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Sunday, December 13, 2015

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Tropical storm 'Nona' threatens Marinduque, Romblon

Situation in Buenavista, Marinduque | Photo by Jay-ar Villavicencio‎
QUEZON CITY - Authorities are calling on kababayans in Marinduque and Romblon as both provinces are on the forecasted track of Tropical Storm Nona.

Based on Severe Weather Bulletin No. 5, Pagasa DOST may raise Public Storm Warning Signal No. 1 (PSWS No. 1) over Marinduque at Romblon tonight.

Right now, the provinces under PSWS No. 1 are Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate including the islands of Burias and Ticao, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte and Southern Leyte,Dinagat province.

Pagasa-DOST said TS Nona packs a maximum sustained winds up to 110 km/hr near the center and gustiness up to 140 km/hr.

TS Nona is moving in a west-north-west direction at the speed of 19 km/hr.

Estimated rainfall ranges from moderate to heavy within Nona’s 300 km. diameter.

Monday morning, the forecast position of TS Nona will be at 140 km East of Catarman, Northern Samar and by Tuesday (morning), TS Nona’s location is estimated at 65 km North of Romblon, Romblon or at 150 km East Southeast of Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro; Wednesday (morning), 140 km West Northwest of Calapan City; Thursday (morning), 340 km West Southwest of Calapan City; and on Friday (morning) at 405 km West of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

Kababayans are advised to follow instructions from local authorities (primarily disaster risk reduction and management offices) to avoid problems arising from the passage of TS Nona.

Source and courtesy: Lyndon Plantilla (LP/LBR/PIA4B), Philippine Information Agency

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Quantum Asia Now Ready to Build Plasma Plants in Sta. Cruz, Marinduque

Website of Quantum Asia
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - The newly formed Quantum Asia announced yesterday that the construction of numerous plasma facilities is set to start in December as various delays in their Philippine plasma programs have been already settled.

Quantum CEO and Director of Operations Al Johnson said that he is still totally committed to seeing the Philippines with 20 plus plasma facilities to be completed within five years.

“This would drop the cost of electricity in half on a national basis. It would also eventually eliminate all the current landfills,” Johnson assured.

He also announced that Quantum is entering into agreements with the Philippine Coast Guard for possible plasma operations for maritime pollution.

He said the key factor in keeping Quantum locked with the Philippines is Santa Cruz, Marinduque and their Mayor Wilfredo Red. Marinduque’s Marcopper mining operations linked to past Philippine political corruption at the highest levels years ago environmentally destroyed the island.

“Mayor Red has dedicated his life to this matter and the people of Santa Cruz” said Johnson. He stressed that Quantum will make Santa Cruz, firm’s first project and will hopefully link this with Coast Guard and Philippine marine operations.

“We are also supporting legal action against the offenders that caused this environmental disaster,” he said.

Quantum plans for Philippine plasma is the most aggressive in Asia, in spite of demands for their technology in various Asian, Mideast and African countries.

“We currently have additional new requests for Plasma facilities in Abucay (Bataan), Capas (Tarlac), Baliuag (Bulacan), Solano (Nueva Vizcaya), Tumauini (Isabela), Solana (Cagayan), Tagbilaran (Bohol) and Toledo City (Cebu).

The Philippines currently has millions of tons of untreated municipal and industrial waste which is a major environmental threat.

Quantum Vice President Merlinda Cantero said Plasma technology is the most effective way to handle this problem.

“Our average facilities in the Philippines will process between 2,000 and 5,000 Metric Tons of municipal waste daily, producing roughly one Megawatt for each ton of waste eliminated. The main thing is that we will actively stop the practice of storing municipal waste by the hundreds of thousands of tons, allowing for continued pollution from these landfills,” Cantero said.

In addition to the problem of air pollution from these landfills, the most troublesome aspect is that these sites allow dangerous substances to eventually seep into ground water systems serving the communities causing dangerous health hazards. The worst case of this is the Santa Cruz in the Province of Marinduque.

“But Mayor Red will be the example and Santa Cruz will be the model for the various Asian Plasma operations,” Cantero said.

Various US Quantum engineers are currently in route to Asia for final meetings and to prepare for the initial construction phases for Quantum Plasma to start in December.

“Right now we are completing Plasma contracts for new facilities in Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Australia for electricity in addition to other Government contracts for low income housing, hospitals and highway projects using other advanced Quantum building technologies,” Johnson added.

He said Quantum required strong partnerships with established and respected Philippine business partners in the funding and ownership of all the Plasma facilities.

