I'm coming back to Davao next weekend. Samal here I come!!!
October 30, 2004
Pictorials sa Davao
Gimik with Davao friends two weeks ago...
I'm coming back to Davao next weekend. Samal here I come!!!
I'm coming back to Davao next weekend. Samal here I come!!!
October 25, 2004
a second look at Cotabato
I gotta do justice to Cotabato City. It's not as bad as thought it was. Save for the proliferation of small arms and petty crimes, Cotabato City is actually a fun place to be in.
Cotabato City has all the "basic necessities" that a normal city person would look for.
For one, it does not run short of good food. There is Jollibee, Greenwich, and Mister Donut. It also has its own array of great "native" restaurants. My favorite so far is Manong's where you can buy really nice fruit shakes for P12.00. They also have the best (and I'm not exaggerating) cheeseburger that I've tasted in the whole Philippines. Also, contrary to my first impression, there is night life in Cotabato. Almost every night now I'm out looking for new gimiks here (Yes, I am now able to walk at night here). Just the other night, some of my new friends and I went to the rooftop of Hotel Castro where, to my surprise, there was a bar where bands play (Too bad though that we went on a Wednesday cuz bands only play there on Fridays). Alleluiah!!! Finally, beer!!! It's a good thing too that I'm here during Ramadhan because there is a Ramadhan Buka Fair every night at the center of the town. There is a fiesta every night during Ramadhan whenever the Muslims' fast is broken (trivia: buka is the term Muslims use for "breaking the fast"). It's like an all-night tiangge here.
Aside from restos and fairs, Cotabato also has nice places to visit and see. One nice spot to visit is the centro of the town where the Buka Fair is held. Over there you'll see two pillars with some words of wisdom written on them (too bad though that whoever wrote these flunked his or her elementary Language subject). Here are some examples: One says "To much kindness can kill a child". Another quotes "Be functual even when everybody else is not." Aside from such educational trips, one can also visit spots that are good for the spirit. I got to go the "the Grotto" right outside the city proper. There is a small zoo there with lots of birds I've never seen before. Aside from birds, lovers also flock to the place, kinda like Luneta. The cheeziness stops in the zoo though. Past the zoo, I got to enter the the grotto itself. The grounds are big and there are lots of tall trees. There are fourteen stations here where one can pray. The last station is ontop of a high flight of stairs. As one climbs these steps, you get to see, little by little, a very tall sculpture of a Risen Christ. Very beautiful and very inspiring. It's a nice place to regain one's peace.
The best thing though about Cotabato City, and this I've seen is true for all the places I've been to, is the people. I've made lots of good friends here (both Christian and Muslim) and they've made this place cozier than it used to be for me. I realized that the people here aren't that much different from the other people I know. I don't feel like I'm in another planet. I guess the biggest difference is that I got to make friends with lots of Muslims. I like this fact though because our differences in religion allows us to have interesting conversations. I'm surrounded by fun and kind people.
I think Cotabato City just got worse press than it deserves. It's an interesting and fun place. It has a way of growing on you.
Cotabato City has all the "basic necessities" that a normal city person would look for.
For one, it does not run short of good food. There is Jollibee, Greenwich, and Mister Donut. It also has its own array of great "native" restaurants. My favorite so far is Manong's where you can buy really nice fruit shakes for P12.00. They also have the best (and I'm not exaggerating) cheeseburger that I've tasted in the whole Philippines. Also, contrary to my first impression, there is night life in Cotabato. Almost every night now I'm out looking for new gimiks here (Yes, I am now able to walk at night here). Just the other night, some of my new friends and I went to the rooftop of Hotel Castro where, to my surprise, there was a bar where bands play (Too bad though that we went on a Wednesday cuz bands only play there on Fridays). Alleluiah!!! Finally, beer!!! It's a good thing too that I'm here during Ramadhan because there is a Ramadhan Buka Fair every night at the center of the town. There is a fiesta every night during Ramadhan whenever the Muslims' fast is broken (trivia: buka is the term Muslims use for "breaking the fast"). It's like an all-night tiangge here.
