Philippine Travel Notes

Do I hear someone singing? Bakit ka kumakanta? The song is "Ang Kawawang Cowboy", ito Baboy! Ah the things we see on the road, they are not only educational, they are also somehow entertaining! Windows were all closed, airconditioning was on and driver was playing some music (because there is no radio reception in this area of the highway in W. Samar). Yet, we could hear a pig's cries of distress! I asked the driver where that was coming from, since there were no houses along the way - at alangan tumatakbo kasabay namin ang bahay na me baboy na imiiyak 'no! Driver pointed his 'nguso' up front! When I looked, I saw that habal-habal with a pig tied "upside down" (I mean not upright, according to a pig's point of view - yes me ganun hehehe), on the right-side passenger footrest of that motorcycle. Can you see it? So, it kept wailing in distress. Kahit ikaw naman, di ba? Subukan mong itali ka ng ganyan patiwarik sa isang humaharurot na

The Oxford Dictionary defines pe·des·tri·an as a person walking along a road or in a developed area ; Cambridge Dictionary defines it as a person who is walking, especially in an area where vehicles go . Eh paano ang aso, pusa, manok, kambing, AND in this case, si Islaw Kalabaw and family, and friends? 6:30AM on a rainy Wednesday, and I was running late for an engagement in Guiuan Eastern Samar. My driver knew the situation, and was flying on the road (without me even requesting), but I liked it. Shh! Somewhere along Brgy. Diit in Tacloban, the vehicle suddenly slowed down, intermittently stopping. I asked why, driver jokingly smilingly pointed ahead saying " sir, unruly pedestrian on the road " (yes, in English pa)! Easy to grasp hehe, I knew he meant those carabaos. Not one, not two, but many of them! I curiously watched how he would 'manage' this very tricky "overtaking" situation. I was running (very) late for Guiuan, but this was such an int

I was lining up to get some cash at the BDO ATM Machine at Robinsons Mall in Sagkahan, Tacloban. It had a very long line in front of it - I expected that, because that is always the case, I was 11th to front. However, all those before me would spend a very short time on the machine, then they would leave. I said to my self, "ah maybe they were just doing a 'balance check' - better for me, line was moving fast! When I was 3rd on the line, 2 men came, went straight to tinker on the machine - literally opening the insides (I was actually excited as this was the first time I was seeing the 'innards' of an ATM machine)! Probably to erase the boredom and anxiety of many who were on that line, I half-hollered at the guys saying "hoy, authorized ba kamo hiton"?, "how do we know you are not robbers"? Some folks laughed. Some people left the line without saying anything! The 2 guys paused, looked at each other, fished for their IDs from their

In Tacloban, one late afternoon... We have seen this a number of times in our lives, right? At first, I thought this was just some show-off stupidity or "arte lang", "pasikat lang". As I'm not a frequent motorbike rider, I learned just lately, that some science (if I may call it that) is involved in this 'stupidity'. 'Economics and Ergonomics', probably ! Well, necessity leads to discovery. And necessity of those with limited resources leads to these quirky unimaginable solutions, that may be called 'idiotic' by rich people, but 'brilliant' to us the 'have-nots'! The wealthy may give up on things, but the poor will think of something. That pic is an example! I had the distinguished honor of discussing that photo with a friend over bottles of beer, nakisawsaw pa ang mga driver namin in that hilarious 'conference'. Conclusion: para-paraan lang ang buhay natin! Our analysis... Problem 1: You need to buy/re

Normal day. I was on the way home after a long happy day of engagements. Then I saw this... Not clear. I asked my driver to go closer saying buntotan mo yan . He was surprised but did it anyway. Okay... I got it... and here it is. Can you read it? Yes, you can! Teka, I didn't say kantahin mo ! Anyway, I was still trying to 'analyze', to understand what it was trying to 'convey', but my driver already reacted with a laugh, so I asked him what it really means. He explained that, this jeep's route was, and still is 'Palo to Tacloban Via Maharlika Highway and vice-versa' despite the availability of other routes! Note: At that corner (near 'Pisay'), jeeps from Palo either go straight to Real St. or left via Maharlika Hiway! All I could say was "ang Pinoy talaga, mga buang tulad ko"! But that's why it's fun in the Philippines ! Yes Mano, we sang Imelda Papin songs all the way to my apartment! Oh well, the signs of our time

