Iligan City, the City of Majestic Waterfalls

If I weren't in Tourism and you told me you were coming to Mindanao just to see the Maria Cristina Falls in Iligan City, I would have said, "Are you crazy?  You'll spend almost P10,000 in airfare, hotel and transportation just to gape at and take pictures of flowing water???  Then what?"

Even before, in the early stages of our foundling career, I was reluctant to offer tours of Iligan, simply because I didn't think the trip was worth all that money.  Then recently, last September 2009 to be exact, I was on a tour with some government employees from MWSS and they insisted on going to Iligan to see THE falls.  And this is what we arrived at:

It was the first time I'd seen her in all her glory... and I understood.  Unfortunately, we haven't been able to catch her like this since then because of the searing drought that began in February and is only letting up now.  In any case, if you want to try your chances, we recommend taking your trip on a Saturday at around 9:00ish (am), because that's when NAPOCOR opens both floodgates.

Of course, you will be needing private transportation to get there...  ;)

Lake of My (Childhood) Dreams

Remember when you were a child and the world was your playground?  Where the trees and the flowers were your imaginary friends and nothing could go wrong?

When I was a kid, I was left to my own devices a lot.  Circumstances had it that though three and a half years separated me from my brother he was already in high school by the time I reached grade 3.  Also my family was living in the exclusive housing community for the executives of Del Monte and there were not many children of my age.  For four years of my primary schooling, there were only two of us in the class.. and my one and only (classmate) lived in Bugo, Cagayan de Oro.

So my love for everything green and flowing developed.  In particular, fresh bodies of water-- whether they be lakes, rivers, creeks, ponds...  There was a man-made lake just across my house.  All it took was five minutes brisk walking or 10 minutes strolling straight across three fairways of the Del Monte Golf Course.  There my imagination flourished.  One day I'd be a ballerina accepting flowers from an adoring fan; the next I'd be an Olympic swimmer winning the gold; on another I'd win an all-expense paid trip to England to meet my favorite band (at the time) Duran Duran.  It was also at the lake where I learned how to prepare a fish hook with live worms and fill my bare hands with mud in search for mudfish.  It was here I learned to to enjoy the feel of fresh, cold, flowing water as it tumbled over my dirty fingers from playing.  Then one rainy summer afternoon, when my brother was home and there was nothing to do, a group of us varied-aged kids dared to be adventurous.  What was the adventure?  Who was brave enough to swim in the lake?

In the first place, the mere act was prohibited by our parents, for the reason that it was dangerous (there was no lifeguard so we could drown, get caught in the weeds and drown, get caught in the mud and drown).  Secondly, nobody had done it before and it was like we would be making history.  So the bigger kids went ahead and the younger ones tagged along, excited yet hesitant to even think of breaking the rules. My brother and Susan (an American varsity student, also home for the holidays) dove right in and dared each other in a race to the dock at the far end.  Some of the boys jumped in and splashed around near the shore, dunking each other and enjoying some rough play.  The younger girls, myself included, tentatively let ourselves in, feeling the mud squish between our little toes.

Ah, memories...

 

Misamis Oriental: Images of Repetition

What can one see in Misamis Oriental?  A river, a coastline, a cave... Same old, same old, right?  Wrong! 

It was only when I came into the business of tourism that I began to appreciate my surroundings.  Biro mo, I had already been traveling during my elementary school years because my dad enjoyed bringing us around but I never really took the time to see the views.  Today I travel to Cagayan de Oro almost every other day.  I ride a van, bus or jeepney over the same route each time.  Any other person would find that boring.  I know many commuters think so, which is why they drop off to sleep the moment the vehicle leaves the terminal.  But me, no.  I try to make it a point to see something new each time.

Jagged coastline of Eastern Misamis Oriental

New Balete tree growing inside a dead one in Initao

 Cagayan River during the drought (outside Makahambus Cave)

Mansion off in the distance (the owner bought the whole hill)

And being an Accredited Tour Guide of DOT-X (yes, it's true!), I know that each picture has a story behind it, even if it's only a one-liner.

So what will you do?  Will you take your God-given sight for granted?  Or will you enjoy the wonders that He has painted and be grateful that our world is still green, blue and fresh?

