Recently, I found my way to the beach overnight. There was a Community Building activity set up by our course over the weekend, and this was held at the beach--Marvilla Beach Resort to be exact. Some of the guys stayed at the beach for the night. And so I joined them. It's one of the best things about living here in Mindanao--overnights at the beach, coupled with a few drinks, and just enjoying the atmosphere of the dark, cold, and windy night. Security wouldn't be that much of an issue either because there are guards present inside the resort. Common sense is just what is needed--you don't want to leave the cottage without anyone attending to the group's valuables. Anyway, I spent my night at the beach, and, as usual, no sleep for me.
It was around 4:20am in the morning when, in order to knock off my drowsiness, I decided to take a walk at the shore just inside the resort's premises. Standing there, when it felt like everyone in the country is still asleep except for a few people at the beach resort, I noticed these small lights scattered about not too far from the shore. Then it came to me that the source of these small lights are fishing boats. I got myself caught up in an amazement for a few moments there. That early and that dark fishermen are already on the sea fishing armed only with their nets and a lamp. That to me was amazing. I couldn't imagine myself out there floating in the sea that dark. But then I thought, they wouldn't feel alone because there were several other boats scattered around with their lights on.
After they get their catch, these fishermen would go back to the shore (and it's still dark), toss their nets on the sand, and start plucking out the fishes that are wriggling their way out from the tangled net.
From here you can see the industry of these fishermen.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Fishing Lights at Dawn in Marvilla Beach Resort
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Durian, Featured Fruit of Mindanao
Durian--the sound of this name brings about different reactions from different people. Some would turn their faces away nauseated, while others would be drooling, craving to get their hands on the fruit. Today, I had Durian at breakfast, and I enjoyed it very much. And so I decided to make a blog about it. It's one of the highlights of Mindanao, anyway. This photo in courtesy of anncoo.blogspot.com
So, what do we know about Durian? Well, we here in Mindanao know for sure that Durian is quite abundant in many provinces and cities here, if not all. Here in Cayan de Oro alone, one will see numbers of vendors around the city selling Durian either in fruit stands, or in moving vans. (Yes, many vendors here in Cagayan sell Durian on their vehicles. It's a common sight here in the city. And you best watch out for these when you're around here. These are taken fresh from their farms.) Another interesting fact for people not familiar with this is that the Durian capital of the Philippines (correct me if I'm wrong) is located here in Mindanao--Davao! I don't know if it's the huge numbers of Durian that the city holds which gives them that title, or if it's because of the quality of their produce. Does anybody know? Tell us.
Throughout the years, this name has brought a lot of controversies all over the country. People would be arguing as to whether it's more repelling than irresistible. It even has had it's taste of discrimination. Many times, I would hear people complain about its scent. Five seconds that thorny fruit sits on one side of the room, then someone would eventually say, Baho-a ana uy! (Damn, that smells!). As for me, I would start to look for the fruit. It's not everyday that I get a taste of this fruit. It's kind of like a drug to me, actually.
I don't know about you guys, but I think it's one of the tastiest fruit I have ever savored in my entire life. It has that exquisite taste that not even it's scent can deny. Maybe what people said were true after all, "It only smells bad before you've tasted it." But once you get a taste of that wonder that has engulfed Mindanao, you'll even steal my share of the fruit.
Some people dare not to catch sight of Durian, they are afraid they might scent it accidentally. Sometimes, in my opinion, I just think these people are missing a portion of living their life. If only they could get to taste the fruit without the pre-notions of all the stereotypes about it, then I think they might be able to enjoy the experience and crave for more. But then again, as they say, people have their own tastes, so there's no doubt that some people still would not like the fruit as crazy as I do.
One interesting fact about Durian: I just heard that in a Durian farm, these trees are fenced around. This is to prevent people from accidentally being hitted by a dropping Durian. Thinking about it, it makes good sense. Have you ever held a whole Durian in your hands before? Imagine a Durian 15 ft. high being pulled strong and fast by gravity right when you are just passing by under the tree. klfjalkfl . . . I couldn't even try to imagine what it would be like.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Mindanao: A Safe Place, or Not?