I was on the way to Kananga and Ormoc when I saw this signage somewhere in Palo, Leyte... It's a small garden-shop, I'm not even sure how such stores are called. But I liked the name, which was the reason I took that pic in the first place! Even my driver immediately recognized why it amused me! For those who don't get it, the store name is Meet Your Garden . Try pronouncing it faster and faster! Keep repeating that name, soon you'll remember Dong Shancai, Dao Ming Si, Huaze Lei and all of F4 ! If you still don't get it, ah just drop it. Baka di ka Pinoy o Pinoy ka na walang TV for the past 30 years! Oh well, the witty clever creative signs of our times... are entertaining!

I was watching the news while tinkering with my phone. Then I shouted "shoot" and got this! Palaisipan: what is wrong with that screen shot ? Yes, screen shot yan, since I captured a picture of my TV screen. So, "screen shot" nga, di ba? How many seconds or minutes did it take you to find that out? You still can't find what is wrong with it? Ows? Okay, I won't say it, but my analysis below will surely guide you, to find what's wrong with that shot. No no no, not the basketball shot, but the photo shot, or the screen capture of the CNN Philippines News ! Confusing? Ah, read on... My analysis (hehehe): For a reputable news channel, that is probably a "capital offense". But for me, that can be "forgivable"! It's not often that you use your left ring-finger and your left pinky-finger in succession to write letters in a word on your keyboard. For a lot of humans nowadays, those are the 2 weakest fingers when typing. Lalo

My first breakfast on this Bantayan escapade was decidedly at Kota Beach Resort, even if I had to pay for it (since I was not an in-house guest), and even if I had a free breakfast waiting at Budyong where I was staying. I arranged for this last night because I just love to sit at this corner of Kota Beach Resort. Note that this is not even the "dining area" of Kota Resort. This is more of a sports/snack/cocktail bar! Behind me as I took that picture, is/was the pool table (yes, a bilyaran!) that opens still later in the day! It is not that I don't like breakfast being served at Budyong (they're similar anyway). I just like this spot at Kota Resort. This (bar/games area), is not even open yet at breakfast time. I just asked permission! At bakit ko naman naisip yun? Ah eh, I think it was during the Suroy-suroy Sugbo time, when breakfast was served, there were so many of us in the dining hall that I requested to sit out here. Pinayagan ako! From then on, I came to

It is vacazien! Feeling lang! And as I've said over and over in previous stories, these are the days of my life when I get up early to roam around and see the place. I'm not even sure why, but I find mornings to be an ideal time of a vacation day (aside from late afternoons) for exploring locales that I am visiting. Maybe it's the breeze during that time of day? Or maybe because everything is fresh? Whatever! At past 6AM, the beach area to my right was as clear as when I arrived yesterday (past noontime)... Of course the difference was obvious. This time, most folks were still asleep.., while yesterday, when I arrived, everyone was up but hiding from the sun! How sure was I? Ah eh, it was so quiet this morning! Aha, I remember that store behind the tent. that's where I had my second dinner last night! Me ganun? Yes, because when I passed-by, I saw them grilling fresh fish, it was irresistible so I got two, with SML! I wasn't sure I saw that tent yesterday a

I just saw the shirt of this pedicab driver and I clearly read it said Parris Island [note the spelling].., I got very curious as to where might that be, that I don't know, nor haven't heard-of yet, in this country. Hmmm! I couldn't ask the manong as he was moving, and we were too. Thus I went online and discovered that there's only one Parris Island on earth. It is an island district in Port Royal, South Carolina, USA, having been made famous due to it being the home of "Parris Island Recruit Depot" serving as a "US Marine Corps Recruit Depot". So okay, I learned something new today! No, it's not in the Philippines. The manong probably just got that shirt from relatives who live in the US or the shirt may have appeared at, thus he may have bought it, from an ukay-ukay store! Yes, probably! Imagine that, by just reading the shirt of a pedicab driver, led me to know a bit about a distant place! Mapuntahan nga yan one of these days! I

