Commuting Dumaguete to Valencia

My Negros Oriental Tour: Transpo from Dumaguete to Valencia

I started with asking around the Dumaguete public market area as to where I could get a ride to Valencia. Some did not know about that, some pointed to me a wrong place (‘esrides’ for Dauin), but finally a shoemaker pointed me in the correct direction. Its not easily “spottable” as the jeep or two is just parked by the side of the street hehe! No kiosk, shack nor terminal to indicate so. Anyway, from the market, heading westward on Colon St., look on the left side for an “Elmido Dental Clinic” and a “Maglingaw Ta Videoke” which are both on a building called “VPDRC”. Across them should be your jeep. That’s what I found out hehe!

Well there is after all a sign posted about knee-high and of course obstructed by the jeep itself. I saw that “beautiful” signange when I was already seated and waiting for my ride to go! Hah, its no less donated by a milk brand hehehe! Yes, I was silently laughing when I spotted this very artistically rendered tarpaulin! Must have cost the donor hefty sums just for that tarp to be “printed” whaaahehehe!

This is a suburb of Dumaguete. A town up in the hills overlooking the city just about 15 minutes or so away. There is no Ceres going there. As passengers came, a woman (captain at one of Valencia's barangays) came to sit also at front seat, so I got off and motioned for her to wedge herself between me and the driver hehe! No wonder everyone showed her some kind of reverence - except me who did not give her my privileged outer front seat hehe. But she was a jolly lady and talked to me. Her opening line was asking what it was I was going to Valencia for - and I expected that! When I asked if it was far, she pointed to the mountains and told me that's where we were going! See the picture hehe!

Oh, jeeps (also called ‘esride’) going up to Valencia are relatively bigger than those multicabs that ply to the coastal towns like Sibulan, San Jose, Bacong, Dauin etc. Rightfully so, since it’s a continuous ascent going to Valencia. My destination itself (plaza, church, municipal hall, market) is some 700++ feet up in the hills! And there are a few patches of rough roads, so they better use bigger sturdier vehicles with bigger engines. Yep, they’re bigger but not lovelier hehe!

On departure the jeep follows that street (Colon St.) westwards and emerges out on Jose Romero Road by the corner with Lee Plaza Hypermart and an ePLDT call center. The trip then is an easy ascent via the same Jose Romero Road. It is a “climb” but there are no dangerous portions like ridges or cliffs. No sharp curves too until it reaches Valencia’s Public Market. I found out something different here too. Passengers generally don’t pay until they are able to disembark from the damn dilapidating jeep – even if it has an on board conductor! Thus, his near-panic action of soliciting or receiving the fares lest some get away without paying hehe. Gosh and its I think even less than 10 kilometers of travel!

Going back to the city is almost the reverse, except that after you have hopped on the jeep and it starts to move, it does not necessarily mean its going down and out of Valencia’s town proper. When not yet full, it will make the rounds of the town’s streets until driver is satisfied or until the vehicle is brimming full. Thus, roamers like me get an unexpected joy-ride around town hehehe!

Alright, let’s go to my Valencia visit!


If you want to read the chronology of all stories on this tour, click the following:
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