Pinya Country : Camarines Norte

When I was a kid, pineapples meant Del Monte, which meant the pineapple fields in Bukidnon.  I remember a visual of a vast pineapple field, the funky Del Monte man with the hawaiian shirt and his American English slang holding a pineapple fruit and inserting a faucet into it.  He turns the faucet and out comes Del Monte pineapple juice.

I didn't know until I got into GK that there were fields of pineapples in some place closer to Manila -- Camarines Norte.  If you travel towards the Bicol region from Manila you will notice, once you get out of the Quirino highway going to Naga, rows and rows of pineapple stands.  Before you hit Libmanan though -- they disappear.  All the pineapple being sold there are from the towns of Camarines Norte (the province before CamSur).

During a visit to GK sites in Camarines Norte, working through the bumpy roads of fourth and fifth class municipalities... we chanced upon a group of men loading newly harvested pineapples.  We parked by the side of the road and got out of the car.  I was excited to ambush a truck of pineapples!!!  As we neared the truck, the delicious scent of ripe pineapples assaulted us.  Yumyum...  

Huge mounds of pineapple lay at the clearing by the side of the road.  Men were loading the pineapples into straw baskets and carrying them to the truck where another group of men took them out of the baskets one at a time, piling them up - bottom alternating with the heads in a quick, steady rhythm.  One-two.  One-two.  One-two.

One of the titos we were with bought us half a basket.  P7 for each pineapple.  And P5 for the butterball.  Butterballs are supposedly rejects -- because they are tiny, dwarfed in size -- considered underdeveloped.  But Jay says butterballs are sweeter.  They still get sold in the market just the same.  I was hoping to have a taste of the butterball but it seems like the Tito did not want us to take home rejects (but I love rejects!!!).

We had enough for ourselves and still enough to give away to the full-time workers at the office.  The next few days, we enjoyed sweet pineapple for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Added fiber to our daily diet plus all that Vitamin C and Phytothingamajigs promised by the Del Monte man.

That's a lot of bonuses from going around visiting GK villages.  It is true that the best things in life are free (well, specially when you're with GK).  ;)

Panicuason Hot Springs, Naga City (March 19, 2008)

Yesterday was "Day Out" for the GK Bicol regional team.  We met up at the office (supposedly at 8:30 am) and was able to round up just about everyone by 10:30 am to leave for the Bicol Mini Hydro (a.k.a. Panicuason Hot Springs Resort) for the day.

Roll-call

Jay and me.  Eric, Choi, Angel, Tony Cardenas, Tito Moli, Charm and her boyfriend, Leslie and the new girl.  Tito Johnny, Tita Minda and their daughter Jaena (Jay-na).  Tito Hayee, Tita Weeh-lee, Camille and her yaya, Aileen followed pretty soon.

Menu for the day

Regular pancit guisado with yummy meatballs (Choi ordered

 from somewhere), pancit palabok with tinapa and chicharon (would you believe it - made by Charm's boyfriend), inasal

 na tilapia (c/o Leslie), pork chop (marinated and to be grilled, bought by Eric), laing, ensaladang kamatis (with bits of onion and ginger) and rice.  Drinks were Coke Zero, Sprite and bottled water.  Tita Weeh-lee brought with them a box of KFC along with so many other goodies (chips, Nestea, egg sandwich mix, kropek). 

Mystical beliefs about the place 

The day before, a Tita warned me specifically not to go with the group to this place.  She said,

maraming malalaking puno dun

And I was like... ok, what's with the trees (in my mind of course)

Basta, makinig ka na lang... (she said sweetly)

With some consultation, we decided I could go 

but with some precautions.  I had around my neck besides the scapular I usually wear -- the medal of St. Benedict.  I had in my backpocket, the prayer of St. Benedict.  The night before and that morning (and the entire time going), we stormed God with prayers for protection - for me and Tala (I included Jay in my prayers).  I also made a special prayer to my guardian angel.  Finally, we were supposed to not go deep and far into the place and I shouldn't be walking around alone.  And of course, the usual whispered

 chant of "tabi tabi po nuno" while you're going around.

