police booth at one polling area

info booth flocked by voters asking for their respective polling precincts

I went to my polling place to vote. Its half past eight in the morning.I saw a lot of queues around. Took me a while to get a priority number, and got 372. But well, if the number being attended to is at 50-60, then you just have to do some other things and come back. And yes, after 8.5 hours, I have cast my vote. I have delegated my power and authority to the elected officials.

campaign paraphernalia, scattered everywhere

queuing voters waiting for their turn

Meantime, the setting of the local election here in my place, has never changed, despite the improvement: use of PICOS machines, the first automated election in the Philippines. Some provinces in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao were declared failure of election due to absence of either PICOS machines or BEIs or voters themselves said to be harassed by armed groups (political rivalry). Others experience different cases of election fraud. But the other voters didn’t not stop coming back until they were able to vote.

voter trying to familiarize the sample ballot while waiting

voter looking for his name on the list

There is also the frustration of the voters: the clustering of the polling precincts, reason for the very very long queue. But if you look at the good

side, the transmission of results was indeed fast. The Commission on Election is expected to give the final result, the next day after the Election.

"its 10AM...my number 263 and the queue is still at number 50!"

At the end of the day, albeit the atrocious Election, most if not all Filipinos still went out of their way to cast their votes. We just hope that the rightful officials will reign and act on the

mandate given to them which is to establish a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

stilt houses in Ozamiz City

Last December 2008, from Cagayan de Oro City, the trip took me about 4 hours to reach my destination: Cagayan de Oro-Iligan City (2hrs); Iligan-Kolambugan, Lanao Norte(1hr); Mukas sea port(via ferry)-Ozamiz City(20mins); Ozamiz City-Tangub City(30mins).

It was sunset when I arrived at the place. After settling my things at the hotel, I immediately walked my way to the Plaza to look for a place to dine. Borne with a laid back, simplistic aura, the city with a total land area of 16,572 ha., neither besieged itself with fancy restaurants nor any elaborate establishments. In fact, when it is not Christmas, the town in its normal self is just like other places in the countryside, serene and simple.

It was 6 o’clock in the evening. Not much tourists yet. And so I had the opportunity to eat in a quiet open place. With 3 pork barbeques I ordered from the stall, my stomach says I am good for 2 hours. Then started my tour of the plaza filled with colorful and bright Christmas decorations.

And as night time fell, the Plaza was packed with local and foreign tourists. It has been quite some time that the government initiated this Christmas décor competition which gives bustle to the community. The festivity usually culminates on Christmas Eve, where they judge and announce the winners. Added fun for the kids and even for adults is the mini train which they use to tour the passengers around the Plaza where the giant decors are set up.

Which one is the brightest? Which one is the most unique? Which one is the festive looking? These are few of the criteria that the judges pose when they individually inspect the Giant symbols made by the Tangub community.

It definitely is a tough job for the judges; even spectators find it difficult to choose the best among the best. But what I liked about it is the story behind the decorations; the effort made by the people, who didn’t mind about the prize…erm, too much. I see that the the drive to harmoniously build this beautification is not based on the prize of the competition, but on the sharing of ideas and skills, the camaraderie and the strong bond developed through this community-activity on a Yuletide season.

Indeed, the tour I did that night gave me a wonderful Christmas feeling. It also gave me the feel of eating another round after my 2-hour tour. This time, its chicken ala carte!

Anyways here are the places I’ve been to and prices of accommodations stayed at which might be of help to those who are keen to go there:

(note:prices may have changed as this trip was at the 1^st quarter of 2009)

Brookes’ Point

Puerto Princesa (PP)-Brookes’ point (BP)-P250 (Aircon van) 5 hrs

Accom- BP pension house-P350 (d/b w fan); P650 (w/aircon) 

 *I recommend you take aircon vehicles due to dusty roads, we tried the jeep, and we ended up looking like albinos. This place is really a small town, with nothing much to do, but they have nice view of sunrise on the shore. 