On the way to Tacloban from some hinter town we passed by a bank's ATM in Palo Leyte. Somewhere nearby, on that row of establishments, is a branch of Panny's Bakeshop, where one of my companions also dropped-by to pick a number of pastries for our afternoon 'meryenda' in the office. And I saw this: Especially that the packs had the 'ensaymada' positioned where they are placed sideway, I got curious what 'ensay' meant in one of those product/price tags. So I asked and the girl said "ah ensaimada sir"! I don't know if there's any right or wrong abbreviation for the name of this delectable "daily bread" that seem to keep evolving through the years! It was "ensaimada", now "ensaymada", shortened to "ensay"! Whatever nomenclature it asssumes in the coming years, I'll still say, this pastry is always delectable. Hey, I'm no foodie. I'm just your mere simple Pinoy Traveler who's pe

I was caught in traffic entering main road Sagkahan from V&G Tacloban. This delivery van was in front of us. The writings on its rear got me curious. It says This truck is 100% powered by LPG . Oh, and so? Yes, so what? Does it save them money? Okay, good for them! Does it help earth in any way, that they are "advertising" it? Hmm, maybe, I don't really know. But a time ago, that was being brokered to taxis. It did somehow get some following, for in Cebu, I once had a problem that my maleta would not fit in the trunk due to the presence of a gas cylinder. A number of them got into it, but soon were back into gasoline! Anyare? Alam ko kasi pang-luto yan eh! Yung 11kg tank? Then I wondered, what happened? Da! The educational power of traveling hehe! I got curious, I needed to know, so I browsed around and even asked some knowledgeable people that I know, for more information on that LPG. I got answers! LPG means Liquified Petroleum Gas. In the context of our topi

I think I already said in previous posts, that I watch TV not only to hear/watch news, but also to learn a language. Yes I do! On this one, I was watching the Tacloban version of ABS-CBN's afternoon/evening news. I'm half-blooded Waray but not yet confident at how I speak. So I watch/listen-to local TV/radio. But not everything we see or hear are "correct". That, we also need to learn! Sometimes, somehow, we do find idiotic things being done by idiots even at reputed institutions like ABS-CBN! We think they are manned by well-educated communications professionals, perfect in their craft, right? No, they are not! I just learned today, that even they, have unbelievable flaws, OMG! Not inadvertent mistakes but, ah, just see this "screen shot" (I took a shot of the TV while watching). That is obviously a quote (a transcription), of what the provincial fishery officer of Samar was saying. How do you spell "sanctuary"? Slip of the finger? No, sinc

Oh, this little piece of advise I saw this at BPI's ATM (Robinsons Mall Tacloban Branch).., Well, it says the message anyway, right? But it didn't keep me from smiling, knowing that some guard (sekyu, gwardya, ja-guar, bantay, chief) surely wrote that. Otherwise, oh how jologs of BPI staff, di ba? Di rin ako kagalingan sa englis, but then I guess this little note is proof that many of us Filipinos finish secondary education (high school) not mastering English grammar, pati na nga yata sa Pilipino, right? High school (yata) ang minimum qualification of a guard. But if they're not yet that 'communicative'.., sasabit tayo dyan.., Oh well... and mind you, on this very same day , BPI's ATM upstairs at the mall's second level (near The Handyman) also was the same kind of grammar. Oops, I meant, signage ngay-an. Upaya gad niyo BPI! At least, napapangiti tayo paminsan-minsan during our travels - kahit 'alang pera lahat nang ATM nila!

Short notable notes I encountered yesterday and today! Wrong spelling, wrong! Catch it if you can! Did you / Do you see it? At least someone (probably a crew or the owner) attempted to erase the extra letter "N" with a pen - which all the more caught my attention hahah! Hoy Coca-Cola, magsi-ayos kayo! No more terminal fee at Tacloban DZR Airport. Meaning one less line at check-in area. Buti naman! The PAL check-in agent who stamped my boarding pass with a "TF Paid" told me, all out-of-Tacloban tickets bought effective 01OCT2017 already include the terminal fee. Thus, no more need to fall in line again at that counter with a woman who's always "waray isurukli". Style mo misis, nag-"the end" gihap! Hey, while waiting for departure at that restaurant above, I saw this cute car with so many stickers: I have seen many such vehicles peppered with stickers - some with even more. But, this was the first I saw, where all the stickers are ab