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Note how creative Filipinos are when it comes to improvising things. In this photograph, it is shown how a rice thresher was being used as wheeled scaffold for the canvas installation of the palaypay.
This photo was taken by my then would-be-wife Jovy prior to our wedding last December. She was using Sony Ericsson T280i to capture the scene. Another photo is here (hover your mouse over the link to see the photo).
On a personal note, I just don't have much times blogging maybe until the end of this month. I'm just too busy fixing messed up records caused by an errant co-employee who was just terminated for such cause (this is just an incident you can never blog about). Unfortunately, I still have lots of posts queued in my draft box. My North Cotabato Adventure series will be left unfinished for the moment. I hate to say I'll be on temporary hiatus. While I am literally in front of my computer, you cannot just get online while offline work is piling up high to the sky. Friends, I hope to get back very soon.
Labels: North Cotabato exclusive
published by dodong flores @ 7:23:00 PM • Permalink •
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Photograph copyright by
Jovy Wacay
Balindog is another barangay situated in Kidapawan City. This is the place where Jovy's sister and her husband presently lived. While I was baptized in Matalam, their second daughter was also christened in the church in Kidapawan. What followed next is a double celebration for my christianization as well as Jovy's niece Zoe.
In the province, it is very exciting to have this kind of celebration where food and drinks are limitless. You don't need to worry for the budget as there is always somebody willing to foot the bill. Jovy and I didn't shed a single centavo from our pocket but a lechon and cases of beer kept on coming. The reception was simply wonderful. I joined with the boys so my then would-be-wife Jovy took hold of the camera and started taking photos.
Please click the TiltViewer image below or click the Flickr link provided below to see those photos taken by Jovy. Links will open up in a new window.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jovywacay/tags/balindog/
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published by dodong flores @ 5:03:00 PM • Permalink •
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Photograph copyright by
Jovy Wacay
Another pre-requisite for the wedding.
Adult baptism and confirmation for my Roman Catholicism were done at the same time. It was the 21st of December in 2008. It should be noted that this event is only six days before my wedding day.
The baptism ceremony could have been exclusive for me. Fortunately, there were several grown ups too who would as well be baptized. The baptism ceremony was done in a very solemn manner, celebrated by the Matalam parish priest, Fr. Tony Lupiba. My then would-be-wife took the photos.
Please click the TiltViewer image below or click the Flickr link provided below to see those photos. Links will open up in a new window.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jovywacay/tags/adultbaptism/
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published by dodong flores @ 7:17:00 PM • Permalink •
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Photograph copyright by
Jovy Wacay
palaypay:
Hiligaynon
-Noun
a collapsible shelter, usually a temporary structure to house social gatherings at which guests are formally welcomed.
The adventure continues. In this part of the series, I'd like to show how a covered shelter locally called "palaypay" was being constructed through the help of immediate relatives and close friends. The Filipino spirit of Bayanihan reigned in this small part of the country. This covered structure would be used for our wedding reception.
Since I was extending a small amount of my effort in building the palaypay, Jovy voluntarily took photographs while construction was ongoing. The photos were then uploaded into her Flickr account. Please click the TiltViewer image below or click the Flickr link provided below to see those photos. Links will open up in a new window.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jovywacay/tags/palaypayconstruction/
See you...
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published by dodong flores @ 8:09:00 PM • Permalink •
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One of Jovy's aunt own a shrine up there in the mountains of Lampayan. One Saturday noon, (December 6, 2008), Jovy, her cousins and relatives decided to pay the shrine a visit. However, there are only two means of getting up there - that is, by foot or by truck. In our case, we were using the six-wheeler truck owned and driven by Jovy's cousin.
The truck though could not really reach up to the shrine since the road is very slippery and muddy. All of us had to get off from the truck and start walking all the way to the shrine.
More photos in my TiltViewer gallery. You may click the thumbnail to zoom in and/or
zoom out the photograph. Click the flip button to see the title and description. The
link will open in a new window:
http://travelogue.digitalrebel.ws/2009/01/shrinevisit/.
There could have been more photos had my CF card didn't get a virus infection.
To follow the thread of this series, please visit this link: http://travelogue.digitalrebel.ws/northcotabato/
Labels: North Cotabato exclusive, travelogue
published by dodong flores @ 7:38:00 PM • Permalink •
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Mount Apo is a large stratovolcano on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. It is the highest mountain in the country and overlooks Davao City, a few kilometres to the northeast. Its name means "master" or "grandfather". Apo is flat topped, with three peaks, and is capped by a 500 m wide volcanic crater containing a small crater lake. It is a source of geothermal energy, but the date of its most recent eruption is unknown, and none are verified in historic times.
Mount Apo is one of the most popular climbing destinations in the Philippines, and the summit is easy to reach. (More in Wikipedia)
Mt. Apo is accessible for climbing in Amas, Kidapawan City. As for my present location in Lampayan, a part of Matalam, Mt. Apo is quite a distant away. In fact, Mt. Apo can no longer be seen during daytime though I was told it's peak can be viewed at dawn time. The following day, I rose up before the sun could set in and raced against time just so I could witness the magnificient view of its peak.
In taking the photos, I was using my wide angle lens until it didn't help much. I changed to 300mm telephoto lens and had zoomed a few shots of Mt. Apo's peak. Unfortunately, most of my 300mm shots were blurred save for the third and fourth photo of this essay. I only had to handheld my camera in 300mm focal length under extremely low-light condition, thus the blur to most photos.
