Turning Boholano: Philippines

Showing posts with label Philippines. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Darkside of the Philippines

Like most places in the world, there is a dark side to the Philippines. It’s a place of appalling poverty and injustice, a blighted land where too many politicians, businessmen, religious leaders and ordinary citizens allow greed and self-interest to triumph over rule of law, justice and the common good.

The fact that the country is scattered across thousands of islands has stunted social, economic and political development. So has the legacy of colonialism — more than three centuries of Spanish domination, followed by 47 years of American rule. The Philippines became a nominally independent nation only in 1946, so its institutions remain weak and fragile, and its sense of national identity is still embryonic.

Gregg Jones

author: Honor in the Dust

The following is an excerpt from The New York Times book review by Candice Millard on Gregg Jones’ Honor In the Dust:

Quote

Jones, who was once a correspondent in Manila and whose first book, “Red Revolution,” took readers inside the New People’s Army, has a thorough understanding of the Philippines. But it is on the United States that “Honor in the Dust” casts the brightest, and at times harshest, light. After America first entered the Philippines in 1898, during the course of the Spanish-American War, President William McKinley insisted that it was the Filipinos’ “liberty and not our power, their welfare and not our gain, we are seeking to enhance.” The American people, however, flush with victory, had started to dream of expansion, even empire, and pressure mounted on McKinley not just to free Spanish colonies but also to lay claim to them. By 1900, an election year, McKinley had begun to give in, arguing that “territory sometimes comes to us when we go to war in a holy cause.” Addressing a campaign crowd in Nebraska, he asked, “Shall we deny to ourselves what the rest of the world so freely and justly accords to us?” The answer, as he knew it would be, was an instantaneous and uproarious “No!”

There was within the United States a strong and vocal anti-imperialist movement, which included former President Grover Cleveland, Andrew Carnegie and Mark Twain, but it struggled to tamp down the country’s growing expansionist zeal, and to compete with the energy, tenacity and bulldog ambition of one man in particular: Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt, who in just six years rose meteorically from New York City police commissioner to president, nurtured a deep and unshakable contempt for what he called the “unintelligent, cowardly chatter for ‘peace at any price.’ ” Not only had the “clamor of the peace faction” left him unmoved, Roosevelt wrote, it had served to strengthen his conviction that “this country needs a war.”

Unquote

Looking for a Fight

A New History of the Philippine-American War

By CANDICE MILLARD

The New York Times

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Thursday, April 26, 2012

The Nova Shell Museum of Bohol

The Nova Shell Museum, in Panglao Island features an enchanting collection of sea shells, especially those endemic to the waters of Panglao and Bohol.

The museum is owned and operated by Mr. Quirino Hora who has practically devoted half his life in the collecting, study and archiving of these underwater creatures. It was his elder brother’s introduction to this enchanting sea creatures that eventually turned Mr. Hora into a compulsive collector of shells.

And such compulsion was so infectious that subsequently, many of his friends started collecting shells as well. Most notably, his hobby soon developed into a source of income for his family and provided employment opportunities to the local folks.

And since the waters of Panglao in particular and Bohol in general were deemed a haven for the biggest variety of shells in the South Pacific, shell collectors enjoyed immense supply of fascinating species for a thriving business.

Shells that resemble snake skin patterns and colors are considered lethal by experts. They have needle-like protrusions on their heads that contain deathly venom which they use to to ward off predators.

The museum features a limited number of corals, which are not for sale. There are also some fascinating rare shells on display such as the one on the above photo (right).

I went to the Nova Shell Museum mainly to find out if they have any nautilus shells. They do!

Nautiluses are the sole living cephalopods whose bony body structure is externalized as a shell. The animal can withdraw completely into its shell and close the opening with a leathery hood formed from two specially folded tentacles. The shell is coiled, aragonitic, nacreous and pressure resistant, imploding at a depth of about 800 metres (2,600 ft).

The nautilus shell is composed of 2 layers: a matte white outer layer, and a striking white iridescent inner layer. The innermost portion of the shell is a pearlescent blue-gray. The osmena pearl, contrarily to its name, is not a pearl, but a jewelry product derived from this part of the shell.