Just a few days ago, I came across a post on a blog by an American expat who is now living in Davao City. His article talked about how people are, as I suspected, mislead to think that living here in Mindanao was a pretty stupid thing to do and that we're as good as dead while standing on this island. At first, I wasn't surprised by this notion because from time to time I do hear about instances on a number of people thinking otherwise about the safety in Mindanao. But as I continued reading his story, and after a couple of skim through some of the comments, I found it very ridiculous of a thought that there are still a number of people who gets so paranoid even by just hearing the name Mindanao. On his article, I read that one of his close friends even got to the extent of bad-mouthing him on an online forum after knowing that Bob (the author of the article) decided to live permanently in Davao City, which I think, by the way, is one of the best places to live here in Mindanao (and the whole Philippines for that matter). I was quite surprised by those kinds of reactions. This was worse than I expected. People have been trying to discourage people from coming here. When somebody says, "Hey, there was this thing that I was blabber blabber blabber and I was thinking that yada yada. . . blah blah . . Mindanao and . ." And then all of a sudden, "Huh?! What?! Are you out of your mind?? There's this friggin this and friggin that and . . you're a crazy ass stupid . ." Now this, all the more, hyped me up to continue writing on this blog. So the question, is Mindanao a safe place?
*Photo in courtesy of illinoisreview.typepad.com.
There are couple of points to take note for those people who react like the air here in Mindanao is poison. First, and Bob pointed out on this very significant fact, those people who were so concerned about their loved ones coming to Mindanao have never ever set foot on Mindanao's soil in the first place. Well, of course, they hear a lot of things about Mindanao through the media and other people; but the media most of the time only announce those things which are quite intruiging for them to be able to sell their story. Those people should have a good ground for telling their loved ones or other people all the negative misconceptions about Mindanao, otherwise, they're just giving the place a bad name and depriving their loved ones of a really wonderful experience. Why have I said that? Well, let me just give you a few list of what those people would be missing if they don't try out Mindanao: Firstly, Camiguin is in Mindanao, a must visit paradise. I can't even start writing down about what makes Camiguin such an amazing place because that would span a number of pages. Second, are you looking for incredible surfing spots? Then you'll miss Siargao if you cross-out Mindanao from your list, not to mention their becharming beaches. Of course, Davao City would be left out if you wouldn't be considering Mindanao; and that would be a pity because not only are you smothering youself from an air full of unforgettable experiences (you can take a look of what I mean by checking out the list under Blogroll beside this column), but also you would be missing the thousand reasons why you would be tempted to live in Davao permanently. In Malaybalay, they have this well known Kaamulan festival where many ethnic groups from all over the Bukidnon province parade on the streets of Malaybalay and showcase their beautiful and colorful culture. In my Cagayan de Oro, well, both foreigners and locals alike flock our raging rivers almost everyday (if not everyday) for that irreplacable thrill packed along the adventures of white water rafting. And of course, there are still a lot of spectacular things I failed to mention here. These are just some of the things that I'm familiar with. If you know other things besides this, I recommend you to list them down as comments below and come back to this line afterwards.
Okay, some of the people might have grounds for fearing to come here in Mindanao: there are a couple of bombings, kidnappings, and military crossfires between the rebel groups reported on the news. But it doesn't mean that these things happen all over Mindanao. In fact, as Bob also pointed out, these usually happen on marginal areas here in Mindanao. Remember, Mindanao is such a large place. And a huge part of it is completely safe. It's a no-brainer to realize this. Okay, yes, we heard about a bombing incident in Sasa, Davao some time ago. But that was just a one time event. After that incident, the security level in Davao was heightened. Until now, you can still see these diligent military personnel scattered around the city. In fact, I think Davao may even be one of the safest places to live nowadays here in the Philippines. Should I give credit to the Davao Death Squad for that, or no? Okay, I don't want to spark up a controversy now, so I guess I'll leave that out for another post.
Another incident would be the recent bombing in Bukidnon. In my opinion, that incident most likely happened on an area far enough from the city for people not to be alarmed about it because none of my friends living there even made a big deal about it.
These things happened, yes, and so did the infamous 9/11 incident with the World Trade Center in New York City and the one at the Pentagon in Washington. My point is, it would be unfair to brand Mindanao a dangerous place or a warzone when in fact these things happen all over the world also.