What to expect

The Panicuason Hot Springs Resort is set by the slopes of Mt. Isarog - just about 20-30 minutes drive from the centro of Naga.  There is an entrance fee of Php 150 per adult and Php 70 for kids.  After passing through and paying the admission fee at the entrance, a narrow road, always bounded by a treeline on either side, winds up and down and up again until you find yourself at a mini clearing with mossy trees all around and pools of springs right ahead of you.

There are 3 hot springs with varying depths (max of 4 ft I believe) and temperature (39 degrees being the hottest) and 2 cold springs (deepest at 5 ft and coldest at 25 degrees).  There are two more pools at the bottom but they are probably just for design -- as no one was swimming in them -- plus it is where water from the previous pools pass through.

Cutting through the middle is a natural (and rocky) stream.  The water here is cold (brrr....) and there are portions with strong enough current to make you tip over -- but not enough to pull you downstream.  Plus it is shallow all over so really -- no great danger, unless you're super small or super young and unsupervised.

Open cottages are available for rent for the day at varying prices.  The cottage we stayed at was by the entrance (we consciously shied away from the farthest ones) which was priced at Php 300.  It was a bit small for our big group but we managed.  The other cottages were located nearer the springs (must cost Php 400 per cottage but don't quote me on that) -- as in, right beside, but when we got there at close to noon, these cottages were already occupied. 

There are separate shower/comfort/dressing rooms for the men and the women.  They are relatively clean and well-lit but no tissue paper.

The place has limited staff -- you hardly see them but they do keep the order and make sure you've paid for the cottages.  Signs are everywhere reminding guests to make personal safety their business -- and warnings that the establishment takes no responsibility for any danger or loss within the premises.

Recommended attire

The usual swim attire in the province is followed here : shirts or tank tops with shorts.  There were a number in real swimsuits and a few even in a two-piece ensemble.  Long pants (and pajamas, specifically) are not allowed.

How long you can stay

An entire day definitely would be recommended -- to just lie around and relax with family and friends.  They said people could even stay overnight (Really?  I didn't spot any place to sleep in).  Some are happy with just staying for half a day - from morning until lunch time and there were even groups who just came in at 3pm.  Our titos and titas however preferred to leave before dark, so we were out of there before 5 pm.

The verdict

A great get-away for the day.  The hot pools are said to be therapeutic.  They were too hot for pregnant me (and I just dipped my heels) so my preference was for the cold pools.  Jay felt very lethargic at the hot pools so I suggested that he jump in to wake up at the cold pools.  He was at first hesitant to switch from cold to hot but I told him it was safe -- that they do this sort of therapy at spas.  It's supposed to stimulate circulation.  So he cooled-off and felt ok.  

Another thing I enjoyed was my husband's grilling.  I've been bugging him to try out being a master griller.  This time, he manned the grill -- in charge of the pork chops.  Good job for a first-timer - I think he's gotten the hang of it - looking out for when one side gets charred.  For this place, you have to bring your own grill though (ours was c/o Tito Johnny) and charcoal (none to buy around here).

If you want some music, just bring your own boombox.  One other group brought their own and blasted it really loud, so we had to go along with their choice of music.  I could just imagine if everyone had their own -- it would probably drive off (or annoy) the mystical beings who lived close by.

Bring cards, a book, the paper of the day if you do just want to relax on your own -- specially for the down times during the day (once you've had enough of the springs).  If you're with your friends, I'm sure you'll find so many things to amuse yourself with.  We sure did.

UNEP at GK Character Village (Brgy. Perpetual Help, Iriga City)

March 17, Sunday

It was Palm Sunday.  It was also Pacquiao Sunday.  And being female, I scheduled a GK1MB meeting with the UNEP (University of NorthEastern Phils.) group for 10:00 am at the GK Iriga Village.  Coach, the GK1MB guy from the Manila office had to go and miss the Pacquiao match.

