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…