For the full details about Bob's article, check out this page: http://mindanao.com/blog/2009/01/hard-to-change-attitudes/#comments
So, is Mindanao a safe place to live? Yes, definitely. I think some of the people who object to this are just over-reacting or perhaps they are just too ignorant to be able to say those things about Mindanao. And would I rather live anywhere else than Mindanao? Definitely, no. Well, I could travel once in a while, but nothing would replace this paradise which I have here that is Mindanao.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Nature Tripping at the Gardens of Malasag Eco-Tourism Village
All you nature lovers out there, I know you're expecting most places in the world to have at least one ecological park or anything similar to that. So here's one here in Cagayan de Oro City.
The Gardens of Malasag is one of the spots here in Cagayan which is constantly promoted by the government. Go to the City Tourism Showhouse, and you're likely to be pointed towards this place (The Gardens of Malasag is currently 2nd in the list at Cagayan de Oro City's official website), and for a good reason.
Photo in courtesy of http://www.cagayandeoro.gov.ph
One Sunday afternoon, I decided to take a visit to this getaway. To get there, I have to take two rides from the city: a jeepney ride towards Malasag which costs me only P10.00, and another ride by motorcycle (called habal-habal in the dialect) going uphill (locals there say fare only costs P6.00, but I usually give them P10.00).
Just one advice when riding the habal-habal, take note of the muffler's location and go down the opposite side--after that ride, I had a minor accident wherein my right leg touched the burning muffler. It was painful, of course. After that, lesson learned.
On the entrance, you have to pay for the entrance fee. The prices will be attached at the end of this article.
The first thing that greeted me at the entrance were the friendly smiles of the natives dressed in their colorful costumes, and a music so beautiful played by some natives using flutes and percussions. The music sounded so attached to these beautiful people's culture, and at the same time it felt like it reminded me of the presence of nature. I believe in music culture they call this World Music. Below are some of the natives parading inside the venue's streets. They do this around 4-5pm everyday. Not all of them were taken though--I was only using a phone camera while taking this.
Some Observations
The place showcases some of the country's resources that affirms the country's richness. From plants to trees, butterflies to birds, from lizards to several types of snakes, and other several types of animals—you'll find them here.
Of course, how would I forget the beautiful ethnic groups that are living there to showcase the rich and colorful culture that Mindanao nests even before the foreign colonizers of Philippines' history has reached these shores. Ethnic groups such as the Subanons, the Higaunons, the Talaandigs, and many more are very welcoming. You are free to go and make some interviews, check out their livelihood products, arts, or just have a chat with them. I myself had conducted a couple of interviews with the different tribes in the place during different times, and still they remain as hospitable as they were the first time.
Having mentioned about their livelihood products, yes, the place is packed with souvenirs. And I would recommend every tourist or local visitors to set aside some extra cash and grab some souvenirs when you get there. It's worth the few pesos. As for their price, well the price varies depending on the material. But I would say a P100.00 is more than enough for a small souvenir that would last a lifetime of wonderful memories on your visit to that place.
PricesEntrance Fee Day Night Adult 30.00 50.00 Children 20.00 30.00 Swimming Pool Adult 50.00 50.00 Children 40.00 40.00 Camping Fee: (Overnight stay at the campground) Children or Adult 100.00 per person Fixing Fee or Tent (irrespective of size) 100.00 per tent
These are the prices as of the time this article is written. Prices may slightly change any time after this, but usually it won't be as much as P5.00. During my elementary days (that was more than 10 years ago), entrance fee for children was P15.00. Eight years after that, it only increased P5.00.
The place also has cottages available for people planning to stay there for the night. For the rates, check out this site: http://www.philtourism.gov.ph/ecom_rates.html.Just Hanging Out at the Restocafe
A magnificent view of Macajalar Bay and Camiguin Island.
Monday, July 27, 2009
State Of the Nation Address--No Classes?
Today is the State Of the Nation Address of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. People of the Philippines, have you watched it? I haven’t. I know I’m supposed to, but because of other pressures from school, I missed the chance to do so.
So, what do the people do here in Cagayan de Oro City? I’m pretty sure that some people in the political arena were tied up to their seats listening to what President Arroyo has to say. Most of the adults probably were, as of that moment, preoccupied of looking for a television to watch where they could listen to the SONA being aired locally. The question of, how much people were watching, that I could not tell. The last time I saw people getting interviewed by a local daily news program here in the city, many people don’t have much to say about the President’s SONA during that time. But there were many other people who gave their comments about the event; even some students.
