The Province of Cebu - A Quick Glance of my Three Day Tour

It's Ash Wednesday and my Lent has not started yet. For a quick glimpse on my first three days of backpacking, here are the places I went to. How much have I spent so far? Let me see.

First Day: Cebu City. The highlight? Search for a map. It was like an amazing race when I realized during the 1130AM Sunday mass at the Basilica, that I was making so much haste out of the airport and I forgot to get a map. I almost memorized Colon Street walking to and fro. It was Sunday so the city hall was closed as well as the other shops. I finally got one when I decided to go to a National Bookstore in Ayala Terraces, which is a great place by the way. I also visited The Taoist Temple, ate at Sunburst and went back to downtown to check in. One funny moment was when the jeepney stopped and all the guy passengers had to push it to start again. And what to say when they speak to you in Bisaya? "Tagalog please" And they'll say sorry. :-p

Amount spent for the day: P1441 (including food, cab and jeepney fares, a really nice tourist inn)

More details on this soon.

Second Day: Moalboal. Beer and chips by the beach. This was not originally on my itinerary but someone said it would be great to spend the night there. And it was one of the most wonderful night of my life. So after having my lunch at Larsian in midtown Cebu, I headed south of the province. As some of you know, I love to be alone. I should have come there earlier and rented a snorkeling set for the whole day. But I still had a great time being on the shoreline just before sunset. Through my goggles, I was able to watch really cool marine life since it was low tide and float on the water facing the sky with the seagrasses beneath my body. After the dinner and chatter with the lodge owner and other backpackers who checked in (who are all foreigners by the way), I bought a bottle of pale pilsen and a pack of chips, jumped on a ramp connected to someone else's room facing the beach and enjoyed the high tide a meter just below my feet. Ooh life. Then the room guest arrived after more than an hour or two so I went back to the dorm to take a cozy sleep inside the mosquito net.

Amount spent for the day: P525 (including the bus fare, food, and beer of course)

More details on this soon.

Day Three: Badian. Swimming at Kawasan Falls. While everyone else was still asleep, I left my locker keys at the reception area and headed to Badian, a 30 minute ride from Moalboal. I took the bus because motor guides was charging me P600 and I don't want to ride the motorcycle for 45 minutes in the highway. I went to Kawasan Falls on my own with the help prior googling and hints from other travelers at the lodge. And voila! the magnificent view of nature was in front me! I dared myself to swim at the falls with the help of life vest of course. I had a fantastic experience. That noon, I went back to Cebu City for some pasalubong and ukulele just before my flight to Davao. Another thing I enjoyed that day was my meal before heading to the airport.

Amount spent for the day: P1409.25 (including the food, bus fares, P300 groceries and P625 ukulele with bag)
More details on this soon.


Yes this is not really shoestring yet as some of you may see. But hey! The amount is still practical for a traveler. By the way, I did not include the P200 terminal fee in the airport. I will post all the details after this ten day trip. :)

Few Hours Before My First Solo Backpacking Trip

This is it! My first major solo backpacking adventure starts in a few hours. This will be for ten days and I am very excited to see things expected and unexpected. I will be going to Cebu, Davao, Digos and Cagayan De Oro - all of these were just a part of my dream destinations locally. I think this is the most exciting travel adventure I am doing so far as a solo backpacker.

And yes, I promised myself to travel a lot this year, specially to the local destinations I have not been to. For February, this is the only travel I am doing outside Manila and I'm sure it is going to be amazing. This is also a part of my annual personal soul searching activity during my birthday. This time, it will not only be for a day but for a week and a half. It's that long because that's the load of issues I have to muse over. Just kidding.

But honestly, it is just this year when I realize that I loved traveling alone since I was a child. I remember commuting at the age of eight and going to Olongapo City alone when I was twelve. And until now, that passion for discovering places on my own is still running in my veins.

In the next few days, I will be posting my activities and my expenses. I hope the next blog entries will help you in one of your travels since I am travelling in a shoestring and just like those many Pinoy backpacker bloggers, I also aim to convince and encourage fellow Filipinos to travel the Philippines even with small budget.

This blog is inspired by some of the respected travelers in the Philippines like JourneyingJames.com. Just keep posted on this side for the next entries about this 10-Day Backpacking in CEB-DVO-CDO!

The Story behind the Pestaño Case

This is a repost from Calvin's Hub.

You probably heard a lot about corruption these days with the inquisition going on regarding retired generals and the wealth they accumulated from public coffers throughout the years even after their retirement.

It sickens me that the leaders of the so-called “defenders of our nation” are doing these to us. Sometimes I pity the loyal footsoldiers who serve under these corrupt commanding officers.