“While Quantum had 100 percent funding with our own Funding Syndicates and Trusts, we wanted at least 30 percent ownership from the private Philippine sector and established Philippine companies,” he added.

Johnson said all of the proposed Quantum Philippine energy projects fall under special “Energy Provisions” with the Philippine Government, where 100 percent foreign ownership of the facilities and operations are totally permitted.

“Philippine partnerships are not a Government requirement as with most Philippine business ventures. This was solely a company requirement of myself and Quantum,” said Johnson.

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Marinduque places 2nd during the Mimaropa Festival 2015


Marinduque bagged the second spot during the Mimaropa Festival 2015 held at Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro

Mimaropa Festival is a regional invitational event which aims to showcase different festivals as well as to promote tourism in the provinces of MIMAROPA. During the said event, Marinduque successfully bagged the second spot in the Dance Parade Competition category flaunting their colorful costumes as they dance to the beat of Bila-bila Festival (Butterfly Festival).

Friday, November 6, 2015

Friday, November 06, 2015

Marinduque Itinerary: Round Trip Marinduque Travel and Tour

Round Trip Marinduque Travel and Tour
Email add.: info.marinduque@gmail.com  
Contact No.: 0977.649.4754
Website: marinduquenews.blogspot.com
*Day Time Activities
Thu 7:00PM Pick up time
8:00AM Departure in Manila
Fri | Day 1 12:00AM Arrival in Dalahican Port
6:00AM Departure in Balanacan Port, Mogpog
6:30AM Balanacan Shrine
7:00AM Balanacan View Deck
8:00AM Arrival in hotel with surprise
8:30AM Breakfast
10:30AM Free time: relaxation, swimming and nap
12:00PM Lunch
1:30PM Boac National Museum
2:30PM Our Lady of Biglang Awa Cathedral
3:00PM Laylay Port
3:30PM Gasan Butterfly Farm
4:30PM St. Joseph Chruch
5:00PM Sunset over Tres Reyes Island
6:00PM Dinner in a local restaurant in Gasan
7:00PM Back to the hotel
Sat | Day 2 6:00AM Breakfast
7:00AM Pick up time
8:00AM Drop by in Elephant island, Buenavista
9:00AM Malbog Hot Spring
9:30AM Malindig View
11:00AM Luneta Park, Torrijos
11:30AM Poctoy White Beach, Torrijos
12:00PM Lunch
1:30PM Free time: swimming, relaxation
4:30PM Arrival in Buyabod Port
5:30PM Maniwaya Island
6:00PM Dinner
Sun | Day 3 6:00AM Breakfast
7:00AM Palad Sand Bar
9:00AM Ungab Rock Formation
11:00AM Going back to Maniwaya Island
12:00PM Lunch
1:00PM Preparation
2:00PM Arrival in Balanacan Port
3:00PM Sta. Church and Pasalubong, Sta. Cruz, Town proper
4:00PM Departure in Sta.Cruz
5:30PM Arrival in Balanacan Port
6:30PM Departure of Roro
10:00PM Arrival in Dalahican Port
2:00AM Arrival in Manila

*Day varies depending on the requested travel period.
Click here for the PDF Copy.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

300M Marinduque Loan, What Are You Doing To Us?

By Bokal Adeline Lyn Angeles

Simula po ng ako'y umupong bokal, I always try to be objective and professional in performing my job. Kapag may mga kailangang linawin sa mga issue, hangga't maari, I use official and formal fora and processes in respect to the institution and the provincial government of which I am part of.


Kaya nga po sa mga isyu na minsan ay ipinupukol sa sangguniang panlalawigan o sa provincial government kasama na ang pagloan ng Php 300 million, nanatili tayong tahimik sa social media. Bagama't may mga katanungan din ako, minarapat kong ang lahat ay gagawin ko sa opisyal at pormal na paraan, sa session ng mga bokal hangga't maaari. Ito ang aming trabaho.

At sapagkat may napirmahan ng loan contract noong Martes, Oct 20 between the Provincial Government of Marinduque and Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) na nasa amin ngayon sa SP upang i- ratify, sa kabila ng marami pang katanungang dapat linawin, ako po ay nagpa-register para mag-privilege speech sa privilege hour ng session upang magpahayag ng ilang katanungan upang makatulong sa paglilinaw.
Subalit ng session na, Oct 23, tinanggal po sa agenda ang aking privilege speech at ako ay hindi pinagsalita sa privilege hour sapagkat dapat daw ay nagbigay ako ng advance copy 3 days bago ang session gayong wala namang ganitong requirements sa aming internal rules.