Life is too short.  Open your eyes and take it all in!

Manila: A Crowded Break

I've lived in Bukidnon permanently since 1996.  That's 14 years almost to the day.  That's four more years than my academic life in Manila and twice the number of years I've been married.  Though living in a province far away from Manila is enjoyable, sometimes I still get that itch to return to the big city.  Why? 

 The Fort Skyline

 Metro Rail Transit along EDSA

 SM Megamall

 EDSA Shrine with Robinsons Galleria and Ortigas Center Skyscrapers

Which is why I try to make it a habit to come at least once a year, even for just a few days.  Sort of like a break.  A crowded break.

Live with constant change!

Wacky Kids

You've seen them happy. 
You've heard their jokes. 
Now you'll see them candid, wacky and cute!

One is growing up so fast she can leave you behind if you don't try to catch up.  It's a good thing her only vanity (so far) is eye liner and nail polish. One is so sweet she'll surprise you with a hug and kiss on the cheek, or she'll pick a flower and give it to you.  Her main concern is that her dad gets the right amount of sleep and that he takes a bath and brushes his teeth before sleeping. The little boy is, well, the youngest.  He hates getting scolded and runs away to make "tampo".  Even though you've thought nothing of it, he will turn it over and over in his mind and feel worse for it.  But once you say it's okay, he will stop, too.

The eldest has learned to love her younger siblings like a junior mother but still wants her privacy.  The middle child acts like she's the oldest and bosses everyone around.  The youngest copies everything his older sister (the middle child) does and teases her no end.

What will happen when the end result of all this activity comes around?  I hope and pray that the three children will never be separated and that they will be provided the opportunity to know their father's family down to the very roots.  Because, literally, it's the only real family they've got to fall back on.

Praying for a Silver Lining!

Kids at Play

I just love having a camera phone.  It's so convenient to have especially when we're on a trip and there are kids around.  You see, when we are young, we don't think about what we do, we just do it.  Therefore, there are no second takes or repetitions.  All actions are fresh, spontaneous and never premeditated.  Take a look at these choice picks:

Soon these smiling young faces will become wrinkled with frowns, worries and what have you.  "Soon" will come all too quickly and I want to preserve these moments for as long as possible.

Stay Young!

Kids' Funnies

Kitkat asked:  What do you call a longganisa that isn't long?
Tita Gina said:  What?
Kitkat answered:  A shortganisa!
---
Kobe and Kitkat were watching Cartoon Network in the hotel room.  Frankie was waiting for Lola Vacion to come out of the bathroom, coz she REALLY had to go.  So I told her, use the bathroom downstairs in the lobby, and out she goes.  Then all of a sudden, the lights went out.  Brownout!  Kobe said, "Yay!  We can go swimming now!"  And Kitkat said, "Yes!  I want to go, too!  Where are my swimming clothes?"  As the kids looked for their wet stuff, the lights came back on.  Of course, the TV came back on, too.  Then Kitkat said, "Aww, I wanna watch TV.  I know, Kobe can go swimming and I'll stay here and watch TV!"  Kobe then said, "Oh, never mind, I'll just stay here and wait for Kitkat."


Meanwhile, Frankie was having her own paranormal experience in the lobby bathroom.  As she sat down to contemplate her fate, the lights went out.  And she thought, "Oh, dear!  Lord, please protect me from any evil spirits.  Please help me through this difficult time and guide me to a better way of thinking."  So she completed her business in darkness and just as she was exiting the bathroom, the lights came back on.  "Oh, great timing, Lord," she chided.
---
Frankie's Joke of the Day:

The ship was sinking and the passengers had to throw out what they had too much of.  The American threw out money, saying, "We have too much money in our country!"  The Japanese threw out his cellphones, laptops, cameras and iPods, bragging, "We have too much technology in our country!"  The Korean threw out her blouses, her pants, her shoes and her hats, regretting, "We have too much clothing, they won't fit into our wardrobes!"  The Filipino threw off the Korean.  The American and the Japanese asked, "Why did you throw out the Korean???"  The Filipino answered, shaking his head, "Too many Koreans in Philippines!"

Peace to all Koreans!

