If you take the road from Iloilo City to Antique, the last town of Iloilo that you will pass by is San Joaquin. It is a 3rd class municipality and deemed un-touristy. It is one of the many blur of towns passed by if one opts to pass through Antique, coming from Iloilo, to Boracay.
But San Joaquin has some exciting spots to offer if only one stops by to look around. Its beaches along Tiolas, awashed with pebbles instead of sand, are havens to swimmers. But take note that the beaches are deep. Kantilyado. I remembered I nearly drowned in one of the beaches when I was still in college.
The ancient baroque San Joaquin Church is a must-see. It is made of limestone from the nearby town of Igbaras and coral stone which was abundant in San Joaquin. Like many other churches, it served in the past a dual purpose - as a look-out for sea-faring invaders and as an impregnable refuge for the town’s people in time of invasion. Today, the church is a beacon of the Catholic faith and a proud landmark of San Joaquin. The church’s façade is its most famous trademark and is unique in the Philippines. While other churches display saints, angels or holy objects on its facade, San Joaquin Church sports a mural of the victory of the Spaniards over the Moroccan forces in the Battle of Tetuan. So realistic and so detailed are the carvings that a viewer standing on the ground can see the facial expressions of the soldiers during the battle. In fact, the façade could have earned the church its recognition as a national historical landmark.
Outside the poblacion, as the road zigzags up the mountains to Antique, motorists can see stalls along the road selling bandi and other peanut condiments. (Reminds me of the mountain roads in Baguio where locals sell strawberry and ube jams.) The San Joaquin bandi and condiments are made by the locals and are good pasalubongs. A note to drivers: stall owners give the driver whatever item for sale he wants, as bonus for stopping by. I was always given a big bandi the size of a saucer, even if I drive a family vehicle - with only my wife, kids, and some nieces as passengers – and even if my passengers had already asked the needed paaman with their purchases after an intense bout of haggling.
San Joaquin is 53 kilometers south of Iloilo City. The road is asphalted and safe. The public utility jeepneys plying the area are somewhat too fast. And it seems embarrassing to apprise the driver when the local passengers seem not to care and they even seem to enjoy the fast ride.
Note: The pictures above were taken when we passed by the municipality of San Joaquin on our way back to Iloilo from Antique.@
Thursday, October 8, 2009
San Joaquin, Iloilo
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
New terminology: Fujiwhara Effect
Typhoon Pepeng (international codename: Parma), which lashed Northern Luzon last Saturday and exited the Philippines area of responsibility towards the direction of Taiwan on Sunday, returned back to the Philippines via Ilocos Norte, making landfall Tuesday night, packing peak winds of 105km and gustiness up to 135kph, the Pagasa said.
Pepeng's return was anticipated as it lingered for two days in the South China Sea.
The apparent change of heart of Pepeng was attributed to another typhoon Quedan (internationally designated as Melor), churning in the Pacific, 2,000 kilometers east of the Philippines. Quedan sucked in Pepeng affecting its direction.
Pagasa however added that the strength of the second landfall of Pepeng is not as strong as its first landfall in Cagayan last Saturday.
This dance of the typhoons is apparently not a new phenomenon. Experts call it the Fujiwhara Effect named after a Japanese meteorologist named Dr. Sakuhei Fujiwhara. In 1921, Dr. Fujiwhara determined that two storms will sometimes move around a common center pivot point.
Fujiwhara Effect has been used to describe the tendency of two nearby tropical cyclones to interact with each other. Sometimes they merge into one super typhoon.
In the case of Quedan, it didn't really made a landfall in the Philippines. It headed north at 22 kph toward Japan, and could possibly pull in Pepeng to follow a north northeast track.@
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Typhoons in Luzon; storm in Iloilo
Sunday, the sun shone brightly all over the Philippines. Alleluia! There were intermittent rains in some parts of Luzon. But on the whole, the weather was good. The Department of Education ordered the resumption of classes on Monday except in those areas where there are still floods and in schools still occupied by evacuees.
TV news dwell on the typhoon Ondoy experiences and footages of the devastations wrought by typhoon Pepeng as it lashed Northern Luzon last Saturday afternoon. Typhoon Pepeng was indeed a super typhoon.
Iloilo was spared from the typhoons. But last week the sky was overcast and there were also heavy rains in Iloilo.
And a storm has been brewing in Iloilo for weeks already. And this storm is comical, entertaining, and many times stupid and pathetic. The storm I am referring to is in the field of politics. Elections may still be eight months from now. But to a true blue politician, May 2010 is just some weeks away. Politicians have started getting the voters’ attention months ago.
Currently in the eye of the political storm is incumbent Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas, Sr. Since last week, local radio stations have been airing his alleged misuse of government equipment in building his resthouse at Brgy. Juanico, Banate, Iloilo. Local TV stations showed video clips and photographs of dump trucks, a grader and a bulldozer working in the governor’s house. The green dump trucks are marked “Province of Iloilo” while the blue grader and bulldozer bear the official seal of the Banate municipal government.