Nagbotohan pa ang mga bokal kung tayo ay dapat pagsalitain o hindi sa privilege hour gayong ito ay karapatan ng bawat bokal at nasasaad din sa aming internal rules. Ginalang ko ang naging ruling ni Vice Gov. Bacorro na huwag akong pagsalitain sa privilege hour but I reserved the right to file necessary complaint for violation of my rights as representative of the people.

Hindi ko alam kung anong dapat ikatakot sa aking pagsasalita at pagtatanong na ang layon ay paglilinaw.

Now, I am talking through socialmMedia dahil tinanggalan ninyo ako ng mismong karapatan kong magpahayag sa pormal o opisyal na paraan.

And the people deserve to know kung anong pag-control at kawalang-galang sa karapatan ang nangyayari sa atin sa kapitolyo.

Kung wala naman tayong itinatago, kung ang loan ay totoong makakabuti sa lalawigan, kung ang ating puso ay nasa tamang lugar, ano ang dapat ikatakot sa aking pagtatanong? At anong tanong ang hindi masasagot?
Yes, binigyan namin ng authority ang gobernador to negotiate a loan.
Hindi na ba kami pwede magtanong man lamang? Sabi ng isang bokal, na-waive ko na raw ang karapatan kong magtanong dahil hindi ako um-attend ng ceremonial signing ng contract at doon ako dapat nagtanong. Quite absurd... Formal signing ang nasa programa at hindi forum. Kung ginawa ko iyon, sasabihin naman nila bakit doon ko pa tinanong ay wala sa programa. Mapapahiya ang probinsya at sasabihing ito'y pamumulitika.

I always say that availing loan is neither good nor bad in itself. Depende ito sa paggagamitan at iba pang circumstances pero sa puntong ito, marami pang dapat linawin:

Halimbawa: Bakit sa dami ng pangangailangan ng hospital, kailangang unahin sa loan ang 15M para sa doctors' dormitory?

Halos 200M pesos na ang nagastos sa 3 bagong building ng hospital. Dahil walang rampa, humingi at nag-appropriate pa ang sangguniang panlalawigan ng around 20M pesos pa para sa rampa at atrium lamang connecting the 3 buildings. Ngayon naman kasama sa a-utangin ay 15M pesos para lamang sa tirahan ng mga doctor? Ito ba talaga ang dapat unahin sa utangin?

I know that I just have few months remaining sa kapitolyo dahil nag-file ako ng COC for mayor ng bayan ko. And I also wanted to have meaningful but peaceful working relationship with our colleagues sa kapitolyo.
Sa mga taga-capitol na walang political interest na nakakakita how we work there, I believe they know me na mahaba ang pasensya at pang-unawa sa respective interests and personalities ng mga katrabaho natin. Matagal din po ako magalit...Subalit ng tanggalan ako ng karapatang magsalita sa privilege hour last session, hindi ko na po pwede palagpasin because it is not just about me but about the rights of the people who also trusted me.

Sundan po natin ang issue na ito. It is not just about the loan... But also about real transparency, accountability and social justice.

NB: Mga bumoto para makapagsalita tayo sa privilege hour: Alino, Aguirre at Angeles

Mga bumoto para para tanggalin ang speech natin at di makapagsalita sa privilege hour: Caballes, Red, Ricohermoso, Fernandez, Fabrero at Nepomuceno

Abstain: Seno

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Realtalk: Marinduque Election Drama

Marinduque Election 2016
By Romeo A. Mataac, Jr.

Eleksyon na naman. Nagsulputan na naman sa sowsyal midya ang iba't ibang mukha ng mga taong nag-a-ambisyon sa Eleksyon 2016.

Hindi na ako lalayo pa, tututukan ko na lamang ang mga kaganapan sa aking mahal na lalawigan, ang hugis pusong isla.

Sa kasalukuyan, may dalawang kumakandidato bilang kongresista sa aming probinsya. Natatandaan ko, sila rin ang nagtunggali noong nakaraang halalan na humantong at umabot pa nga sa paglilitis ng Korte Suprema. Subalit wala din namang kinahantungan ang kasong isinampa kahit na ito ay kinatigan ng SC at ng Comelec pa. Kaya naman itong darating na boxing este eleksyon (may second round kasi) ay talaga namang kaabang-abang. Sa Facebook ngani ay nagsimula ng maglabasan ang iba't ibang opinyon at mensahe ng mga taong hahangad sa iba't ibang posisyon. Dati, ang iba na tahimik at hindi mahilig magpost ng mga issue na may kinalaman sa lalawigan, aba matindi, ngayon maya't maya ang labas ng mga messages at pictures sa newsfeed. May ilan pa nganing sumasagot sa lahat ng mga comments sa kanilang mga wall at isa-isa itong nila-like. Samantalang noong hindi pa sila nagpa-file ng candidacy, kesehodang magmessage ka sa kanila ng sampung ulit aba'y seen zone ang iyong mahihita at ang masaklap pa, who you ka sa kanila. Ngayon, tila ba kasimbilis sila ni Lando kung magpalit ng post status, mula bagyo naging lindol. (Ingat po kayo mga kababayan lalo pa at malapit sa atin ang Mindoro na siyang tinamaan ng katatapos lamang na lindol).

