Going To Glan

Let's go to Glan!

Where's that? Oh don't worry, it's still in the Philippines! The "southernmost" tip of mainland Mindanao, that is! Glan is the beach town of the province of Sarangani. Note there's only one 'g'" in the name, but that is pronounced 'sa-rang-ga-ni'. That's part (the tail end actually) of SOCCSKSARGEN or Region XII.

Okay.., you may now imagine what you want to imagine. I won't blame you if you think 'negative' about the place. After all and in the first place, in my experience, each time I go to parts of Mindanao, friends and family always have this 'taken-aback look' as if I am going on a hara-kiri mission. Mga OA hehehe!

Let this be another proof from me, your humble (pronounced 'humbug') Pinoy Traveler, that Mindanao is one of the most friendly and peaceful places in this country! No pun, no joke intended. I mean that.

This trip started as my work-week just about finished in Tacloban, as usual flying back to Cebu while I imagined 'where can I go this time'. Then, I connected to General Santos, and rode on a 'VHire' to Glan.

How long was this trip? Ah eh... about 7 hours! But that's inclusive of all transit times. Okay na yun oi!

Let's start my story from departure, for you to see this was such a nice enough adventure!

Departing Tacloban on a 0935H PAL flight to Cebu, I cannot regale you with any more 'something new' or 'something interesting'. I believe I've already seen and said so much about flying between Tacloban and Cebu, right? Every good and bad thing, nakita at naikwento ko na yata! Therefore, everything else I see is interpreted by my brain as normal! So, nothing to make kwento about. Kumbaga, uneventful na!

But here was my view of Punta Engaño as the plane was 'diving' on approach to MCIA Runway 22!

Wala lang.., just so I have a picture in this paragraph hehe. We all know that is the northernmsot point of Mactan Island, and that the smaller island at the back is Olango where there is a wildlife sanctuary.

Transit at Cebu's Mabuhay Lounge, nothing more to describe in there too hehe. So let's fast-forward!

A little more than an hour of transit time at CEB, here we were boarding another PAL plane to GenSan:

While it looks like there were many of us crowding to board the plane, it's only in that picture. Actually, there were only a few passengers, even if we occupied one row each, there would still be vacant rows!

Look, the whole two rows of emergency exit seats were vacant, aside of course from my Seat 40A!

While these seats were highly sought-after in the past, these days, they are one of the last to be taken.

Yes you are right, because they now require additional fees. But it is hard getting my Melanie Marquez ("thank God for my long-legged") to fit into regular seats, so I still pick them, even if I need to pay extra.

Oh, did you know? In the recent past, as soon as plane doors are closed (sometimes even before that) PAL cabin crew would usually ask some passengers to sit at an emergency exit seat (when that entire row is vacant) instead of following what is printed on their boarding passes. Have you observed that?

Yes, at least one able-bodied adult passenger is supposed to sit beside an emergency exit window, at least during takeoff and/or landing. Which, many of us know why, right? To make sure that those exits are immediately opened or blocked (via their shouted instructions) when needed, during emergencies.

That's an FAA rule, therefore CAAP too (since most of our laws are copied from the US, di ba?). Lately though, it isn't anymore being faithfully followed by PAL. Like in that picture above, there was only me, when there should have been four people, one each for 40ABC (me at 40A), 40DEF, 41ABC and 41DEF.

Anyway, matiwasay naman ang flight hehe. [Let's talk more about emergency exits in a later post].

This was while my flight approached General Santos Airport's Runway 17 [IATA: GES; ICAO: RPMR]

That clear stretch isn't a road but the almost dried-up Makar River crossing our path. It's still summer!

So okay, I arrived... now what? Kulba hahaha!

I'm just joking, no issues whatsoever (so far). Because reliable folks I txtd earlier, sent me enough and clear instructions on how to get going! Ganito: "take KCC to Glan to resort"! Jusko, napaka-helpful 'no?

I txd back if I should take a bus or jeep or tricycle from the airport to this KCC (that I did not know is a mall). The reply was: "sira, 20kms ang layo nyan, magtaxi ka"! My friends are just so caring and gentle!

But I was able to put two and two together: take a cab to KCC Mall of GenSan, ride a van from there to Glan town center, then, take a trike from that van terminal to the resort. Salamat at na-decipher ko rin!

While this was not my first time, in my previous visit I was fetched by my hotel's airport limousine, so I was a bit unsure on how to commute from the airport to that KCC mall hehehe! At least another friend txtd me saying "it's okay, taxi drivers in GenSan aren't like those in Metro Manila". That made me calm!