Having said that, I myself as a student have observed that many students (I’m not saying most) have been so far apathetic about such events. The only question that comes into their minds would be (and I admit I’m part of this society sometimes), "Okay, so are there any classes today?" Funny as it is, but, yes, sometimes (or probably many times) students like me do tend to be that apathetic towards the Country’s events such as these. But who could blame us? Sometimes, it’s just so realistic to believe that as students, we can’t do anything to serve the purpose of SONA (whatever that is) or anything for that matter to be able to help the country by listening to the moment’s State of the Nation Address. (Pardon my immaturity, but please just let me live my age for a moment. *grin* ) So, what do we kids in the city have to say? Well simply, COOL, NO CLASSES AGAIN!
As students, times like these could be compared to Manny Pacquiao’s bouts. That’s not because the streets during that time are typically deserted (and I doubt it will ever be with a SONA), but more likely because it gives us that feeling that someone important (and yes, Manny Pacquiao has somehow been considered now as someone important) is on the spotlight at the moment and that somehow gives us the feeling that the streets are deserted because we know that a lot of people will be watching the airtime. At that moment, we students (not everyone, of course) are then triggered to think about what we can do for that day. If classes were suspended and a lot of students were not aware of this and were able to go to school at that day, usually, students would flood internet cafés (for the younger generation that is). Other students would go to places like Park Café, Dunkin Donuts (referring to students from a particular university located at Divisoria near to these establishments), or malls and hang out with their friends. And of course, others would go home.
So, have any of these taken place this day’s State Of the Nation Address? Well, that would be if classes were suspended today. And that would have been a blast. Too bad the priests in this university didn’t give us the chance to enjoy today’s event. Haha. But yeah, I was just trying to illustrate here what could have happened on a day like today, and if classes were indeed suspended in timing with the event.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Unwind . . Get a Dose of Music @ Gigs
Music—the language of the world. No city in the world (or any place for that matter) can do away with it. This would neatly bring me to one of my pastimes here in 
Nights could never have been more boring (for people around my age bracket, that is) without getting that dose of escape brought about by immersing oneself into music. And nothing could be more enjoyable than to sink into the sound around all those lights, drowning volume, and a lot of other people who seem to be enjoying it as much as you do.
Are you in to bands? Do you occasionally go to local gigs in your hometown to check out what some of the bands there have to offer for that night? Well, if you enjoy doing that, then you're never going to miss home when you're here in Cagayan de Oro City.
Cagayan de Oro City occasionally gives birth to young talented 
Gigs—in the local lingo we call it tukar. Gigs aren't new in the city's premises. 
Gigs that happen in the city don't follow a fixed schedule and they don't have a fixed venue. What usually happens 
Some of the bands that made it to the mainstream started from these small gigs. And I tell you, how they play prior their way to the pop scene isn't much different compared to when 
Here are some of the notable bands that made it to the mainstream: (Click on their names to open a window directing to their homepages)
and a lot more.
So if you are somewhere around the city, watch out for the events happening for the night. You won't regret spending P50 - P100 for a night floating on music. These guys are just amazing.
*First, second and fourth photos in courtesy of Pancho Trinidad.
*The rest of the photos in courtesy of Corridor Music Group.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Enjoying Kwek-Kwek on the Streets
Enjoying life in the city can be as simple as eating fishballs on the sidewalk. 
Kwek-kwek is a local treat not only present here in the city, but scattered around the country as well. It is sold in moving stalls put up by local entrepreneurs around the city after the sun sets. Lately, I’ve been seeing already a number of mini-stores selling kwek-kwek as their main product. 
One of the biggest factors that make kwek-kwek sell is its affordability. Depending on the vendor, it’s either sold at P10.00 or P8.00. Another factor that made it sell is it being sold with drinks (soft drink or buko juice) that ranges from P5.00 to P7.00. It’s really very affordable. With P25.00, I feel like I’m already having dinner. I guess that’s also one of the factors why many people enjoy eating kwek-kwek. It’s really amusing seeing yourself being able to buy a lot with just a little amount of money.
I don’t know about everyone else, everyone has distinct tastes; but I really enjoy the feeling of eating out on the streets at night with that cold ambiance and all those colors that light up the streets. So if you enjoy that, too, then I guess you’ll enjoy your stay here in this city.
