Featured Place:Stretching Sand

It's Nemo

Passage behind the island

Long stretching white sand

Stretching Sand, Isla de Guardia, Malacapuya these are names an island 30-40 minutes of the Culion Poblacion goes. All I know is that its one of the complete packaged beach destinations there is in the country. Its quiet (so far), away from all the buzz and noise, its secluded, it has a half kilometre of fine white sand and mere minutes and meters of the beach are fishes and corals as well and on top of that the inland is wild with monkey and wild pig sightings as well. It was more than a week in Culion before I had a chance to get to this beautiful island. The trip from the Culion town proper to the island was very much interesting with green islands surrounded by mangroves left and right. Flying fishes jumping around were also a common sight as well as wild brown butterflies mysteriously flying over the sea. What exited me more about the journey was the shallow clear ocean waters in which you could see a sandy bottom or an impressive cluster of large corals. I remember Jay would suddenly jolt in his surprise then excitedly smile with the very clear site of corals. One can approach the island from the front or were the beach is (which is the most usual way) or from the back which I prefer more because it allows you to pass through a narrow passage. I guess its more exiting to pass through two mountains plus the sea at the back offers more coral sightings.

For a fee of 150 a day or 500 overnight you can enjoy the long white stretch of sand, a climb to the view deck (which I believe was the reason it was called isla de guardia originally) or swim with the fishes. For a “not so gaga over beaches” person like me it was the dip into the sea to see the cute Clown Fishes (nemo), puffer fishes, cat fishes and a lot more as well as the blooming corals was the special part.

A bit things to consider. Low tide on Malcapuya is low tide, you could walk 100 meters from the shore with the mater just reaching your knees. For me its best to come here at around 8 in the morning when there are still few visitors if not none at all and the sun is not to high above.

How to get there: The most usual way to go is via a rented boat from Coron which takes around 2 hours. I suggest (of course I will suggest) to first enjoy the warmth of Culion and from there rent a boat which takes you a mere 30-45 minutes to get there.

A Quick Update

We are still experiencing the more than usual blackouts. What happens now is that the blackout is scheduled per area, meaning, you may have power today then tommorow it will be your time to have 24 hours without power. Thankfully the school has a generator and we are allowed to charge our phones and laptops allowing us to be connected to the outside world and still alive in their eyes.

I have good news of great friends and a great teacher visiting this August. ASLAns. 8 of them, shall be visiting the island for 3 days while the great and legendary Eduardo Calasanz shall be staying for a week in our very beautiful island. My brother, Coby, and Banca are arriving tomorrow for a 3 day stay. I think visits like this are very good for a person so far from the familiar and expected and has missed the comforts and safety of a life left behind.

Another update on my life. I shall be alone for a week in our good old house. 3 volunteers and our 2 Jesuit priests shall be living for Manila today for board meetings and a marketing session. Thankfully there is much to be cleaned and arranged in the house making those long late afternoons and even longer nights not as long.

Lastly, as part of promoting the island I shall start featuring places on the island. But I shall not merely describe  the place but I shall write much of how it felt  experiencing and witnessing the place. I shall also feature people and that means all the people helping out the mission. The people helping from outside of Culion, the students, teachers, locals everyone available is included.

This is all for now and I wish to post a more exciting article later today.

Dark but Beautiful

Lightning Storms are one of Culion's Night Attractions

Much beauty awaits as darkness descends

This is going to be a short one. We are on our second night of our expected 4 night blackout. Aparently during the rain I so much enjoyed a lightning struck one of the island generators and destroyed it obviously so here we are. It has been a beautiful night though. During the night you hear the birds and the owls and the cats and lovers whispering and see the millions of stars that litter the sky. Reminds me of a philosophical work we read that goes something like “blind us,  put us into darkness so that we may see things beyond what the eye can” or something like that.

Good Night for now.