Just one glance, I already knew where to find taxis in this airport - they're at right side of this picture.

Taxi cabs here are fairly new. I mean the cars aren't kakarag-karag like many we have in Metro Manila!

Oh, I noticed something interesting! Look at the signboards at right. They're all well-built (aesthetically appealing). Materials used are obviously sturdy. Not just any kind of scrap wood, but, metal and steel!

Note also, the names 'Sydney Hotel' and 'Isla Jardin Del Mar' are painted on just one sign post. I think that means they're both owned by one and the same person/family/company? Ah eh, wala lang. I just noted that on a long ago visit, I stayed at Sydney Hotel and now I'm on my way to Isla Jardin Del Mar!

By the way, you do not walk going to that far flank of the parking area to get a taxi. They approach the arrival curbside one-by-one, continuously. They just line-up at that area waiting for their turn! See this:

Those two cabs are next in line to go forward and turn right to the arrival curbside if/when passengers need them. There's some sort of a dispatcher (barker) at the curbside who motions for them to come.

Note: I did not walk all the way outside just to take the two pictures above. Hindi naman ako ganun ka bait to you my dear readers hehehe! I took them aboard the taxi, exiting the parking area (turning left)!

By the way, did you notice the many more sign posts at that side of the parking area? Yeah, those are the designated parking slots of hotels and other travel related service providers. Nicely done. They are thus easy to find if you can't see them from the curbside outside the arrival lobby. Very orderly! Kudos!

Honestly, I can't remember much about these surroundings of the airport. Maybe this wasn't yet done when I came by many years ago! Or maybe I just did not bother to look and observe the surroundings.

Alright then.., let us enter the city proper of General Santos, shall we?!

No more than two minutes of travel from the airport, I saw this welcome arch. Somewhere in me said "ah, so the city is not very far". But I remembered the friend's text. Hindi nga malayo. Napakalayo! Only 20 kilometers hahaha! That is already about the distance between Cebu City Hall and Naga City Hall!

The distance from GenSan airport to the city proper is really far (nga naman) that this had to happen!

That's my taxi driver and his taxi. There was nothing wrong with that vehicle (it's new). This was just a 'yosi break' and a mutual decision at that ha? So we stopped on a side of the highway under the trees!

Why? Because.., I saw him holding an unlighted cigarette between his fingers (while driving), and I just remembered I haven't had a puff yet, since I departed Tacloban, and it may not be possible at GenSan city center, and I was to ride an aircon van pa. Naawa naman ako sa baga ko, masayado nang malinis!

Moving on.., I was already very sure, the road was not like this in my last visit abut a decade ago!

Driver informed me that we were passing on a newer bypass road to the city. Hmm, good one DPWH!

We passed by this signage (good I was quick to take a pic of it). See? The yosi break was justified!

This was a long ride. It says we had 14kms more to city proper! 15 even, to the KCC Mall of GenSan!

But fellow travelers, you don't need to be "maarte" like me! If you like riding the tricycles on this 20km distance from the airport, you can. It looks safe (it's a highway)! I'm guessing though, the rates would probably be just the same anyway. Unless you haggled with your driver - of which, I am never good at!

Look at these pictures... they were my fellow passengers on the flight. They took the tricycle!

That cramped position and the distance is not for me. But I saw a tall foreginer in that second trike!

Then... we saw this youngish-looking manok (yes a chicken) crossing the highway...

Driver and I laughed at that uncommon scene. I think the manoklet (young chicken eh, so "manoklet") was either lost or just fed up living his young manok life, and wanted to become fried chicken instead!

And we entered (turning left here) the urbanity that is the city proper of General Santos City!

This isn't the GenSan I knew a decade ago. Lalong hindi ang Dadiangas that I've seen in my childhood!

We reached KCC Mall of Gensan! Driver was attempting to enter that street that has the "van terminal" by turning left to that side of the mall, but I said 'I can find it and would like to get off here'. So I did...

I was probably a little more than excited to wander around this hectic place, that's why I got off here!

After alighting, I took a photo of my taxi, because I haven't forgotten, it looks different. This...

The vehicle looked a little weird to me (o sige na nga, ugly!) but it was comfy on the inside. I asked the driver what kind of car that is, he muttered an answer, that, I did not understand, so I can't recall what!

Hehehe, I know for sure it is not your usual Toyota, Honda, or Mitsubishi. It even looks like a 'morph' or 'hybrid' between a van and an AUV, and it (seemingly) has thinner walls, and as you can see, has small wheels like that of the usual sedan or the usual multicab - actually, it looks like Penguin to me hehehe!