La Union: Sand and Waves

As early as 6:00 am, Joey was out on the waves.  Of course, we really didn't know what time he left the rooms, because the rest of us got up at around 8, hehe.  It's difficult to listen to your body clock when no sunshine enters the room in the morning.  

There isn't much to do at the resort unless you're a surfer, though Mama and I were able to get good ideas for a (proposed) resort.  Fortunately, the kids liked playing in the sand and waves and were able to fill their time while waiting for their dad to come back to shore.

Bukidlife's Resto Choice: Jay-J's Inasal

On our way to the Northern parts of the Philippines, we found ourselves feeling hungry for authentic Filipino food, with that touch of Ilokano fare.  We didn't want to go into SM because it was a mall, and the whole point in taking the roadtrip was to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.  We found this impressive place instead:

Jay-J's Inasal: The Filipino Restaraunt, located at Rosales City Highway, Pangasinan

We had been on the road for four hours and were very hungry with a capital H.  Our order of pork barbecue, chicken inasal, the famous Ilokanong pinakbet and free soup made short work and we went away knowing we'd just had a good meal.  I highly recommend this restaurant, not only for it's delicious cuisine, but also for their attentive service.

Keep on tasting!

Only in the Philippines: Prayer for Tourists

We found this prayer at the entrance of a resort in Camiguin.  It rings true for tourists worldwide but only in the Philippines will it be written out and posted in a public place for everyone to see!

Happy Traveling!

Poverty and the OFW

Yesterday, my mom and I arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 (Philippine Airlines) at exactly 1:15pm, right on schedule.  Unfortunately, due to a misinterpretation of our travel documents, my brother thought we were arriving at 3:00pm.  So to pass the time, we headed for the Jollibee kiosk located on the upper level, just outside the Departure Area.

The waiting area was packed with people, waiting for their flight to be called, waiting for their loved ones to pick them up (like us), waiting for whatever or whoever they had to wait for.  After ordering two hamburgers and two bottles of water (a total payment of P208), I brought the food over to Mama who was seated in the only remaining space next to where I had parked our baggage cart.  She was listening in to the conversation of the group of Visayan women waiting for their flight to be called for Qatar. When they left, they were replaced by another family.

At first glance, one could already see that the most important person in the group was the young man, dressed in a new blue collared shirt, clean jeans, and spotlessly shiny black shoes.  Dressed to impress, ika nga.  His companions were his lola (a not-so-old woman dressed only in a faded house dress or duster), his younger sister and several cousins or house members (all wearing short-shorts and house clothes and slippers).  Also, one could instantly make out a natural Tagalog accent.

The young man was a 22-year-old high school graduate whose family could not afford to send him to college, so he was going to try his luck as a mechanic's assistant in Riyadh.  He had relatives already there so it was easy for him to process his application.  Now they just had to wait for his licensing officer with the last of his travel documents, and then he was ready to go.  His luggage consisted of one suitcase, obviously new and bought just for this purpose.

I remember a Manilena friend once asked what kind of lifestyle the OFWs from Bukidnon had.  Her query was specific: were they as poor and hard-up as the OFWs from the squatter areas in Manila?  My reaction at the time was defensive.  I know several people who are working abroad in search of greener pastures (three of my brothers-in-law in particular) and none of them come from poverty-stricken lifestyles.  In fact, they had had somewhat comfortable lives here in the Philippines and had only gone abroad because they felt they could feed their families faster with the bigger incomes they could generate there.

Then I realized that my friend, who had been born, raised and lived in Manila all her life, was no different from many citizens of Luzon, who still believe that Mindanaoans are less fortunate than they and that becoming an OFW was the only way to survive in our kind of wilderness.  It was right about that moment when we began passing several houses with Dream satellite cable connections and I was pressed to point out that even on top of a mountain, people could afford to buy their own satellite dishes.

So what makes a Filipino decide to leave his family to work abroad?  Is it because he is poor?  Is it because he is dissatisfied with the way he is treated here?  Is it because he sees no future for his family here?

Whatever the reason, it is the same whether he is from Manila, Luzon, Visayas or Mindanao.  One cannot generalize for any island group, for we are one country, one race.  If only we could stand together, as one, then maybe we could change the world.

God Speed, OFW!