 Puerto Princesa

BP-PP- P250 (Aircon van) 5 hrsIwahig Penal Colony-City Center-P40

*Iwahig penal colony is famous for its unique jail management; prisoners due for release in 5 yrs can stay within the compound with their families with an income.

prisoners of iwahig penal colony

displayed products of the prisoners

   Accom-  

a)Banwa-P450 (w/fan and shared bathroom) with fancy decors that help create the ambiance

b)Manny’s pension house-P500-P600 (fan and shared bathroom) this one’s v simple, wooden house (Mendoza st., walking distance from Banwa)

Sabang

PP-Sabang- P600 (aircon van)

Accom-Mary’s pension house-P600 (you stay in your own cottage/w fan) this is located at the end of the right side of the junction where you will be dropped off, around 30min hike. You can choose a lot of nearby cottages though.

*You can check out the waterfall that flows directly to the sea. Interesting scene. It’s a 1.5 hours trek one way. The information center will tell u about this so u can’t miss this. 

the entrance of the cave

*Subterranean underground river- you only have  to pay P150(for local) P200(for foreigner)  going to the famous underground river… if you opt to go there by just hiking.  It’s only a 2-hour trek, one way. But the interesting part is you may choose the path in going there: monkey trail or the jungle trail. They’re both superb, but I like the monkey trail. U may also choose to take a boat, for a 15min ride, for P600 I think.  

  El Nido

Sabang-El Nido-P600                                                           

Accom-

Hadefe’s cottage- this is highly recommended coz of its beautiful cottage location: you can look at the sunset just in front of your cottage. Btw,Taiyo cafe is good place to hang out for nice food and internet.

sunset in front of the cottage

spectacular view from the top of the cliff

*cliff climbing (P250/pax)-one of activities which I enjoyed, you can see the whole of El Nido islands at the top

 *squid fishing(P600/pax)-though I was not up and running in this activity due to motion sickness, it was really something different, when we went in the middle of the sea at night, and… went squid fishing. Rewarding part was when we grilled the fresh squids-sweet taste.

snorkeling at the big lagoon

 Well, this note is for my friends who have been asking for details and recommendations. I could have missed a lot of things. But u can discover those things for yourselves when you get there. Hehehe.  I really do hope you’d get there one of these days, so we can compare notes, about our appreciation over one of our country’s pride.     

And there, another adrenalin rush went thru me, as I did my nth zip lining. This time, the one holding the rope that controls the speed of my descending direction from the top of the 80-90 foot-long tree, let loose of his grip, thus making my flight a fast-crazy-but-love-it one.

Rafflesia in Baungon,Bukidnon

The first time we went to Baungon, bukidnon, from Cagayan de Oro City, was September 14. It was a bit frustrating because we were not allowed to enter the flower premises. They said the flower was in a fragile state and so no one was allowed to see it. Three months later, we hurried our way back to the place, to see the world’s biggest flower, bloom.

This started on Christmas day, when I got a text message from Manang fita, the caretaker of the area where the Rafflesias grow. She says it God’s gift to the people of Baungon. With the existence of the famous parasitic flowering plants, Baungon Bukidnon is slowly emerging as one of the destination places that local and foreign tourists want to go, to see the Rafflesia. It however blooms only once a year and survives for around 5-6 days before it withers.

Philippine Rafflesia, dec.08

So, on the 26^th I gathered people to go with me to Baungon. This time, we were on a private vehicle; hence, the smooth trip to the area.It was drizzling when we arrived at Barangay San Vicente. But the kilometer descending muddy trek to the area was still fun.

rafflesia at a closer look

The flower has a 59cm-diameter. The caretakers say the water hampered the growth of the flower; hence, it did not bloom to its maximum growth range, which is about 90-100 cm. A little descending path just beside the area where the flower grew is a stream. They say, the water rises when it rains, and could cover the area where the flower is. Fortunately, the water did not wash the Rafflesia away.

Before we left, we saw another Rafflesia growing. Manang Fita said, it might bloom in another year’s time, and so would we be able to set foot at Baungon, Bukidnon again.

Posted in Southern Philippines, The Philippines ]]> http://akungescapades.wordpress.com/2008/12/27/rafflesia-the-philippines-rarest-flower-blooms-on-christmas-day/feed/ 2 mariawent2town Rafflesia in Baungon,Bukidnon Rafflesia @ 59cm Philippine Rafflesia, dec.08 rafflesia at a closer look http://akungescapades.wordpress.com/2008/10/10/mission-rafflesia-part-1/ http://akungescapades.wordpress.com/2008/10/10/mission-rafflesia-part-1/#comments Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:58:18 +0000 mariawent2town http://akungescapades.wordpress.com/?p=170 ]]> We set off to Cagayan de Oro’s Carmen Market at half past eight in the morning on September 14, 2008, to get to Baungon, to see the Rafflesia, the world’s largest flower.