We got to the site at 9:30 am.  A huge tent was already set-up (used previously that week for the SIBOL graduation) and the caretaker team arrived full force.  We were impressed and surprised because it showed their real commitment to the village.  The KB's were invited to come down and join the activity.  The UNEP students were arriving at 10:00 am so we had time to brief the caretaker team and the KB's on what was going to happen.

Background

Last week, on March 8-9, a group of UNEP students accompanied by some faculty immersed themselves in the GK Character Village in Iriga in compliance of their CWTS subject for their freshmen year.  We had met later on that week (March 13) with the Head of Student Affairs and GK Champion Bong Candido in order to build up the GK1MB base in UNEP.  In that meeting, Sir Bong shared with us what had transpired the previous weekend and we thought it was best to do an immediate follow-up that following weekend.  

The students, Sir Bong said, felt bitin and wanted to stay longer.  They didn't participate in any build that weekend but simply lived in with the residents -- just like being part of their family.  Three students to one family.  And many were touched by how the families shared whatever they had left for themselves with the student visitors.  A surprising thing for these kids because they went there expecting to be the ones to share of themselves to these families.

Luckily, the UNEP students were to return to that area the following Sunday (March 16) for a tree-planting activity within the vicinity (as part of their CWTS completion once again).  So we invited Sir Bong to bring the same students back to GK Iriga for a short 1-hour session with us.  He happily agreed.

Setting up GK1MB in UNEP

We thought it best to grow GK1MB in UNEP through this initial batch of students -- only because of their recent experience in GK Iriga.  We could have gone and targeted talking to the Student Council and heads of organizations but... it was already the end of the school year (the last week, in fact).  Most of them have their heads in exams and have no experience whatsoever with GK.  This group of CWTS students -- although in their freshmen year -- had great potential just the same.  First, they already had an inspiring and powerful GK experience to latch on and second, they came from different colleges : nursing, HRM, social sciences, etc.  It would be a good army within the school to start with -- and they could spread the GK virus althroughout the university.

Coach gave an inspiring talk about GK1MB.  He spoke of the growing movement, focusing on the schools and the youth all over the country.  Coach's personal testimony as a La Salle student who put aside his dreams of becoming a doctor in the meantime so he could join in rebuilding his country in the here and now probably made a lot of them think hard about their own plans in their lives.  He also spoke about how he got bitten by the GK bug during his first La Salle GK camp (just like their GK immersion) in Baseco.

There were a hundred students who arrived that morning.  They were tired from the couple of hours of tree-planting and most of them were really just there because it was required by their teacher.  But many were listening intently to what we were sharing -- and they were also fascinated about what they were seeing happening in other parts of the country through the videos we showed them.

Our goal that day was to "recruit" a handful to serve as the GK1MB core group in UNEP.  Sir Bong Candido was already a GK champion but we needed to cinch the deal by getting a group of worker students to proper the movement with him in the various colleges and orgs.  When we called for students who wished to be part of the core group, about 10 students (boys and girls) stood up!  They were enough to get this thing going.  They promised their commitment to meet with us after holy week.

Another goal we had was to get the students to mobilize a Team UNEP for the Bayani Challenge in Mindanao.  There was visible interest and excitement among them -- specially once we said that we would help them find people to "sponsor" their transpo (hopefully we can ask help from the LGU).  They agreed that they could take care of their food and bring their "camp" stuff.  We just need to do a follow-up for this in their school.  Maybe by just working with the core team -- it would be easy to set this up.

We end a bit past 12 noon (the students arrived at 11 am instead of 10am) very optimistic about the UNEP GK1MB Chapter.  :)  We completely miss the live telecast of Pacquiao's fight - which he won.  We had our own win in this part of the world.

Toasted Siopao from 3N Bakery

BREAKTIME!