A Good Night Sleep=A Good Day

Youv'e got to love Culion

Youv'e got to love a sky like this

I just had my best night’s sleep on the island since I first arrived. Horray for rain and the glorious sticky cold atmosphere it brings. Actually I think it the first time I really had good sleep here, first time I slept and woke up in the middle of the night just once, first time to wake up past 7(because I usually wake up at 6), first time to not have my hair wet with sweat after sleep. Because of the rain, I have just proven that truly a good night’s sleep makes for a good day. And since we were once in the topic of enjoying the simple sweet things in life I then showcase a list of the amusingly simple, the “just can’t help but make you smile” and the “these seemingly senseless things make the experience worth it”. Here goes
1. 2 expressions of people here almost always use are “wow ah”, pronounced with a certain jolly and sarcastic tone and with the words connected, and “tama”, again with a certain tone the “ta” having a higher tone than the “ma”. I think this came from an actress.
2. There are only 2 establishments that sell ice cream in Culion and both sell only selecta products.
3. Fishes have funny local names and even funnier origins. One fish is named “kikiro” another has a scandalous name I would rather not say.
4. A good swim with the fish is literally just a hop from the shore.
5. Culion is one of the very few places I know in which you instantly see fishes as soon as your boat parks at the port.
6. People during the “Papuri” at mass clap their hands in a unified rhythm.
7. Technically there are only 3 carinderias
8. I actually enjoy this, waiting for your 2 hour ration of water. You have to time your schedule with the possible schedule water is available from your tap.
9. Drinking here has to start early in order to end before 12 Midnight and lights out.
10. Fish costs 30-60 pesos a kilo, I love seeing HUGE fishes being sold on the streets.
11. The excitement because of a new face on the island.
12. Many students here send 3-5 quotes a day.
13. I love hearing people say “Subasko”
14. Inuman sessions here are called “Jamming”
15. There is almost always a beautiful sunrise and sunset. Though the rain is always welcome and appreciated.
16. People waiting for 12 noon every day.

17. Sheila’s Cooking, specially her Chicken Curry

18. Almost everyone calling you sir

Of course there’s more but that would mean me writing more. Better that you experience it.

A Few Pictures of Culion

Culion's clear waters: Even during a gloomy day the waters of Culion allow you to see what in the bottom.

 

With fellow volunteer and Butanding lover Sir Elson Aca .

The poblacion from the Pulang Lupa view deck.

Sunset as seen from Pulang Lupa.

A newly discovered beach.

A failed jump shot with Sir Elson Aca and Culion's very own story teller, Sir Doy Labios.

Two in One

This post was written during two separate days.

“When all you got is nothing there’s a lot to go around”
This line is taken from one of the songs in the movie Prince of Egypt and I hope it holds true for Culion. I have just been given a dose of how selfish and how full of bitterness man can get. So vicious is man’s greed that it forgets all other men and allows himself to be consumed into a dark and lonely path. Yesterday was a day of sadness as we found out (although not officially confirmed) that the town of Culion has been again taken advantage off. Left in the municipal volt is one thousand pesos, nothing else. How this happened, I do not know and I shall not speculate. But I also see a positive side to this problem, actually a very hopeful side to it. If the line from the song above holds true it will mean unity, asking for help and accepting help. This “problem” in Culion is now a big and major reason why its people should channel its anger into unity, into dreaming for something better and into giving and sacrificing. Already sectors are mobilizing, the LGU officials are asking for help and the Church is active in its appeal and movement. My over a month in Culion has already awakened on how little and how simple is really enough. 100 pesos, a single book or a pad of paper is enough and is even a very big thing. I have learned to ask and even beg little from many and I believe such is a very effective way to go. I find it very timely that this problem arises when a new government is sworn into office, that more than skills or credentials or any other promise in offers, and I believe more than ever, hope. And this hope is not one that asks a dramatic and very big movement but one that starts from very minute and simple details. Such is what Culion needs, a big dream fueled by simple, small but many movements.