I'm not very good at classifications or kinds of land vehicles, but in terms of feel, the front seat (where I sat) is cozier than a L-300, Grandia or Urvan, but crampier than my CR-V, Fortuner and the Mitsubishi thing I'm using in Tacloban. The interior is admirably fit for a family van with good enough upholstery.

Combining what I think of it from inside to outside, it is a "sosyalized multicab" (gipa-sosyal ba)!

So okay.., Step 1 done - I arrived at the KCC Mall of Gensan!

I crossed that street (in the photo above) to look for the Glan-bound van terminal, and I easily found it! This terminal isn't like those in Region 8 that are big, wide and have ample waiting areas. And the vans lined up aren't by a single company or owner as you would imagine GrandTours, Duptours or Vanvan's.

This "terminal" is but an eskinita amid the many fruit stands and little sari-sari stalls across the side of the KCC Mall of GenSan. Look, this was my view, while already occupying the van's front seats 1 & 2.

At least there is a roof! I couldn't ascertain though, if that roof thing is made by the city LGU or a driver operator association. If you look to the left edge of the pic, the 'tolda' is probably a KCC mall donation.

Here are more of my views, while already seated inside the van and waiting for departure...

No, that yellow thing wasn't my ride (as said above, I was already seated in my van), that is a multicab that plies the GenSan city streets. But look at that signboard on the sidewalk, that, is the only signage you will ever see while walking along that street. So, first-timers, do not look up, look around hehehe!

Here's another view of the same signboard with the fruit stand on the sidewalk...

Hey 'maiba ako', look, the fruits are contained in styrofoam trays and cling-wrapped! If that's standard, I must say "I like how they sell fruits on the roadsides of GenSan" - they are even better presented than how it is done at Gaisano, Robinsons, SM or other big supermarkets. Hmn, 'di nga lang aircon hehehe!

That's just a sidewalk stall. Can you believe that? Very much unlike how they sell fruits at sidewalks in many parts of this country or even the rest of the world. Ya la, and gosh, have you tried buying fruits at the sidewalks or markets of Karachi? Hahaha OMG, 'no? I won't foget that place for the rest of my life!

Anyway, where my van waited, was not just a good vantage to watch multicabs, but also the tricycles.

All trikes I saw were colored that way - "sky blue" said the van driver, explaining that it is a requirement (by law) in this city. Ah I just smiled, though I already noticed there is something wrong with their 'law'.

Driver told me, all tricycles in the city have to be colored like so, whether those are "for hire" or "private use". The only difference I saw are those numbers written around the cab's body. Did you notice that?

White background with black numbers & letters are supposed to be 'private vehicles' or "Not For Hire". That very phrase Not For Hire is even printed on the sides of all tricycle cabs bearing the kind of plate.

Black background with yellow numbers and letters are "for hire". Nice, short and simple, right?

Eto ka na! Why are so many "Not For Hire" tricycles also waiting for passengers? It's very obvious they are also "for hire". Halata eh! Even the van driver confirmed that to me. On that last pic, just looking at the man (we observed him a bit), he was obviously a "paying passenger", but the trike is "not for hire"!

Aru!!! Estoryaheee!

Anyway, so off we were to Glan, wading thru the busy streets of General Santos City.

Interesting sights and scenes. I told my royal highness then.., it's been a long time since I last roamed around this city, so maybe I should do that when I come back from Glan. Hm, that remains to be seen!

By the way and FYI, as the van made its way out of the city, I was in a conversation with the driver and we reached a point where he had to show this "departure ticket" to me. Hmm, so that "terminal" where this van emanated from, is owned by the government. Hmm again, needs improvement, samok didto!

Each vehicle that waits for passengers at that terminal, pay this amount to the LGU. Aba IGP (Income Generating Project) din kahit papaano. But shouldn't it be free of fees as a service to the riding public?

That topic does not only relate to GenSan, its for the whole country. Why let the public pay for a public service? Isn't that what our taxes are for? Imagine, van operators pay P3,000 for every 10 departures!

Ayan tuloy, in Region 8 the big VHire operators have private terminals, than paying at public facilities, better nga naman to have their own terminal - which many of us passengers are happy about anyway!

Well, if you're an operator with only 1 van, okay, pay the P30 Departure Ticket!

Hah, so many things that we encounter and learn by just traveling, right? Very educational!

Let's fast-forward.

And then, we reached the city boundary, that's why there's this welcome arch to the province.