This photo essay is my offering for this blog entry. If only my CF card didn't malfunction due to virus infection, I could have posted additional variation of this fickled morning setting. Please feel free to view and enjoy. Comments in any manner will be greatly appreciated.
Shutter Speed: 1/40 sec / F-stop: f/5.6 / ISO Setting: 100 / focal length: 55mm /flash: off / mount: handheld
Shutter Speed: 1/50 sec / F-stop: f/5.6 / ISO Setting: 100 / focal length: 55mm /flash: off / mount: handheld
Shutter Speed: 1/250 sec / F-stop: f/5.6 / ISO Setting: 100 / focal length: 300mm /flash: off / mount: handheld
Shutter Speed: 1/320 sec / F-stop: f/6.3 / ISO Setting: 100 / focal length: 300mm /flash: off / mount: handheld
Shutter Speed: 1/200 sec / F-stop: f/7.1 / ISO Setting: 100 / focal length: 70mm /flash: off / mount: handheld
Shutter Speed: 1/200 sec / F-stop: f/4.0 / ISO Setting: 100 / focal length: 70mm /flash: off / mount: handheld
Shutter Speed: 1/320 sec / F-stop: f/7.1 / ISO Setting: 100 / focal length: 76mm /flash: off / mount: handheld
Shutter Speed: 1/400 sec / F-stop: f/9.0 / ISO Setting: 100 / focal length: 70mm /flash: off / mount: handheld
Shutter Speed: 1/50 sec / F-stop: f/4.0 / ISO Setting: 100 / focal length: 70mm /flash: off / mount: handheld
Shot in several location around barrio Lampayan in Matalam, North Cotabato
on December 15, 2008. Time span is 5:46am to 6:04am.
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Labels: North Cotabato exclusive, travelogue
published by dodong flores @ 12:30:00 PM • Permalink •
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Friday, December 12, 2008 - We would be attending church seminar the following day as requirement for our wedding. We needed to go back to Matalam. It was drizzling so riding a habal-habal is not a healthy option at that point. The only choice left for us is to wait for a six-wheeler jeepney to pass by. We waited for almost one hour. At 9:00 o'clock in the morning, a yellow jeepney was coming. It stopped in front of us but it is already fully-packed - farm goods sitting comfortable inside and human passengers on top of the roof deck. We were told it is the last trip going to Matalam town proper. Last trip for jeepneys going to the town are as early as 9:00 o'clock in the morning. Jovy also discovered that the jeepney is owned by her first cousin. The first cousin is actually riding in the back of the jeepney (he later would replace the driver along the way going to Matalam). Of course, we were invited to hop in.
Since there was no longer available set for anyone, Jovy had to set on the lap of another male passenger at the front seat. Rain notwithstanding, I had to climb up the top of the vehicle. It was full-packed with passengers I had to find my own place in the middle. I looked so klutzy the way I managed myself up there the jeepney didn't move until I could sit down.
As the jeepney rolled down, I reckoned I might not be able to make it to the town proper alive. There was no place for me to hold on. If not for the other people that served as cushion, I could already have been thrown away everytime the jeepney would sway to the left and right while negotiating gigantic potholes. I was wondering why I haven't heard of jeepney passengers being thrown away on this very rough road. It was actually very shaky up there you could easily get outbalanced when the jeepney had to swerved against road holes. And when the top of the jeepney shake and you have nothing to hold on, you can get thrown away - I mean, literally. The jeepney may looked overloaded with cargoes and passengers. But in the biyaheng langit standard, it isn't yet. The vehicle itself is highly customized for that purpose. The jeepney moved so slowly. Slow travel is safer for heavy-loaded vehicles but I personally felt I needed to arrive to Matalam at once. It was raining and the wind getting colder.
There was no camera up there on the roof deck, not even my phone. Jovy had to bring the two SLRs with her inside the vehicle including my phone because it was raining and it could only get soaked with me should I bring it on top. Beautiful sceneries unfolded as the travel progressed. There were lushed rubber tree plantation. No words can describe the vast corn field and expansive sugar cane plantation. There was a tiny mosque. An MNLF checkpoint. Calves and goats freely walking in the middle of the road would mean a short stop of the vehicle we were on. The rain didn't stop but it was fun on top of the jeepney - wet and wild experience, I should say so.
While it could only take us 30 minutes for a habal-habal ride going to Matalam town proper, it was a one and a half hour ride via jeepney. The habal-habal fare for the two of us would be eighty pesos from Lampayan to Matalam but one hundred twenty pesos from Matalam to Lampayan. Jeepney fare only costed thirty pesos per head. But Jovy's first cousin didn't accept our fare. The ride was extended to us for free!
It was no longer raining when we reached Matalam. Most passengers disembarked as we arrived Matalam market place. Jovy decided that we get out there too so she could pass by another cousin that she's inviting to attend to our wedding. Jovy talked to the wife of the driver/cousin shortly that I had enough time to photograph the jeepney we were riding using phone cam. With different angles taken, the shot below completely showed the jeepney, its cargoes and the passengers up there. The shot in front of the vehicle is mechanical while the hindsight is so full of life.
The jeepney we were riding. Photographed while on stand by at the
Matalam market place.
We were visiting Mari, Jovy's cousin that she's inviting for our
wedding. Her house was just a five-minute walk from the Matalam market
place. I met for the first time Mari and her husband. Auntie Yoleng, Mari's
mother and Jovy's auntie was also there.
