makadto

Mother Mary statue in Balanacan Port

When I’m in Manila it doesn’t feel like I’m living in an archipelago, but whenever I travel by sea, that’s when I can deeply feel our life in the archipelago. In my childhood days, I would travel for 2 hours by sea between Negros and Panay islands via Negros Navigation ferries. My favorite part of the voyage was seeing the Siete Pecados (group of seven islets). In my university years, I would travel between Negros and Cebu islands via RoRo vessels and my favorite part was seeing some dolphins across the strait. I would also travel by sea between Visayas and Mindanao or between Visayas and Luzon and these long voyages mean seeing plenty of islets and islands along the way. There was always land in my line of sight.

Moreover, I remember countless of sea trips for leisure such as between Cebu and Bohol islands, between Negros and Siquijor islands, between Luzon and Mindoro islands, and many more. So many islands, and likewise so many ports. Siquijor Port is one of the two seaports where I find the surrounding water and seascape quite beautiful. The other one is the Balanacan Port in Marinduque Island.

Napocor’s Power Barge

Last of the passengers boarding the RoRo vessel bound for Lucena

View from the Starhorse Lines RoRo vessel still docked at the Balanacan Port