Rafflesia Signage

Research says it is found in South East Asian countries like in the Malay Peninsula, Borneo Sumatra, including the Philippines. In the Philippines, it was found in Mt. Apo, Antique and in Baungon, hence, we moved our way to Barangay San Vicente in the Municipality of Baungon, in the Province of Bukidnon.

After an hour and a half, ( with a fare of Php52.00) we got to the area and went directly to see the Barangay Captain. And without hesitation, he accompanied us to the caretaker of the compounded flowers. But the caretakers and even him couldn’t let us in to the area without the permission of the Mayor. And so we waited and waited, for the Mayor to be contacted for us to ask for permission.

But as close as we were to the area, the Mayor said we cannot see it. Argghhh. The Barangay created a policy that visitors need to get permission from the Mayor. He said, the flowers are on its way to bloom and so it is on its critical stage. Come October, it is expected to fully grow, which he promised to immediately inform us.

He said, the flower could grow as wide as 99cm in diameter.

Scientific studies of Raflessia say it is a genus of parasitic flowering plants. It was discovered in the Indonesian rain forest, and got its name from the head of the expidition Sir Thomas Raffles. But what’s interesting is, they say, the flowers look and smell like rotting meat. Unfortunately, we haven’t confirmed that for ourselves yet. thus I am hoping that the Mission Rafflesia Part 2, will be a success, come this October.

GV pension house was one of the places that my sister recommended and apparently one of the cheapest yet decent places to stay in Camiguin, aside from the cottage-by-the-beach places in the island (where we usually stay during my previous visits). And indeed it was clean and comfortable with AirCon for P500.00/day for a double bed.

The typical round the island trip in a rickshaw was negotiated at P600/day (after a few minutes of haggling with the driver) instead of the “standard” pay of 1,000-1,200. Thus giving us our first day satisfaction, roving to the following places:

· Katibawasan falls- good for picnic

· Sto.Nino cold spring- a very refreshing splash in the spring especially during midday

· Ardent hot spring- used to be my fave spot, but didn’t quite like the renovations recently made in the hotspring area

· Soda water- water didn’t taste of soda at all!

· Sunken cemetery- the highlight of my trip. Good for snorkeling. (The colors of the corals are filled with so much life even watching from the water surface. With its depth of only 6-8 feet, its not hard to go snorkeling even for those non swimmers!! (am not mentioning any names here…) with a boat, one can easily just hold on to it while do coral-watching. (Though I hate to say I did make somebody’s feet hurt after the mentioned persuasive suggestion… sorry-o)

The next thing I want to do when I get around Camiguin would be Hibok-Hibok Volcano climbing. They say it’s not extinct…hmmm. Anyways, I also know where to look for a guide who won’t rip my pockets off. Just go to the owner of a popular fastfood in the capital, Mambajao.

]]> http://akungescapades.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/frolicking-at-camiguin/feed/ 1 mariawent2town http://akungescapades.wordpress.com/2008/06/09/exotic-bohol/ http://akungescapades.wordpress.com/2008/06/09/exotic-bohol/#comments Mon, 09 Jun 2008 07:36:40 +0000 mariawent2town http://akungescapades.wordpress.com/?p=9 ]]> The cuddly Tarsiers were the primary reason why Bohol is the place we long wanted to visit, even before Sagada and Banaue. Aside from its amusing fact that its eyes are bigger than its brains, Tarsiers are becoming endangered. Rita, a Belgian owner of the Nuts Huts told me that some Tarsiers just commit suicide because of depression. Though some find it amusing if not funny. But what’s funny with commiting suicide out of depression? I don’t think it is.. Tarsiers are nocturnal animals, meaning they sleep during the day and are awake during the night. But these are not the cases of Tarsiers who are being used as a Tourist attraction in several restaurants especially in Loboc. They feel harassed by tourists who like to touch and cuddle them.