We were offered lunch shortly. It was already lunch time when we
got there. It was more of a family adventure so I posted the experience as
a separate blog entry in my family website. Visit it from this link:
http://www.walaydulonan.co.cc/2008/12/lunch-with-auntie-yoleng-jovys-cousin.html.
Photographed using Sony Ericsson T280i.
After lunch, the girls who didn't see each other for years talked like there's no tommorow. The auntie already left to go to another son/daughter in the barrio. Mari's husband had to entertain a few of his friends. I changed clothes earlier soaked with rain and took a nap in a rocking chair. I overheard a deafening silence when I woke up. At long last, the girls were getting tired reminiscing their childhood memories. And so I thought the conversation would never end. It was already late in the afternoon and my demanding stomach did get hungry again.
A few meters away from Mari's house, a lady was selling banana cue. Banana cue only costed one peso per stick - way too cheap! We bought a few stick.
From Mari's place, we toke a tricycle going back to the house of Jovy's elder sister. We still had a few things to prepare for the next day's affair. Once we were there, I can't get off my mind the cheap banana cue. I realized the cheap banana cue parallel the simple way of life Matalam offers. I had to put it this way: Matalam's laid-back and simple way of life is the exact opposite of the fast-paced Manila where I'm getting exhausted day by day. Think about early retirement...
What about you? How much banana cue costs in your area?
Will you be riding biyaheng langit?
Please see related entries:
More photos of Biyaheng Langit
Extraordinary yet simple lunch offered by
Jovy's cousin Mari
See all entries of my North Cotabato Adventure here
See you...
Labels: North Cotabato exclusive, travelogue
published by dodong flores @ 10:07:00 AM • Permalink •
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Monday, December 15, 2008
Biyaheng langit is a term coined to public transport going to or originating from the boondocks. Typical of this mode of transportation is a six-wheeler jeepney fully-loaded with farm goods neatly arranged inside the vehicle while human passengers are loaded on top of the roof deck. Livestocks are sometimes seen hog-tied to the rear.
While motorcycle taxis called habal-habal (please see my previous entries of this mini-series) is the fastest and most convenient mode of transport service, six-wheeler jeepneys still dominate the scene and favored by most farm traders who would be trading goods to neighboring cities like Kidapawan, Cotabato City and Davao.
Barrio Lampayan from where I momentarily stationed, is fifteen kilometers away from the town proper of Matalam. However, more barrios as far as 114 kilometers from the town proper laid deeper into the interior parts. Rice, coconuts, corn, root crops, rubber and livestock raising are just a few of the common industry in these areas. Farmers would occassionaly go to the lowland to sell their products during tabo or market day. Matalam's market day is Monday.
On December 15, 2008, Matalam's market day is quite extraordinary. Six-wheeler jeepneys were quite busy ferrying both farm goods and passengers from the boondocks to the market area. Having been intrigued long time with these kind of transportation fully-packed with passengers and cargoes I assumed only unique to the Philippines, I grabbed my SLR and tripod that morning and observed the six-wheeler jeepneys passed by. After a few hesitation of starting this project, the photographer in me finally won.
Shutter Speed: 1/160 sec / F-stop: f/5.6 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 55mm /flash: off / mount: tripod
Shutter Speed: 1/100 sec / F-stop: f/5.6 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 55mm /flash: off / mount: tripod
Shutter Speed: 1/200 sec / F-stop: f/5.6 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 55mm /flash: off / mount: tripod
Shutter Speed: 1/160 sec / F-stop: f/5.6 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 55mm /flash: off / mount: tripod
Shutter Speed: 1/640 sec / F-stop: f/5.6 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 55mm /flash: off / mount: tripod
Shutter Speed: 1/320 sec / F-stop: f/4.0 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 18mm /flash: off / mount: tripod
Shutter Speed: 1/400 sec / F-stop: f/4.5 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 18mm /flash: off / mount: tripod
Shutter Speed: 1/500 sec / F-stop: f/5.6 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 18mm /flash: off / mount: tripod
Shutter Speed: 1/320 sec / F-stop: f/5.0 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 38mm /flash: off / mount: tripod
Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec / F-stop: f/5.6 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 55mm /flash: off / mount: tripod
Shutter Speed: 1/160 sec / F-stop: f/5.0 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 43mm /flash: off / mount: tripod
Shutter Speed: 1/400 sec / F-stop: f/5.0 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 18mm /flash: off / mount: tripod
Shutter Speed: 1/500 sec / F-stop: f/6.3 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 18mm /flash: off / mount: tripod
Shutter Speed: 1/640 sec / F-stop: f/7.1 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 18mm /flash: off / mount: tripod
Shutter Speed: 1/500 sec / F-stop: f/6.3 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 18mm /flash: off / mount: tripod
Shutter Speed: 1/400 sec / F-stop: f/4.0 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 18mm /flash: off / mount: tripod
Shutter Speed: 1/400 sec / F-stop: f/5.0 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 18mm /flash: off / mount: tripod
Shutter Speed: 1/250 sec / F-stop: f/5.6 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 53mm /flash: off / mount: tripod
Shooting for this essay is not that easy as it may seem. I had to face minor challenges just so I could complete this project. First challenge is the dusty environment that can be hazardous to my photography equipment. To overcome this, I had to mount my camera on a tripod so I could cover it with plastic minimizing the absorption of dust. Second obstacle is the risk of getting hit head-on by oncoming overloaded six-wheeler jeepneys. I wouldn't want my photography equipment to get wrecked in case such accident might occur. To minimize this risk, I had to position myself in front of the grocery store of my brother-in-law that faces a sharp bend. That way, the vehicles should already be turning right three meters away from me.