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Ombudsman Asked to Stop Marinduque Loan Deal

Office of the Ombudsman, Quezon City
The Marinduque Reform Movement (MRM) yesterday asked Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales to stop the signing set today of the P300-million loan agreement between the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the provincial government of Marinduque.

MRM president Eliseo Obligacion said that Marinduque Gov. Carmencita O. Reyes cannot sign the agreement because she was suspended on Oct. 8, 2015 by the Sandiganbayan.

Reyes’ suspension stemmed from Criminal Case Nos. SB-11-CRM-0100 and SB-11-CRM-0113 entitled “People vs. Carmencita Reyes” for technical malversation of P5 million and for directly awarding the contract for farm equipment to a favored supplier without public bidding, Obligacion said.

“According to a COA report, the provincial government still has surplus money amounting to P105 million in unexpended appropriations. Yet it still has an outstanding loan of P35 million as of December 2014, which has remained unpaid,” Obligacion said in his statement.

“Governor Reyes has the abovementioned pending criminal cases for technical malversation and for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act to be entrusted with such a huge loan which can just as easily be misused,’ he added.

Source and courtesy: Manila Bulletin

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Marinduque’s Gov Suspended

Marinduque Gov. Carmencita O. Reyes
The Sandiganbayan Second Division has ordered the preventive suspension of Marinduque Governor  Carmencita Reyes over her involvement in the P728-million fertilizer fund scam.

In a resolution dated October 13, the graft court granted the motion of state prosecutors and ordered “the suspension pendente lite of Carmencita O. Reyes as Provincial Governor of Marinduque, and from any other position which she may now or hereafter be holding, for a period of sixty days.”

The graft court also sent a copy of the resolution to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) which was directed to implement the suspension order.

The cases against Reyes stemmed from her alleged involvement in the P728-million fertilizer fund scam where the funds supposedly for agricultural assistance for poor farmers were allegedly diverted as campaign kitty of then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for the 2004 elections.

Under the cases against her, Reyes allegedly approved the purchase of P5 million-worth of equipment and fertilizers under the Arroyo administration’s “Ginintuang Masaganang Ani Program” from a private supplier without holding the required public bidding.

Friday, October 2, 2015

Friday, October 02, 2015

Philippine Activists Call for End to Foreign Mining

Marcopper Site in Sta, Cruz, Marinduque
MARINDUQUE, PHILIPPINES - The Philippines has suffered numerous disasters from its mining industry over the decades, creating a legacy of health problems that continue to the present day. Now there is a proposal to reopen one foreign-owned mine with a checkered history, and the backlash from activists who are trying to stop it.

When a typhoon or heavy rain hits Marinduque island, many residents along the Mogpog River are evacuated to higher ground.

That is because the Philippine government says an upstream dam that holds back toxic waste from an abandoned copper mine is deteriorating and could overflow or burst, just like it did in 1993.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Dengue Cases Up in Marinduque

The World Health Organization says there is no specific treatment
for dengue fever and severe dengue is a potentially
lethal complication | Photo: Financial Tribune
Four members of the family of my wife in Marinduque are now battling with dengue. Icon, our 14-year-old niece, had fever Wednesday last week. Her mom, my sister-in-law, immediately brought her to Dr. Damian J. Reyes Memorial Hospital, the Marinduque provincial hospital, where she was diagnosed with dengue.
Unfortunately, the provincial hospital could no longer accommodate our niece. She and other dengue and suspected dengue patients had to stay overnight at the hallway because the 100-bed hospital was full.

