not be able to take the following image of the city center, highlighting the Spanish bridge, the fountain and the cathedral.  This was taken from the rooftop of the new city hall.  

The Capiz bridge was built during the early 1900s and has remained strong and firm since. It connects the commercial center of the city to the main thoroughfare, traversing the Panay river.  

At night this bridge gives the city its old-world charm due to the lighting on the bridge. The Immaculate Conception Cathedral is one of the oldest in Panay island.  

If I had not been asked by a fellow visitor if I would also be going to the Sta. Monica Church the following day, I would have not known about it.  After reading about the church from the Wikipedia, I aborted my plans of going to Olotayan Island and see the church instead.  Good decision for me!

Sta. Monica Church is one of the most oldest baroque church in the country, built around the 1700s.  It is located at the municipality of Pan-ay, province of Capiz. By tricycle (a multi-cab is too big for me), its around 30-45 minutes from Roxas City.

What made this church well-known aside from the rich history it holds (declared a National Landmark), was one of the bells in its five-level belfry.  It is  said to be the biggest and the heaviest Christian bell in Asia weighing 10 tons, around 7 feet in diameter and 5 feet in height.  It was cast around the 1800s using 70 sacks of coins.

The inscription reads :

“Soy la voz de Diosque llevare y ensalzare desde el principio hasta el fin de este pueblo de Panay para que los fieles de Jesus vengan a esta casa de Dios a recibirlas gracias celestials”

-

“(I am God’s voice which I shall echo and praise from one end to the other of the town of Panay, so that the faithful followers of Christ may come to this house of God to receive the heavenly graces.)”

Indeed, when the bell sounds, it can be heard kilometers away to the surrounding towns of Pan-ay.

The bell seen in front of the convent is a replica.  One has to ask special permission from the convent office to be able to go up to the 5th level of the belfry and see the original. 

There are 9 bells in the belfry and the center of them is the the "Dako nga Lingganay", Hiligaynon for the 'big bell'.  

The climb to the belfry is steep through a metal stairway.  On the way, Ryan, the guide assigned by the office pointed out the mechanism of the original clock installed in the late 1870s. Unfortunately it is no longer working.  

He also pointed out the original wooden planks of the old stairway leading to the belfry.  Awesome to think that here I am inside this structure erected more than 300 years ago...

This wooden truss was part of the roof that was installed in the late 1870s and has been in place until only recently, around 300 years after. 

For such a wood to be part of the original roofing, it should have came from a very huge tree, probably a hundred or two years old at that time it was cut, making the wood to be between 500 and 600 years old to date! Impressive.

The church interior is very simple but amazing due to the antique intricate carvings (retablos) and religious statues it has.  There are also grave markers of prominent personalities buried inside the church, typical among old churches.  

On the ground floor of the adjacent convent is the Museo de Santa Monica containing historical artifacts and memorabilia dating to the earliest arrival of Christianity in the area.  

You enter the museum through the original doors of the church dating back to the 1600’s. 

those posts were the original ones from the old convent

I wont post the pictures of what's inside the museum mainly for security reasons.  

Inside is a small exhibit including two altars made entirely from pure precious metals. These altars we taken from the original church’s ruins over the years from the 1600 and 1700s. There are also several tabernacles which were in use in the church over the years. There is also a selection of priest's vestments embroidered with threads from pure precious metals. 

I said this in my previous post about the Sta. Maria Church of Ilocos Sur (http://throughthelensalr.blogspot.com/2012/12/ilocandia-adventures-sta-maria-ilocus.html ) and I'm saying it again, 'there has got to be some degree of preservation that needs to be done for these artifacts and memorabilia to last for the next 300 years or so."  Paging, again, National Historical Commission.

Indeed, this first visit of mine to the Panay island was informative, educational and an eye-opener.

P.S.

This trip happened before the Ati-atihan 2013 which got posted much earlier (http://throughthelensalr.blogspot.com/2013/02/hala-bira-ati-atihan-2013-tribal-modern.html).



thank you for reading ...