Saturday, February 02, 2013

Davao Occidental: Beach adventure in Jose Abad Santos

Before I flew down south to Davao Occidental, a new province carved out of Davao del Sur, the area had been experiencing torrential rains. People were actually discouraging me from pushing through, suggesting to move the trip a week later. But gut feel told me to go. And I was blessed with several days of sun. For my third day, we explored Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental, the southernmost municipality of Mindanao Island.

I had arrived the day before after a three-hour drive from Malita, through rough mountain and coastal roads in Don Marcelino, before reaching Jose Abad Santos or JAS. After breakfast that morning, we visited the old municipal hall of JAS, over fifty years old, which the locals preserved and hope to get declared. Note that they built a new municipal hall a few meters away and kept their old one.

We drove to the next barangay and spent the whole morning in Culaman Beach where the Joyce Ancestral House is located, exploring the nearby beaches, a picturesque mix of sand and rock. It was a pleasant trek through the rocky shoreline. But you need to be careful though since you can easily lose your balance.

Further down the coastline, there was one relatively white sand beach in a small cove. Near it, we sat under a tree, enjoying the warm sea breeze and the sound of waves hitting the shore.

Some locals brought us coconuts, a refreshing treat after that short walk under the hot sun.

Before going back to the Joyce House, we passed by the parola, the recently-built Culaman Lighthouse, which offers a spectacular view of Culaman's shoreline. Lunch was at a kubo beside the house. I could have stayed there the whole day and just stared at the view!

After lunch, I was brought back to Malita for me to catch a bus to Davao City. But I took more photos along the way, especially in Barangay Mangile and the Lawayon Plantation. Of course, I enjoyed the views of the vast coconut plantations and rice fields from high up the National Highway. But every now and then, you'd get reminded of the old forest cover of the area that was cleared for these plantations, when you see a large centuries-old tree.

I made it back in time for the 3:30 p.m. bus (no more aircon buses) to Davao. I decided to get a ticket to Digos and wait for a more comfortable and faster ride from there which was a good move since it only took me an hour to get back. All in all, it took over five hours from JAS to Davao City. By the time the bus arrived at Ecoland, it was raining again.

That was a good trip! I'm definitely coming back to Davao Occidental to see Balut Island and Sarangani Island, and the southern barangays of JAS which I was told has better beaches!

Part 1 - Davao Occidental: Road adventure to Santa Maria, Malita, Don Marcelino & Jose Abad Santos

How to get to Davao Occidental
There are regular buses to Santa Maria and Malita from the Ecoland Bus Terminal in Davao City. I paid Php213 for the air-conditioned ride from Davao to Malita. From Malita, there are buses to Don Marcelino. To get to Jose Abad Santos, you can take a van from Malita (although the service is not regular) or from Davao City which costs Php500. But you will need to know the number of the van drivers since they are private vans which will pick you up from your hotel in Davao. Contact Junjun at (0928) 2645527.

Where to stay in Jose Abad Santos
There is only one place to stay in JAS. You may contact Traveller's Inn at (0908) 8855687.

Thank you to the family of Rep. Franklin P. Bautista, JAS Mayor Jimmy Joyce and Atty. Jason Joyce for their warm hospitality!

Friday, February 01, 2013

Davao Occidental: Road adventure to Santa Maria, Malita, Don Marcelino & Jose Abad Santos

It's been quite a while since I've gone on an adventure to a remote area of the Philippines. I looked at Jose Abad Santos on the map, at the southernmost end of Mindanao Island, as I planned this spur of the moment trip to what could be the country's newest province. How on earth do I get there?

Davao Occidental had just been created a week before, five towns separated from Davao del Sur. Only a plebiscite separates the province from formal existence. But despite the uncertainty, I still decided on a whim to fly to Davao and explore these rarely-visited municipalities at the southwestern end of the Davao Gulf.

Getting to Malita, Davao Occidental's future capital was no problem since there are regular buses from Davao City's Ecoland Bus Terminal. Unfortunately, the bus I was on seemed to stop at every town. So it took me over two hours to get to Digos, and another two hours to Malita. While there is accommodation and small beach resorts available in the area, I was graciously hosted by the local congressman's family.

