Matalom Marvels and Quibbles

Exiting Ichon (the northern-most barangay) of Macrohon, I was immediately in Maasin City. My driver asked what in this city would I like to see, and he glanced at his wristwatch. Hmm, I knew he was worried I won't make the 4:30PM mass in Tacloban. So I said let us just go instead straight to Matalom, and after that, you can zoom your way all the way to Tacloban - your choice if you want to pass via Baybay-Mahaplag or via Ormoc.

Thus, make the long story short (shh, don't tell, we "flew" on the road for more than 30kms and) here we were in the town center of Matalom, Leyte. Not Southern Leyte, but just Leyte. How is that? Well, as you would have known in your fourth grade geography "the big island of Leyte is composed of 2 provinces which are Leyte and Southern Leyte".

Their "welcome" signage is rather small and questionably sits on the highway...

Why do I say questionable? Because it was built on the very highway shoulder - which should not be, because it is not safe, therefore not allowed by law - meaning illegal. One can argue that it was authorized by whoever. But what should prevail is safety of travel.

In fact, I wonder how effective a welcome sign that is, since it is just the height of my thigh! I did not even see it, but just stumbled upon it on my way to their monument of Rizal. Let's just hope and pray it does not cause any accidents or any untoward mishaps.

Walang basagan ng trip!

In the middle of the park, behind that small welcome 'epitaph' is Jose Rizal's monument.

Funny that the writings below him are names of officials who purportedly constructed (names on the left slab) and renovated (names on the right slab). Bakit kelangan isulat ang mga pangalan at posisyon nila? Pera nila ang ginamit dyan? Mga Epal. Makalumang mapagpalalo na pamumuno sa pamayanan - tanging hangad ay iwagayway ang mga pangalan nila. Sus oi, 21st century na! I would rather see "Mi Ultimo Adios" written there!

In fairness, that statue looks more like Jose Rizal. Hello Saint Bernard hahaha!

And in fairness too, I like this park. The fence is not extravagant nor does it obstruct any view; yet it's a bit too high to become a tambayan of the bugoy and bangaw to perch on!

The blue building behind Rizal, after a tennis court and basketball court is this...

Their town hall that looks kinda too small for today's needs, right? But I like it, it's cute! And behind this, on the sides and nearby lots are extensions or additional structures - to fit other municipal offices. Why do I know? Ah, I looked around and saw a lot of blue!

Like this old wooden little blue house...

Signage atop the door says "Office of the Municipal Accountant". A nice era house too!

There is even another little blue building out there near the shoreline...

I did not see a name on what might that building be. Well, at least they have a little park for their veterans. There's even a monument of a soldier back there, behind that marker.

Those are back of the town hall and we were actually just passing by, going left to this...

This is the town's jump-off point to their pride-of-place - Canigao Island Paradise. Well, I was not going to the island this time. Just looking around, but how I wish I could, argh!

Since I came to just look around, look around I did, and this one got my attention...

First I said to myself "sino naman magtyatyagang basahin ito, eh ang haba-haba! Then... me, myself and I answered me myself and I saying "ikaw"! Hahaha, as in I read all of it!

Why did I read it? Well... 1) its readable! - its such a big 'announcement' written on a whole sheet of plywood! The standard plywood size in this country is 4 feet by 8 feet (in various thicknesses), so it is that BIG; 2) perchance I chance upon anything or something worth telling or reminding you my readers who may have plans to visit Canigao Island.

And indeed I found something: DO NOT visit on the 1st or 2nd week of July. Its closed!

No boats scheduled to leave or arrive, so I was allowed to walk to the wharf area. This...

You want descriptions? Well, no boats dock at this concreted portion of the wharf - this is just some kind of "for showmanship only" thing! Why is that? Because the water here is too shallow for the boats to float. So, you walk through those stilts to approach your boat which would usually be at the end of that 'contraption' thing hehe. There's a boat docked, but its behind the stilts! Well, this is better than the Sabang to Caramoan rides!

Facing the sea on that paved wharf, I looked to my right and this was the view...

People of Matalom do not need to go to Canigao for a swim. They can do it here. Do you see the "white boat" the kids are riding on? How I wish I could also ride that styrofoam!

Okay, I looked to the left, and this was the view...

You see that dark "dash" on the horizon (middle of photo)? Yep, that is Canigao Island.

So... home time? No, not yet. I did not forget!

We drove back to the park because across it is an entrance to the church compound...

The "welcome epitaph" I mentioned (first picture) above, is by the feet of that woman in red shirt and white skirt far to the right. If that car goes straight from where it is, it would hit the "welcome epitaph", not the woman! That is how dangerous this roadside is.

There are no signs nor warnings to alert drivers. Look, even the benches AND the lamp posts are ON the highway shoulder! My driver said "ang engineer dito hindi lang bobo, gago"! I agree a thousand percent - as this is not some side street or back road. This IS the national highway! If they want to make it a sidewalk (as indeed it is) or a waiting area (as indeed this is where commuters wait for their rides) it should be elevated. Sus!

Anyway, across that 'maka-init-ulo' roadside, still by the national highway is this...

Wow and wowowow, right?! This (I think) is the convent of St. Joseph Parish. It is so huge and old yet still maintained. Well, ground level is concrete, but upstairs is still all wood!

It definitely speaks of history, not only of Matalom but perhaps the island or even the country. Cleaning that big a house must be daunting even today. I wonder how many people did that chore in those days of yore! Now I am curious, did priests have slaves?

I wonder too if this edifice is listed in the National Historical Commission's roll of antiquities in this country. It should be. I heard, if anything is tagged as national historical whatever, they provide financial and professional expertise to help maintain it.

Okay, I walked ot the church, which just like that convent, is vintage too...

Unfortunately, it was closed, so this is all I got - a picture of the facade, not even full.

So, we made our way northwards and out of this town.

But wait! I saw things hahaha!

Outside that church, etched in two big marble slabs is a list of parish priests from 1843 down to 1992. Yun lang, wala nang space eh hehehe! So this is probably where the LGU got their idea, also listing their names as officials over at Rizal's monument. Epal pa rin!

Let's clarify that, LGU officials of 1941 and 1981. Maryusep, pati yun ex-mayor na nag-construct (daw, siya talaga nag semento?) nung circular base, kailangan talaga i-ukit! Syempre if you were today's official, you'd be afraid to erase those (or replace them with "adios p-atria adorada..."! Maghuhuramentado ang mga tigulang!

Bottomline - list of priests or list of town officials, if a citizen (or a visitor) reads them, o eh ano ngayon? Dahil ba nabasa ko ang mga panganlan na yan maglululundag na ako sa tuwa o magpamisa kaya? Lists are fine, but not highlighted as tall as the monument.

Ambot aning mga tigulang oi!

Anyway, after Matalom, as promised to the driver, I stopped being curious about whatever along the way, I ceased looking at anything, so he sped our way to Tacloban!

I dozed off! End of a fantastic 2-day joyride!

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