Wandering Blogger

ON MY SIDE TRIP TO MINDANAO, I HAVE THE CHANCE TO SEE THE SIMPLICITY OF LIFE OF OUR PEOPLE LIVING IN THIS WONDERFUL BUT SOULFUL PARADISE OF BUKIDNON WHICH WAS CALLED THE FOOD BASKET OF MINDANAO. THE PLACE WAS SO QUIET AND SO PEACEFUL IT IS SURROUNDED BY DIFFERENT PLANTATIONS AND RIVERS THAT IRRIGATES THE WHOLE PLANTATIONS AND PROVIDES ELECTRICITY FOR ITS INHABITANTS THE SCHOOLS WERE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BUILDINGS AND PROBABLY THE MOST VISIBLE EDIFICES IN BUKIDNON.  FAMOUS LANDMARK A CLASS OF ITS OWN. PANORAMIC BEAUTY BUKIDNON IS A HOME OF THE FINEST AND SWEETEST PINEAPPLE IN THE COUNTRY.

FROM THE START THOSE PEOPLE LIVING NEAR THE RIVERBANKS ENDANGER THEMSELVES FROM BEING WIPED OUT BY A MIGHTY RUSHING WATERS MITIGATED BY EXCESSIVE HEAVY RAINS AND A VERY POWERFUL WINDS THAT ARE CAPABLE OF CRUSHING ALMOST EVERYTHING THAT STANDS AGAINST THEIR PATH . IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME, THAT SIMILAR EVENTS LIKE THIS WILL STRIKES AGAIN IN OUR MOST CONVENIENT TIME. 

FOLK DANCE IS A FORM OF DANCE DEVELOPED BY A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT REFLECTS CERTAIN CULTURE, TRADITION AND BELIEFS. FOLK DANCE IS A GREAT EXERCISE FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES. IT IS EASY TO LEARN BUT ITS STYLE AND ELEGANCE WILL NEVER FADE AND IT WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBER EVEN BY NEW GENERATION. WE CONSIDERS FOLK DANCE AS A UNIQUE HERITAGE OF OUR PEOPLE. IT IS EMBEDDED IN OUR CULTURE AND PRACTICE BY OUR PEOPLE EVERY TIME WE HAVE SPECIAL OCCASIONS REMINDING US HOW RICH WE ARE IN TERMS OF OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE. WE SALUTE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THE CITY DIVISION SCHOOLS OF QUEZON CITY, THE DIFFERENT PRIVATE SCHOOLS, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT OF QUEZON CITY, THE SANGUNIANG KABATAAN OF QUEZON CITY LED BY SK FEDERATION PRESIDENT/ COUNCILOR DE GUZMAN FOR TAKING PART, ORGANIZING AND HOSTING THIS KIND OF ACTIVITIES. WE, FILIPINOS ARE VERY UNIQUE PEOPLE AND ONE OF A KIND. SOMEONE SAID, "THE PHILIPPINES BECOME THE WEST -TEMPERED EAST".  

THIS GIGANTIC STATUE OF THE DIVINE MERCY MEASURED 50 FEET HIGH PERHAPS THE MOST REMARKABLE MONUMENT IN MINDANAO. IT IS SITUATED IN EL SALVADOR CITY,  AND IT WAS NAMED AFTER THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD, JESUS CHRIST. THE STAIRWAY IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THAT OF MRT. THOSE WHO HAVE HEALTH CONDITION ARE ADVISED TO STAY ON THE GROUND. TOURISTS AND OTHER VISITORS ARE ADVISED TO OBSERVED PROPER DECORUM SINCE THE ENTIRE PLACE IS SACRED. THOUGH I AM A REFORMED CATHOLIC, VISITING THE PLACE IS A RARE EXPERIENCE  AND I WAS AMAZED TO SEE HOW PEOPLE STRIVE TO CREATE ENORMOUS STATUE LIKE THIS. PILGRIMS FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF ARCHIPELAGO FLOCKED TOGETHER TO SEE THIS WONDERFUL PLACE.  I AM A STRONG BELIEVER THAT PEOPLE'S FAITH CREATED THIS PLACE. THEIR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST WORKS WONDER FOR THEM RECEIVING POSITIVE ANSWERS TO WHAT THEY WISH FOR.

IN 2012, I PAID A VISIT TO THE PLACE WHERE I WAS BORN, WAO LANAO DEL SUR.  MINDANAO WAS ALSO KNOW AS THE PROMISE LAND OF THE PHILIPPINES. AND WHY NOT MINDANAO IS A PARADISE TO MANY. PEACEFUL AND SERENE AS IT MAY LOOK BUT DEEP INSIDE THE HEART OF ITS PEOPLE LIES A CENTURY OLD GRUDGE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT FOR BEING MUTE AND BLIND TO HEAR AND SEE THEIR CONCERNS. I NEVER IMAGINE THAT I CAN VISIT THIS TINY BUT LOVELY MUNICIPALITY OF WAO LANAO DEL SUR, A PLACE WHERE I WAS BORN. I LIKE TO STAY THERE LONGER BUT I CAN NOT DO SO BECAUSE I DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO STAY AND IF IT SAFE FOR ME TO STAY THERE BECAUSE THOUGH I WAS BORN THERE BUT I WAS RAISED IN RIZAL PROVINCE. MY PARENTS WERE AMONG THE EARLIEST SETTLERS IN THIS MUNICIPALITY, TRYING TO BE A PART OF THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY BUT DURING THAT TIME ACCORDING TO MY PARENTS ACCOUNT IT IS A NO MAN’S LAND. THE MUSLIMS NATIVE OF WAO RESISTED THE ARRIVAL OF THE CHRISTIANS AND REJECTED THEM TO BE A PART OF THEIR COMMUNITY. A CONST

THIS PICTURES WERE TAKEN LAST JANUARY 3, 2012, ALMOST 2 WEEKS AFTER TROPICAL STORM SENDONG STORMED CAGAYAN DE ORO. THE RIVER SEEMS SO QUIET AS IF NOTHING HAPPENS AFTER SWALLOWING THOUSANDS OF LIVES.

LONG BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS, I DECIDED TO SPEND MY NEW YEAR IN CAGAYAN DE ORO THE SO-CALLED  "GOLDEN CITY OF FRIENDSHIP" AND TO SEE THE SCENIC BEAUTY OF CAGAYAN DE ORO'S FAMOUS RIVER AND TO PERSONALLY EXPERIENCE THE ONCE IN A LIFE TIME ADVENTURE AND THE THRILLS OF  "THE WHITE RIVER RAFTING."  I RUSHED TO AIR PHILIPPINES TICKETING OFFICE IN CUBAO, QUEZON CITY TO AVAIL OF THEIR PROMOS AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET THE DATE OF DECEMBER 28, 2011 AS MY DEPARTURE DATE FROM MANILA TO CAGAYAN DE ORO. BUT TROPICAL STORM "SENDONG" WAS WAY WAY AHEAD OF ME DESTROYING THE CITY'S INHABITANTS LIVING NEAR THE RIVER BANKS. THE ENTIRE CITY MOURNS FOR LOSING PRECIOUS LIVES AND PROPERTIES AND MY SYMPATHY GOES WITH THEM ESPECIALLY TO THE FAMILY WHO LOST THEIR LOVE ONES. THESE WERE SOME OF THE  SCENARIOS AFTER THE RIVER GOES WILD. THE HOUSES WERE WASHED OUT, THOUSAND WERE DEAD STILL OTHERS WERE MISSING AND PRESUMED TO BE DEAD. SURVIVING FAMILIES