The next morning, I was taken around Malita and Santa Maria by motorcycle. The communities along the coastline of Malita, particularly Musa Compound and Fishing Village, must be predominantly Muslim since I noticed several mosques can be seen in the area. I particularly liked the bright blue and gold Jamiri Musa Mosque.

We visited Little Boracay Beach in Santa Maria, about 40 minutes from Malita. Off the National Highway, it's several kilometers of rough road to get to the beach. The beach is secluded with rough cream sand. There are several huts, including air-conditioned ones for those who want to stay overnight. It's a decent beach resort, but they need to pick-up the plastic wrappers more often. Plastic seems to be a plague even in rural areas of the Philippines where many locals just throw their wrappers anywhere.

By lunch, we motored back to Malita where the former municipal administrator of Jose Abad Santos was waiting for me. I was introduced to him by a common friend. And lucky me, he was on his way to JAS from Davao City which made my trip more comfortable. My other choice was to hire a habal-habal from Malita to JAS, a trip that would take almost three hours! Good thing I had a ride since the roads were really rough. And I would have gotten really wet at the river crossings!

We stopped by Captain's Lake in Don Marcelino. It's a resort with a stream and freshwater pond that drains into the beach. Looks fun to swim in. And the beach is just outside the fence.

From there to JAS, we were incommunicado. The ride took another two hours (or more because of the picture stops) through rough mountain and coastal roads. It was mostly coconut plantations. And I would think the original forest cover was wiped out during the colonial period when Mindanao became the land of agricultural promise.

There were several river crossings. And unfortunately, when it rains hard, the southern end of Don Marcelino and the whole of JAS are cut off from the rest of civilization. Some people have earned a living from these river crossings. I've only read of stevedoring in old books and the term is still actively used in these crossings. Roads are being constructed as we speak, and hopefully bridges. So this rugged adventure drive won't last for long.

As we were driving, we saw a group Manobo kids selling lansones. We asked how much and they told us they were selling them for Php3 a bag. We bought the whole lot and gave them a bonus. The smiles said it all. Don't you just love the simple pleasures of traveling through rural Mindanao.

All throughout, views of the coastline were picturesque. We finally made the border between Don Marcelino and JAS which was another river crossing.

We passed through the Lawayon Plantation and noticed the plantation carabaos converged at the mouth of the river. A flock of egrets were there as well, most probably feasting on mites feasting on the carabaos.

In the next barangay, we saw a basketball court right on the unpaved National Highway by the beach. In this area, there is no electricity. So this must be a very important pastime. The players have to clear the court every time a vehicle passes. But it doesn't happen very often. There should have been electricity in this area late last year. But I was told the extension of power lines all the way to JAS was delayed due to opposition from a local politician because the northern barangays of JAS were not his supporters.

It was getting dark, so we rushed straight to the town center of JAS. We charged our phones as soon as we got to my host's home. Since power in the poblacion is served by generator, it's only available from 2 p.m. to midnight. They also have solar power units available in some houses. Satellite cable TV is the only choice since they are too far away to receive signals from the free channels. But what surprised me was that there were Internet shops and WiFi, also served by satellite signal since mobile phones hardly have any signal (only Smart functions there).

We had a sumptuous dinner at the mayor's house before calling it a night. I spent the rest of the time uploading photos on Instagram before going to bed. More on Jose Abad Santos and Davao Occidental in my next post.

Part 2 - Davao Occidental: Adventure in Jose Abad Santos

How to get to Davao Occidental
There are regular buses to Santa Maria and Malita from the Ecoland Bus Terminal in Davao City. I paid Php213 for the air-conditioned ride from Davao to Malita. From Malita, there are buses to Don Marcelino. To get to Jose Abad Santos, you can take a van from Malita (although the service is not regular) or from Davao City which costs Php500. But you will need to know the number of the van drivers since they are private vans which will pick you up from your hotel in Davao. Contact Junjun at (0928) 2645527.