In a radio interview, Tupas said the trucks never got near his house. But when shown with copies of the pictures, he said he only invited the drivers to have coffee and snacks when the heavy equipment passed by his house as they were getting quarry materials from a quarry site nearby. He added that the issue was politically-motivated.
It must be recalled that early this year, Gov. Tupas established a house at Brgy. Juanico and transferred his voter’s registration to the same barangay in preparation for his candidacy for congressman of the 4th congressional district of Iloilo opposite incumbent Rep. Ferjenel Biron. Gov. Tupas is on his third and last term as governor. The 1987 constitution limits the term of local officials to three 3-year terms.
As the alluded source of the video and pictures, Rep. Ferjenel Biron, in a radio interview, hedged the accusation, and rather lambasted Tupas for allegedly stashing so much ill-gotten wealth. In so many words, he questioned the capability of Tupas to build multi-million-peso houses on his capitol salary of P38,000 a month. He asked something like ‘Ano gid bala ang business ni Tupas nga nagmanggaranon gid siya?’ Biron, a medical doctor, owns a drug company and a chain of pharmaceutical outlets.
I would like to stress that the first time I heard about Biron was in the 2004 elections. It was the first election I witnessed since I transferred for good to the Philippines. In that election, I think the dirtiest was in the 4th congressional district of Iloilo, between Ferjenel Biron and Jesry Palmares who were running for Congressman. The fourth district might be far from Jaro where I live, but the radio and TV airtimes were inundated with political black propaganda of the two candidates against each other. The attacks were so vicious, I wondered how the two protagonists could still face the people with dignity after the elections.
If Tupas is graduating, who are aspiring to be the next Iloilo governor?
When typhoon Ondoy was bringing floods to Luzon, politicians in Iloilo were also flooding the halls of Hotel del Rio in Iloilo City to hear Congressman Arthur Defensor, Sr. and Board Member Richard Garin announce their decision to run for governor and vice governor, respectively, in the May 2010 elections. Defensor said that he has decided to run again for governor (he was Iloilo governor from 1992 to 2001) to “bring back the trust and confidence of the people on the provincial government.” He added there are reasons “to put an end to the continuity of the present leadership and restore faith and dignity among our people.”
By trust and confidence, he apparently refers to persistent reports of graft and corruption committed by the Tupas administration as reported in the media. And by continuity, of course he refers to incumbent Barotac Viejo Mayor Raul “Boboy” Tupas, Gov. Tupas’ son and anointed one.
Raul Tupas is reportedly running for Iloilo governor. His running mate is former Vice Governor Obet Armada. Surprise? If you recall, it was Armada who was overtly atat-na-atat to kick out Gov. Tupas during the capitol siege in 2007, when the military barged into the Iloilo capitol by breaking a glass wall to bodily drag Tupas out of the governor’s office. Tupas was suspended by the Ombusman for corruption. Defenders said he was suspended because he withdrew his support from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo following the "Hello Garci" controversy. At the time of the capitol siege, Armada was the vice governor. He ran for governor, but lost, against incumbent Niel Tupas. Now, he will run again, but this time in tandem with the Tupas son. Oh, well, politics is addition.
And in Iloilo City?
Vice Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog officially declared his intention to run for mayor of Iloilo City at the auditorium of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas (UPV). He will run against Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Raul Gonzales, Sr. and Presidential Assistant on Water Lorenzo Jamora. Gonzales was vocal about his plan to run for Iloilo City Mayor even while sitting as Justice Secretary. At that time, when asked about a possible clash with Mabilog, his partymate, he sounded boastful and confident. Bisan pila pa kuno ka Mabilog, or words to that effect. Now, that Mabilog has announced his mayoral bid, Gonzales sounded bitter and betrayed. He could tolerate being pitted with another elderly like Jamora but not with someone who could be younger than his son.
Lately, the two mayoral aspirants attacked each other’s declarations of Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN). The two accused each other of doctoring their SALN. And more skeletons from the closet will soon surface out. Abangan.
And the congressmen for the lone district of Iloilo City? It was tauted before that Iloilo City will be divided into 2 districts to accommodate Mayor Jerry Treñas who is in his third and last term as Iloilo City mayor. The incumbent congressman of Iloilo City is Raul Gonzales, Jr. But the bill is still in limbo as it is deemed unconstitutional.
Treñas is supposed to seek a higher position. But he is a sure loser if he runs as senator. So, congressman it must be. But he cannot yet announce his intention. He does not like to act ingrato kuno to Gonzales Sr. who said that Treñas owed his being mayor to him. Treñas and Gonzales Sr. and Jr. are in the same party. So Treñas cannot run under his party because of the incumbency rule. Besides Gonzales is a party bigwig. And how about Treñas’ P130-M Pavia housing scam? Raul could be holding some aces. But there is a signature drive in the city to ask Treñas to run for congressman. The group expects to gather 5,000 to 10,000 signatures by first week of October. So who said Treñas is not doing anything? Bisan ano basta ikaw ang topiko ka mga tawo.