General Santos is geographically still part of Sarangani. Howver, it is a Highly Urbanized City (HUC) so it is now politically and administratively independent of Sarangani Province. After that arch is already the town of Alabel, which is therefore now considered as the provincial capital. Dadiangas has grown!

I like that welcome arch, simple but the "argyle" design is highly symbolic of their history and culture.

In about 5 minutes, we were already passing by the Sarangani Provincial Capitol compound...

Suddenly, as if a voice from above hollered at me saying "you haven't been there yet, don't you want to drop by and take a peep"? Ahh, next thing I knew, I was loudly talking to my self saying "sige sige, after Glan daan ako dito to see the place", which had the driver startled and he asked "ano yun sir?" hahaha!

I could imagine, their capitol area must be a nice place for some early morning or late afternoon stroll.

Oh my badness! My hands were itching to open my notebook this instant and see how I can tweak my schedules to fit a stroll at this capitol area of Sarangani. Oh dear oh dear! But a calmer royal highness in my head said "relax... study everything tonight, as there is apparently nothing to do at Glan anyway!

Okay, I kept the 'itchy hands and feet' in check. Relak lang relaaaak, makakarating din tayo dyan!

There were many interestingly curious things I saw along the way. Like this big signboard...

It got me thinkung... I know what is a 'mangrove reforestation and ecotourism project', and I know that 'Alsons' is a name or company name. But what's a 'Kawas' or a 'Power Kawas'? I had to ask the driver!

Explanation: 'Kawas' is a barangay of Alabel. So it's a place. 'Alsons Power' is an energy company, and it even owns Alsons Aquaculture Corporation also based in Alabel. So, the signboard is trying to say "this way to the mangrove project of Alson's Power in Bargy. Kawas"! Hay pastilan, kalisud sa English!

See? I'm learning!

Then we started passing by so many banana plantations interspersed with rows of coconut trees. Ah, I think I know that. Agriculturists call it "intercropping" - where non-tall-growing crops are interspersed amid spaces between bigger crops, in this case coco trees! Hah, I still remember my Grade 5 lessons!

But I also noticed, whole banana bunches (bulig) were wrapped in blue plastic bags. I asked the driver again.., and he explained, those are to protect fruits from being attacked (infested) by insects or birds.

Hmm, just like in the mango plantations I saw in Zambales and Guimaras.

Now I wonder what is more tedious, wrapping each mango fruit with dyaryo (newspaper) while they're still growing in trees or wrapping each banana bunch in large plastic bags, also while still growing. Da!

Hmm, so many little mangoes to wrap or gigantic bananas to wrap? I conclude, both are very tedious!

Trivia:
Did you ever wonder if there are any better solutions than wrapping fruits? There apparently are none yet! But did you also ever wonder why in the past, eh hindi naman bibanabalot ang mga yan? The real answer pala to that, is amazingly because farmers are not anymore allowed to spray with chemicals.

Alright.., then this welcome arch fascinated me - I mean the language/dialect.

It says "Talus Kanui" - which probably means "Tuloy Kayo" or "Dayon Kamo". Interesting. I wonder what language it is. That is probably Manobo or of Manobo origin language. Hmm, time to read up and ask.

I didn't have time to check-out and visit all these towns we passed-by, but fascinating just the same!

Look, they ride horses as a means of transport here! Ah, according to google, cattle farming is the 2nd biggest income earner for Malapatan. So they probably use the horses to herd their cattle. Interesting!

Meaning... like in some Masbate towns, this probably is a "rodeo town". Okay sige, bucket listed!

Well, like at many rural towns, they also have overloaded motorcycles as a means of transport. Look...

That's 3 adults and 3 children! Hey, the litle one was anticipatedly watching for us to overtake. I waved at him, his eyes widened in surprise, then he smiled and waved back still holding his cargo truck! Aliw!

How about this temporary orange signage on the side of the highway? What does it want to say?

Orange? Hmm, maybe they wanted it to be red, but they didn't have that paint color in their warehouse! What does that sign mean anyway? "Stop"? But stop for what? Or do they mean "yield"? But isn't 'yield' as road signage, supposed to be triangular and yellow? And, yield to what anyway? I still wonder now.

A few meters from that 'mukhang basketball' signage above, here's one that says "End Road Work".

I wondered and still am wondering now.., is it supposed to be a declarative or imperative statement?

If it is a declarative statement, and from the highway authorities, it should say "END OF ROADWORK" - meaning "on this spot, is where our road improvement activities terminate". But I did not see any such activities, or indicators, or remnants that it has had roadworks on this stretch of road, in the near past.