I am hopeful for Culion, hopeful that it gives, provides, becomes for and as what Fr. Javy envisions it. CULION- CONSERVATION, UNITY, LIVELIHOOD, INDEGINOUS PEOPLE, OBLATION and NATURE.

On a lighter note, I just have to share a very joyous matter. I just had great lechon and liempo. My first on the island and a delightful one after a very long time. I have also found my “great” luxury on the island. A Cornetto Ice Cream and a bottle of cold sprite.

Fr. Lito’s gospel message was very much on target this morning. Let me divide it into parts. Part number one. “Actions speak louder than words” a very familiar quote especially for lovers who often quarrel. The line though familiar must always remind us of how true it really is. Today’s gospel showed God ordering his disciples to do and not to say. In the gospel Jesus ordered his disciples to only say two things the rest were orders to do. In Culion, the island also known for chismax, it is quite true as well. What you do is easily a topic for gossip rather than what you say. It is more observable and I guess doing is something that makes one more alive.

The second part was more striking. Fr. Lito made clear Jesus’ orders, messages that hit me as one who claims to be a missionary. Order one, bring no money bags” Jesus did not say bring no money but the message was that a mission is not a venue to enrich one’s self. You need not much money, you do not even have to store much because God shall provide. I must admit the material realities of the world are one issue I struggle with. Despite my simple life I still aspire for the latest I-pod, new shoes or a new shirt. I have to always remind myself that I do not need such. Having no money helps very much as well. But I think truly God provides. For the hot nights, he provides rain or the cool sea breeze, for loneliness he provides very loud friends with never ending stories, for boring nights he gives me the sea to swim in or a hill to enjoy the sunset, for sadness he brings to me messages from people in Manila, and for those spiritual struggles he gives me timely messages of inspiration from the mass to the people. There will always be enough, you just have to know and accept what you truly need. Second order, Do not stop for conversations” this does not mean do not greet people or speak to know one it meant do not involve you immerse yourself with matters that are unimportant. Do not spend hours on facebook or every minute texting. Do not spend all your weekends watching a movie and your nights partying and drinking. The time we have is just enough, and to be drowned by the world’s vices is a hindrance to the mission.

Last point. You really do not have to bring everything, not much anyway. Everything is secondary and easily disposable. Bring instead only one thing, Bring the word of God, bring the name of Jesus.

Inauguration Day Message

This post will be short and it’s core message is taken from Fr. Javy’s homily during today’s mass. It is very timely and I believe holds deep to people who wish to serve.

Today is a day of change, a historic event graced by freedom and showered with hope. We find ourself facing a new era, a time of great jubilation and start of great vigilance. A time our people started to actually run this country.

No, I did not watch Noy’s taking of oath instead I was in Culion’s inauguration of its local official. The venue was inside the grand church, a timeless witness to many such events in which service, integrity and faith are put into focus. And before anyone could place their hand on the bible, sign papers and all the halaboo of taking office my ears were pierced by a great message.

It goes something like this.

Acording to the great philosopher Soren Keirkigard(spelling is wrong, I don’t know how it is really spelled) there are only 2 responses to the call of Jesus. SCANDAL AND DESCIPLESHIP. Its a YES OR NO, a clear and obedient following or nothing else. To give less than all is a no, to have if’s or but’s or maybe’s is a no. Its YES or nothing else. In the gospel today there is a mention of pigs, pigs were regarded during Jesus time (and even today) as a comic relief and even an animal of low dignity and esteem and so it was a display of two extremes. To follow Jesus completely or to be with the pigs. “Ang sumunod kay Hesus na bigay ang lahat o maging baboy”. Service, mission work.It is all, all to how God coomand, how Jesus did it, how he wills it and how he chooses to use you. No if’s or but’s or only..It’s Yes or no, Scandal or descipleship, Jesus or a pig.