But I think, the most awaited fight is in the fifth congressional district. Vice Governor Rolex Suplico is reportedly running against his cousin Niel Junjun Tupas, the incumbent and the governor’s son. Who said that blood is thicker than water? I pity the two. When they were kids, the first cousins might be the constant playmates, the best of friends with one ready to suffer bruises and black eyes to defend the other in a kiddy fight. Now that they are older, more mature, professionals, and able to discern right from wrong, they become bitter enemies. Everyone is awaiting what muck, dirt, and family heirloom will fly in the fifth district. Indeed, familiarity breeds contempt.
And have you heard this news? A graduating town mayor who is a sure loser if he runs in a higher office, is running as vice mayor instead. He is scouting for a winnable mayoral candidate to support and to run with. But there is a catch – the mayoral candidate must agree to serve only for one term because this graduating mayor plans to run again as mayor after three years. Noting that power is addictive, so far none of those eyed agreed to the scheming mayor’s agendum. And the mayor's wife who was rumoured to succeed her husband was too pragmatic to resign from her job. The mayor also parted ways with his partymate and long-time vice mayor because of the one-term issue. Ang friend niya nga SB nga popular pero masakiton, indi man kay hadlok mapatay sa hapo sa kumpanya. Amo na ang iya problema – ang makakita ti kandidato nga pang one term lang. Pero sin-o nga politico ang indi kapit-toko?
So, there. In politics, your dear friend today is your worst enemy tomorrow. And your bitter rival yesterday could be your ardent partymate today. Like typhoon Ondoy, sa politika weather-weather lang yan.
My friend wanted the campaign period to be now already. She likes to be shocked and at the same time to be entertained. Nakakasawa daw and telenovela.@
Saturday, October 3, 2009
A big turn-out of church goers
Saturday has always been the day we attend the 5:30pm mass at St. Clement's Church.
This afternoon the children didn't go to mass with us. They went malling with their titas and cousins. We were a bit late. Nevertheless, we went straight to the usual pew we occupy near the front.
The church was filled to capacity. The big number of church goers was unusual. But then, these were unusual times. The parishioners could be doubly thankful for being spared from the onslaught of typhoon Ondoy.
The priest led the prayers of the faithful. It was specially composed to seek help during these times of never-before-experienced climatic tantrums. The homily was about love and marriage. Frankly, I felt sleepy during the homily. Daw ginaduyan ako. But during my scheduled sleeping time at night, waay gid ako ginatuyo. Ginakibang ako (Do I use this term right? Many times, I encounter terms that were used by my long-dead lolos and lolas, that already sound alien to me.)
Then came the communion. People lined the center and side ailes. Again, communicants were unusually so many. I was about to mention some typhoon supplicants when I noticed the communicants were mostly very young - too young to devote their lives to prayer (Di ba common impression sa mga young people, sa mall sila naga-agto. Mga mal-am kag mga manang lang ang naga-pass their time in the church. Of course, I don't consider myself mal-am. I am not religious. But I like religion, not necessarily Catholism. It brings order to life.)
Then I realized these so many young people were in the church because tomorrow, the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) would finally continue after it was postponed last Sunday, together with the Bar exams, because of typhoon Ondoy. The young people in the church were would-be LET takers (WLT). Tomorrow the BAR examination will also take place.
After the priest said the last prayers and exited, and as the regular mass goers headed for the exits, many WLTs headed to the bigger-than-life-size picture of the Mother of Perpetual Help near the altar, genuflected, and said more prayers. Some placed their hands or wiped their hankies on the glass surface. The scene was very solemn and very spiritual. If I were the Perpetual Succor, I will let them all pass the LET.
The recessional song ended. We turned back to the main door and was about to leave. But we stayed for a while because the front doors were just jammed with people. Many WLTs were there, saying more prayers with eyes closed or locked with the eyes of the saintly statues near the entrance. I was glad the kids were not with us because they always light candles after the mass. This evening, the candles area could not be seen because of the WLTs, five persons deep and in deep prayers before the candle stands. (If you are innocent of this Catholic practice, you might think the WLTs were standing there to warm their bodies before a fireplace lit with candles.)Even if the kids could pass by the immobile supplicants towards the bucket containing the candles, possibly there were no more unlighted candles left.
We went out of the church. There were still so many WLTs, giggling and planning where to go from the mass. Ang iba grabe gid ang Kinaray-a. Garagumo gid. Could be because the whole of Panay would take their LET in Iloilo City. Gani, tanan nga klase ka dialect nabatian ko.
Again, I repeated my prayer a while ago. Pangadi ko nga daad tanan nga LET takers buas makapasa. For a change, daad 100% and passing sa October 2009 Licensure Examination for Teachers. Pati na sa BAR exam. Impossible? When did you say, it is impossible for a flood to reach chest-high in the never-before-been-flooded subdivision where you live? @