Third obstacle is about the composition. I mount my camera on a tripod and that limited me into moving from one location to another. I have my purpose on staying in one corner though. I had to be less visible as much as I can. I had to consider the sensitivity of the situation. While Muslim brothers are nice and fun to be with as friends, they may not like it being photographed without their pleasing approval being sought in the first place. Some people are already so tired at getting photographed especially those being displaced from war-torn areas. Thus, I prefer to better fix my butt in a single location. If only I have much, much time to spare, I should have befriended people before taking photos of what they do and how they lived. But then, I was on a very tight schedule.
The photos above technically lacked of compositional technique but nevertheless, showed the reality of the people's mode of transportation in this remote places of this country. Dangerous and out of standard, they live by it everyday in their lives. If this blog entry can somehow cause a change the way they ride for the better, then it accomplished its goal.
Shot in sole location, this essay is finished in a span of 31 minutes only.
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published by dodong flores @ 12:27:00 PM • Permalink •
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Kidapawan tricycles are bigger in size they can accommodate seven passengers.
Anyone?
A modern "Mamang sorbetero"
Kidapawan City Baptist Heritage Academy - where my wife Jovy's
first employment as elementary teacher after graduating from college
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published by dodong flores @ 10:53:00 AM • Permalink •
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Lake Agco is located at the foot of Mount Apo, the highest mountain in the Philippines and one of the country's most popular climbing destinations. Lake Agco Resort is the place where tourists can dip in to the hot and warm pools sourced from the local hot springs.
The following photos were taken by my sister-in-law Malou using her Motorola V3i mobile phone camera. The photos were taken last January 2. I am also very proud to say that Malou is one of my photography apprentice who learned something from me. My wife and I will be missing her since she didn't come back with us to Manila. She was transferring her work in Davao.
Lake Agco Hot Spring
boiling hot water of Lake Agco
All photos copyrighted by Malou C. Wacay.
More photos in her photostream. Click the link below. It's easy to view the photos. Trust me. ;)
Labels: North Cotabato exclusive, travelogue
published by dodong flores @ 4:45:00 PM • Permalink •
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This post is in reference with the first entry posted earlier today: http://travelogue.digitalrebel.ws/2009/01/cf-card-disaster.html
I finished running the smart recovery software and very unfortunate to have lost my North Cotabato photos forever. This is the list of the photos I lost:
Other than the few photos recovered by the smart software, I also had a few photos that I had uploaded earlier into my web server and those photos I and Jovy had taken using phonecam. My sister-in-law Malou fortunately was able to capture photos of Lake Agco using her Motorola V3i. This is the link to her Lake Agco phonecam photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wacay24/tags/lakeagco/
Labels: North Cotabato exclusive
published by dodong flores @ 5:02:00 PM • Permalink •
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Friday night, December 12, 2008
Inspired by Dr. Joy of Norwich Daily Photo who is presently taking photographs of Christmas theme on low-light condition around her place of Norwich, I am also posting here a few photos that I had taken while roaming around Matalam Municipal Plaza on a Friday night of December 12, 2008.
Posed photos taken from the same event can also be accessed from this
link:
http://www.walaydulonan.co.cc/2008/12/matalam-town-plaza.html
Labels: North Cotabato exclusive, travelogue
published by dodong flores @ 11:05:00 AM • Permalink •
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Sunday, December 7, 2008 - Aga pa kami nagbugtaw para magprepara pakadto balik sa banwa. (We had to wake up very early in the morning in order to prepare going back to Matalam town proper). We needed to attend the first mass in the parish church that would marry us so we could listen to the roll call of the names of the couples to be wed including us. In Roman Catholic, names of those who are getting married are to be announced in three consecutive Sundays prior to the wedding event. At 5:15am, Jovy's younger brother sent us for another habal-habal ride back to the town proper so we could catch up the first mass. This is the habal-habal we were riding posted at this entry.
We head back to the house of Jovy's elder sister, the same house we stayed when we arrived in Cotabato so we could put forth all our belongings. It was almost six o'clock in the morning when we arrived in Matalam town proper. When we reached the house of Jovy's elder sister, we immediately prepared to go to the church. They momentarily had their usual girl talk so I decided to proceed to the church ahead of them. Jovy's younger brother with his habal-habal dropped me to the church. The church location happens to be his way going back to the barrio. At the church, I have heard our names being announced at the pulpit just before the mass would start. Jovy and the elder sister arrived later and missed the announcement.
A few photos outside the church before the mass started.
The sisters arrived just in time the mass started.
After the mass, the two sisters were meeting a lot of friends around the church that it was as if the whole town is their acquintance. It took us sometime to go back to the house. We were also visiting a few personalities who are going to be our sponsor.
It was almost lunch time when we get back to the house. The cable TV was already tuned to Solar Sports, the TV channel that would air live the dream match of de la Hoya and Manny Pacquiao. Every member of the family were very excited to watch the big fight.
We were supposed to watch the de la Hoya - Pacman fight but the delayed telecast bored us to death. It was timely for us that Pareng Dennis (whom I should assume watched the pay-per-view) texted me about Pacman winning against de la Hoya by TKO. Off we went out after knowing who won the fight.