Another Bicol specialty that one should try is the toasted siopao.  They just call it toasted siopao but it's not really made the same way as siopao.  It's like stuffed monay.  Stuffed with pork asado and bits of egg (it's the egg that makes it even yummier).  They're little monay balls (you can close your fist on) that are baked, not steamed.  It costs seven pesos per piece and you can only find it at 3N Bakery in Libmanan, Sipocot (along the highway) and Naga (near the bus terminal).  We usually make a stop for it on our way to Daet from Naga.  It makes great company when you're traveling with a not-so-empty stomach.

It's really masiramon! (super sarap!)  You can eat it one after another - although it does weigh heavy in the tummy.

Manito, Albay (Visit of March 6, 2008) GK Energy Village II

My husband didn't really want to take me to Manito, Albay.  It was a far drive through some rough roads because of recent landslides.  But he took me just the same.

We picked up Tito Bogs (the new GK Head of Albay) in Legazpi and we took two vehicles up.  Along with us in the Pajero was Tito Johnny.  Eric rode with Tito Bogs and his wife.  From Legazpi, we took the Taysan road which went winding up,up, up.  The road was cemented the entire way.  Apparently, at the end of this long road is a geo-thermal plant from which a number of energy

 companies benefit including PNOC and Petron, our partners for this GK village.  But because of previous weeks' heavy raining, multiple landslides have covered the road -- just recently it has been cleared away of debris... heavy soil, huge rocks and spattering of tree logs.  One part of the road has collapsed, the heavy downpour of rocks destroyed the concrete and broke it apart.  In its place is a small concrete bridge.  There is a gaping hole from the mountain and the landslide thundered down just about missing a crowd of shanties by the road.  I think there may have been a house or two that have been bull-dozed down, but am not quite sure...

The soon-to-be-residents of the Manito GK Village are families from Brgy. Malobago who live along a cliff-side prone to landslides, already identified by the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) as a permanent danger zone.  100 families will be relocated to the 2.178 hectare GK village in Brgy. Manumbalay.

Getting there

This Manito site is in partnership with Petron and PNOC (and other energy companies) and the LGU of Manito, Albay (who provided the land).  When we get to the side entrance to the site there is a billboard that calls it the Energy Village and a whole list of energy companies listed down in two columns.  The road going into the site is very narrow (it's as if it's just been made to gain access to the site) with thin stick fences on both sides - impassable to trucks that would need to deliver the construction materials.  The team has been counting on the LGU to establish a wider road.  

Just as we arrive, a truck is waiting outside by the main highway.  It was there to deliver bags of cement.  The truck might be able to force its way through only to a certain distance.  From there, people would have to form a bayanihan chain to bring the contents of the truck into the site -- or able-bodied men could just carry the bags on their shoulders, one bag at a time.

A Beautiful Vision

At this point, there are four duplexes on its way up -- almost done with all four walls up.  The site faces the sea and at the far left, 

without the hazy cloud cover, should be a beautiful view of Mount Mayon.  It promises to be quite a beautiful and peaceful place to live in.  Jay and the boys, on a second visit, walked straight down into the shore and said that beach cottages could be put up for 

visitors.  There are great plans for this GK village.  Petron will likewise fund a 500 sqm reed-bed system for better wastewater management.  The GK Manito Site is poised to becoming the first eco-tourism village in Bicol.

Some Challenges

The GK Manito village has a tight timeline to follow.  100 houses up by June is the target.  There is an urgent need for the team to step up.  It has faced a lot of challenges in the first two months of this year - a long wait for the right of way to be established for delivery trucks to come in, some internal issues in the team and in processes and the most major thing... the heavy rains in February that caused major landslides making the site unreachable for a couple of weeks.  But things have started to look up this March - especially once the roads were cleared.

Two representatives from the partner's side visited the site last February and they are aware of the difficulties.  Because of the timeline given by the partners, they have provided budget for skilled workers to augment the usual bayanihan component from the would-be GK residents.  When we got there last March 6, there were a handful of Kapitbahayans, a handful of CFC caretakers and a handful of skilled workers.  Most of the KB around were women.  We chided them to encourage more men in their community to take part.  We pointed out the amount and quality of work needed. Definitely, at this stage -- this ain't a woman's job.

