my partial list

feeling so lazy. i mean who doesn't?

it's the last day of the work week. thank good LORD! though i am not dying to go to the dentist later today, i am very much looking forward for weekend.

just like weekends, i always look forward to summer. and again, who doesn't? when i used to be a student, it's the time of the year where i say timeout to school work, studying, writing, reading. assignments, quizzes.. sounds like an A stude, huh? hehehe! i am not really the ideal student, but i guess, i am one of the better minds.. hahaha! conceited me! hehehe!

enough about me, let's talk about my official summer capital...

DAANBANTAYAN!


it has always been our practice. the moment we are cleared from school, we always start the plan of our vacation at my grannies place. Then the big day came! my father usually accompanies us there. and it's been a tradition to bring pastries, bread what have-you's as a pasalubong to my relatives in daanbantayan. i mean, fresh and delicious bread hardly reaches our barrio before. again, this was before.

unforgettable activities in daanbantayan? here's my initial list:

1. magkawos ug tubig sa tabay (yes, like the wishing well). sometimes it takes us forever to fetch water since there's a long queue of fetchers as well. long ago (errr, i am not that old, by the way), the place doesn't have much deep wells to use). and by the way, we're not using the small containers. we're using the very big ones, and to be able to bring it to our destination, we use a bamboo pole.

2. maminaw ug drama sa radyo- weird, but this is where i learned to listen and understand "teleseryes" over the radio. surprising, yet very true. i mean, who can surpass the power of your imagination. and yes, not everyone has the luxury to buy TV set before. if i remember correctly, it really is very difficult to get a signal and watch local shows. most of the time, the people just rent some good ol movies in betamax or vhs format. some houses even make money out of it. we pay one peso to watch the movie of robin padilla. beat that!

3. mag-ad-ad ug bani sa saging- make pig food out of banana trucks- as my lola would call it, mag-ad-ad ug lawog sa baboy. i hope i can expound more, but i really can't. what i can really tell you is, it's one of the most difficult chore, and you might get hurt if you're not too careful.

4. mamugas- i haven't really experienced the "FARMING" part, because i don't know the right spacing of sowing the seeds, but i was part of the pre-farming. this is when you remove the seeds or kernels from the corn cob. sound pretty easy huh?! no, never an easy task. see, to make it extra fast, you have to use something that you need to rub the cob to remove the seeds, and again, if you're not too careful, you will get hurt.

5. mangahoy- what they call in tagalog as mangaso. yes, one of my favorites. not necessarily mean we have to cut trees for this. what we do is check for those cut dried bushes. this is what we use for cooking.

6. lung-ag ug saging- as a farm land, my favorite fruit is everywhere, and it has been a staple snack. not the usual chips, but the boiled ones.. YUM!


the first six again, are just my initial list. i'll try to contemplate and be more visual next time. i am crossing my fingers that my vacation this may will be a go, and i will post all the pics that will make me fall for this place more.

but, ciao for now.. mwaaah!

fact in fiction

have you ever been so in-love that even if you have decided to put a permanent bondage to yourself, you still longs to be embraced by someone else.. someone else you've met a long time ago.. someone else you wished and dreamt to have end up with.. someone you have fallen in love with the very moment you set eyes on him..

buy you know that it's not possible no more..

haaaay... hopeless, hapless me..

habal habal

this is really awkward. hehehe!

this word means "an act of sexual intercourse among members of the animal kingdom". but who would have thought that this word is the answer to the transportation problem of daanbantayan.

no, i am not saying that they used to dwell at the back of civilization. i remember back then, the only mode of transportation for the most part are tricycles. yes, even if it takes you forever, you just need to take a tricycle to get you around the place. and the hardest part is the road- not at all developed (rocky, dusty, you name it.. you'd rather stay at home than to discover the place).

then... alas came habal habal!!!

not really sure when it started (month/year?!) but i am very much sure that when we started seeing those habal habal around, we just can't get enough. i remember that majority of our vacation was touring around the area. and boy, we've gone to quite a number of places!

anyhow, here are another tidbits on this easy-access vehicle:

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Habal" is a Bisaya term which means “the sexual (act) intercourse of animals” wherein the male animal enters the female animal by striding at the female’s back. However, in some areas in Visayas and Mindanao, the term “habal” is not only applicable to animals but to human also. In other words, “habal” literally means “sex”.

Now, “habal-habal” is the term used to call the motorcycle taxi because the driver and the passengers are in “habal” (animal) position.