Jovy's elder sister and her police chief husband toured me and Jovy at the University in Southern Mindanao (formerly MIT) in Kabacan. It is the couple's alma mater. The photos below are some of the shots that I had taken on a moving car while roaming around the university belt.
Observing around Kabacan, it was like I was transported back to Southern Luzon not because of the scenery but simply because the main dialect of the town is Tagalog. Every person you've got to engage in conversation is speaking in Tagalog. That somehow help since I don't understand Ilocano and Maranao dialect. Kabacan populace composed of Ilocano, Ilonggo, Maguindanao and Maranao ethnic groups.
On the way back to Matalam, we saw Fujifilm Digital and dropped by to buy a few extra films and batteries. If you read my earlier article of this series, I encountered the problem of looking for an ISO 400 film in Kidapawan. When we arrived back to Matalam, I dropped by at the Internet cafe to write and publish this post.
I ended the day watching the replay of Pacquiao - de la Hoya dream match.
Labels: North Cotabato exclusive, travelogue
published by dodong flores @ 5:36:00 PM • Permalink •
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This serves as an invitation:
Please download the invitation in PDF format. Download PDF Reader to view the file.
RSVP GSM+63922844-JOVY and/or jovy@ilhwa.com.ph
Thank you...
Labels: North Cotabato exclusive
published by dodong flores @ 4:36:00 PM • Permalink •
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A tapper locally called as mananggete or manananggot sapping
a goma or rubber tree.
The rubber tree sap.
Proud rubber tree plantation owners.
Piggery
Water buffalo or karbaw.
A modified underbone outfitted with knobby tires for dirt road and farm use.
Labels: North Cotabato exclusive, travelogue
published by dodong flores @ 2:36:00 PM • Permalink •
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Jovy going uphill towards the kalubihan or coconut plantation. The
trail is perfect for mountain biking.
Real muddy trail...
Resting on top of the mountain.
I picked six young buko (Jovy posted it at http://www.walaydulonan.co.cc/2008/12/coco-farm-adventure.html) thus the following photos.
Jovy devoured them all.
If not for the overcast skies, Mt. Apo can be seen from this vantage view
of the kalubihan. Next post:
http://travelogue.digitalrebel.ws/2008/12/life-in-farm.html
Labels: food trip, North Cotabato exclusive, travelogue
published by dodong flores @ 2:29:00 PM • Permalink •
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Saturday, December 6, 2008 - This is the second day of the pamalaye. I started the day transfering a pile of hollow blocks from one corner to another. A part of the sun drier where the pile of hollow blocks stood needed to be cleared and cleaned. The sun drier is the venue of our wedding reception.
At first, I did the transfering of the hollow blocks all by myself. Seeing how clumsy I was in my work, Jovy's sister-in-law Merly left her work and helped me until I could finish. What I supposed to be done alone in three hours is finished in one hour only with the help of the sister-in-law.
Another sister-in-law Neneng helped me pulled the weeds in the sun drier. Having no experience in the farm, I looked so clumsy of what I was doing. Neneng couldn't endure looking at me in such a sorry state that she left her laundry just to help me out. Neneng saved my day.
Next is to transfer the firewoods to the place where the hollow blocks once stood. Firewoods need to get dried under the sun. Jovy's brother and brother-in-law helped me.
No photos for this post as the only computer here in the Internet cafe with Photoshop software is being used by Jovy in resizing her own shots. Jovy is posting her own version of the story from this link: http://www.walaydulonan.co.cc/2008/12/pamalaye.html. I can share more photos when I get back to Manila and set back in front of my computer.
Labels: North Cotabato exclusive, travelogue
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Friday, December 5, 2008 - I started the pamalaye. When I woke up in the morning, the first thing I did was to fetch water from the well for kitchen and toilet use. The well is good few meters away from the house. It was a good exercise and I perspired a lot. After fetching water, I had to wash my clothings as well as Jovy's.
The firewoods are to be used to cook foods for the oncoming wedding reception. Jovy's brothers prepared this for us but may not suffice the preparation. I was told I might gather and chop more firewoods.
Laundry accomplished!
Relaxing on a military hammock after the days work. While in this position, I was
writing my travel stories in my PDA.
Jovy and her favorite banana cue. This only cost one peso here.
Labels: North Cotabato exclusive, travelogue
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Thursday, December 4, 2008
As I've said in my previous entry, Kidapawan City has a lower temperature. The morning was so cold when we woke up nobody from us visitors would like to move. I caught Jovy and her niece here in this bamboo house staring at a motorized charcoal stove waiting for the water to boil so we could brew our coffee.
The motorized charcoal stove that I refer to in the first paragraph.
A fan built in eliminates the need of blowing the charcoal manually. The
potentiometer is to regulate the speed of the fan. It is plugged in a 220V
power source. Ingenious, isn't it?
Jovy's sister and her husband reported to work very early so the house was all left to us. A househelp was available to attend to our needs. When I took a bath, the water is very cold. We had our breakfast shortly and took a tricycle going to Kidapawan proper to visit our couturier.
After the couturier had taken our body measurements and Jovy paid the deposit, Jovy dragged me along to her dentist for my supposed semi-annual dental procedure which is long overdue. Jovy graduated in college in Kidapawan City that is why she knows the ins and outs of the place.
