Shown in the photo above are the high school students who attended my photography lecture last October 2. There were more or less 50 students who participated and eager to learn about photography. Most of them are writing for their student organ.
The event was held at Dr. Colleen R. Aujero Memorial Center, a multi-function room equipped with the latest multimedia projector and audio system. I didn't have a hard-time setting up for my presentation as there were teachers who took charge for the preparation and were enthusiastic in seeing the event to be fruitful. I just plugged my laptop computer into the multimedia project and everything was ready to go.
When I started the workshop, I was amazed at the attentiveness of the students towards the lecture. Of course, there were few who got distracted but nevertheless, their participation and interaction over the lecture was overwhelming. The lecture went on smoothly. We had planned to finish the lecture in two hours but unexpectedly it went beyond the time limit. I was very happy to take notice that my basic photography lecture was very well received by both teachers and students present at the event.
A bonus for the photography lecture is a Jollibee breakfast meal offered for free to all present during the workshop, courtesy of Kuya Bebot. This is the Jollibee meal package we had reserved for at Jollibee - Passi the day before. Spirits were high. Free photography lecture and a Jollibee breakfast meal, who wouldn't want that?
The lecture ended at eleven in the morning. A certificate of appreciation was presented to me. The contents of the certificate is shown below:
Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region VI - Western Visayas
Division of Iloilo
Duenas General Comprehensive High School
Duenas, Iloilo This Certificate of Appreciation is presented to ISIDRO T. FLORES, JR. for his capacity as lecturer in Photojournalism Workshop held
at Dr. Colleen R. Aujero Memorial Center, Duenas General
Comprehensive High School, Duenas, Iloilo, Philippines on
October 2, 2007. Given this 2nd day of October 2007 at Duenas, Iloilo. (sgd.) LEONIDAS P. PALMA
Head, English Dept. (sgd.) CYNTHIA P. SOTACIO
Secondary School Principal |
The teachers were very much thankful and assured me that my lecture is straightforward and easy to understand. I promised to them for a downloadable handout and Powerpoint presentation available here in this website. That I wasn't able to finish yet until this time. (I apologize to those whom I kept on waiting. Those materials will follow shortly after I can finish this article).
The day the lecture was conducted is also the day I was going back to Manila by 7:00 o'clock in the evening. Kuya Bebot would send me to the airport, but not without the sidetrip to the other end of Iloilo province.
Highway Scenes and the Sidetrip to Concepcion
Denden and Abby's granny and aunts would be going back to Concepcion in the afternoon. Kuya Bebot decided to send them off using his Honda CRV. Afterwards, he's going to send me off to the airport as well. Junne drove for us. Abby and mother Doll completed the troop. The long stretch from Pototan to Concepcion and back to Banate, Pototan, Mina, Janiuay, and Cabatuan gave me much the opportunity for a photography feast. A few resultant photographs to be celebrated are on display below. Most of the photos were taken while the car is in motion, so photo quality are not that good. Just see it light-heartedly and enjoy...
Canon 300D / Shutter Speed: 1/6 sec / F-stop: f/5.6 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 55mm /flash: off / mount: handheld
We gas up in Pototan and saw those two lovely girls in the background...
Canon 300D / Shutter Speed: 1/100 sec / F-stop: f/7.1 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 55mm /flash: off / mount: handheld
An old cemetery in Pototan. I didn't have the opportunity to examine whether it is a Catholic cemetery or a public one. We didn't care to stop for spot checking...
Canon 300D / Shutter Speed: 1/80 sec / F-stop: f/6.3 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 55mm /flash: off / mount: handheld
A street motorcycle fixed with custom luggage rack designed to carry both pillion passengers and cargoes of considerable weight. If you notice, the second passenger is seated on top of the gas tank. In Mindano, we call this habal-habal but didn't know how it is being called in Iloilo.
Canon 300D / Shutter Speed: 1/10 sec / F-stop: f/5.6 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 55mm /flash: off / mount: handheld
Blurry, blurry, blurry... But I like this photograph!
Sony Ericsson K750i / F-stop: f/2.8 / ISO Setting: 100 / focal length: 4.8mm / flash: off / mount: handheld
This is another tricycle we saw in Cabatuan while we were on our way to Sta. Barbara (leading to the new Iloilo International Airport). I lost count of the number of passengers onboard but I do remember the driver was already standing on the foot pegs and was leaning forward, knees supported by the handle bar, just to give more room for three passengers seating in his behind. It takes a skill to do that. Simply amazing...
