| Return to Batanes Special to TUT |
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| The new-look Basco Municipal Hall today (May 2007) |
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| PREPARE FOR LANDING: Approaching San Vicente de Sabtang with Batan Island and Ivanatown at the distance. |
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| PREPARE FOR LANDING: Approaching historic San Vicente Port in Ivana, Batanes (Batan Island). |
| Pier-Landing |
| Beach-Landing |
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| The water system? Not exactly to par, but the taps were trickling, although for 2 days we were without water at the 2nd floor of our accommodation due to a malfunctioning pump system. If we continue to pour concrete at that rate, very soon there will be no more farmlands The road system? In some parts (hills) of mainland Batanes (Batan Island), concrete roads are everywhere, that if we continue to pour concrete at that rate, very soon there'll be no more farmlands. |
| We traveled to Savidug We traveled to Savidug to see the Gallo house where we spent some wonderful nights in days long gone (attending the wedding of my aunt who was assigned there as a teacher). No Gallo lives there anymore and the house has new occupants or owners. On that trip long ago to my aunt's nuptial, it was all hands on deck from Imnajbu to Savidug - a direct route that was unheard-of in those days and |
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| The old terminal 1 was state-of-the-art when it was built in the early 80s by President Marcos, but that was ages ago. The world has changed many times over. Batanes has advanced in many ways Batanes? Yes, Batanes has advanced in many ways: The Basco airport terminal has been renovated and/or rehabilitated and it included new stonework - not exactly traditional Ivatan - but we're evolving and marching with the times. |
| What used to be the front facing the plaza is now the side and the front is now on the side. |
| No Gallo lives here anymore! |
| The seat of Power - Notice the restored front steps. |
| The Batanes Capitol today |
| The Gallo House in Savidug |
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| NEWS |
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| The realist sees the evil in all of us which is the Devil and the real world which is Hell. |
| The idealist sees the good in all of us which is God and the ideal world which is Heaven. |
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| ARCHIVES |
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| BEHIND THE NEWS |
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| TUT Special Correspondent |
| Vbyssey reporting ... I never saw so many Japanese! Tokyo is a clean and orderly city. It's also homogeneous - just like most places of Batanes - and the homogeneity (genetics among others) must be a contributing factor to the kind of harmony that's generally non-existent in places where different varieties co-exist with one another. I came and I saw and I experienced the advantages. DOMO ARRIGATO GOZAIMAS! |
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| Tokyo - What a difference half a decade makes: Manila on our way to Batanes looked better with less traffic and better streets (in many places, better streets than in many places in Toronto). Also, the tourist areas and/or spots have been spruced up. [Manila is still the most congested city in the world per recent survey.] However, since the new airport terminal 2 (Centennial) was for the exclusive use of PAL and the old airport terminal 1 for other airlines, it was a shocker to pass through an aging and dimly lighted passageways (OK, energy conservation) coming from the ultra-modern Hong Kong airport terminal (Cathay Pacific Airways to Manila). There's no question the income gap has widened Batanes has also advanced in many ways if we mean many big houses especially in Basco. We're pleased with the progress, but I guess these are the lucky ones because we also saw small houses that badly need some repairs. Also, the shanties along the creeks are still there. There must be a structural shift in the economy from agriculture to services, and what are those roads for? Still, I see and/or recognize their importance to food self-sufficiency for as long as we don't overbuild. In contrast to the smooth concrete roads that's experienced on the hills, the same cannot be said of the main highway system that's bumpy in places. Even worse are the bumpy and dusty roads of Sabtang. I guess that's eco-tourism. Anchi'n nu madindin pa u bora! The Sabtang ferry system? Well, this is Batanes - a back-packing country - Spartan in many ways but not primitive, and we must expect it that way. Hardy Ivatans! Still, I'm not so sure if the ferry operations are within acceptable safety standards. As we boarded the ferry, the old Itbayaten phrase came to mind: Anchi'n nu madindin pa u bora! (If a volcanic rock (pumice or bora) washes ashore: Then why not them or us!) Shove off! Just after shove off, the ferry reversed course and back to port! Up the pier was His Lordship, Mayor Juan "Johnny" Caballero - he missed his ferry, almost. Welcome aboard, Mr. Mayor! We never met him before and we were introduced to one another - one Caballero to another. Beach-landing The sea was near-calm towards and into Sabtang. As we approached port, the captain or "piloto" announced "beach-landing." Yes, the ferry was beached like a whale (on sand) and a metal ladder was attached to the bow for disembarkation. Well, even under nearly calm waters, the ferry keeps on rocking - and one