Habal Habal is a single motorcycle without sidecar carrying two, three, sometimes four passengers on its pillion seat used as a form of public transportation especially in places that jeepneys or tricycles cannot reach and where roads are mostly narrow and unpaved.

source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7551327@N04/3312461161/

sineguelas

daanbantayan has rich lands. being an agricultural place, the livelihood is more focused on tilling the field (aside from fishing, of course.)

i always look forward to summer not because of the BREAK, but because i get to taste one of my favorite fruits for free. yes, daanabantayan is one of the best breeding grounds of SINEGUELAS, and other tropical fruits. so, let me start featuring infamous outgrowth.

i remember this fruit as a subject of one of the riddles back in my elementary days. darn! i wasn't able to answer the question. i guess it never pays off if we only get to "mind" the consumption part of the fruits we're eating. not knowing how it's being grown.

i haven't really met someone who's not a fan of sineguelas. i mean, who wouldn't like the sweet-sour taste of this juicy fruit. makes me start salivating now.. hehehe! it's been ages since i have tasted one.

at the backyard of my grannies' house in lanao stood a very old sineguelas tree. am not sure how old it is, but my mom used to tell me that it's already there long before they were born. so, that old. anyhow, everytime i asked my grandma if ican climb to get fruits, she always tells me to have one of my cousins get some for me. she always cautions that i may fell down the tree, and might get hurt. hmmmm.. grandmothers! and yes, it's quite dangerous. some branches are already dead, and you'll never know if it's your lucky day.

anyhow, here are some info about this very delicious fruit:

------Sineguelas (Spondias purpurea) or Spanish Plum in English, is a native to Mexico and the western coast of Central and South America. Brought over by the Spaniards, it has taken very well to the Philippine archipelago and thrives here, according to Doreen Fernandez.

The fruit are approximately 1 to 1.5 inches in length and start off purplish or maroon green and ripen to a yellow or dark red state. The skin is taut and shiny and the flesh firm when unripened and slightly astringent (I like them this way) or soft, sweet and mushy when they are truly ripe.

They are in season from April to June or so but they seem to peak in May. Although mostly consumed as a fruit, some regions cook the raw fruit in sinigang or use it in kinilaw according to Doreen Fernandez’s book on Philippine Fruit. In other countries, the fruit is made into jelly, pickled in vinegar, or dried to preserve the fruit.

Very special to Sineguelas tree is that during harvest time often the tree has no leaves or only few leaves.

sources:

http://www.marketmanila.com/archives/sineguelas-spanish-plumhttp://www.kriyayoga.com/photography/photo_gallery/v/Fruits_of_the_Philippine_islands/sineguelas_tree-dsc00261.jpg.html

Santa Rosa Church

i have a very conservative family- very religious and closed-knit. you can say that at the very young age, i was able to memorize all the prayers of the rosary, the mysteries, some novena, and the list goes. most of the time, i place 1st in our religion classes because of this "rigid" training at home.

anyhow, our visits to daanbantayan always entails HEARING MASS, LIGHTING CANDLES, or just to show respect to our homegrown religion and faith. thus, i got to see the very beautiful STA. ROSA church.

this is where my parents got hitched.. hehehe! sorry, married is the right term. after 29 years, they are still very much together, surviving the tests of relationships, family and others. i don't have much memories about this church coz most of the time, we hear mass at St. Michael Church at tapilon. i only get to dropby most of the time to light candles during all souls/saints day. but if i remember it correctly, we got to hear mass there once, during the fiesta celebration on august. hmmmm.. i just don't recall what year though.

anyhow, i just got mesmerized the moment i saw it. for sure, it has existed for centuries already. i can see the resemblance with the basillica minore del sto. niño which was built way back spanish era.

just to give you an overview, i came across this article about the church. it's not lengthy though, but very educational. Read on!

---

Although the parish was established on August 10, 1858, in accordance with the approbation given on April 10, 1855, and although the parish was established as separate entity from Bantayan to which it was attached as a visita, the town’s name suggests that this was the former site of Bantayan. Tradition has it that this is so; the transfer of the populace to another site was instigated by slaving raid on the old town site. There a number of towns labeled “daan” or “old” in Cebu the telltale mark of slave raids.
Daan Bantayan chose as patron Santa Rosa. As a newly constituted parish, Daan Bantayan’s church was modest: a structure of tabique and wood with a thatch roof (Redondo 1886, 165).

source: http://www.cebudaily.com/townsandcities/daanbantayan/santa-rosa-church/

DAANBANTAYAN: a writer's perspective

Daanbantayan is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. Its northern, eastern and western sides are bounded by the sea and to its south is the municipality of Medellin.

History

The name Daanbantayan was derived from two words: the word “Daan” (which means “old” in the Cebuano language, and the word “Bantayan” which refers to a place that served as a “look-out-station” for Moro raiders before the Spaniards obtained control. The original site of the town might have been located at an elevated vantage point near Punta which is situated near Tapilon. Some older maps and publications use both words independently from one another, as “Daan Bantayan”.The island of Malapascua is part of the jurisdiction of the municipality of Daanbantayan.Every year, Daanbantayan celebrates the Kandaya Festival which is in honor of Datu Daya, the legendary founder of the town.

Economy

Daanbantayan’s main industries are fishing, seaweed farming, agriculture, and tourismLocationThe municipality of Daanbantayan is situated in the northern tip of the island of Cebu. Its northern, eastern and western sides are bounded by the sea and to its south is the municipality of Medellin.