The following morning, our niece’s parents brought her to a private hospital in Lucena City, taking the first RoRo trip from Balanacan to Talao-talao Port. But another unfortunate event happened when they reached Mt. Carmel Hospital: Mat, Icon’s elder brother, also had fever and was later on confirmed to have dengue, too. The following night, my bother-in-law, the kids’ father, was also diagnosed with dengue.
But that’s not all. Another nephew who was left in Yook, Buenavista, Marinduque, also started to have chills and felt very weak- all symptoms of dengue. Again, he had to take the Roro and travel more than four hours to get medical treatment.
Poor Medical Services
This experience is not exclusive to the family of my wife. Many other patients have to travel several hours via RoRo to get the necessary medical attention. And I am talking about dengue patients alone.
Dengue is a viral infection transmitted by an infected female Aedes mosquito. Dengue fever is a flu-like illness that affects infants, young children and adults. Symptoms appear in 3–14 days (average 4–7 days) after the infective bite.
The World Health Organization says there is no specific treatment for dengue fever and severe dengue is a potentially lethal complication. However, early clinical diagnosis and careful clinical management by experienced physicians and nurses often save lives.
Unfortunately, Buenavista Mayor Russle Madrigal revealed that one patient in the nearby municipality of Gasan, died of dengue two nights ago.
Marinduque, the heart of the Philippine archipelago, is an island province in Region IV-B, the MIMAROPA region. It is a small province with an area of around 95,000 hectares and a population of less than 230,000. It has six municipalities— Mogpog, Gasan, Buenavista, Torrijos, Sta. Cruz, and its capital, the Municipality of Boac.
For a province that has produced some influential personalities like former Supreme Court Chief Justice Ricardo Paras, SC Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco, former PNP Chief Recaredo Sarmiento, celebrity dentist Ninia Rodil, and Executive Secretary Alexander Aguirre who also became a National Security Adviser during the time of President Estrada, it is so frustrating that basic medical services remain inadequate in Marinduque.
This inadequacy is further highlighted by the utter lack of attention by the local government officials. Marinduque Governor “Nanay” Carmencita Reyes, when interviewed by my wife, Atty. Rhina, in her DZRH program, could not even give details on dengue cases in her jurisdiction. Other than general statements, the only thing she said was that only the municipality of Buenavista has dengue cases. This is apparently erroneous because there has been a casualty in Gasan while some dengue patients from Mogpog and Boac are now confined either in UST hospital in Manila or Mt. Carmel in Lucena City. Nanay’s statement that the provincial hospital has enough medical supplies for its patients has yet to be verified.
Similarly, even the DOH seems to be uninformed on dengue cases in Marinduque.
More cases

By the way, the health department has recorded 55,079 suspected dengue cases from January to August 8 this year. This is said to be 9.15 percent higher than the 50,462 cases recorded during the same period in 2014.

The DOH has recorded 168 deaths from January to August 8, which means that if proper attention is not given, the number of deaths could increase.

Noticeably, with the rise in number of dengue cases in the country, many of us have not learned. Obviously, dengue fever prevention efforts have not produced significant results.

But you see, the fight against dengue is supposed to be a community effort that entails a very simple act – removing the breeding grounds of mosquitoes.
The potential of tawa-tawa

In an interview, I heard DOH Secretary Janette Garin discounting the potential curative properties of tawa-tawa to help dengue patients especially in areas where immediate medical attention is wanting like those in remote barangays in Buenavista.
I am not a medical practitioner. But the DOST, through its research arm, the Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) has tested the curative properties of the local plant.
In 2012, then Health Secretary Enrique Ona started a thorough research on the potential of tawa-tawa to cure dengue. And now that its curative properties prove to be high, it is but proper that the government, through the health department, take more serious efforts to make use of this plant and save lives.

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Mogpogan: Kung Paano Kami Nag-Honeymoon sa Marinduque

Mula sa best-selling author ng “It’s a Mens World” na si Bebang Siy,
isang makulit na honeymoon travelogue
Sa’n tayo magha-honeymoon? Tanong niya.

Kahit sa’n basta apat na pantig ang pangalan ng lugar, sagot ko.

So, napadpad kami sa Ma-rin-du-que.

Dala-dala: toiletries, flashlight, Gatorade, laptop at internet stick, mga cellphone at charger, Off Lotion, 5k (na hinugot namin sa mga sobreng natanggap noong kasal, thank you po nang bongga, Ninongs and Ninangs! By the way, me inipit din akong konting safety money sa garter ng panty ko), mga damit na pang-apat na araw, ilang seksing salawal na pang-ilang gabi (seksi talaga, ‘yong isa napagkamalan ko ngang pantabing sa pisak na mata ng pirata) AT bride and groom na paper crafts.


Kasama ang ilang napakabuti at napakatiyagang mga kaibigan, mga tatlong linggo naming ginawa ang 200 pirasong bride at groom paper crafts. Dekorasyon ito sa mga mesa ng aming wedding reception. Pagkatapos ng kasal, nagtago kami ng isang pares at isinama namin ang mga ito sa aming first adventure bilang lawfully wedded husband and wife.

