Thursday, May 17, 2007

Homonhon, the Island where Magellan first landed

In March 16, 1521 Ferdinand Magellan first landed in Homonhon when he discovered the Philippines. That event foerever earned Homonhon a place in history.
The island of Homonhon which is still a part of the town of Guiuan is a parish in itself under the titular of St. John the Baptist. It consists of 8 barangays of which Casugoran is the center where the parish church is situated. The other barangays to the north of Casugoran are Inapulangan, Habag, Kanawayon and Bitaugan. To the south are Culasi, Pagbabangnan and Cagusoan. There is a small island which is part of Inapulangan to the north-west part of Homonhon called Mantukonan.

Homonhon is not easily reached in some months during the year (usually December to April) because of the presence of treacherous currents called sibid which is found between the islands of Homonhon and Suluan. It was the first week of May when we went there and there was still the sibid. From afar we could see the swirling waves with its distinctive sound. The boatmen seeing this would make a long detour just to avoid the sibid otherwise if one is caught in the midst of this the boat would easily be torn to pieces.

There is a mining company present in Homonhon which is mining chromite. Three thousand hectares of forest were burned in order to start mining the chromite. The people of Homonhon are the ones hired to do the mining. The mining area is divided into the different barangays of Homonhon as their area for mining. The mining company would then buy from them the mines that have been dug up. As is usually the case with mining companies, the only benefit that the people of the place can get is that they get employed in mining the fields, but in terms of profit from the mine itself there is very little if there is at all. When the mining is over they are then left with barren and unproductive land coupled with the pollution from the tailings of the mines which goes into the sea.


The plaza with the church of Homonhon at the background.



The beach in Habag, Homonhon.




Signals for cellphone can only be found by the beach or up in the mountain. Texting has become a way of life even here in the island.



Children of Homonhon playing by the beach.


Ronnie, Rio and Elnor posing behind the coconut trees.


The parish church of Homonhon found in Casogoran is dedicated to St. John the Baptist.
Children are the ones occupying where the bells should have hung. But the belfry cables are so small that they cannot hold the bells. Hence the bells are hanging by the convento.




The church bell was minted in 1927.

One of the chapels in Homonhon
The Chapel of Pagbabangnan, one of the barangays in Homonhon
The red clay road in Homonhon. It gets slippery after a rainfall.




Three thousand hectares of forest were burned to give way to the chromite mining.

One of the pits where chromite is being mined.

Chromite mining is done by the hand with shovels. The people of Homonhon do the mining. The mining area is divided into the different barangays in Homonhon.

From the mountain, the mine is brought near the sea to be transferred to the ship which would haul them away.
The beach by Casogoran, the main barangay of Homonhon.
Casogoran Bay


In whatever beach he would go Ronnie would always have a picture of Joebz, his computer store marked on the sand.
The bottom of a glass bottle is washed ashore after having been used as a dynamite. They say that dynamite fishing is still rampant in the island, that is why fish is already scarce in the area.

Tarsiers are still found in the forests of Homonhon. Here a baby tarsier poses for the camera.
The site of Magellan landing in Homonhon in the part of the island called Cantilado.



On the shore in Cantilado where Magellan and his group made their landing in March 16, 1521.






Homonhon has a community hospital using solar power. There are electric generators in the barangays of Homonhon, except in the mainland of Casogoran where the hospital is found. For two years now the generator has not been repaired. Many private homes have their own generator set.



Sunday, April 29, 2007

Camiguin, the Island of Fire

Camiguin is an island province with five towns but with seven volcanoes. With hospitable people, Camiguin is the best place to go for ecotourism. The small island boasts of everything that you can ask for in a nature trip. It has beautiful white beaches, waterfalls, hot and cold springs, volcanoes and places for scuba diving. The 64 km. circumferential road around the island is already cemented as well at the roads leading to the major sites. Hence, it is no longer a hassle to tour around Camiguin.

Camiguin was the destination decided by the priests from the Vicariate of Ormoc for our Easter break. There were 13 of us priests who joined the trip. From Cebu we took the Cebu Ferries boat for an overnight ride to Cagayan de Oro. From Cagayan we right away boarded the bus going to Butuan for our destination in Balingoan which is the jump off point in going to Camiguin. The ferry boat ride took an hour, hence by noontime we were already in Camiguin.
Upon reaching the pier in Cagayan de Oro from Cebu their were people in small boats asking for coins to be tossed to the sea for them to catch.



Viewing Camiguin from the ferry that we took from Balingoan.

The island of Camiguin from afar

The port in Benoni, Camiguin

We stayed at the Villa Paraiso Resort in the town of Mambajao


Katibawasan Falls was the first place we visited upon settling at the Villa Paraiso Resort

The long and slender falls of Katibawasan


The water was freezing cold here yet this did not refrain us from taking the plunge.


I overstayed in the cold waters that when I went out I was freezing cold. I sat down by the side of the falls and suddenly I felt dizzy and my sight got dim. I tried to stand but suddenly I collapsed hitting the rough ground. They had to rush me to the hospital. I had bruises on my face.

My accident almost aborted our trip as my companions wanted that we go home. I prevailed them to stay. I had to stay overnight in the hospital but I was able to check out after lunch. My companions went on the tour around the island without me on that second day.

After checking out of the hospital, I hired a tricycle in order to go around the island of Camiguin since I could no longer catch up with my other companions. I even went to more places than them in that afternoon.


At the sunken cemetery.
Sto. Niño Cold Spring


Fr. John Paul clings tightly to his life saver at the Sto. Niño Cold Spring.
White Island

White Island



Views from the White Island which is just a sand bar in the middle of the sea. It is sometimes called Alphabet Island as the shape of the sand bar keeps on changing the whole year round depending on the waves and the wind.


At the White Island.

I caught up with the group at the Ardent Spring.


The parish church of Mambajao




A small chapel inside the Catarman Church ruins. The old church was destroyed during the earthquake of 1871.






The Soda Swimming pool

Tres Marias mountain

Parish Church of Catarman

Pulpit inside the Catarman church

Altar of Catarman church

The church of Sagay

Used to decorate the church were local materials like twigs and bamboos and mats.



Guinsiliban Church

Altar of Guinsiliban Church

Church of Mahinog

Altar of Mahinog church




A sea farmer shows off the "guso" plants that he just harvested from the sea. The guso plants are a main source of livelihood for the people living in Mantigue Island.
The guso plants are neatly planted in rows just in the shallow waters a few feet from the seashore.

The guso are left under the sun to dry and ready for marketing. They are the raw materials for making gulaman and plastics among other things.


The volcanic island of Camiguin looms at the background from the island of Mantigue