Ah maybe that thing is also an imperative statement? For example coming from an advocacy group or residents saying "hoy, tapusin nyo na iyang mga ginagawa nyo sa kalsada, ano ba"! Whatever hahaha!

Then I saw a duck. OMG yes, a "pato" as in quack-quack, as in pato nga! Can you see it in this picture?

The perplexing thing (to me) was, it was just being held in one hand, by a woman passenger. No strap, no cage or whatever. She was just holding it by the wings together with a bag that seemed to keep the bird from moving too much, but the head kept bobbing in & out, even the driver found it fun to watch!

The views here are picturesque too. I mean not just the duck, but the fields, mountains and the sea!

This area in Malapatan overlooks Sarangani Bay, one of the busiest sealanes in the country. It's also a protected seascape, with 4 diving and snorkeling spots, catering to novice and advanced enthusiasts.

Here are more views... until I reached Glan. And you'll probably already see why I went this way...

Their tourism tagline is "Tour Town Glan". They have viewdecks at various places, looking out unto the bay. Those viewdecks must have wonderful panoramas. Ah that, I would like to see one of these days.

Whoa! Resorts started appearing, most of them on the right side of the road like this...

These are the times I wish I wasn't commuting - because I can't just say "ah excuse me manong driver, can we please stop muna for a little while po, I will make selfie-selfie lang there over there oh" hahaha!

We don't just ask a VHire or bus driver to stop for such silly things, right? Yes we don't, because other passengers don't have time for such 'unnecessary things' like taking photos of wonderful views, right?

But as I saw those places, I was already starting to scheme in my mind, as to how I'll come back later, to see all those panoramic sceneries, on purpose. New destinations in my bucket list! Isn't that great?

A big chunk of my brain was saying "why are these places not known to many people of this country"? Why is government not advertising these the way they do with other "over-rated" places? Who are they waiting for? Me and you? Hmm! I do not really mind being an advertiser of these wonderful paradises!

Hahaha, so be it!

Anyway, I saw and witnessed that the road conditions in this far-flung province are very good!

And this place is way far from towns or provinces of Mindanao known for security risks. Hello, if at all this province is mentioned on national media, eh it is usually about Manny Pacquiao and nothing else!

A part of me is saying "buti if this remains out of the beaten tourist path, so I can have such wonderful places solely for My Royal Highness"! But wonderful places are meant to be shared with others, di ba?

Thus this..., my blog!

Look look, another cute habal-habal riding bebebe on the move! He was constantly watching our van!

Who knows, those early habal-habal rides (though dangerous) could be the start for these little kids to becoming future travelers like me and you - soon as they're already able to, right? Traveling is learning!

Now look at this fairly-new pickup truck. His/her pursuits today includes to acquire/transfer plants...

Life on this side of earth is fairly just like everywhere else in rural Philipines. No dizzying population of beggars, no 'slums', 'squatters' or 'illegal settlers'. But I was speeding in a van, so I can't be sure, right?

Okay, I would know very soon, if at all there are. And I doubt there will ever be!

And then I... ARRIVED! Yes, after exactly 1 hour and 2 minutes, my van arrived at Glan!

Hey, aside from the notable serenity for a public transport terminal, I noticed that humungous thing of a jeep! I asked my driver where that goes, he just said "sa bukid"! ["bukid" in Bisaya means "mountain"]

Wow! Its destination must be somewhere still undeveloped! Hmm, it is a six-wheeler jeep with towing cables on its front, as if telling me that's a usual necessity. Then again, it seems to have a red plate, so I could not be very sure, if that is for normal public passenger conveyance, or for hauling heavy loads.

It was worth asking, but no one was nearby, except for that kid sleeping on top of the hood. Why was I interested? Oh, just curious. It might have the same function as that big yellow truck in Cebu City, that their local government use to transport residents of far-flung mountain barangays! Just curious lang!

I still had to hire a tricycle going to my resort. I did just that, and I was back on the highway...

The ride goes up a hilly road, at one point I thought the trike couldn't make it, but it did!

And in 10 minutes, we approached the entrance of my final destination (turn right)...

So, I welcomed my self to Isla Jardin Del Mar Resort in Gumasa, Glan, Sarangani!

My home for the next few days & nights. But let's describe this place in later stories, after my last day.

So, I arrived at Brgy. Gumasa beach area, in Glan Sarangani... now what?

Ah eh that's my next story. Or probably even a host of other stories!

And let me just alert you... this is a beach town paradise!

Itutuloy..., Abangan...