Day 1 – January 2, 2014

9:00 a.m. – Lumarga ang bus namin mula sa Jac Liner Buendia Bus Terminal papunta sa Lucena. Sa Dalahican Port ang aming destinasyon to be exact. Ang pamasahe per head: Php 230.

Sa loob ng bus, Google lang ako nang Google tungkol sa aming pupuntahan.

Eto ang ilang mga site na nabasa ko:
Pero wala akong mabuong itinerary pagkatapos kong magbasa-basa. Hindi kasi ako decision-maker na uri ng tao. So sa pagkatagal-tagal kong nag-Google (sa haba ng biyahe: 6 oras), ang napagdesisyunan ko lang ay, “Basta ang target natin, isang kuweba, isang museo, isang beach, at isang bundok.” Game daw, sabi ni Poy, ang aking brand new husband or BNH for short.

3:00 p.m. – Dumating sa Dalahican Port ang bus na sinasakyan namin.


Picture-taking na umaatikabo ang naganap kasama sina Little Bride at Groom. Tama, nag-picture-picture muna kami bago lumapit sa nakapaskil na iskedyul ng barkong papunta sa Marinduque.


Tapos naisip namin na kahit ilang daang picture ang kunan namin, hindi pa rin kami makakarating sa Marinduque kung hindi kami sasakay ng barko. So tiningnan na namin ang iskedyul. ☺


Batay sa research ko, sa Balanacan Port ang tungo namin. Pero 10:30 p.m. pa ang ROROng papuntang Balanacan. Medyo matagal kaming maghihintay kung ganon! Nagtanong kami sa counter at napag-alaman naming dadaan pala ng Balanacan ang lahat ng biyaheng pa-Cawit Port. So bumili na kami ng ticket pa-Cawit, ‘yong biyaheng 4:00 p.m.

P260 + terminal fee na P 30. (Bah, parang airport lang, ano? May terminal fee rin!) Total= P290 per head.

Maganda rito kasi may sistema. Pagkatapos naming magbayad ng tiket, pinapirma kami sa isang listahan. (Apelyido ko pa rin ang inilagay ko. Siyempre, di pa ako sanay na gamitin ang apelyido ni BNH.) Ang listahan na ito, siguro, ‘yong ipinapakita sa mga disaster council kapag may lumulubog na sasakyang pandagat. ‘Yong manifest kung tawagin. Siyempre, kapag wala sa manifest ang pangalan ng isang pasahero, ibig sabihin, hindi siya sumakay sa sasakyang pandagat na iyon. O di kaya, nakapasok siya doon sa ilegal na paraan!

Anyway, maaliwalas naman ang panahon, ba’t ba paglubog-lubog ang naiisip ko? Ek. Morbid.

Dahil maaga pa naman at medyo gutom na rin kami, kumain muna kami sa malapit na karinderya.


Mahal dito. P50 ang ulam, hiwalay na bayad pa ang kanin. Mas mahal pa sa karinderya ng Maynila! E, kumusta ba ang karinderyang ito?


Nothing fancy, di ba?

Pagkakain, pumasok na kami sa loob ng terminal. Maganda pala rito. Malinis, may mga tindahan din ng pagkain at sitsirya, maraming upuan. Meron ding higaan for rent. Siguro para ito sa mga naaabutan ng gabi o madaling araw sa paghihintay ng RORO.


Marami ding porter na nakaupo at nanonood ng TV. Nagtaka ako. Ba’t andaming porter dito? Walang pasahero?


Naalala kong 4:00 p.m. ang alis ng RORO na sasakyan namin. Kaya pala sila nandoon ay dahil tapos na silang maghatid ng mga pasahero papasok sa 4:00 p.m. na RORO. Tumakbo kami papunta sa daungan. Baka maiwan kami!

Pero paglabas namin, sitting pretty pa ang RORO. Kaya nag-picture pa kami.



Pagkasakay namin, hindi nagtagal, lumarga na ang RORO. Iniwan namin ang mga gamit namin sa kuwarto ng crew (ginamitan ko lang ng charm ang pakikisuyo). Tapos naglibot kami sa loob ng RORO.


Ang aliwalas!


Kasya ang ilang sasakyan sa loob ng RORO.



‘Yong mama sa kaliwa, ‘yong me camera, hindi ko po ‘yan kilala. Joke. Ladies and gentlemen, ‘yan si BNH (brand new husband)! Woho!

O, alam ko, mukhang sagwan. Tama na. Tama na ang lait.

Ganyan talaga ang true love. Pakakasalan mo talaga no matter water.