Intrigued by what Rita told me, I went to one of the Restaurants who offer tourists a free look at Tarsiers. And when I saw, the Tarsier, yes, it was not caged, as emphasized by the restaurant owners. I was later told by the guide who works for the Tarsier Sanctuary (when we visited the place in Carmen, after checking out the restaurant in Loboc), that the Tarsiers were definitely being put into a cage during night time; otherwise they will escape from their captors.

The sanctuary for the Tarsiers has an area of about 7 hectares. A little portion of it is net-covered and has 7 Tarsiers inside for the purpose of letting tourists see the Tarsiers in their natural habitat (no touching allowed).

Comparing the Tarsier I saw at the restaurant, from the ones in the sanctuary, it seemed that the big-eyed little primates were at ease at the sanctuary, while, they looked like harassed and just froze out of fright, clinging to a little branch, anticipating but not wanting to be touched by some stranger who comes into sight.

But who could blame these locals from displaying these cute Tarsiers? They cannot be called illegal, as they are given permits by the DENR, which environmentalists object. But who could stop them? How can they be stopped? There are campaigns about saving these primates from getting extinct. But is it enough? How well is it supported, by whom? Who should be concerned about it? These are simple questions that can simply be answered, in which actions are still yet to be seen.

Anyways, as a whole, Bohol, as a laid back island is the very best place to stay and chill out.

Of course aside from Tarsier, it is known for its Chocolate hills, which I did not miss of course. Our visit however turned out to be a foggy one. It was sunny in the morning. Then it got a bit cloudy during the afternoon. We took a bus from Loboc (Nuts Huts) for the butterfly garden (which has an excellent tour guide. He has thoroughly explained the life cycle of a butterfly. But we didn’t get to see the butterflies in the enclosed garden since it drizzled.) Then we proceeded to the chocolate hills. By the time we arrived at the junction, it was raining heavily. We decided to still proceed since we were in the area already. So we climbed the viewing deck, and viewed the chocolate hills in a haze. Though chilling and looking like wet chicks, I did enjoy that moment despite a debate with Dave about his theory that those hills are not natural. And so I close this sentence with a period.

We stayed at the New Wonder Lodge for P200 per day. Though there were other hotels we could go to, but we chose it since it’s the cheapest and it’s relatively clean. The Poblacion was a small bustling place with accommodating people. We saw that there are a couple of foreigners as well, which I’m sure are going or have already gone to Batad- a place where they say rice terraces sight seeing is really magnificent.

So we chartered a rickshaw (P225 per head) from the Poblacion to Batad junction, which is usually the case of visitors wanting to go to Batad. From the junction, one has the option to hire a jeep going to Batad, which we didn’t take. Instead we took a 2.5 hour hike going to the place which was more rewarding than taking a jeep. Though it was humid but I enjoyed the tranquility I got from the hike as well as the therapeutic green scenery along the way.

It seemed like there’s something mystical about the community of Batad; it’s somehow isolated from the other communities and yet they happily live within the bounds of the mountains that enclosed them from the rest of the world. These mountains however are not just mountains. The beauty of these rice terraces transcends to the people living in the area, thus making Batad mystical to the tourists.

We did some explorations around the area, thus giving us good photos of farmers planting rice and even chatted with some.

I found it amazing that locals were so affable towards us, speaking fluently in English; hence I didn’t have difficulty translating for Dave to understand. (Well of course later did I know that the missionaries’ occupation in the area a long time ago was the reason for that; I couldn’t remember that part during my history lesson.. I probably dozed off…oh dear)

But the fun hadn’t fully blasted until we went to Sumaguing cave. The cave in total was big. But it was nooks and crannies that we have to get into that made it challenging for us to get further. With a knowledgeable and strong guide, our spelunking was really an adventure. At some stage, we were asked to take off our shoes to prevent it from getting wet.. And I thought, why the heck. But I realized when I set foot on the cream-colored refined boulders; it was not slippery, and indeed it feels different to walk on it barefoot.

At last we made our way out, feeling accomplished, as if we did an amazing race type of adventure.

Outside, the rain started to pour and the fog started to close in on the surroundings making it look like a thrilling movie trailer which made me feel strangely excited.

We then went to our favorite restaurant, The Log Cabin for dinner. With P180, I had a very scrumptious meal consisting of a yummy pork steak, with a buttery vegetables and mashed potatoes with a cold beer. Hmmm, what a wonderful way to call it a day.

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