Thursday, March 12, 2009

no ride except habal-habal (2)

The otherday, I posted on this blog about my experience traveling in the hinterlands without ride, except habal-habal.
About noon we reached the 2nd camarin, we rested for a while and ate out baon of bulad, adobo manok, and rice wrapped in banana leaves. In that place there is that "tubod/busay" free flowing water from side of the moutain, that was our source of drinking water. After 20 minutes, we then continued to walk until we reached the "bangin or pang-pang" the bangin was casued by landslide due to continous rain, very "Danglog" slippery. We cant do otherwise but to climb and crawl that bangin, more or less 50 meters high around 80 degrees, very stiff. It was easy then to climb, by just holding onto the rocks on the side of the bangin. Reaching the top of the bangin is quite breathlosing action. Then we walk again going down, that was the difficult part of walking, because you have to hold your muscles, might get "Bicog" we again walk for almost 3 hours under the heat of the sun then, we reached the "Sapa" small river and crossed that river till we reach Barabat Elem School. That was almost 4:00pm. We rested for a while, took some pictures, chikachika with some of the residents, they were asking what were the purpose of our going there. People were friendly and happy looking. After 10 minutes of rest we then proceeded to our distination. We crossed "Basakan" rice fields, "Maisan" corn fields. Rain started to fall, for almost an hour we reached the "Suba" PongPong river. The river started to rise, we hurriedly cross, the water was waist deep and strong, I almost carried by the current, combination of hot and cold in our body made us weak. After crossing the river, we walk again for around 6:00pm, we reached Pongpong ES. I shouted "Praise the Lord". That was dark already. We were met by barangay officials and the residents there happily. . . . to be continued..

Thursday, March 5, 2009

No ride except "habal-habal"


Please allow me to share with you my experience, regarding work assignments in rural areas. I was assigned to conduct inspection on the construction of a school building in Pongpong ES, a remote barangay ES wherein there is no other means of transportation to reach the place except riding the "Habal-habal"and then by walking. Habal-habal is the name used on single motorcycle loaded with 4 or 5 passengers. We were a team composed of the Supply Officer, an Engineer and me. Were guided by the teacher assigned in the area. We rode the Habal-habal for an hour, but before reaching the end of the road we met an accident, the habal-habal stumble, unluckily our companions leg was burn-"Paso" it was hit by the "tambutso" of the motor. So proceeded by walking till we reach the end of the road. they called it camarin I. We had to stop to check the condition of our companion. He decided not to go with us anymore he cant walk due to the paso and I said OK. My companions were asking me, if we are going to continue, I said Yes. We asked the people there the distance that we are going to walk, they said walking for 3 hours, well reach our destination. The time is almost 6:00am, so we started climbing the mountainside uphill. We walk and walk, up and down the mountains, under the cover of trees, we were warned of the "Linta" we met natives or lumad in the area, they are very familiar with the place. Because of the upclimb, I almost lost my breath, so we had to rest once in a while. We forgot the time that it was already 12:00nn. We stop in a hut a "Kubo" and ate our baon. we are still halfway. . . Because of the "Pagod" I did not realized that I was bitten already by linta.. . .