The Many Beautiful Uses for Banig

I recently went to Cebu City for a convention and during my stay at my aunt's home, I immediately noticed a quaint and pretty bag she hung in the guest bedroom. It's a bag made of banig which she bought at Eva Adona's shop in Basey, Samar when she visited relatives (our side) last month. It would look great with a summer outfit and is a steal at P450.00.

Banig is actually the end-product of tikog, a reed plant that grows in forests and riceland. The stems are dried and then flattened to be woven into the finished product which is the banig. The banig was mostly used as a sleeping mat but budding entrepreneurs such as the Adona couple of Basey, Samar saw the potential of the material and parlayed this business "third-eye" into a thriving handicraft business exporting products to the United States and other countries apart from the local market.

Ms. Adona's store is chockfull of handicfrafts made from the versatile banig. She has floormats, rugs and slippers as well as other household items made more colorful with dye-soaked banig. Auntie B___ also bought a a geometric-designed circular rug which she used in her lanai. Its a good alternative to the more popular Persian rugs for household with asthma sufferers like mine.

(Some information sourced from www.truthforce.info)

Zumarraga, the land of broken promises

Zumarraga wharf


Old man of the sea, he steered the boat we rode for Zumarraga


Lonely fisherman

Rock formation

Two weeks ago I was asked by my boss to represent him at an event in Zumarraga, Samar. I was quite excited to do this as I have never gone there before and in my research over the Internet I learned that the island-municipality was a naturally beautiful place.

We went via Babatngon, Leyte which is a half hour trip from Tacloban, after which we then rode a motorized boat owned by the family of the mayor which was docked at the Babtngon wharf. The latter's personal secretary welcomed us aboard who proved to be a very able and amiable host. Embarking,I immediately noticed two armed camouflaged men on the boat, perhaps an indication of the bitter political rivalry that is known to exits between the local leaders of Zumarraga and Daram, both island towns that are figuratively a stone's throw from each other.

The trip from Babatngon took almost two hours and along the way we were treated to scenic sights that our host pointed out and named for us. There was the rock stone formations similar to that of Marabut, Samar; white sand beaches that looked deserted except for a few huts, and the ruins of a Spanish garrison meant to deter marauders of the sea.

The waters leading to Zumarraga is a deep emerald green and this could be the reason why the town is sometimes referred to as an emerald of the sea. Yet despite its natural bounty, the municipality has fallen way, way behind in terms of economic progress and the people trapped in a bucolic and yet stale existence. It was once the center of fishing trade in the islands of Samar and Leyte supplying the needs of Tacloban and Catbalogan. But now the fishes are not as abundant as before, the result of enviromental neglect and abuse. Dynamite fishing was said to be rampant and destroyed most of the corals that served as the homes for most of the sea life.

Yet despite the sad tale of the fishes gone elsewhere, the beauty of Zumarraga remain and the smiles on the faces of its people optimistic. Perhaps one day, the promises given would be kept and the waters would teem again with the bounty of the sea.

Charges filed against blogger...

A hazard of the trade has just become very real. Last week, a fellow blogger was charged for libel before the courts of law. That means the charges against her (she's an eighteen year old blogger) has been elevated from the prosecutor's office to the court. A full blown hearing is expected (if its not dismissed by the judge) and this blogger shall surely be watching its progress.

I cannot say much about it (the post subject of the libel case) as everything is now sub judice but in my opinion its a case of David versus Goliath. A teenager against a family of politicians and government bigwigs, but then the truth shall set you free. We call it the proof of truth and its a major line of defense in libel cases. So, whoever is telling the truth has the upper hand.

I receive this piece of news with mixed feelings. I have always been a firm believer of writing with responsibility and bloggers are not exempt. Unlike, however, with major dailies and publications, not all bloggers come equipped with a a full legal team to evaluate all articels (in this case posts) to check if its libel-free. Everything sometimes become free-wheeling and some bloggers become vulnerable to lawsuits and, worse, criminal charges. So what's the solution? Bloggers should be treated differently from the mainstream media and have a separate set of standards owing to the very unique features of the Internet which is the bloggers venue. I'm not saying that they should be treated with kid's gloves but legislation should be made recognizing that the Internet is not the mainstream media and that not all who post on the Internet are journalists. We have a lot of wise guys in government, they are sure to figure something out, meanwhile bloggers should now beware. Not everyone have a good sense of humour.

The Final Encore...Francis M

Mga Kababayan Ko
"Mga kababayan ko, nais ko ng malaman niyo
Bilib ako sa kulay ko
Ako ay Pilipino
Kung may itim at may puti
Mayroon naman kayumanggi
Isipin mo na kaya mo
Abutin ang yong minimithi..."

(Rough translation, as in real rough)
My fellow countrymen, I just wanted you to know
I am proud of my color
I am a Filipino
In a world of white men and black men
The brown race also exists
Just think you can
And your dreams shall be within reach

This song was all the rage then back in my senior year in high school and signalled the start of the rise of Francis Magalona's star in Philipine pop music. With songs like "Mga Kababayan Ko", "Kaleidoscope World" "Man From Manila", "Ito Ang Gusto Ko" all original compositions teeming with patriotic fervor, he established his foothold as the Master Rapper and King of Pinoy rap.