My great interest in the nautilus shell began when I first saw Allan Razzo's photographs with nautilus shell as subject. It was truly stunning. And since then, I've always wanted to have this shell to use as photography subject as well.

Mr. Quirino Hora

Included among Mr. Hora's collections is the rarest and minute shell found deep down the waters of Balicasag Island. It was named after Emperor Hirohito of Japan. It is so tiny that you have to use a microscope to fully appreciate it.

His highly prized collection, however, are the two shells named after him. The first was discovered in 1987 and named “Bursa Quirihorai”. The other was christened “Primovula Horai” upon its discovery in 1994. Both these shells were found in the waters of Panglao. These honors certainly were the ultimate rewards to his love for these sea creatures.

The museum also has a gift shop that carries souvenir items, handicrafts, necklaces, lamps, hanging shell designs, bracelets and wind chimes. There are also packages of starter collection sets and some slightly damaged shells that you can buy at a very good price.

Nova Shell Museum

is located in Panglao Town, Poblacion Proper,

(adjacent to Petron gas station)

It is open from 8am till 5pm.

Tel: 038 502 8074 -- Cell: 09215103151

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Sunday, April 22, 2012

Baclayon Church

Baclayon Church in Bohol is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines made of coral stone. It is also known as the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception

The first Spanish missionaries or doctrineros in the region, Fr. Juan de Torres and Fr. Gabriel Sanchez, first settled in Baclayon in 1595. Shortly after their arrival, a visita was erected on the spot.

Although Baclayon was the first seat of the Spanish Jesuit missionaries, fear of Moro marauders soon forced them to move their headquarters more inland, to Loboc.

It was only in 1717 that Baclayon became a parish, and construction of a new church commenced. Some 200 native forced laborers constructed the church from coral stones, which they took from the sea, cut into square blocks, and piled on to each other.

They used bamboo to move and lift the stones in position, and used the white of a million eggs as to cement them together. The current building was completed in 1727. The church obtained a large bell in 1835.

In the Baclayon church is a dungeon, which was used to punish natives violated the rules of the Roman Catholic church.

It is one of the best preserved Jesuit build churches in the region, although in the 19th century, the Augustinian Recollects added a modern facade and a number of stone buildings that now surround the church.

A major tourist attraction of this church is the image of Padre Pio, or Saint Pio, which is imprinted on one of the pillars of the church.

Padre Pio was born on May 25, 1887 in Italy. He had poor health but despite that, he was able to finish his studies due to strong will and soon enough, ordained as a priest in the year 1910. It was on September 20, 1918, that his simple life as a priest changed when he became the first stigmatized priest in history. All 5 wounds of Jesus appeared on his body, marking his deep love for God and the Eucharist and beginning his life of apostolic activity for the many that flock to his confessionals.

After a devotee found the image on the photos of tourists taking pictures against the wall, Ramon Rodriguez, who had been healed through the intercession of Padre Pio of his half-blindness, called on Fr. Antonio Pompilio, an Italian priest to evaluate and confirm the image.

Right next to the church is the old convent, which also houses a small museum with centuries-old religious relics, artifacts and other antiquities, dating back to the 16th century.

Included in the collection are an ivory statue of the crucified Christ looking towards heaven; a statue of the Blessed Virgin, said to be presented by Queen Catherine of Aragon; relics of St. Ignatius of Loyola, old gold embroidered ecclesiastical vestments, books with carabao skin covers, and librettos of church music written in Latin on sheep skins.

Here you can also find the cuadro paintings made by the Filipino painter Liberato Gatchalian in 1859.

Baclayon Church started the trend in Bohol of establishing parish museums. The amount of liturgical material preserved in Baclayon is impressive. The church inventory books have helped in dating some pieces.

In Baclayon cantorals (large handwritten music books) was found the Misa Baclayana, a musical setting for the Mass which has been revived and is part of the repertoire of the LobocChildren's choir. Permission from the parish is needed to see the museum, which is generally locked for security reasons.

In 1835, a large bell was installed and in the 19th century, the Augustinian Recollects added the front facade of the church with its three arches and a number of stone buildings which now surrounds the church. All these are still standing at present making it the most preserved church in Bohol.

