Category Archives: Pilipinas

Not Buying Convenience

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Now you reach the top any direction from here will be down

One reaches this marker on a hill when hiking from Sabang Ferry Terminal towards Coco Beach Island Resort.  I saw no other resort guest using this backdoor arrival. The usual way is via the resort’s private transfer from Manila or short boat ride from either Sabang Ferry Terminal or Puerto Galera Ferry Terminal (after reaching Oriental Mindoro from Batangas Pier).

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Sabang beach is where the Sabang Ferry Terminal is situated

At the Sabang Ferry Terminal, there was this big guy standing beside the table where one pays for fifty pesos environmental fee. He asked my destination, I said Coco Beach, he said you need to ride a boat, I said I’ll walk, he countered it’s impossible, I smiled and replied it’s possible,  then I went my way.  The 2.4 km hike is nothing when one is fit. Other than that, there is always satisfaction in the seeing rather than the notion of just passing through. Convenience takes away discovery, physical activity, spontaneity and fun.

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If you’ll hike, then you’ll see Dalaruan Cove on your left along the way

Sun-Proofed

Caballas

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Dusking in the Philippines triggers the setup of grilling stand for selling hot-off-the-grill skewered viands.  We see pork or chicken barbeque in those ihaw-ihaw/sinugba stands that materialize every night in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao – generally.  But those typical Filipino barbeques are not widespread in Zamboanga City. What’s typical in Zambo for evening repast are these grilled caballas.

From Island To Mainland

The uncomplicated manner of commuting from the island of Malapascua to mainland Cebu province.

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At Logon beach, procure a green paper ticket from the one-man ticketing office comprising of a small table that also serves as police detachment (says the sign) and a blackboard where the name of the boats and their corresponding schedules are written.

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Ticketing office

 

The green ticket says Malapascua Port. Where’s the port? The Guanna boat, a yellow banca anchored far from the beach, will leave at 8:30 according to the blackboard. How to get there? Ride a small paddle flat boat for 20 pesos per passenger. Simple. Uncomplicated.

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Guanna, the commuter boat in “Malapascua Port”

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Short transfer from Logon beach to Guanna boat

Multipurpose Beverage Bottles

Bulad

Bulad (dried salted fish) of superior quality is plentiful in Zamboanga City public market. Fried bulad with warm rice as accompaniment is best eaten mano mano (hand as utensil). Moreover, think of bulad as fish bacon.

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Lapu lapu

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Dried squid and isda sa bato (that green one)

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Danggit

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Typography: Rolling Ice Cream

Afterthoughts

Mega Tricycles

Plaza Kodaker

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In Dumaguete City plaza, whether it’s inday’s day off,  or lovers date, or friends or family hanging out after mass, moments can still be captured in an old school way, as one can see men with some photographic equipment roaming around the plaza for an on-call portrait shoot.

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Superior than selfie

These ambulant kodakers have contributed in the masses keepsakes – plaza photographs stored in those old school photo albums.

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One-man enterprise

Padjak

Malatapay Market

Market folks gather every Wednesday to trade at Malatapay market in Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental. Reminds me of the tamu concept in Malaysia which means a gathering of market merchants on a certain day designated as market day.

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Basket is the perfect palengke bag

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Ground roasted coffee and ground roasted soybeans at 10 pesos per glass

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Tobacco stall. When it comes to market stalls, I love the bamboo ones

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My kind of vegetables

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Assortment of dry goods like baskets

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And ropes

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Near that truck is an open space for livestock auction

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Guinamos na isda (fermented fish fry). This is a very appetizing stall

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The biggest guinamos I've seen

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If I have to choose only one among three plates of appetizers from the sea namely, guso, lato or lukot, I'd choose lukot

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Lukot salad. Mouthwatering

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Bibingka and salvaro?

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Hot meals and dine in tables are available

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Tinolang isda for my meal

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A quarter kilo of lechon for my meal too

Middle Finger As Money Clip

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Filipino drivers don’t need paper money sorter

The role of a tsuper’s middle finger is similar to a money clip and is basically used to secure fare income. Therefore, holding bills while driving is possible using this fold and tuck around the middle finger method.

Tale of the Stranded Vessels

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Woke up to this view of aground boat and barge

On the first night, sleep wasn’t deep for I was still getting used to the thunderous sound of sea a few feet away from my hut in this habagat season. Then at dawn, I heard continuous engine sound but ignored it as I went back to sleep under the kulambo.

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Blame it on the habagat

Around 6 AM, I finally stood up and saw two vessels that ran aground very near the beach. Apparently, due to rough sea they moved off course and the propeller got stuck. Luckily, not on the reef which is just few meters at the leftside when facing the sea.

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Watching the stranded vessels

Some of the crew swam to the shore bringing with them empty five gallon containers to be refilled. Some of them went inside the Tambobo Bay via a small boat. This I’ve observed while lounging in hammock or while hanging out in the restaurant of the resort.

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Sailors have to refill their drinking water

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Shore leave not for recreation but to get provisions

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I wonder where they got the small boat but some men from the aground vessel went in and the small boat navigated towards the Tambobo Bay on the right side of this peninsula

On the second night, I woke around 3 AM and saw the lighted boat swinging sideways due to big waves. I wonder if the men felt sick. By daylight, the vessel was now on the beach. The barge isn’t there anymore. Found out later during the hike to the next cove that the barge drifted towards it.

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At last another boat came to free the vessel. The barge is nowhere to be seen at this side for it drifted to the next cove at the right overnight

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There she is. The barge.

At last within the second day another boat came to rescue the vessel but took them more than 12 hours to tie and successfully tow her on the third day. Looks like a common occurrence for vessels to run aground in the country but those that made it to the news were mostly passenger vessels.

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Towing on the third day and finally free

Crab Trap

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Rocks tied to the bamboo trap to keep it submerged

If one walks further left of Dumaguete pier while facing the bay, one can see several giant crab traps being left to park or dry by the roadside.

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On this side of the bay at low tide, locals are also seen gathering sea urchins and aninikad.

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Seaside Interlude

In Her Element

Hoops in Coconut Tree

National Museum in Zambo

Black Viands

A couple of Tausug viands where the black color comes from burnt coconut.

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Tula Itum: Spicy beef soup

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Chicken Pianggang: A variant of grilled chicken