Now, the kingdom is without a king and the Master Rapper is gone.

In the early afternoon of March 6, 2009, the "Man From Manila" lost his battle with leukemia, barely a year after being diagnosed with the terminal illness. He left behind his wife, Pia Arroyo and eight children and memories of a life lived with passion as well as a legacy of Filipino music that shouts, yes, I am a Filipino, and I am proud...

Im Now Up In Stitches Laughing

As I write, people in the office are wondering if I've just had one cuckoo fly over my nest. You see, I'm now reading the "the heckler's" blog and it has gotten me up in stitches...laughing all by my lonesome. This guy's humor is something although I daresay the subject of his satire don't really find it funny...Excuse me while i go...hahaha, that sure is funny about the Alabang boys firing their lawyer.

News from Home - the first

(Photo source)

When I started this blog I wanted it to be something for all the Waray-warays out there - "out" there being the big, big world of Cyberspace-. I did not consciously have the the overseas Waray as the target readers, just anyone who had the distinction of having ties and roots in the two islands of Samar and Leyte, of course, Biliran too, although they speak a different dialect altogether. But somewhere along the way, most of the feedback I got was from Waraynons now-based abroad. In their comments and e-mails I could clearly discern a deep longing for home and anything that reminds them of it. My entry on the flavors of Leyte and Samar had a Waraynon transplanted to the land of kiwis drooling as he recalled breakfasts of sapsap (native dried fish) dipped in coconut vinegar and a Fil-Am from Florida who stumbled upon this blog through Google search commented on how my teaser on the alat (basket carried on the back filled with fruits and vegetables) brought back memories of a childhood when the basket represented a means of livelihood. Homesickness indeed finds its cure in the familiar and I have hoped that in my own little way that through this blog I have helped eased that longing.

So it is with the Waraynon abroad in mind that I have started a regular feature of this blog, "News from Home" which will carry tidbits of news which will keep everyone abreast of development here in Waray country. I plan to have it on a bi-weekly basis but bear with me if I can't really keep up with that schedule (still got a day job to do). I will try to make the most of my free time and be a"Korinna Sanchez" on the side (minus of course her logistics). Now if I can only perfect that multitasking bit...

The Waves of Calico-an Island

World-class facilities of Surf Camp


Infinity pool at the Surf Camp in Calico-an Island


Sometime in April last year, my friends and I went on a trip to Sulangan, a tiny islet at the tip of the province of Eastern Samar to visit the Church of St. Anthony de Padua. The twin images (one on each side of the altar) of the patron saint of desperate cases is known all over Eastern Visayas to grant the fervent wishes of its devotees and judging from the flocks that attends the masses held there, it is safe to surmise that many prayers has found answers after a call to St. Anthony for intercession.

We came on a Saturday and arrived just in time for the nine o'clock mass after departing from Tacloban City at 6:00 a.m., with a brief stop over at Jasmin Resort in the town of Marabut. I saw familiar faces from the city in an "out-of-town folks"-dominated church crowd. Like us, they all came with the hope of answered prayers whispered into the image of St. Anthony. Indeed, faith in a power greater than all of us is a most strong presence in the Filipino's way of life

As if to reward the piousness of the faithful who come to Sulangan, they are treated to an awesome sight of sea and surf as the island of Calico-an is just a 100 meter steel bridge away. In fact before you get to the pilgrim site, you pass by this white sand beach fringed town, a lovely welcome indeed for a spiritual journey for more than anything else, food for the soul was our main reason for coming and the beautiful sight an added bonus.

So just how beautiful is Calico-an? If your a surf lover just like most of the foreigners we saw there, the place where the Pacific rolls its waters is perfect for you. They say the best time for surfing is in the months of November, December and January where the waves are most high and just right for riding. But for a non-swimmer like me, it seemed intimidating even in on a warm month of summer. So me and my friends contented ourselves just listening to the ocean roar while having lunch in one of the restaurants that dot the seascape. Nothing like the sounds of the sea to relax and calm your senses. (During a second trip I made the following month, my family and I stayed at the cove-ringed part of the island where the lagoons allowed for some swimming, and yes, the sand was just as powdery white)

We earlier planned on having our lunch at the Surf Camp (a resort developed by the Aboitiz group) but it was closed at that time. However, the alternative, which was a resto-cum-small-resort, proved to be a blessing in disguise. Its prices were quite reasonable and the food filling, tasty and the straight-from-the-sea fresh. We (five of us) had kinilaw (ceviche) na tangigue, sinigang na lapu-lapu (grouper) , and adobong pusit (squid) all at a surprising P650.00 ($14.13) !!! I wish I could say the same for the room rates, at P3,000.00 ($65.21) per, its quite expensive. But then again with a view of the ocean and the sound of the waves, to quote that famous credit card company's line, the room's natural amenities are "priceless".

Tummies full, we started on the trip back home planning to go back as soon as schedules permitted (So far, it has remained just that, plans, with my friends that is)

So it was that a trip to the Church of St. Anthony de Padua came as a blessing in more ways than one.