The church may have avoided getting totally destroyed during the Second World War, but it remains vulnerable from forces of nature. The occasional typhoons made it impossible for caretakers to protect its walls from moss patches. Moreover, the coral stone walls are susceptible to breaking when exposed to mists.

There were supposedly several attempts to repaint the church ceilings but no one knew of any preservation technique that would protect the original paintings. Another probable sentiment is that the church may not be able to afford the professional fees of restorers like those in Italy.

Be that as it may, Baclayon Church has been a significant aspect of Philippine history, not just in its attempts to propagate Christianity in the archipelago, but in serving as the political backbone of Spanish colonial rule, when Church and State were regarded as one.

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Thursday, March 29, 2012

The G.R.E.A.T. Catigbian D.A.T.E. Park

The G.R.E.A.T. (Green Recreational Eco-Adventure Tour) Catigbian Dagook Adventure Tour Experience (D.A.T.E.) Park is nestled in a 204,500 square meters parcel land with mountainous and rolling terrain. It is located within the Barangays of Poblacion, Poblacion Weste and Rizal Catigbian, Bohol and is 1.5 km from the highway which can be reached by all types of vehicles.

The park has the facilities, trained guides and high end equipment to offer. The equipment (cables, harnesses, rope, etc.) are of the highest-standard and tensile strength to ensure everyone's safety.

The facility is supposedly not for the faint at heart, but for those who are ready to meet a different kind of challenge . . . much like a true jungle adventurer.

This is a 4-in-1 outdoor adventure experience – from the Canopy Walk, Monkey Bridge, Trekking and descent through the Mountain Slide. To miss one is not to experience the rewards of the complete challenge.

The challenges at Dagook Adventure Tour Experience will definitely prepare one for the extreme challenges of Danao adventure park.

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Saturday, March 17, 2012

Chocolate Hills

The Chocolate Hills is a famous tourist attraction of Bohol. They are unusual geological formation in Bohol province, Philippines. There are at least 1,260 hills but there may be as many as 1,776 hills spread over an area of more than 50 square kilometers (20 square miles). They are covered in green grass that turns brown during the dry season, hence the name.

The Chocolate Hills are conical karst hills similar to those seen in the limestone regions of Slovenia, Croatia, northern Puerto Rico, and Pinar del Río Province, Cuba. These hills consist of Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene, thin to medium bedded, sandy to rubbly marine limestones.

These limestones contain the abundant fossils of shallow marine foraminifera, coral, mollusks, and algae. These conical karst hills, called mogote, are created by a combination of the dissolution of limestones by rainfall, surface water, and groundwater and their subaerial erosion by rivers and streams after they had been uplifted above sea level and fractured by tectonic processes. These hills are separated by well developed flat plains and contain numerous caves and springs. The Chocolate Hills are considered to be a remarkable example of conical karst topography.

Four legends explain the formation of the Chocolate Hills. The first tells the story of two feuding giants who hurled rocks, boulders, and sand at each other. The fighting lasted for days, and exhausted the two giants. In their exhaustion, they forgot about their feud and became friends, but when they left they forgot to clean up the mess they had made during their battle, hence the Chocolate Hills.

A more romantic legend tells of a giant named Arogo who was extremely powerful and youthful. Arogo fell in love with Aloya, who was a simple mortal. Aloya's death caused Arogo much pain and misery, and in his sorrow he could not stop crying. When his tears dried, the Chocolate Hills were formed.

The third legend tells of a town being plagued by a giant carabao, who ate all of their crops. Finally having had enough, the townsfolk took all of their spoiled food and placed it in such a way that the carabao would not miss it. Sure enough, the carabao ate it, but his stomach couldn't handle the spoiled food, so he defecated, leaving behind him a mound of feces, until he had emptied his stomach of the food. The feces then dried, forming the Chocolate Hills.

The last legend is about a gluttonous giant named Miguel that eats everything in his path. One day he came to a plain. He saw a beautiful young woman named Adrianna. To win her affection, he needed to lose weight. So he excreted everything he ate. In the end, his fecal matter covered the land and he won Eng's affection.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Freedom

“Happy. Just in my swim shorts, barefooted, wild-haired, in the red fire dark,

singing, swigging wine, spitting, jumping, running—that's the way to live.