From the dental clinic, we went to look for an additional ISO 400 film. It took us almost one hour to go from one shop to another just to find an ISO 400 film but there was none. Only ISO 100 and ISO 200 films are being sold in this city. Frustrated, we hailed a tricycle to bring us to Overland terminal. We need to go back to Matalam to fetch some important things we're going to bring to Jovy's barrio in Lampayan.
Back to Matalam, an interesting lunch was already waiting for us. Jovy's brother-in-law, the town's police chief, had a big mudfish to be grilled just for us. The fish is real big I couldn't resist the urge of taking it a photo using phonecam. In included Jovy's hands to scale the fish.
Jovy's older brother from the barrio is also waiting for us. He came with his habal-habal just to fetch us. So, after the hearty lunch, we packed up everything we needed to the barrio. Our traveling bag is placed on top of the fuel tank and was laid into the handle bar. Jovy sat behind the driver, his brother, with paper bags in her two hands. I sitted last, with two SLRs slinged in my shoulder. Two bags were both in my hands. And, there's no helmet!
Where's Lampayan?
A veteran habal-habal rider myself in the late 1980's, I was not really that excited for the ride. But I must admit that the trip with the habal-habal brought me a lot of memories to remember. So, during the whole trip on top of the habal-habal, I was reminiscing the days of my youth.
For those clueless, habal-habal is a motorcycle taxi used in the boondocks. Barrio Lampayan is located 15 kilometers away from Matalam proper. It is a 30-minute ride with alternating paved and rough roads.
The view in Lampayan.
The habal-habal of Jovy's older brother that ferried us from Matalam to
Lampayan. It is to be noted that while the term habal-habal is commonly
used in most part of the country where motorcycle taxis exist, here in
Lampayan, they called motorcycle taxis as Skylab.
Just another habal-habal (or Skylab) owned by Jovy's younger brother that would be used to transport us back to Matalam on Sunday, December 7.
It is powered by a Honda TMX engine.
I finally met Jovy's mother, her brothers, sisters-in-law, aunties, cousins, nephews and nieces. I was very well-received. Everybody is very excited, and even the young children, that their Auntie Jovy is getting married soon. The whole big family rejoiced as one.
Since we arrived in Lampayan very early in the afternoon, we didn't waste our time. We spend the rest of the day visiting her friends and relative so she could introduce me to them as her fiance. We were also inviting them to attend our wedding. In a short while that we made the rounds, I noticed the very close family ties of the members of the clan.
This concludes the third day of my North Cotabato travel adventure. The following day, I'd be fetching water from the well, wash Jovy's clothings, and probably would chop firewoods. This is what is being called pamalaye in the Filipino tradition.
I have a very limited time, equipment, and facilities to resize photos and publish blog entries. More photos to be shared once our couple gets back to Manila.
Labels: North Cotabato exclusive, travelogue
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Wednesday, December 3, 2008
I wake up very early this morning. I already felt okay and there was no
trace of dehydration that I suffered the other day. I checked my phone and
found out several messages. Signal strength for Sun Cellular is excellent. It turned out that the cellsite is just beside the house of
Jovy's elder sister. Based from the photo above as what can be seen, The
blue gate is where we presently are staying and next gate is the cellsite
facility of Sun Cellular. I felt so happy my network provider of choice
didn't stop improving their services and in a very tight span of time they
were able to put up cellsites in different spots around the Philippines.
It is noted during my earlier solo travels (and if you'd been reading my
earlier articles in this site), most remote places in the country
didn't have Sun Cellular coverage yet.
Matalam tricycles
The first thing we had to do in the morning is to go to Municipal Civil Registrar office in Matalam Town Hall to apply for marriage license. We were greeted by Jovy's acquintances we happened to met while walking along the way. I was amazed at how popular my fiancee in this place. Even those tricycles drivers that passed us are her friends. One of Jovy's tricycle driver friend sent us to the municipal hall.
As soon as we get inside the municipal hall, I noticed most employee we came across knows her and even call her "gwapa." The word gwapa literally translates the word beautiful.
"Uy, gwapa! San-o ka lang nag-abot?" (Hey, beautiful! When did you just arrived?).
"Kamusta ka na? Balita ko daw mangasawa na ang gwapang utod ni Ma'am Colonia!" (How are you? I've heard just recently that this beautiful sister of Ma'am Colonia is going to marry soon).
Just a few lines I can remember uttered by those people we met. I was introduced to a lot of faces I hardly could recall afterwards. Inside we were met by Jovy's two sisters and a friend who would accompany us to the civil registrar's office. Her elder sister who is a public school teacher is the one who accomodated us in her residence. The other sister work at the treasurer's office of this municipal hall. The friend is a distant relative of mine (his family is also Flores) who would represent in behalf of my parents since my mother couldn't come. These three, using their influence and connection, helped us expedite the procedure of the marriage license application. In just an hour, we were able to finish all the processing of the marriage license application. I was wondering if we could finish the transaction in a day without the help of those two sisters and my newfound relative. Meanwhile, Jovy's sister who is working in the municipal hall invited us to spend the night in their house in Kidapawan City. We promised we would go after we finish the next step.
The next step for us to go was very very easy there was no need for the sisters to accompany us. We only need to bring those documents we secured just from the municipality civil registrar's office. After a hearty lunch being prepared by Jovy's nephew, we proceed to the parish church of Matalam.
Now I realized getting married is parallel to applying for credit card. And why I say so? When you apply for credit card, there will be credit investigation. I didn't know about the other one until we registered for our church wedding. A pre-nuptial investigation is required for marriage applicants!
