Philippine Travel Notes

"Oh what a cute big fish", "oh poor fish"! Those were some of the reactions in the restaurant when that fish was shown on GMAs local TV news last night. It was a bit noisy in the restaurant and the news language was a fast and pure bisaya so I could not understand every word. But one thing was clear... it was a big big dying fish. Reporter said it was estimated to be about 100 kilos and that it was already very weak with some kind of head injury. Also estimated to be so many years old. Oh poor fish! It was not actually caught on purpose or by accident. Its said to have just floated at the Mactan Channel under the bridge and local folks took it out of curiosity. What happened? Was it just really time for that sunfish to die? Did something cause it to do what it did - like float into people's lives? Was it lost - probably due to a head injury? Those were just some of the many questions that floated around as we ate dinner - mainly fish hehe! And what an apt news t...

Others reading this might raise their eyebrows to the high clouds. But believe me, many a Filipino airline passenger confuse the names of these two things. Most of the time these are interchanged. Not that it causes anything untoward, but sometimes it does become a source of misunderstandings. And this is not between the rich and the poor, nor this is between the educated and the not so educated. Believe me, am writing personal experiences hehehe! Chagrin chagrin chagrin to some friends reading this. Guys, there is nothing to be ashamed about. It is just that we don’t often do the same things in our lives – like some would be frequently flying while others would be diving. And, what do I know about 5-doors or 3-doors or AUVs and SUVs – for me they’re all just vehicles I want to ride on as opposed to sedans. I think that analogy would make everyone be at ease. To those who think they know everything about these two important things on flying by air, just read on and smile. Or betterstil...

Yeah it’s a town, but I coined that title when I accidentally bumped into their municipal hall hehe! Nothing much to do on a still hot 3rd Sunday of June, except for a little errand that found me in Talisay Tabunok area two hours after lunch. “Hey Minglanilla is just a few corners away” so I told myself. And I rode on a not too cramped multicab to see the place. Target, that imposing church that I have always been passing by on my southern sojourns in this island. What a nice looking pink church, that is the parish of Immaculate Heart of Mary. It reminds me of the Baguio Cathedral in that it sits on an elevated portion of the town, its colored pink or pinkish and two bell towers flanking the sides. This is one of the few churches I have seen where most of the decorative glass windows near the ceiling are perfect circles. The architect must have had a penchant for that shape as even the altar area is donned with four big panels with circles at the top. Am not sure if there is some kind ...

I did not really put much attention into this new thingy until a friend who also frequently travels was dumbfounded when I pointed to him a woman dispensing water from the "ATM"! Yes, ATM... the new ones that is! I thought these ATMs are all over the country but sensing that my friend did not immediately recognize it, that probably means, its not(yet) that ubiquitous! Well, I have seen many of them, there are a lot of these water dispensers in the Visayas and Mindanao. What is the new ATM? Its an A=automatic T=tubig(water) M=Machine. It no different from the most common water dispenser where you plant an inverted 5-gallon blue plastic container of water. However, some ingenuous Filipinos thought of improvising the set-up to earn from it. And earn a lot they do. Let's talk about that later. The dispenser and bottle are still the same. The addition is a wooden or aluminum box where said dispenser and bottle are encased. It is locked. Then there is some kind of ga...

We like it and we love it – whatever critics have to say! But there are some things you wish could be done. Right?! Me too! And here are what I wish would materialize soon... If capitol can please limit the number of allowed spectators, that should be splendid. They’re on once a month anyway so everybody has a chance. Alright, prioritizing foreigners and non-Cebu residents may be fine, but I guess they should be strict with “no-reservations-no-entry”. Nobody likes being jammed with a lot of humanity inside a chicken-wired hallway. Capitol can use Ceres drivers who know the way and are sane enough to discern that spectators are always more than two bus loads, thus, they have to return for more! I discovered that from the driver since I talked to him while we were on the way. I actually asked what took them so long and he said they thought that was just it. Buang! What more, he already came from CPDRC to deliver a busload and on our way he didn’t know where to pass and kept asking the po...

I finally went to see them! And I’m happy I did! Hey it was not fun, not even funny. But OMG what a show! They are one of a kind! Truly worth the recognition! How did this happen? Friday (yesterday), I saw it advertised on a local paper (Sunstar) that the inmates will perform today at 3PM Saturday. Those who wanted to watch must reserve space by calling one of two numbers at the governor’s office. Announcement (its an ad actually) said “by reservation only”. So I called up. The girl got my name and asked me how many we were. I said I was alone. Then I asked how much would that be. The reply was “ha?... a sir, its for free”! Whoa! And that was it! The whole process goes something like this: You call up the capitol numbers to reserve, give your name, tell them how many you are, you go to a designated boarding place at a designated time, you are given an ID, you ride the bus, watch the show, ride the bus back to capitol, go home, smile and dream about the inmates! That’s it! I have more n...

It’s a wonderful show, yes. And last night was the fourth such affair in Cebu! Translated, it means Night of Heritage. This is a unique activity in this country, as I have not heard anything like it anywhere else. This affair, show, whatever involves museums and similar heritage conservation institution by opening their doors for one night (6PM to 12MN). And this time, nine institutions participated. Being a special celebration, tickets are cheap at just P100 for entrance to all 9 establishments which otherwise could be 5 or six times more. Oh there was an extra P50 if you wanted to ride (unlimited) the kalesa or “tartanilla” and the buses dedicated to this affair. So who were involved? These were… Casa Gorodo Museum, Cathedral Museum, Basilica Del Sto Nino Museum, Fort San Pedro, Yap-San Diego Ancestral House, Museo Sugbo, Jesuit House, Sacred Heart Parish and University of Southern Philippines – Rizal Museum beside the cathedral museum across plaza Hamabar. The earnest desire of this...

Alrightie folks, as said in the previous entry, we adults did not like nor enjoy much of the Talima Adventure and Water Park. So we found ourselves checking out the Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary. As you will probably have known, this sanctuary is well-known as a transit area for many migratory birds and at the same time home to many Philippine-resident birds that are rarely seen in our daily city lives. Something caught my attention and it bothered me. Many lives are dying. As we walked to the view-deck of the sanctuary for the usual great vantage watching egrets, terns, herons and other fantastic birds, I noticed that some finger-sized fish to even bigger lying dead on the concrete path. And there were local children playing in the area. I asked the guide why they allow kids to get and kill the still young fish in this sanctuary. His reply was it was not the kids, it was the sun killing all those fish and the children were just scooping them out from the water. OMG! So I delayed th...