Tatlong oras din ang biyahe. Pero hindi kami nainip. Pareho kasi kaming mahilig sa waterscape. Kaya na-enjoy namin ang trip mula sun up…


to sundown.


7:00 p.m. – Dumating na ang RORO namin sa Balanacan Port.


May mga morion na sumalubong sa amin! Wah! Akala ko pag summer lang may Moriones.


Sumakay kami ng dyip sa pag-asang mahanap ang pinaka-poblasyon ng Balanacan. Ayon sa internet, sa poblasyon daw makikita ang Palms By the Beach na resort. Puwede kasing doon kami mag-first night.

Sabi ng aming napagtanungan sa terminal ng dyip, sumakay daw kami ng Mogpog na dyip. Dadaan daw doon iyon. Sakay naman kami. Sabi ko sa mamang driver, sa bayan po kami. Bayan meaning poblasyon.

Sabi nito, P35.00 po ang isa. Sa isip ko, ang mahal. Anlayo naman ng poblasyon.
Iyon pala, natuklasan ko, after 30 minutes ng pagtakbo ng dyip, ang bayan na tinutukoy ng driver ay bayan ng Mogpog. As in poblasyon ng Mogpog.

Anong alam namin sa Mogpog?!

Wala. Joke. Isa. Me isang hotel sa Mogpog. Nakita ko rin ito sa internet. Hilltop Hotel ang pangalan. Kaya okey lang na lumagpas na kami sa poblasyon ng Balanacan. Sige na. Hayaan na.

Mga 8:00 na ng gabi nang ibaba kami ng driver sa palengke ng Mogpog. Nagtanong-tanong kami roon kung saan namin matatagpuan ang Hilltop Hotel. Malapit daw ito sa simbahan.

Pagkaraan ng mga sampung minutong paglalakad, narating namin ang simbahan. At ilang kayod pa ng paa, ang Hilltop Hotel na.

Siyempre, sa ganda ng pangalan katunog pa ng Hilton Hotel, akala namin ay ten-star hotel ang Hilltop.

Hindi, o hindi.

Isa pala itong mataas, malaking bahay na gawa sa kahoy. Napakarami nitong kuwarto, malalaking kuwarto, in fairness. Na may malalaking CR at kabinet.

Kaya okey din, masaya na rin kami. Baket? Magkano ang overnight stay? P600. May aircon na iyan. O, di ba, winner?

Eto ang aming room. Diyan magaganap ang umaatikabong “mogpogan.” Waha!




Heto ang address ng Hilltop: Mataas na Bayan, Mogpog, Marinduque.

Napakadali ring kausap ni Ate Rochelle, na siyang tumatayong receptionist/tagabantay/cashier/room attendant. Tinanong ko kung puwedeng late na kami mag-check out kinabukasan dahil gabi na kaming nakapag-check in. Ang sagot niya, “Ay, kahit anong oras po.”

Winner talaga.

Isa lang ang hassle, walang restawran ang Hilltop Hotel. Kelangan naming lumabas para maghanap ng makakainan. Nag-alok si Ate na ibibili na lang daw niya kami ng pagkain. Pero tumanggi kami. Gusto rin naming ma-explore ang poblasyon ng Mogpog sa gabi.

So naglakad-lakad kami. Ang tahimik! (Parang kalsada lang ng Maynila pag may laban si Pacquiao.)

May natanong kaming ale. Sabi niya, wala na raw kainan doon. Pati sa palengke, sarado na raw lahat. Sa di kalayuan ay may naaninag kaming sign board na may ilaw. Sabi namin, “Ate, iyon po, kainan po ba iyon?”

Sabi niya, “Ay, oo nga pala, may short order sa Shirley’s. Puwede kayo riyan.”

Pagkatapos naming magpasalamat, naglakad kami papunta sa maliwanag na iyon. Hmm… Shirley’s, parang pangalan naman ng restawran.

Pagdating namin sa Shirley’s, bale dalawang establishment pala ito.


Lodging house! Baka puwede rin kami rito mag-stay, a.

Sa labas ay mukhang sari-sari store lang ang tinatawag na eatery. Pagpasok namin sa isang makitid na entrada, bumungad ang isang malawak na space na kinatitirikan ng kubo-kubo. Ang ilaw ng mga kubo, pula. Pula! Eatery na pula ang ilaw?

Isang aleng naka-apron ang nag-assist sa amin. Parang nagtataka siya sa pagdating namin nang ganong araw (Huwebes), buwan (Enero), at oras (8:15 ng gabi). Naghanap kami ng menu pero sabi ni Aling Apron ay chicken na lang daw ang isine-serve nila. Meron din daw silang pansit. Kaya iyon na nga ang inorder namin. Plus dalawang kanin at Coke.

