Why the curiosity? Because of the 'intrigue' that titillated my lowly brain when I saw the Cagayan Holiday and Leisure Resort INSIDE the San Vicente Naval Airfield, which is part of Naval Base Camilo Osias - one of only 3 naval bases in/of the country.
First sighting! Not even far from where we took-off along this highway (Dugo-San Vicente Road?), I saw this building. Hazy picture as I did not ask driver to slow down lest he start thinking I might be some kind of an "Investigative Documentaries" ek ek hehe. Mahirap na, baka maharang pa ako somewhere. Y'know... politics... politicians...
I asked "ano ang compound na yun, ang gaganda at ang lalaki ng buildings ah"! Driver casually said "ah Hawaii sir, Casino". And I said "ah okay, eh sino nakatira sa magandang village na walang pangalan sa kanan"? His reply was: "ah yun sa tapat? Yun ang resort, Hawaii din, sa kaliwa yung casino at saka CEZA, sa kanan yun mga tirahan, cottage, swimming pool, beach, jetski. Pang-intsik lang ang mga yan sir".
I immediately tapped on google and found that everything my driver said are facts enough! That expansive place is the Eastern Hawaii Casino and Resort inside the CEZA Complex. Yes, CEZA for Cagayan Economic Zone Authority. The "village" across the road is as my driver said, the resort where those Chinese gamblers would stay!
I wonder, the CEZA (a government authority) is inside a Casino Complex? Or is it the othet way around? The Eastern Hawaii Casino inside a government complex? It probably is the latter. Just like Cagayan Holiday and Leisure Resort over at Brgy. San Vicente, casino on one side, resort/hotel across the runway!
Ah, many things started entering my lowly pea of a brain! Why here? Why Casinos? Inside a government authority complex? Maybe government owns the casinos? Can it? Why the Chinese? Who benefits from these? How does this help or affect the residents of this rural community? How much did politicians earn here? *wink wink and wink* Ah, I have seen ugly things happening at Sihanoukville. Will Cagayan be the next?
I think I will need to do a lot of reading if at all I need to still be interested in this casino phenomenon at such remote places like Cagayan Province. Hmm, unsa ni oi, basa na pud? Am just a traveler not a researcher baya! But at times, some things intrigue and titillate your mind so you start digging deeper. Travel is education!
Another part of my brain said... "ah syaddap and enjoy the scenery"!
Onwards, I saw a scattering of more resorts as we cruised along the highway. Why did I not see them on my way here? Ah, maybe I was busier watching out on where to get-off from that rickety van. Or, I was busier holding on to wherever I can hold, lest that van disintegrate as we sped thru hahaha!
Then, a signage that said Avalon Beach Club (I wasn't able able to snap a photo). It looked luxurious (the entrance gate I mean), but my driver told me it was not a CEZA thing. The resort is owned by a foreigner married to a Filipina. He says has even already attended a wedding held in that resort and it is nice. So in my mind I said "okay fine" hehehe. Why am I so focused on these Chinese casinos? Ah maybe because they are new to me :)
Well then, that was an eye-opener to me. That there are actually many resorts big and small, even before reaching the town proper of Sta. Ana, Cagayan. I'll look them up on the web one of these days.
And we passed by an "expo". Whoa! that is my next topic! Abangan!
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