Aside from restos and fairs, Cotabato also has nice places to visit and see. One nice spot to visit is the centro of the town where the Buka Fair is held. Over there you'll see two pillars with some words of wisdom written on them (too bad though that whoever wrote these flunked his or her elementary Language subject). Here are some examples: One says "To much kindness can kill a child". Another quotes "Be functual even when everybody else is not." Aside from such educational trips, one can also visit spots that are good for the spirit. I got to go the "the Grotto" right outside the city proper. There is a small zoo there with lots of birds I've never seen before. Aside from birds, lovers also flock to the place, kinda like Luneta. The cheeziness stops in the zoo though. Past the zoo, I got to enter the the grotto itself. The grounds are big and there are lots of tall trees. There are fourteen stations here where one can pray. The last station is ontop of a high flight of stairs. As one climbs these steps, you get to see, little by little, a very tall sculpture of a Risen Christ. Very beautiful and very inspiring. It's a nice place to regain one's peace.
The best thing though about Cotabato City, and this I've seen is true for all the places I've been to, is the people. I've made lots of good friends here (both Christian and Muslim) and they've made this place cozier than it used to be for me. I realized that the people here aren't that much different from the other people I know. I don't feel like I'm in another planet. I guess the biggest difference is that I got to make friends with lots of Muslims. I like this fact though because our differences in religion allows us to have interesting conversations. I'm surrounded by fun and kind people.
I think Cotabato City just got worse press than it deserves. It's an interesting and fun place. It has a way of growing on you.
October 14, 2004
relevance of fasting
In a few days, Ramadhan will begin, commencing a month-long observance of prayer and fasting for the Islam world. In this relation, my Muslim teammate Bax (who happens to be a Maguindanaoan Datu) and I had a conversation about the celebration, particularly the rationale behind the practice of fasting.
I used to think that fasting was one of those midieval ways of getting Allah's favor through pointless sacrifice, but Bax explained that it wasn't. Fasting, firstly, was a means of cleansing from physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual toxins. It's basically a wholistic detox. It's an opportunity for Muslims to get "excesses" off their system. During prescribed periods of the day, they avoid food, vices, sex, and impure and violent thoughts. For a month, Muslims live almost without these.
This presents the second, and perhaps more important reason for fasting: Praying and fasting for a month gives us a picture of a life style that we are all capable of. In the simplest sense, if we can do without excesses and yet remain prayerful for a whole month, why not be like that for the rest of our lives? In the end, the practice of living with so little shows us the things that truly matter.
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I'm experiencing a kind of fasting nowadays. I'm living in a boarding house. No aircon. No Playstation 2. No maid to cook or do my laundry for me. No old barkada. No nightlife. No salary.
This experience has given me the opportunity to see what I do have. I have myself. I have Christ. I have the knowledge that I am loved. I also have the numerous opportunities this experience brings me. All these, for me, are priceless.
I used to think that fasting was one of those midieval ways of getting Allah's favor through pointless sacrifice, but Bax explained that it wasn't. Fasting, firstly, was a means of cleansing from physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual toxins. It's basically a wholistic detox. It's an opportunity for Muslims to get "excesses" off their system. During prescribed periods of the day, they avoid food, vices, sex, and impure and violent thoughts. For a month, Muslims live almost without these.
This presents the second, and perhaps more important reason for fasting: Praying and fasting for a month gives us a picture of a life style that we are all capable of. In the simplest sense, if we can do without excesses and yet remain prayerful for a whole month, why not be like that for the rest of our lives? In the end, the practice of living with so little shows us the things that truly matter.
-----------
I'm experiencing a kind of fasting nowadays. I'm living in a boarding house. No aircon. No Playstation 2. No maid to cook or do my laundry for me. No old barkada. No nightlife. No salary.
This experience has given me the opportunity to see what I do have. I have myself. I have Christ. I have the knowledge that I am loved. I also have the numerous opportunities this experience brings me. All these, for me, are priceless.
October 13, 2004
Great spirits and mediocre minds
I saw this quote about Einstein a while ago, "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds."
I thought of a question regarding this: If you're experiencing violent opposition now, how do you know if you're a great spirit or if you're ideas are just really bad?
I ask this in relation to my boss. Simply put... ang dami na niyang nakakaaway dito. As in pati kami na field team niya naaasar na ng todo sa kanya. I met with some of our board members and I found out na ang dami nang naiinis sa boss ko. I for one was almost (as in!) almost gonna pack my bags and leave already kanina. Buti na lang pinigilan ako ng team leader namin dito. My boss just rubs me and other people off the wrong way. He bosses us all around but he's never done area work before (thereby many of his prescribed methods are not realistic and appropriate). Instead of becoming a project officer (which I thought I'd be doing), nagiging referee ako dito between him and our team leader.