Jovy filling up the pre-nuptial investigation form at the office of
Sto. Nino de Praga Parish Church in Matalam.
We paid the necessary dues and the parish secretary scheduled for us seminars we are required to attend as prerequisite for getting married. Being a non-Catholic, I'll also be baptized as Roman Catholic. We got schedule for the baptism too. The secretary told us we are the oldest couple to be wed in this church. Most marriage applicant only aged from 18-20 years young.
It was already late in the afternoon when we finished the church registration. From the parish church, we went back to the town market to look for Internet cafe.
There are presently two Internet Cafes operating at the Matalam poblacion. When we get inside the first one, there was no vacancy so we were referred to the next. At the next Internet Cafe, I asked the attendant if I can possibly plug a USB device. I intend to plug my CF card into the USB port so I could upload a few photos into this website. I was told they will plug my USB device into their server and transfer my files into the workstation I'd be using. I was wondering why the procedure had to be that way when my CF card can be plugged directly into the USB port of the workstation I would be using. I didn't insist though as I was thinking that may be one of their security measures.
When I was able to access the files being sent to my workstation, I asked the attendant what software I could use to resize the photos. I was told I can use MS Office. I checked the programs installed and I found Microsoft Photo Editor as the only photo editing software in the computer. Just as I was about to start resizing those photos, I fired up the browser to access Blogger® but got a "Server error" report instead.
I reported the Internet connection problem and in return was exclaimed, "Mag-Internet gali kamo?" (So, you would want to use Internet?) That should have got me irked but I prefer to keep my cool. I plainly explain to the attendant the only reason we get there is for the Internet. It was only at that instance he explained to us the workstation I was using and the next two lost its Internet connection a while back and they need to restart the whole system just so Internet connection towards all workstations could be restored. Anyhow, the attendant interrupted other users just so he could restart the whole system. He did it just for us.
We finally got our share of Internet connection but we were getting way too late. We would still be going to Jovy's other sister in Kidapawan and we need to catch the last bus trip bound for Davao. I just checked my mail boxes shortly and logged off. I was not able to publish at least one entry for the day (it should have been supposedly this entry). By that time, Jovy told me I should have brought my laptop in the first place if only I'd struggle to make blog entries in this very remote part of the country. I should have bought a UMPC instead.
For our bill, Jovy paid 19 pesos all in all. 9 pesos for the Internet usage and 10 pesos for the file transfer. At first, Jovy complained we were not even able to make use of the service (and we were not even informed ahead about file transfer charges) but I told her I'm too tired to argue so we better let it go and leave the place. We ran to the bus terminal after paying. We took the last bus trip for Kidapawan City.
It was already night time when we arrived to the house of Jovy's sister in Kidapawan. Jovy's brother-in-law was already there too. I already met him once in Manila. We were warmly received.
While the dinner is still being prepared, Jovy's brother-in-law lent me his desktop computer so I could resize my photos. In a short while, dinner was up. Sizzling 2 kgs. grilled tilapia from Lake Sebu, sea weeds, and a liter of Coke served inside a bamboo hut complemented with the rising cold Kidapawan temperature outside. Interested to see the photos? See it from this separate blog entry.
Jovy's photos in Matalam the daytime...
More photos when I get back to Manila...
Special thanks to Pareng Dennis for syndicating me the result of the de la Hoya - Pacman fight. I am very much updated despite of being displaced in this Cotabato mountainside of the Philippines.
Labels: North Cotabato exclusive, travelogue
published by dodong flores @ 1:16:00 PM • Permalink •
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December 2, 2008
I'm now publishing from an Internet cafe here in Matalam, North Cotabato. I'm tired and sick. What went before?
I had been absorbed working out for the turn-over of my job that I let Jovy prepare for everything we needed coming here in the province. I had been working up to the last minute that there was never time for me to help Jovy prepare. The only thing I was able to help is going to Binondo last Sunday to buy Eng Bee Tin products.
I wake up at 4:00am this morning. I flagged down the very first cab that I saw in Boni Avenue. I proceed to Jovy's boarding house in JP Rizal Ext. in Makati to fetch her and our luggages that she had prepared days before. We have quite a number of luggages; two trolley bags, a cartoon box of wedding souvenirs, two paper bags for hand carry, a tripod and my SLR camera. I decided to leave my laptop behind because of much luggages already at hand. My laptop is just too heavy as well and there were more important things to be given preferential attention. We cannot just afford to mess things up.
We asked the cab driver to bring us to NAIA 3 Terminal for our Cebu Pacific flight early that morning. At the airport, Jovy and I were using two trolleys to carry our luggages. I took charge of those two heavy bags and she took care of the rest. We passed through the first X-ray counter whereas other than the luggages, we also had to removed our shoes, belt, phone (including my PDA), to be feed into the X-ray machine. After the said procedure, both of us didn't notice that we were not able to put back the tripod into the trolley. Basically, it was Jovy's responsibility since she was in the female security check entrance and I was at the male's entrance.
We checked in our baggages smoothly and proceed to the boarding pass counter. When we reached the passenger waiting area, I realized something was lucking in our hand carry items. It was the tripod. I asked her about it and she told me she forgot all about it the whole time. I only got two bulky bags while she was taking care her own shoulder bag, my SLR bag, two paper bags, a huge cartoon box, and the tripod. Admittedly, she could easily miss anyone of the items she was carrying.