Anyway, you might be wondering who this Pestaño is? Not a lot of people knew him but he’s one of our heroes in this fight against corruption in the military. Here’s the story of Ensign Philip Andrew Azarcon Pestaño of the Philippine Navy:

Pestaño’s story

In 1995, Ensign Philip Pestaño was the ship’s deck officer and cargo master for the Navy logistics ship Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas. He was the one in charge of the cargo being loaded on and off the ship.

Anyway, he discovered that the cargo being loaded onto his vessel includes illegally cut logs that were going to be sold illegally, sacks of flour which were not flour at all but shabu, and military weapons which were going to be sold to the Abu Sayaff.

His conscience won’t let him approve of the cargo. Superior officers asked him to be reasonable because it’s a big business and it involves many important people. But Philip could not, in conscience, sign approval.

When Philip was given leave to go home, his parents received calls asking them to get his son off the ship or he will be killed. Many times his family begged him not to go back. His father wants him to resign and give up his military career for fear of his life but Philip said to his father: ‘Kawawa ang bayan!’ and he went back to the ship.

On September 27, 1995, Ensign Pestaño was found dead in his cabin when the ship arrived at Roxas Boulevard from Cavite. The Navy immediately ruled his death as suicide based on a suicide note found in his stateroom. However, handwriting experts concluded that the note was a forgery.

Investigation

In a Senate investigation sponsored by then Senator Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo two years later, they found out that:

“Pestaño did not kill himself aboard the BRP Bacolod City. . . . He was bludgeoned unconscious and then shot to death somewhere else in the vessel. His body was moved and laid on the bed where it was found. . . .

“The clear absence of blood spatters, bone fragments or other human tissues is physical evidence more eloquent than a hundred witnesses. It is impossible for a person who has just sustained a fatal head injury to walk from some other place in his room, lie on his bed and drop dead. . . .

“He was killed by an assailant, necessarily aboard the BRP Bacolod City. . . . The attempt to make it appear Pestaño killed himself, inside his stateroom, was so deliberate and elaborate that one person could not have accomplished it by himself.”

This debunked the findings of the Navy, the NBI and Western Police District who officially ruled that it was a case of suicide.

But what happened? Just last year, August 2010, the Office of the Ombudsman dismissed the murder charges filed by the family of Ensign Phillip Pestaño againstPhilippine Navy officials. Ombudswoman Merceditas Gutierrez ruled that there was no sufficient evidence to arrive at a fair and reasonable resolution that the crime of murder was committed and that those accused were likely guilty thereof.

There are many more deaths / disappearances that happened following this case. Ensign Pestaño was one of the fallen soldiers who stood against corruption that inspired Sen. Trillanes and the Magdalo Group to launch a mutiny against the unabated corruption in the military.

With the investigation regarding military corruption going on today, and Angelo Reyes taking his secrets to his grave, one couldn’t help but think of Pestaño’s last words, “Kawawa ang Bayan!’.

- end -

There are latest developments on this case as of today.

Another case of 'do-it-yourself' justice by Rina Jimenez-David
Experts insists on Pestaño death was suicide by Dona Z Pazzibugan
Why I defend accused in Pestaño case by Mon Tulfo
Pestaño's case: The True Story by Mon Tulfo

Now, what has this issue something to do with me?

Yes I  long to have a fair and just government in my country. Moreover, a blood brother of mine is currently in the military academy and (as he claims :p) is doing good in his academics. I am kind of affected by this Pestaño case in a way since it can happen to any upright military man. When a lot of anomalies and scandals are linked to the superiors in the AFP, it is hard to think how a righteous person deal with this too much politicking within the military. Going along with it is treachery to the country and counteracting and challenging it can lead to a fatal ending. It is as if every genuinely patriotic and kindhearted individual who joins the roster has to choose between those two options.

A few hours ago, I have attended the thanksgiving mass for the reopening of the Pestaño case. Whatever is true behind this case, whether he was really killed or was into suicide, I do hope and pray that the truth will come finally come out. We've heard a lot of these stories in this country where the victim's relatives with the means and resources are able to challenge a perceived injustice and which poor people are not able to do. I don't know until when such stories will end but at least one a time, we try. PNoy was not my president but I still have hope that he continues his goal to clean this government, somehow bringing justice to those who are deprived of it.

Pop Music Fest is Back!

It's back! Well, it's not the same MetroPop that we all know but this time it is dubbed as PhilPop or the First Philippine Popular Music Festival. Through the initiative of no less than Mr. C himself, with the help of other prominent songwriters in the country, a new brand of songwriting festival is being launched aiming to encourage amateur and professional Filipino songwriters to make music and help OPM get back to its former glory.

Submission of entries is from March 1 until May 10. The grand winner will receive one million pesos and a trophy. Further details are posted on the PhilPop's official website. You may also like the Facebook Page and follow on Twitter. To all the music songwriters our there, this is it!