Canon 300D / Shutter Speed: 1/25 sec / F-stop: f/5.6 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 55mm /flash: off / mount: handheld
Canon 300D / Shutter Speed: 1/100 sec / F-stop: f/7.1 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 55mm /flash: off / mount: handheld
In some parts of the country, the most comfortable position in a public transport is riding at the top. True, as seen from this Iloilo jeepney.
Canon 300D / Shutter Speed: 1/200 sec / F-stop: f/10.0 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 55mm /flash: off / mount: handheld
Needless to say, that's another fully-loaded tricycle.
Canon 300D / Shutter Speed: 1/200 sec / F-stop: f/10.0 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 55mm /flash: off / mount: handheld
Hill Top Native Restaurant, a restaurant to be found in a secluded area enroute to Concepcion. Do I need to say it is located on top of a hill?
Canon 300D / Shutter Speed: 1/100 sec / F-stop: f/5.6 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 18mm /flash: off / mount: handheld
Ajuy scenery.
Canon 300D / Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec / F-stop: f/8.0 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 18mm /flash: off / mount: handheld
Concepcion scenery.
Canon 300D / Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec / F-stop: f/7.1 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 55mm /flash: off / mount: handheld
The Food Hunt
Cabatuan is just a 15 minutes drive away to the new Iloilo International Airport. It was just 5:00 o'clock in the afternoon - too early for me to be in the airport. Kuya Bebot offered for an early dinner for the whole group. His good taste yearned for a tino-um na manok.
We went to several restaurants around town to look for this specialty food only to be told they already ran out of supply. We pushed our luck and ended up our food hunt at Leah's Tino-um located at the back of Cabatuan Public Market.
Sony Ericsson K750i / F-stop: f/2.8 / ISO Setting: 800 / focal length: 4.8mm / flash: off / mount: handheld
Tino-um na manok is a native chicken in broth wrap up with banana leaf and placed in a wooden or clay bowl. I haven't heard of it before even during my long stay in Iloilo - not until it was being served right in front of us.
Sony Ericsson K750i / F-stop: f/2.8 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 4.8mm / flash: off / mount: handheld
Sony Ericsson K750i / F-stop: f/2.8 / ISO Setting: 100 / focal length: 4.8mm / flash: off / mount: handheld
Kuya Bebot posed for Leah's Tino-um.
Sony Ericsson K750i / F-stop: f/2.8 / ISO Setting: 100 / focal length: 4.8mm / flash: off / mount: handheld
Abby and her Lolo across Leah's Tino-um. The SUV from behind is the almighty vehicle that transported us all throughout the trip.
Goodbye, Duenas...
It's hard to say goodbye but I had to go. In the few remaining minutes of my stay in Panay Island, I was able to take a glimpse of the sundown while traversing the Sta. Barbara airport road. Not the restful and relaxing one as you can see, but at least, that's what my phonecam had "seen" and recorded at that moment.
Sony Ericsson K750i / F-stop: f/2.8 / ISO Setting: 100 / focal length: 4.8mm / flash: off / mount: handheld
My days of stay in Duenas is over but the adventure wouldn't stop there. The longingness is overwhelming. Finally, I had to bid goodbye to Abby and goodbye to Duenas. I know it will be a long while before I get to see the place again. I say, the place is worth to be reminisced over and over again...
Sony Ericsson K750i / F-stop: f/2.8 / ISO Setting: 200 / focal length: 4.8mm / flash: off / mount: handheld
...Until I'll get another chance of going back there once more.Goodbye for now...
Technorati Tag:
Duenas, Iloilo, Texas, balikbayan, fiesta, town fiesta, Filipino traits, Filipino culture, Tatoy's Manukan, manok tinu-om, hospitality, Filipino hospitality
You can always go back to the first entry of this series by accessing this link: http://travelogue.digitalrebel.ws/2007/10/day0.html.
Coming up next: Reasons Why Duenas Is Worth To Be Revisited & The Photography Lecture Downloads. Stay tune...
Post Script: (Nov. 16, 2007)
Photos taken during the photography lecture in Duenas. Shot in 35mm film camera. Photo courtesy of Regino L. Pama, RN.
master dodong, ako rin mag-enroll sa klase mo :P