misstep on the ladder - and there goes a sprained ankle or a broken leg. On my part, I jumped off overboard on knee-deep water and started to wade (not exactly MacArthur-style), but then a high surf came rushing in and before I knew it I was on near waist-deep water. Sabtang still has those old stone houses, but development is ever so present, not much different from the mainland. We saw many abandoned houses and the harsher life in the island must be one reason why they left. never before attempted by even the most "seasoned" sailors. I can still picture that "falowa" with its sail on that looked like a tall ship, almost, at Imnajbu Harbour. In those days the ferry was combination rowboat (rowers on each side, but unlike Roman times, no beat or percussion), and sailboat ( when sail close to the wind). We almost called it "quits" but that's very unIvatan, indeed! Back to 2007! After Savidug and Chavayan and worn out by the road conditions, we almost called it "quits" but that's very unIvatan, indeed! 'We're about to return for the mainland, but first a snack because we haven't had not even a cup of coffee since we left Basco early to catch the 6AM ferry. So we're to stop by this harbourfront café for much needed refreshment and/or snacks, and as we entered, exited fellow Torontonian Mayor-elect Babalo on his way to the mainland for the C4C motorcade. Utos ni Mayor 'ata 'yan! (Mayor's directive) After some greetings and congratulatory came the advice from His Lordship that he takes care of our snacks account. He advised the storekeeper about it and rushed for the ferry. Utos ni Mayor 'ata 'yan! 'We'd rather that we would have paid for our snacks, but realized it's not courteous to refuse such acts of generosity. Dios mamahes, Mr. Mayor! Refreshed and with lots of time, we traveled again and this time to Sum'nanga to see what's dubbed as "little Hong Kong." Really? We passed through a "street" to reach the place. I cannot comment further for I've never been to Hong Kong except for a stop-over through its ultra-modern terminal on our way to Manila. After Sum'nanga, we had a picnic lunch at a place called "Nakabuang Beach." We were served the best that the island could offer and we're so very grateful. Dios mamahes! Then the return to the mainland. The seas were near choppy this time. As we approached San Vicente Port, the captain or "piloto" announced preparations for "pier-landing." With the ferry alongside or touching the pier, it's disembarkation and we're to leap off as the ferry keeps on tossing. It would have made an "awkward" photo exhibit On my part, no jumping off overboard here, but as I leapt off, the ferry tossed and/or rocked and I miscalculated the ferry-to-pier depth that I almost landed with my feet up in the air. I looked around, and was much relieved that it wasn't caught on camera; otherwise, it would have made an "awkward" photo exhibit. We met many wonderful people We did meet many wonderful people not only in Sabtang but also in the mainland, but what made the trip really wonderful were the humble people that we met - people with character (hard-working and honest among others) and deserving of respect. Exalt those who humble themselves, humble those who exalt themselves! Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11; 18:14 Such was our Batanes 2007 experience. O' Batanes! Love it or leave it! It's our choice! - vbyssey, May 2007 __________________________________________________________ Addendum - Our trip to Batanes obviously was spent for the most part outdoors - on the hills and in the beaches - and we did experience sunburns. So one day with the injuries near unbearable, we visited a drugstore just across the Batanes General Hospital for a particular sunburn medicine. Unfortunately, they don't have it, so we crossed the road to the BGH in the hope that they may have some in their pharmacy. The Batanes General Hospital We inquired at the frontdesk and were told that the pharmacy is closing (almost 12 Noon). Then in an instant came the nurses or health professionals, one, two, three, a group of them (it looked like they haven't seen a patient or patients for days for they were very interested and concerned about our health or medical conditions - and we do appreciate such interest and concern to be honest. Dios mamahes!). [We were outnumbered, needless to say. It's good they're still around and haven't left for overseas!] We told them about our medical problems, that we came to Batanes prepared with some medications for sunburns, and that we're there mainly for some more potent medicines. They inquired about our medications for sunburns and we told them this, and the answer was: That's a very good medicine. Then we told them about the hurt and/or the pain and that we have this for it, and the response again was: That's a very good medicine also. Well, what more could we say: That was the best medical advice and/or consultation we ever experienced. We left the hospital pleased with what we saw or didn't see: No patients and/or sick people, and if that's an indication of the general state of health of the Ivatan people, then we're a success story and must be doing the right things. Chances are that prevention must have been the name of the game. Worrisome, however, are studies that show the Ivatan life-expectancy at the bottom-half among the provinces. If that contradicts the lack of sick people at the hospital, we don't know, but this we know: Sometimes numbers and/or statistics lie and don't tell the true story. Let's hope that's true for Batanes. __________________________________________________________ |