I Made It To Dumaguit

'What is that place', you may be asking? My reply will probably be "yeah, what is that place" hehe! But I went to Dumaguit anyway, just curious, as that same question came to mind -- "ah what is that place"?

How did this happen? Ah well, I was walking around Kalibo with nothing much or nothing 'major' to do one afternoon. I actually was to see the Sampaguita Gardens (New Washington) once again. To make me smile once more, at the countless toys, figurines, artworks, etcetera - the Precious Moments way.

However, instead of a jeep bound for New Washington, first I saw already being boarded was going to Dumaguit. I asked the driver if I could take this ride just to the Sampaguita Gardens, since Dumaguit is (I learned) beyond that point. He said yes. I also asked what's there to see/do in Dumaguit for tourists.

He shrugged and said there is a sea port but there are no ships today. I further asked what ships dock at that port and where from. He replied with "from Manila, Batangas, Romblon at iba pa". Hmm, ah the next thing I knew, I was already paying for the fare from Kalibo to Dumaguit. At front seat pa, syempre!

On the jeep's arrival in Dumaguit (maybe an hour after I took the ride in Kalibo) I realized that I was the only remaining passenger when driver dropped me at the port area. OMG saan nagsibaba ang others?

Hmm again hehehe!

That meant, this port isn't anywhere near center of town. No people in this vast facility omg! Mr. Driver told me though, this is really his route's final destination and the corner where he was letting me off, is where he turns back for Kalibo, and that this place teems with humanity when big ships arrive/depart.

He pointed to me the main port area. I walked going there. Desolate, eerily silent on a noontime. Duu!Nothing to see, but it is such a big port, I wondered how many days in a week this place gets busy. Ah, Thursday isn't really known to be a day for Filipinos to travel, especially in/at/from/to provincial areas.

Well, I got hints form the things I saw around this desolate place…

Like this signage on the outside wall of a bamboo hut. Hey, bamboo hut as it may be, it is (I think) THE booking office or "ticket office"! I snooped-in, no one was in there, just some tables and chairs and some posted memos on the wall. I quickly read through them and realized I was actually at the inter-island port (RORO Port) of the town of New Washington in Aklan province.

Okay, so Dumaguit is a Barangay of New Washington, Aklan. And this port, is where you disembark when riding the big boats (passenger ships) from Manila or elsewhere, going to Kalibo or Caticlan then Boracay or elsewhere. Okay, now you and I know. And who says their offices have to be concrete?

Nothing to see at this port, other than M/V Bora Cruise 1 that seem to be under repair or in disrepair!Mind you, even on a gloomy day, from this port, views to the surrounding bay are breathtakingly lovely!

So I walked back to where the jeeps take a u-turn or make a stop to gather passengers for Kalibo.Kaso walang tao! The only living things I could see moving-about were the jeep driver and those birds.

Yes, the little Maya birds - proof that this place is desolate as there were just so many of them here!

They usually avoid places with constant or even frequent human movements or activities, right? While here, it was as if they owned the place, comfortably having a ball at those puddles or elsewhere, rarely invaded by humans! They flew away when I passed, but were soon back when I was a few steps gone!

Actually by the way, at a little distance so as not to scare them away, I turned back to look at them as I smiled triumphantly! Why? Ah eh.., I just suddenly remembered, I once won a hefty bet of cash money, all because of them tiny little brown birds hahah! But later na yan, I'll try to find time to retell that story!

Anyway, when I reached the corner, it was such a busy hectic scene of total nothingness - Oh My Gee!

Well, behind me was parked the jeep that brought me here, with the manong driver waiting (or hoping) that passengers to Kalibo would soon come fill his jeep - since as of the moment, the count was, zero!

I somehow already expected this, but I wasn't at all worried. This is rural Philippies. And as a traveler, I know this 'penomenon' of 'having no real control of your time' is a way of life hehe! And we have to live with it. For to find "a better/faster way" that requires extra money is deemed showing-off and no good!

Imagine, it must have been an hour since I went to roam the port and watch the birds. But the manong driver was still just seated on his jeep waiting -no gadgets, no music, no dyaryo, nothing to tinker with!

I stood beside the jeep near manong driver's position, and asked 'how long' he thinks until passengers came to fill his jeep. I was probably even a bit sarcastic [as I was about to scheme to 'pakyaw' his jeep to Sampaguita Gardens, which I imagined won't be 10kms away]. But, his reply expunged my scheme!

He joyfully said "indi na magdugay" explaining that "mangabot na ang halin sa Batan" as he pointed to the other side of the road, that to me, looked just like a mere ditch or some untouched mangrove area.

Da! I was dumbfoundedly surprised at his reply, and I guess he noticed that, since I literally went silent for a moment there. Plus, I guess (no, I suspect) that my chinky eyes opened wider a bit more hahaha!

I wasn't surprised that I could not ask him to bring me 'pakyaw' to Sampaguita Gardens, but surprised to know that there was something related to travel/mobility/movement amidst those mangrove trees!

What happened next? Of course, I half-runningly went to see it. OMG it's some kind of a port too!

No wonder that from a distance, it looked like this place had a rundown waiting shed (where I stood to take that photo). Indeed it's a waiting shed, though not for land vehicle riders, but for sea-bound folks!

Wow! Something new for me, and for my readers too, right? I watched this one dock, to know more!

Woa! From the look of the boat alone, this was something new and different to me. I think I know why the bow is like that - to fit motobikes, probably even tricycles! But, where do they go to, or come from?

I initially thought of asking the few passengers (7 lang yata) to answer my questions as they came off the boat, but no can do hahaha! They looked like they weren't at all interested in talking to a visitor. Da!

But.., I had my radar on the boat crews. I was almost sure at least one of them would answer some of my basic questions. And they did! Yes, plural hahaha! I learned that their trips are just to Batan, Aklan!

Yes, don't panic! I said Batan, Aklan, not up north in Batanes hehe! This Batan is actually the next town south of New Washington, but its poblacion is across the bay (Batan Bay). It's not a separate island, it is very much part of mainland Panay. But being across a bay - full of mangrove forests, islands, islets and whatever else, road travel from Batan to Dumaguit takes 2hours, versus only 20 minutes by boat!

Wow! But I asked what are Batan people coming to Dumaguit for anyway? And they educated me that, it's not really just to Dumaguit, but on to New Washington proper and further to the capital Kalibo. It is faster nga naman via this route. Especially that Batan is the fish & marine products supplier of Kalibo.

Wow again!

This basket of fresh fish was one of five such crates 'commuting' on their way to the Kalibo markets.

They further educated me that aside from the fish crates, office workers and students ride them daily.

What a fantastic find! I didn't at all had any hint! No wonder Manong Driver was just cool and collected waiting at his jeep - expecting loads coming. And when I returned, he was already gone - off to Kalibo!

So I waited for another jeep, going back to my real destination - The Sampaguita Gardens.

That’s next!
ISSN 2512525.5-1333

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