All alone and free in the soft sands of the beach by the sigh of the sea

out there, with the Ma-Wink fallopian virgin warm stars reflecting on the

outer channel fluid belly waters. And if your cans are redhot and you can't hold

them in your hands, just use good old railroad gloves, that's all.”

― Jack Kerouac, The Dharma Bums

Jean-Louis "Jack" Kerouac; March 12, 1922 – October 21, 1969, was an American novelist and poet. He is considered a literary iconoclast and, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, a pioneer of the Beat Generation.

Kerouac is recognized for his spontaneous method of writing, covering topics such as Catholic spirituality, jazz, promiscuity, Buddhism, drugs, poverty, and travel. His writings have inspired other writers, including Ken Kesey, Bob Dylan, Eddie Vedder, Richard Brautigan, Curtis Meanor,Thomas Pynchon, Lester Bangs, Tom Robbins, Will Clarke, Ben Gibbard, Haruki Murakami, Jacquelyn Landgraf.

Kerouac became an underground celebrity and, with other beats, a progenitor of the hippie movement, although he remained antagonistic toward some of its politically radical elements. In 1969, at age 47, Kerouac died from internal bleeding due to long-standing abuse of alcohol. Since his death Kerouac's literary prestige has grown and several previously unseen works have been published. All of his books are in print today, among them: On the Road, Doctor Sax, The Dharma Bums, Mexico City Blues, The Subterraneans,Desolation Angels, Visions of Cody and Big Sur.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Tarsier

I finally saw a live tarsier! Not those fuzzy ones hanging from the rear view mirrors of automobiles, or those carved on bamboos used as pendants for key chains. I’m talking about a real breathing tarsier.

The tarsier is one of the oldest land species in continuous existence in the Philippines, dated at around 45 million years. Initially dubbed as the “world’s smallest monkey” due to its physical similarities to monkees, but the tarsier belongs to the more primitive suborder prosimil, or prosimian.

A missionary by the name of J.G. Camel gave the description of a tarsier to J. Petiver who published it in 1705. It was then the tarsier was initially given its scientific name Cerchopithecus Luzonis Minimus. It eventually got the name Simia Syrichta in 1758, and later Tarsius Syrichta. This is how it finally became known to the rest of the western world.

Locals refer to tarsiers as maomag.

The tarsier has one of the slowest fetal growth rates of any mammal, taking six months to reach a birth weight of 23 grams!

Tarsiers measure only between 8 to 16 cm. Despite its diminutive size, however, tarsiers can spin their heads 180 degrees, and jump to a height of 16 feet!

This tiny baby, however, has the highest infant-weight-to-maternal weight ratio of any primate that gives birth to a single infant.

Also, female tarsiers readily act as foster mothers to orphaned baby tarsiers.

Besides director Steven Spielberg’s E.T., John Lucas’ Yoda was also inspired by the Tarsier. It would certainly be nice if they could both contribute to the upkeep of tarsiers in sanctuaries here in the Philippines.

At the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella, Bohol, the tarsiers are no kept in cages, but live in a gated protected area. Being nocturnal creatures, they are free to roam and hunt for their food – even jumping outside of the sanctuary’s fences – but they do return home when done with their nighttime gallivanting.

This Tarsier Sanctuary is a sprawling 134 hectares of forested land. The Tarsier Sanctuary is in the midst of the towns of Sicatuna and Corella in Bohol.

To get to there, one can ride a bus or jeepney. In the Tagbilaran bus/jeepney terminal, take a bus that is bound for Sikatuna, which is about a 30-minute ride.

From Sikatuna, you can hire a pedicab or motorbike for about 40 pesos. For a faster and more convenient trip, you can also get a cab or one of those for-hire cars from hotels and travel agencies. The sactuary is approximately 14 kilometers from Tagbilaran City, and about four kilometers from Corella.

As much as I was thrilled to have finally seen these cute creatures, I was hit with a sense of guilt upon realizing that out of thousands of tarsiers who reside in this sanctuary, only four remain awake for tourists to gawk over and photograph. It seems as if these four had boldly sacrificed themselves to protect their fellow tarsiers and their young from the stressful role of being eco-tour exhibits.

Linking with Camera Critters and Weekly Top Shot and Rural Thursday

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