The GK Miracle

There is a lot to do - and GREAT CHALLENGES  can only be taken on with GREAT FAITH.  The new team in Albay is definitely up to it.  They will be our miracle makers, having to bring out the best of the Filipino spirit from the Kapitbahayan and the LGU partners -- the necessary stakeholders on the ground to making this work in the most dramatic way you can only imagine.  But that's what makes great and inspiring GK stories -- the extraordinary rising up from the ordinary.  

When that happens, the beauty and magic of this GK village would be the pot of gold waiting at the very end of the rainbow.

Cabusao, Camarines Sur (Family of Reynaldo Pingol)

Reynaldo Pingol had tears in his eyes when we entered his home and congratulated him for being a new homeowner.   The parish priest had just come by to bless their just turned-over GK house and had gone on to the next one. Reynaldo's new home was bare of any furniture except for a small altar in one corner.  He wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes and motioned to his wife to look for his two daughters so we could take a family picture.

They used to live in Paranaque City, Manila.  Reynaldo, 39 years old, used to be employed in a workshop doing paintjobs on cars while moonlighting as a cook in a motel chain.  But life, he said, was so difficult for his family there.  They were renting a room in a cramped area.  His take home pay could barely cover for their everyday family expenses.  When their family relocated to Cabusao, Camarines Sur and he learned about the GK village that was being built in partnership with NDCC and DWSD, he had to make a hard decision for his family.

"Kailangan tumigil ako sa trabaho para makatrabaho dito... nagsakripisyo ako, kahit mahirapan kami... kelangan eh, para matapos ang trabaho dito..."  (I needed to stop working just so I could do the job here... I had to sacrifice, even if it was difficult for our family... I had to, just so we can finish the work here.)  Reynaldo remembers how it broke his heart to make his family suffer with him because of this decision.  

Having a home of their own here in this beautiful village however has made it worth it.  He is secure bringing up his two young daughters, Ica and Isabel, in this community.  Ever since construction started, the people here have become more than just neighbors to him -- they are part of his family.  Today, from their house, Reynaldo and his wife, Francine, are in charge of distributing the lunch meals for all the families in their row.  Spirits are up as they pass out bags of cooked rice, meat and vegetable portions.  In a little while, Reynaldo leaves the group to join the other men grilling the tilapias for the rest of their invited guests.  Today it is fiesta time in their community and a lot of people have come by.  Each family invites the visitors to come in and partake of their humble feast.

Reynaldo says he has found a job at the town center twice a week as a cook.  He is doubtful if the pay he will take home will be enough for his small family but he is hopeful that life will become better.  With the other programs of Gawad Kalinga coming in, 

he knows he can guarantee his family a better quality of life here. There will be vegetables to pick from their backyard to add to their daily meal.  Ica at 5 years and Isabel the youngest at 2 years, will benefit from the Sibol program this June.  Francine will rest at ease knowing her children are in a safe community surrounded by other kids.  She finds joy in sharing community tasks with the other mothers here.  With God's continued guidance, Reynaldo knows his family will pull through.

Vinzons, Camarines Norte

Bumpy, bumpy road.  

A third-class road is a very narrow road (fits one vehicle but you can squeeze in another tricycle -- or sometimes another small vehicle, as long as both vehicles are overstepping the boundaries of the road, rolling onto the grassy sides) that is crunchy-sounding beneath your tires, long ago sparsely laden with gravel, now full of pot holes -- and after a bout of rainfall, will take you on a head-bumping and rolling ride IF it doesn't get your wheels sinking in mud.

It was a short ride to Vinzons from Daet, Camarines Norte -- but a bumpy ride just the same to get to the town.  But, surprisingly, there was a different atmosphere to this town.  It felt more pleasant and quaint.  :)  There were quite a number of newly built homes supposedly for vacationing families that have already migrated outside of the Philippines.  It makes you think it's a good place to relocate -- if it wasn't so far away...