Peñablanca and the Chambers of Callao Caves

Aside from the postcards I frequently see on local bookstores and that one episode in Maalaala Mo Kaya, there is nothing more that I know about Callao Caves. Never have I known that that side-trip from Palaui Island which I suddenly decided to join just on the way back to Sta. Ana was going to be an awe-inspiring one.

Callao Caves is the only well known cave I have gone since the Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur. And with all unbiased opinion, I do not understand how other countries can feature such destination when our own country has more breathtaking natural wonders to wow over.

According to the tour guides, Cagayan has over 380 caves with around 70 with registered names. The province has been dubbed by the Department of Tourism as the Caving Capital of the Philippines.

Callao Caves, which got its name from the Kalaw bird or the hornbill, is situated in Peñablanca, Cagayan, around 30 minute travel from Tuguegarao City. It boasts seven unique chambers with impressive features.

The first chamber welcomes you to the magnificent work of nature. Recently on this chamber, they found bones of a man from the early era, much older than the Tabon Man. The second chamber, since it has the most beautiful skylight during daybreak, was converted into a chapel during the time of President Marcos. The third chamber is the darkest but if you try to light the walls with your torch, you are bound to see the marvelous formations of rocks.

The fourth chamber brings you another skylights with more stalactites, stalagmites and columns are visible. The fifth has the biggest chamber hole that it allowed growth of some lichens that made some stalactites green. There's even this formation that resembles three scoops of ice cream in different flavors!

The sixth chamber was a bit slippery. Here, you will see Mufasa's head.

The seventh chamber is where you can see the last skylight by the wall. Good thing the whole cave is well-lighted on some dark parts like the third and seventh chambers.

After the seven chamber tour, we were also very lucky to have a glimpse of the Derek Cave which is about 45 minute hike atop the Callao Cave. They refer to this as a technical cave. A French companion said perhaps it's because you need to have technique to get there. The path was grassy and some parts are stiff. There was a time that we had to hold on to tree roots to climb a two to three meter high rock. Nonetheless, the long journey was worth it. We were able to see a true scientific cave being studied by speleologists. The crystalline walls and the shiny stalactites and stalagmites are proofs of centuries in its making. We were not even allowed to touch the walls and columns to avoid tainting the minerals in the elegant formations. Unlike the Callao Cave, there was no light inside Derek Cave so you need to have a head torch. Here, I have tasted the purest water nature can make, gathered from the stalagmite droplets.

 It was indeed an awe-inspiring moment to see the beauty of nature as we go home. As I told myself over again, I shall be back to Cagayan in the future to do more spelunking. Next time, I hope I will have Andoy or any other kids to guide me. A piece of advice, they are more enjoyable to talk with. I loved listening to the stories of younger tourist guides.

The Tranquil Island of Palaui

As I promised myself, I will travel at least once a month in a place in the Philippines where I have not gone before. Or at least cover one festival in nearby cities and provinces. My first spot is Palaui Island.

While riding a boat going to the picturesque shore, one of my companions, who is French, said, it reminded him of Scotland. Many travelers say that Palaui Island is the inexpensive version of Batanes.

The island has this calm ambiance and stunning beauty that you would wish to stay for a few more days. All the points in the island are so inviting. It will make you think to extend your camping days to explore more the other sides of it.

We were welcomed by Ate Maya who, along with her husband, is the only resident on that side of the island. She told us stories about the forest crabs competing for food every afternoon and the Alamid cat which steals the food for the chicken at night.

There are two interesting sites we went to during our stay. One is the Cape Engaño Lighthouse which serves the vessels up until now. The historic lighthouse has been declared as an "important cultural property" by National Museum in March 2010. (University of North Carolina, 2011) It is located on top of the hill where you can also see the other islets surrounding the main island of Palaui.

Climbing the top of the hill was really fun. Some of us decided to take the other way down the hill which was more exciting to do. At some point you will have to avoid mud and poos and forge some small brooks. It has become even more memorable when I accidentally stepped on a carabao poo which I thought was a rock. LOL. 

That night we put up a bonfire by the beach to play word games, talk and roast marshmallows. There's no cozier feeling than lying down the tarpaulin, hearing only the sound of waves and the burning firewoods. It was the perfect moment to talk freely about life and other stuff ranging from the trivial one to the very profound. It is interesting to mention that the sky is clearer and the stars are brighter and more visible. 

The next day, we went to the falls to take a bath and replenish our water containers. This is the second spot we went to other than the camp site. Taking your shower here feels like having a hydrotherapy massage for free.

After the bath, we went back to the camp site and started pinching down our tents. It was a quick stay but one thing is for sure, I will definitely go back to Palaui Island to explore it more. I'm sure there's a lot to discover about it.