How to Get There

Buses to Daanbantayan and Maya are available at the North Bus Terminal in Cebu City. At the public market of Daanbantayan, it is possible to hire rickshaw motorcycles (the local version of a taxi) for transportation to one of the local beach resorts. Daanbantayan can also be reached by V-Hires (vans) from the Cebu North Terminal in Cebu City. Travel time is about 4 hourTourismDaanbantayan has become famous because it is where one of the country’s best kept tourist destination is located, the Malapascua island (Logon). Malapascua has been dubbed as a mini-Boracay and its pristine crystal clear waters, white sandy beaches and magnificent corals are being talked about all over the world. Before Malapascua had been discovered by the outsiders, however, Daanbantayan was more known to be the supplier of dried fish and other sea products because its waters is one of largest fishing ground in the country.

Things to Do and See

Kandaya Festival

Haladaya Festival

Malapascua Island

Chocolate Island

Daanbantayan Church

Political Subdivisions

Daanbantayan is composed of 20 barangays, namely: Aguho, Bagay, Bakhawan, Bateria, Bitoon, Calape, Carnaza, Dalingding, Lanao, Logon, Malbago, Malingin, Maya, Pajo, Paypay, Poblacion, Talisay, Tapilon, Tinubdan and Tominjao.

Population

According to the 2000 census, Daanbantayan has a population of 69,336 people in 13,472 households.

Source: http://www.cebudaily.com/townsandcities/daanbantayan/

DAANBANTAYAN @Wikipedia

Daanbantayan is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2008 census, it has a population of 73,254 people. The island of Malapascua is part of the jurisdiction of the municipality of Daanbantayan.
Every year, Daanbantayan celebrates the Kandaya Festival which is in honor of Datu Daya, the legendary founder of the town.

Contents

1 History
2 Transportation
3 Barangays
4 External links


History
The name Daanbantayan was derived from two words: the word "Daan" (which means "old" in the Cebuano language, and the word "Bantayan" which refers to a place that served as a "look-out-station" for Moro raiders before the Spaniards obtained control. The original site of the town might have been located at an elevated vantage point near Punta which is situated near Tapilon. Some older maps and publications use both words independently from one another, as "Daan Bantayan".
In 1942, the Japanese Imperial forces occupied in the town of Daanbantayan, Cebu.

Battle of Daanbantayan
Part of World War II
Date
1945
Location
Daanbantayan, Cebu
Result
Decisive Filipino Victory
Belligerents
Philippines
Japan
Strength
46,800 Filipino Troops8,400 Cebuano Guerillas
35,400 Japanese Troops
On 1945, the liberation by the Philippine Commonwealth troops entering in the town of Daanbantayan, Cebu by supported with the Cebuano guerrillas attacked from the Japanese forces in the Battle of Daanbantayan during World War II.

Transportation
Buses to Daanbantayan and Maya are available at the North Bus Terminal in Cebu City. At the public market of Daanbantayan, it is possible to hire trysikad (the local version of a taxi) for transportation to one of the local beach resorts.

Barangays
Daanbantayan is administratively subdivided into 20 barangays:
Agujo
Bagay
Bakhawan
Bateria
Bitoon
Calape
Carnaza
Dalingding
Lanao
Logon
Malbago
Malingin
Maya
Pajo
Paypay
Poblacion
Talisay
Tapilon
Tinubdan
Tominjao

before anything else...

let me start this with a "thank you"..

thank you daanbantayan..

... for helping me appreciate my relatives
... for helping me trace my family tree, and identify the farthest of my relatives
... for my friends who in turn became my relatives
... for my new friends who have stayed with me from the start.
... for showing me the SIMPLE life
... for showing me the simple joys
... for making me appreciate playing with little children.
... for my first taste of grilled bird (sorry PETA.. not doing it again!)
... for making me grin at the sight of a captured bird out of our trap (sorry again PETA, not doing it anymore).
... for teaching me dig on the crops, and saw one of the biggest sweet potato
... for making me feel like a child again, playing with the stones
... for teaching me humility that i need to mingle with people in all walks of life
... for giving me a chance to showcase my talents that i thought i have
... for showing me how to climb the trees
... for letting me see the abundance of nature- green trees, virgin beaches, and wonderful sunset!
... for making me fall in love for the first time

... thanks for making me fall for more..

prelude

seems like i will be forever indebted to this place. everytime i think of happy thoughts, it always directs me on my childhood experiences in the wonderful domain of my grandparents. god knows how this place has made me the person i am today.

i am talking about daanbantayan. i don't want to say that it's philippines' next tourist destination. no, i'd rather keep its virginity. forgive my selfishness, but i just love serene, quiet beaches, and green mountains.

that's why i will start my DEDICATION to this place. it might not be as comprehensive as i want it to be (yes, unfortunately, i am based in manila now. i don't have all the chances to be as complete and detailed), but i'll try to do my research, and hopefully, this site will be one of the best resource in the net that showcases DAANBANTAYAN.

so, read on... and fell in love with the place i have fallen in love with...