Where to stay in Jose Abad Santos
There is only one place to stay in JAS. You may contact Traveller's Inn at (0908) 8855687.

Thank you to the family of Rep. Franklin P. Bautista, JAS Mayor Jimmy Joyce and Atty. Jason Joyce for their warm hospitality!

Monday, January 28, 2013

Davao Occidental could be 81st Philippine province

I was reading the papers last Monday and saw that they had published Republic Act No. 10360 - An Act Creating the Province of Davao Occidental. Signed into law by President Noynoy Aquino on January 14, 2013, the creation of this new province now depends on the people of Davao del Sur. And thus, Davao Occidental could become the country's 81st province.

So I decided to visit over the weekend, going as far south as Jose Abad Santos, the southernmost municipality of Mindanao Island. And what an adventure it was! Talking to people in the south, you could sense their longing for a new province. They have been left behind by the rest of Davao del Sur because they are not allied with the current leadership of the province. Talk about vindictive and feudal!

I wish them well and hope that their aspirations for a separate province become a reality. Their future province is pristine, rugged but beautiful. I'll be writing about the trip in detail. But in the meantime, check out the @ivanhenares photos in Instagram.

Part 1 - Davao Occidental: Road adventure to Santa Maria, Malita, Don Marcelino & Jose Abad Santos
Part 2 - Davao Occidental: Adventure in Jose Abad Santos

Monday, January 21, 2013

Instant relief to food sensitivity from Colgate Sensitive Pro-Relief


After all those Christmas parties, tasting all those warm soups, warm drinks like hot chocolate, and cold desserts like frozen salads or ice cream, you should know by now if you have sensitive teeth. Did you every experience any difficulty trying out these dishes? If so, don’t fret because there’s an easy solution. You don’t have to give up your dreams of being a foodie.

So what triggers tooth sensitivity? Tooth sensitivity is something that affects a number of people. It is often caused by eating or drinking something hot, cold, sweet or acidic. Under normal conditions, the underlying dentine of the tooth (the layer that immediately surrounds the nerve) is covered by the enamel in the tooth crown, and the gums that surround the tooth. Over time, the enamel covering can get thinner, thus providing less protection. The gums can also recede over time, exposing the underlying root surface dentine.

Colgate® Sensitive Pro-Relief™ provides instant relief to tooth sensitivity. Note that most other sensitivity toothpastes contain potassium which primarily numbs the tooth nerve masking the pain of sensitivity. And that potassium toothpastes take at least 2 weeks of use before significant sensitivity relief is delivered. Colgate® Sensitive Pro-Relief™ on the other hand, effectively plugs and seals open dentine tubules, the cause of tooth sensitivity. This prevents pain pain-producing stimuli, such as heat and cold, from causing pain sensations. Colgate® Sensitive Pro-Relief™ is made of a unique combination of ingredients -- Arginine and the insoluble calcium compound, Calcium Carbonate -– which provides instant relief when directly applied with fingertip to a sensitive tooth and massaged for one minute. It provides lasting relief when you brush your teeth twice daily.

So don't wait another minute. Try it for yourself and feel the difference! Who says we have to abstain from delicious food?

For more information on how to relieve tooth sensitivity, see www.colgatesensitive.com.ph/

Monday, January 14, 2013

Join me on a tour to Siem Reap, Cambodia (May 23-26, 2013)

Take a ride on a traditional wooden boat on Tonle Sap Lake, watch the sunset on Bakheng Hill, experience the night markets of Siem Reap, witness Angkor Wat's magnificent beauty and splendor and immerse yourselves in the breath-taking cultural experience that is Cambodia! Discover Cambodia with Asia Society and Ivan About Town this May 23-26, 2013!

For my next international tour, I'll be collaborating with Asia Society to bring you to Siem Reap, Cambodia to visit the temples of Angkor! If you register early or form a group of five, we'll give you a discount! Details in the Asia Society webpage. E-mail info@asiasociety.org.ph for more information.

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