Anyway, I acknowledge na visionary nga siya. Maganda ang vision niya, especially in terms of promoting a culture of nonviolence. He however, lacks the know-how as to achieving this vision. He also has attitudes that are contrasting to this vision (such as his attitude of not consulting us about the process and instead just making arbitrary decisions himself. Yan tuloy, ang dami nagagalit).
I can see from previous conversations with my boss that he feels that he's a man with a great vision. Perhaps he is, but being a visionary, for me, doesn't make one a great leader. The big difference I guess is with the willingness to truly listen. Without this, people with great visions turn into dictators.
A good leader is one who has both competence and character. My boss is starting to turn out as lacking in both departments. This is quickly becoming a point of concern for me.
October 08, 2004
first days in Cotabato
Cotabato City is such an interesting place.
I can't walk on the streets past 8pm. More than 10 people told me to be careful because I look like a foreigner. I can't go around town alone. Residents find it normal when someone gets murdered. I'm encouraged to talk Tagalog while walking so I won't be mistaken for a foreigner. The very people whg live here say that this is a lawless city. I'm told to only travel by day. I'm in my boarding house by 7pm. There is no night life here. The closest to night life here is the Videoke Channel. Etc...Etc...
I feel like I'm in a spaghetti western movie.
I can't walk on the streets past 8pm. More than 10 people told me to be careful because I look like a foreigner. I can't go around town alone. Residents find it normal when someone gets murdered. I'm encouraged to talk Tagalog while walking so I won't be mistaken for a foreigner. The very people whg live here say that this is a lawless city. I'm told to only travel by day. I'm in my boarding house by 7pm. There is no night life here. The closest to night life here is the Videoke Channel. Etc...Etc...
I feel like I'm in a spaghetti western movie.
October 07, 2004
tindahan ni aling nena
Walang exaj. Katulad talaga siya nung song ng Eraserheads.
Eatery siya (which makes it a step higher than a carinderia)sa harap ng boarding house ko. Halos lahat ng meals ko dun ako kumakain kasi wala nang ibang makakainan sa vicinity. OK lang ang pagkain. P40 lang, busog na busog na ako. Nakakuwentuhan ko din si Aling Nena. OK din siya. Pero hindi dahil dito kaya enjoy ako kumain dun.
Hindi ko alam kung ano ang pangalan niya. Hindi ko nga sigurado ang relation niya kay Aling Nena. Ang sure ko lang ay dun din siya nakatira.
Naalala ko nung una ko siyang makita. Medyo mestiza, konting singkit, slim, at mahugis. Nakasuot pa siya ng shirt na mukhang daster (There's just something about a cute probinsyana in a daster that does it for me). Naaalala ko yun mga unang sinabi niya sa akin, "Sir, mag-isa lang kayo?" (Me: Oo) "Taga saan kayo?" (Me: Sa Maynila). Para siyang na-surprise sa sinabi ko (surprised with a pigil na smile). Ngumiti lang ako, nagpasalamat sa pagkain, at nag-exit.
Haaay.
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Para talaga akong nasa pelikula (at sana, R18) =P
Eatery siya (which makes it a step higher than a carinderia)sa harap ng boarding house ko. Halos lahat ng meals ko dun ako kumakain kasi wala nang ibang makakainan sa vicinity. OK lang ang pagkain. P40 lang, busog na busog na ako. Nakakuwentuhan ko din si Aling Nena. OK din siya. Pero hindi dahil dito kaya enjoy ako kumain dun.
Hindi ko alam kung ano ang pangalan niya. Hindi ko nga sigurado ang relation niya kay Aling Nena. Ang sure ko lang ay dun din siya nakatira.
Naalala ko nung una ko siyang makita. Medyo mestiza, konting singkit, slim, at mahugis. Nakasuot pa siya ng shirt na mukhang daster (There's just something about a cute probinsyana in a daster that does it for me). Naaalala ko yun mga unang sinabi niya sa akin, "Sir, mag-isa lang kayo?" (Me: Oo) "Taga saan kayo?" (Me: Sa Maynila). Para siyang na-surprise sa sinabi ko (surprised with a pigil na smile). Ngumiti lang ako, nagpasalamat sa pagkain, at nag-exit.
Haaay.
