Blogs from Mindanao, Philippines, Asia - page 3

I’m walking along a rocky shore with Sir Boyet, gazing at the boulders painted gold by the late afternoon sun. A pair of high school teens in festival costume pretend they don’t notice and try to pass us by on their way to the covered basketball court for their dress rehearsal. Sir Boyet asks them in Tagalog what time the festival starts the following day. As he talks, the teens exchange confused glances first with each other, before turning to Sir Boyet. Dili kami kabalo, they say. They don’t understand. They laugh as they walk away. We laugh, too. The happiness of Camiguinons is contagious. We’ve encountered it a lot of times since we’ve arrived this morning. Our host, Teddy, shrugs potential hiccups in schedule like they’re some sort of normal details in the trip. Our ... read more

Thanks to my work and it brought me to the beautiful Region down south--- the Mindanao. This time after my official business, I was accompanied by my colleagues of DOH Region CARAGA to visit the famous Enchanting River in Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. It is 8 hours travel from Davao City or if from Surigao del Sur, around 45 to 1 hour land travel. The Chief of one hospital there that I provided technical assistance promised to tour me around once I visited their place. We arrived at the Hinatuan District Hospital around 730 in the morning. We were served with a sumptuous seafood meal for our breakfast and after getting around the facility it’s time to go to this River that everyone is talking about. The sun is up and just right for our trip. ... read more

Sarangani Province... read more

We plant fruit-bearing trees as an expression of our social responsibility. On June 29, 2011, the City of Koronadal in their tree planting project targeted to plant 100,000 seedlings of fruit trees. I am so glad that I am a part of it. Being a consumer of fresh fruits, I can't imagine if all those trees will bear delicious fruits after 3-5 years. I wake up at around 4 a.m. to prepare myself in a half-day activity. The participants were composed of students, employees, members of civic organizations and residents of the city. We convened in the City Hall at around 6 a.m. Our group will be assigned at Nga Bango while others will be in the nearby mountains surrounding Koronadal City. We have to walk from the highway for about 30 minutes to reach Nga ... read more

Jimenez is an old, rustic town in the Province of Misamis Occidental in Mindanao Island, the Philippines. It is home to an old Spanish Catholic church and a number of elegant old wooden ancestral homes. It is a 4th municipality with a population of 24,326 as of the census year 2007. The town is about 15-20 minutes from Ozamiz City, where the main sea-port and airport are located. The main mode of transportation to Jimenez is by a public bus, van, or a jeepney. Old ancestral homes Upon arrival, any first-time visitor will certainly notice the old wooden ancestral homes that still dot the town. Many of these great houses are well-maintained although a good number needed some urgent rehabilitation. One thing that differentiates the ancestral homes of Jimenez from other places in the Philippines is ... read more