dodong flores Turns Digital

From Tuguegarao to Duenas: The Duenas Visit 2007

Oct 3, '07 9:45 PM
for everyone

(first of six parts)

In this 138th entry of my blog, I decided to celebrate travel photography around the Philippines, the Filipino hospitality, Filipino friendliness, and Filipino generosity. There are lots of positive things to talk about around our country other than the baywalk massacre and dirty politics. Events like fiesta also reminds us of unique Filipino values and cultural traits. Filipino culture is definitely unique. Really, as in really.

It is not just about travelling around but it is more about rediscovering the somehow forgotten Filipino cultures and getting acquainted with new friends not only local but all across the globe. That is why as far as Texas in the USA, Kuya Bebot invited me to witness their one of a kind town fiesta in Duenas, Iloilo which is celebrated from September 25th to the 30th.

Going there was not that easy as I had expected. Two days before my scheduled departure for Iloilo, I was tasked by my company to drive for Tuguegarao. So, I Ieft from Manila last Tuesday at 11:00 in the evening. I arrived in Tuguegarao at 6:00 in the morning. I took a rest while my companions went on with their business transaction.

The very same day, Wednesday, at 6:00 in the evening, we prepared ourselves to be going back to Manila. I may have gotten enough sleep but I hadn't eaten well. I was so tired driving the whole 400 kms. of 7-hour trip that I slept all throughout the rest of the day when I got the chance.

The trip going back to Manila was another 7 long hours of stressful non-stop driving. It was not really the driving that caused me stress but the very thought of getting short of time in preparation for my Iloilo trip.

Day 0 (Sept. 27)

The Preparation

When I arrived Manila on Thursday at 2:00 in the morning, I started packing up my things that I needed for my Iloilo travel. Worst, I haven't charged my batteries yet as I intended to do it just a day before my departure. The unanticipated Tuguegarao trip simply destroyed my timetable.

I charged my batteries while packing up my clothings. I had already prepared my checklist for all the things I needed in a 5-day stay in Iloilo.

I finished packing up my things at 6:00 o'clock in the morning, but I still had to wait for all my batteries to be fully charged before I leave. I also charged my phone and PDA. I had to maximise my time. Meanwhile, I called up my girlfriend telling her I would be late. We agreed earlier that we go together to the airport. She was also leaving for Kidapawan via Davao. We booked for the same airline but she got the earlier flight. Hers was supposedly 3:50 in the afternoon. Mine was supposed to be 6:05 later.

By 9:00am, I was already on a taxi together with my luggage going to my girlfriend's boarding house. I was not feeling well. I haven't rested since driving straight for 7 hours and had skipped my breakfast. I felt I was totally disorganized for this trip.

Final checking of my things is being done as soon as I arrived to my girl friend's boarding house. There, I found out that I missed the external flash for my mobile phone camera. There were minor changes to be done too, like changing my laptop bag to an old on which is lighter. The one I am currently using is sturdy but heavy and bulky for a hand-carry in flight. My girlfriend found my brown steel toe shoes to be shabby for the Iloilo trip. She had it changed with my pair of Bristol shoes that I had just worn in a few occassion. It was good that I left a few of my things in her custody. At least there were always options every time I get to visit her.

The Peeled-Off Sole

It's good the traffic going to domestic airport is not that heavy that the taxi we were taking in swiftly traversed EDSA. For my girlfriend Jovy's scheduled flight, we were three hours earlier. That was a good thing. The bad thing is that her flight was delayed for more than two hours. So, to escape from boredom due to delayed flight, we toyed with our phonecam.

Sony Ericsson K750i / f/2.8 / ISO 240 Sony Ericsson K750i / f/2.8 / ISO 160

Sony Ericsson K750i / f/2.8 / ISO 240 Sony Ericsson K750i / f/2.8 / ISO 320

Canon 300D / Shutter Speed: 1/13 sec / F-stop: f/5.6 / ISO Setting: 400 / focal length: 55mm /flash: off / mount: handheld

Not contented with phonecam, I took out my SLR and started playing around. In the first photo below, I was experimenting with depth-of-field. Next photo, which is my self-portrait, was taken by my girlfriend as her first hands on with my SLR.

a) Canon 300D / 1/10 sec / f/5.6 / ISO 800 / 54mm b) Canon 300D / Shutter Speed: 1/5 sec / F-stop: f/4.0 / ISO Setting: 200 / focal length: 25mm /flash: off / mount: handheld

Her 3:00 o'clock in the afternoon flight was rescheduled to 6:00pm. Mine was rescheduled from 6:00pm to 7:00pm. While our flight schedule was getting bad, the worst thing that had happened is the peeling off of the sole of my Bristol shoes during security check. But I didn't bring another pair of shoes to spare. I had to bear with such consequence.

Jovy flew an hour ahead of me. I left Manila airport at 7:00pm and arrived at the new Iloilo International Airport at 8:00pm. My flight experience was not bad.

My host, Kuya Bebot, one of the first male nursing graduates of Quezon City Medical Center School of Nursing class 1974 and now based in Texas, was already there waiting to pick me up. In no time, I also received a text from Jovy that she too, landed in Davao safely. Later, she would call me up that she's already on a passenger van going to Kidapawan.

VIP Accommodation

Kuya Bebot is using his Honda Civic to fetch me from the airport. The car was driven by Tito, the husband of Kuya Bebot's niece. The travel from the airport to Duenas was less than one hour. Passing by the town plaza, I noticed the place is still very much alive and very well-lighted for the town fiesta. Since it was already past nine in the evening, we proceed to his house for the dinner. Later we would go out again to visit the High School Night which was held at the town's social hall. One of the main event that I missed during the day is the parade that took place in the morning.

Kuya Bebot surprised me with a very beautiful house, in fact, one of the most beautiful houses every built in town. It is a modern castle - that's if you would like me to exaggerate. But yes, while the house doesn't look that big as seen from the outside, inside, you will find out the house to very spacious with enough number of rooms for immediate family members and guests. Air can freely flow in and out of the house so hot air would easily dissipate leaving a cool temperature in the interior. The house is very well designed yet maintained its simplicity that offers every visitor a homey feeling.

Sony Ericsson K750i / F-stop: f/2.8 / ISO Setting: 100 / flash: off / mount: handheld

To surprise me more, Kuya Bebot gave his air-conditioned room for my accommodation. Other than the air-conditioning unit, other main convenience available are the built-in toilet and bath room, desktop computer, a few men's magazine to while the time away, and a very cosy bed. While Duenas is a fast-progressing municipality, such accommodation being extended to me is very exceptional considering the seclusion of the town from the key city (Duenas is more or less 30 kms. from Iloilo City). So I would say it was more than a 5-star hotel accommodation for me given the feel of the town.

However, lonesomeness struck me the most due to the absence of Sun Cellular signal. The network is not available yet in the area. I lost contact with my beloved Jovy.

Next entry, let's see how did I balance my longingness for Jovy and enjoying the rest of my vacation.