We passed by the munisipyo to pick-up the Project Director of the GK site in Brgy. Calangkawan.  Tito Francis Obusan is an elderly man in his late fifties probably, very stately in bearing.  He could pass of as a small-time lawyer or a respected CPA of the town.  I believe he works in the municipal hall.  Another man, Tito Domeng, waved to us from a distance, motioning that he would be riding his motorbike to the site.  Tito Francis squeezes into the back of our 3-door Pajero (last space filled-up) and just a few more minutes... a shorter bumpy ride and finally crossing through what seemed like a swampy area (apparently receding flooded area) the road leads up to a clearing with fields beyond that end in hills in the distance.

The place is very promising even if there are no houses up yet.  

It is late afternoon and a steady breeze passes through.  Months

 ago, when word came around that ANCOP Canada would build a village here, Tito Francis' team along with the LGU and the Kapitbahayan worked to clear out the piece of land, uprooting coconut trees and leveling the ground.  Its been quite some time ago and there has been healthy re-growth of grass and a portion 

has become a singkamas plot.

Tiny bulbs of the white fruit were peeping out of the ground.  Tito Domeng warned us not to pick out the fruit exposed to the sun -- it would give us a stomach ache.  A petite young woman had come out of a nearby hut and assured us that there were still fruit left safe for us to eat.  With a small bolo in hand she started to prod out and pull handfuls of singkamas out of the ground.  She offered us a clump.  The other titos taught us how to skin the singkamas with our bare fingers -- fresh soil still clinging to its roots.  Careful not to slurp in bits of soil...

 we take small bites into the juicy fruit.

Weenay has lived in this place ever since she was a kid.  She raises the clump of singkamas in hand saying, 

This put me through school.  

The last harvest, she said, gave her mother seven thousand pesos.  (I couldn't believe so much money could come from such a simple-looking fruit).  

She rattles on about other vegetables that could be planted in this plot of land and how much investment each needed (planting ampalaya would cost fifteen thousand pesos!).  We had an

 agricultural expert right before our eyes.  She smiled shyly at us.

I enter her little kubo to find that she has a son who was quiet and shy himself.  Not much people come here so Jonel is not used to strangers.  Weena is only 23.  Her husband works in town -- 

Sa waterworks sya.  Sya nga ang gumawa ng poso dyan.

The poso outside is quite an impressive piece of work.  Not the usual poso negro I am used to seeing in these places with just the pumping mechanism and the spout.  Weena's husband built an extension cement storage to keep the water in small batches before releasing with a separate faucet.  It looks neater and must dispense water with less wastage.

Their little nipa is probably less than 20 sqm, they have a receiving area (where I am seated) with a small papag (for them to relax on during the day), then it turns at a right angle towards their dining area.  At another right angle, a door opens to their bedroom (not within view).  I ask for the CR and she says they do not have one.  They go across the field to her mother's house to use the toilets.  They don't have a toilet of their own.

Dahil sa mga ahas.  (Nye!  May ahas dito??!)

Lalo na nung walang tigil ang ulan.  Nababasa kasi ang mga butas nila so lumalabas sila...  Dyan sila sa taas (she points to the nipa ceiling, between the wooden partitions -- inside the house!).

Apparently, they slither quietly inside without anyone noticing and just lodge themselves in the ceiling.

Mga cobra pa naman yan.  (I think she is just scaring me...)  

Once, she said, she was surprised to hear heavy snoring coming from outside their house.  It was a big snake outside.  But they never caught it.  

So it's still there somewhere...

Her husband had tried to build them a toilet once.  He dug a hole deep in the ground and just lodged nipa walls around it.  But they got scared when they realized that there was a snake that made its nest in it -- again, after a time of heavy rain.  They immediately covered it up.  She didn't want her butt getting bitten by a snake while trying to take a dump.  But, once we build them  the GK houses with the toilets inside -- snakes won't have to threaten their toilet rituals ever again.

I hope to come back here again -- probably after I give birth.  They said the Canada funds are coming.  The GK village WILL BE BUILT!  :)