Another Exploration Day

An early morning, a cold rainy day, a short encounter of Subasko, a late boat, a long boat ride, green islands sprouting from the sea, 8 gallons of gas  (we had to refill on a close barangay), 3kg of rice, 4 cans of corned beef, 4 cans of lechon paksiw, a pack of chicaron, a pack of dried mangoes, lunch with half your body submeged in water, 8 litters of drinking water, snorkels, fins, a swim with the fishes, a dive for a closer look at the corals, a ship wreck (a living wreck actually), a newly found Kilometer long beach, a newly found silent sanctuary beach, a beach where the turtles lay their eggs, conversations with the locals,countless stories, chismax(gossip), teasing, joking around,difficulty in riding the boat, loud singing, laughter, friendship…3 volunteers-4 locals…

This is an exploration day. Cheers to our newly found destinations. As our friendship grows and love overflows, Hope gets stronger and stronger.

P.S. Photos to follow.

My Office

Actually it is not my office but these are the things that make me love what I do. This is what we have in ISLA CULION, so come and visit us.

My mission allows me to be witness to the incredible and breathtaking wonders of this world. Culion is rich and teeming with life but though its beauty is impressive so are they threatened and in danger. Already, many corals in actual Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s) are already destroyed due to dynamite and cyanide fishing. Forest have been burned by kaingin farmers and mangroves 2 stories high have been cut down for uling. It is hard to just blame people who do such activities, after all this is what gives them food on the table or sends the eldest to school. This then is another part of the dynamics of our mission. It is not enough to ask people to just stop such activities  because the obvious question they will have is “how will we live?” and “what else can we do?”. It is our effort then to find a compromise, to find a sustainable way to make both world live, both aspects thrive or at least survive. For us, the obvious answer is tourism, a kind in which reposible travelling is pormoted, the local’s livelihood flourishes and the environment loved and cared for.Our goal is Eco-Tourism, to make the people realize that what they have our more precious as what they are. That nature in its pure form is their greatest asset. That people would come and spend to see their clear waters, vibrant forests, amazing corals and the people themselves. This is one dream in the making, a vision we pursue, a mission we fight for.

Underwater Photos by Sir Elson Aca

Lazy Sunday

Today is sunday obviously. A day of rest and blessings. Because it is “fiesta” in our barangay Libis it means blessings in the form of free food. I heard mass today at our very beautiful Church and as I mentioned in earlier posts the holy mass is something that continues to overwhelm me. I think if there’s one venue that will make me shed tears it would be in church during a mass. After the 7:30 AM mass I took a dip in the “public swimming pool” and met some cute and curious kids who kept asking me my name, asking me to pull them into the deeper part of the sea and kept offering me their snacks. Oh, which makes me think maybe I can entitle this post “Cute Kids Sunday Encounter” because that’s whats really distinct today. After that swim it was a quick shower for me (thankfully we have water again after surviving the past 3 days with a pail each for the whole day) and it was off to free food. The food was great but I more particularly enjoyed teasing and exchanging funny faces with our guest’s nephew. This cute little girl would actually call us and then stick out her tounge and puff her cheeks, we would reply with our own funny face and she would flash her cute, adorable smile or laugh loudly. I think that encounter made her very comfortable with me because as we went out for a walk she followed us and grabbed my hand to tag along and, as kids are, kept tugging, and pinching and asking me to carry or swing her. She was very proud actually, she kept calling her friends introducing her new “toy” together with a long “Blleehh”. Kids, fascinatingly adorable and quite easily just makes your day. Such fine blessings they are.

Since we are in the topic of kids I have to share this too. That the IP (indegenous people)or Tagbanua kids are just as adorable. Last week we went to the largest IP settlement in the Calamianes and guess who were the largest attendees at the mass?Kids of course! Holding their mangoes half-eaten and curiously smirking they came to mass, sat beside us and were just angels the whole time.

Tagbanua kids posing for the camera after mass.

 Anyway, this may sound wrong but right now we are waiting for drama outside our house. We were told that fiesta time is a time of people getting drunk, shouting in the street and couples fighting loudly as they go home.

Thatn is all for now.