I had to rush back to the X-ray counter to look for the tripod but I was told they didn't found any tripod left. I was very disappointed. When I went back to the passenger waiting area, I told Jovy that the tripod couldn't be found. I wanted to be angry and could easily put the blame to Jovy for having had mislooked the tripod. But I just didn't. I easily accepted the incident as a minor setback of our trip and couldn't be the cause of our misunderstanding. I assured her everything's okay - and when I said it to her, I sincerely meant it from the bottom of my heart.
When we were about to board the plane, I heard an announcement from the paging sytem about a tripod left that can be claimed from a certain counter. I had to rush back to claim it and got my tripod a few minutes later. I was happy to have it back. I had to ran to and fro so I wouldn't miss our flight.
We were airborne for one hour and forty-five minutes before we reached Davao International Airport. As soon as we deplaned and got our baggages from the conveyor, we made it sure we didn't miss anything. We hailed taxi outside the airport and asked the cab driver to bring us to the garage service terminal going to Kabacan, North Cotabato. One thing very interesting to note is that every cab passenger are given complaint sheet addressed to the office of the city mayor. So, if you're dissatisfied with the taxi service, you can just put it into writing. The taxi driver asked from us a fixed P200 fare. I told him to activate the meter or I'll write down a complain - of course, I was saying these in a friendly manner. He obliged. When we reached our destination, the meter indicated a P152.00 fare. We gave him two hundred pesos anyway.
The garage service terminal for Kidapawan and North Cotabato is located beside SM Davao. It was already past 10:00am in the morning when we get the place. We realized we haven't had taken any breakfast so we decided to get ourselves something to eat while the van is waiting for addtional passengers. I bought rice cakes and bottled water.
It took us a while to wait for more passenger. After half an hour, my stomach started to get upset I had to go to the public toilet inside the terminal. When I returned to the van, two more passengers arrived to complete the setting capacity. We left shortly thereafter.
It didn't take much longer for me to realize that I was again being attacked by stomach disorder (LBM) which is ever present in most of my travel experience. The only difference at this time is that I didn't have with me any medication for situations like this. It is noted that I let Jovy prepare for everything we needed to bring along but didn't have any idea about my personal needs. During my solo travels before, I always bring with me Diatabs as I know how sensitive my stomach is and anything can go wrong at any moment.
As we were already onboard a moving vehicle, there was nothing more we could do other than to wait until we reached our destination. My stomach stirred inside so violently but I had to hold on. Sayang lang naman akong shades and body fit shirt kung maka-igit lang naman sa sulod sa salakyan. It was a two and a half hour of torture instead of a pleasure ride that I didn't get to enjoy the views of Mt. Apo.
After two and a half hour travel from Davao City, we finally arrived in Matalam, North Cotabato. As soon as we disembarked the van, I ran immediately to the nearest public toilet leaving Jovy behind to take care of our baggages. After the toilet, I was already too weak to move and had dehydrated a lot. By that time, Jovy already got a tricycle to bring us and our baggages to Jovy's elder sister's house. Almost every tricycle drivers in the terminal is Jovy's acquintance.
When we arrived at the house of Jovy's elder sister, I was already going to throw up and felt dizzy. It was a very terrible feeling. Jovy's elder sister, a public school teacher received us warmly and gave me medicine right away. She was informed ahead while we were still in the van that I had LBM. I was laid to bed. I was very weak. I dehydrated a lot and joints were getting painful. I developed a fever.
Other than the medicine, I was made to drink buko juice and eat the meat to replenish the electrolytes that I had lost due to LBM. Later, I was also made to drink oral rehydration salt mixed in ice tea. It was already five in the afternoon when I partly recovered so we could no longer go out and proceed to our schedule. It was raining too and got my first photo of it taken using my phonecam.
In the evening, Jovy asked his nephew to bring me to the nearest Internet cafe so I could check messages. So here I am now, I'm still weak but is already getting okay. This is my experience for today. In the following days to come, I'll try to take photos to interesting places I can find here. I'll try to get online too as much as I can.
Labels: North Cotabato exclusive, travelogue
published by dodong flores @ 7:18:00 PM • Permalink •
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December 1, 2008
I'm off to North Cotabato for a month so I may not be able to visit my favorite sites for the meantime. The title puts it literally since I'll be virtually unreachable by that time. I'll be very busy in my wedding preparation together with my fiancee Jovy. We will leave on December 2 and will be probably back to Manila on January 5, 2009. In between the wedding preparation, I'll try my best to get online.
I thank all those who responded my fundraising campaign for my wedding. You know who you are. I promise your donations can go a long way and can make a happy and ideal couple and family in me and Jovy.
I thank my soon-to-be sister-in-law Malou for dying black my white-streaked hair and eyebrow.
I also thank Colossal Printers, Inc. for the tarpaulin printing free of charge.
For the pasalubong going to the province, it's always be Eng Bee Tin products. Our couple is an ardent patron of all Eng Bee Tin products especially hopia. We always avail of their products every once in a while. So it was just timely that when I visited Eng Bee Tin yesterday, I availed VIP card so I could earn points everytime I buy their products. It's just a simple reward you can get out of patronizing Eng Bee Tin Chinese Deli.
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I am an HTML street-fighter, photography enthusiast, an avid traveler, a road warrior, kitchen adventurer, tech geek, and presently experimenting with SEO. I personally maintain several blogs and web sites and testing the waters for netpreneurship. I like motorcycles and fast cars but love bicycle the most.