------
Para talaga akong nasa pelikula (at sana, R18) =P
October 05, 2004
Travel to Maporak and Cotabato
Naalala ko yun Maporak nung bumabyahe ako mula Davao papuntang Cotabato last Friday. The travel to Cotabato is not that different from traveling to Maporak, unlike what most Manilenos think.
I guess many of us would imagine that there would be shooting and everything. But from what I saw, it's just like any ride with Victory Liner. People in the bus with me look the same. There weren't any terrorist-looking passengers or anything like that. Just like going to Maporak, I got to watch a movie in the bus.
The scenery looks the same also. It's like in Zambales. Lots of trees. Small houses along the highway. Vast ricefields. Carabaos and goats. I even crossed a river that looks a lot like the wide lahar river you cross right before entering Cabangan.
The only difference really was the checkpoint outside Cotabato City.
There are many things about Cotabato City that is different from what I'm used to. The traveling part though doesn't take much adjustment for most anyone really, especially those who go out of town to places like Sitio Maporak. I never imagined how my work in Maporak would equip me for something like this.
Haaay. Kamusta na kaya ang Maporak…
I guess many of us would imagine that there would be shooting and everything. But from what I saw, it's just like any ride with Victory Liner. People in the bus with me look the same. There weren't any terrorist-looking passengers or anything like that. Just like going to Maporak, I got to watch a movie in the bus.
The scenery looks the same also. It's like in Zambales. Lots of trees. Small houses along the highway. Vast ricefields. Carabaos and goats. I even crossed a river that looks a lot like the wide lahar river you cross right before entering Cabangan.
The only difference really was the checkpoint outside Cotabato City.
There are many things about Cotabato City that is different from what I'm used to. The traveling part though doesn't take much adjustment for most anyone really, especially those who go out of town to places like Sitio Maporak. I never imagined how my work in Maporak would equip me for something like this.
Haaay. Kamusta na kaya ang Maporak…
October 04, 2004
AMAZING RACE- Mindanao
This was my itenirary last Friday. Para akong nag-Amazing Race.
3am - Check in Domestic Airport
4:30am - Departure from Manila to Davao
6:15am - Arrival in Davao
7am - Facilitate breakfast meeting
9am - Ride bus from Davao to Cotabato City
3pm - Arrival in Cotabato City
3:30pm - Late Lunch / Informal Meeting
4pm - Travel to Notre Dame University
4:15pm - Tour of Notre Dame University
4:45pm - Leave baggages in boarding house
5pm - Set up equipment for online conference meeting in
university library
5:30pm - Online conference meeting
6pm - Review materials for next day's area work
6:30pm - Kicked out by librarian
7pm - Dinner at Nena's Eatery (in Tagalog, Tindahan ni Aling Nena)
7:30pm - Settle down in boarding house
8pm - Bath
8:30pm - Haggle with landlord and landlady
8:45pm - Listen to landlord and landlady talk about their son
9pm - Drink Emperador with landlord
10pm - Chika with landlord's son
10:30pm - Finally! Sleep!!!
Total Waking Hours: 36 hours
Wake up time next day: 6am
Area Covered today:
And people wonder how I keep my figure...
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I'm a peace work volunteer now in Mindanao. I'll be staying here for about two months to support the peace efforts in the region.
3am - Check in Domestic Airport
4:30am - Departure from Manila to Davao
6:15am - Arrival in Davao
7am - Facilitate breakfast meeting
9am - Ride bus from Davao to Cotabato City
3pm - Arrival in Cotabato City
3:30pm - Late Lunch / Informal Meeting
4pm - Travel to Notre Dame University
4:15pm - Tour of Notre Dame University
4:45pm - Leave baggages in boarding house
5pm - Set up equipment for online conference meeting in
university library
5:30pm - Online conference meeting
6pm - Review materials for next day's area work
6:30pm - Kicked out by librarian
7pm - Dinner at Nena's Eatery (in Tagalog, Tindahan ni Aling Nena)
7:30pm - Settle down in boarding house
8pm - Bath
8:30pm - Haggle with landlord and landlady
8:45pm - Listen to landlord and landlady talk about their son
9pm - Drink Emperador with landlord
10pm - Chika with landlord's son
10:30pm - Finally! Sleep!!!
Total Waking Hours: 36 hours
Wake up time next day: 6am
Area Covered today:
And people wonder how I keep my figure...
------
I'm a peace work volunteer now in Mindanao. I'll be staying here for about two months to support the peace efforts in the region.