Pag-alis ng ale, nakapagmasid pa kami. May tatlong babaeng medyo seksi ang damit. Sila ‘yong nagse-serve. Nasa twenties siguro ang edad. Sa labas ng isang kubo, may tatlong lalaking medyo mashonda na, nag-iinuman sila’t ang ingay nilang magkuwentuhan. Kausap lang naman nila ang isa’t isa, face to face. Paminsan-minsan, kausap nila ‘yong isa o dalawang nagse-serve, lalo pa nilang lalakasan ang boses nila.

“Sabi ko naman sa iyo, ako na lang,” sabi ni Manong Sando Bag.

“Ay, Kuya, may asawa ka na,” napapahagikgik na sagot ni Miss Violet Blouse 2014.

Naglakad kami pabalik sa sari-sari store at bumili kay Aling Apron ng mani. Nagtanong na rin kami kung puwedeng makita ang vacant rooms nila at kung magkano ang mga rate nito.

Isinama kami ni Ate sa 2nd floor. Isa pala itong bahay na may second floor at nahahati ang 2nd floor sa maliliit na kuwarto. As in maliliit. Pag upo mo sa kama, mauuntog ang tuhod mo sa pinto pag biglang may nagbukas niyon. P300 per 3 hours ang rate. Bihira naman daw kasi ang nag-o-overnight doon. Pero kung gusto raw namin, P500 lang daw.

Nagkatinginan kami ni brand new husband.

Ting! Motel! Tel! Tel! Tel!

Nag-umpugan ang mga tanong sa isip ko. Sino ang kliyente ng Shirley’s? Uso ang motel-motel tryst sa bahaging iyon ng Mogpog? Ng Marinduque? Hindi ba madaling matsismis kapag tagaroon ka at magtse-check in ka sa Shirley’s? Ang alam ko, magkakakilala ang mga tao sa probinsiya. I guess, malamang sa malamang, mga dayo o taga-ibang bayan ang pumupunta roon para mag-three-hour stay.

Pagbalik namin sa baba, sa sarili naming kubo, hindi nagtagal ay dumating na rin ang pagkain namin. Nakalimutan ko na ang maliliit na kuwarto at ang mga posibleng dwellers nito.

Ang sarap kasi ng chicken! Buttered chicken. Nasarapan din ako sa pansit.


Habang kumakain, tinanong ko si Poy kung gusto niyang mag-beer kami. Medyo kinakabahan kasi ako noong paonti na lang nang paonti ang pagkain namin. Pagkatapos nito, babalik na kami sa hotel, di ba? Tapos, honeymoon na naming tunay. Wow, nakakakaba! E, doon pa nga lang sa kubo, hinahalik-halikan na niya ako sa labi.


So feeling ko, para mawala ang kaba ko, kelangan ko talagang mag-beer.

First time kasi namin pareho sa larangan ng honeymoon.

First time para sa 2014.

Ikaw naman, o.

So nag-order nga kami ng beer at nagkuwentuhan pa. Background na lang namin ang maiingay na mama. Nakikipagtuksuhan pa rin sila paminsan-minsan doon sa mga nagse-serve.

Sabi ni Poy, parang Perez, Quezon ang mga kalsada ng Mogpog. Ganoon din daw ang size ng mga kalsada, malinis, tahimik, kaunti ang tao sa ganitong oras ng gabi.

Ang naalala ko naman doon ay ang tahimik na bahagi ng San Dionisio, Parañaque. Nanirahan ako doon nang isang taon noong bata pa ako. Ang ipinagkaiba lang, mas dikit-dikit ang bahay sa San Dionisio. Dito sa Mogpog, layo-layo pa. May mga baku-bakuran. At iyon nga, di hamak na mas malinis kaysa sa San Dionisio.

Sabi niya, ang lakas ko raw kumain.

Sabi ko, pakiramdam ko kasi fresh lahat ng sine-serve sa mga probinsiya. Saka hindi minamadali ang preparasyon, ang pagluluto.

Di katulad sa Maynila, lahat shino-short cut. ‘Yong manok, ilang minuto lang na ilulubog sa mantika, puwede nang ihain. De numero, de oras, de minuto.

Ang sarap-sarap din huminga tulad ngayon. Kasi fresh na fresh ang hangin. Sa Maynila, gusto mo mang mag-inhale-exhale nang maluwalhati, may sumusundot na takot sa ilong mo. Pa’no ‘yong lead sa hangin, ‘yong carbon monoxide, ‘yong iba pang toxic gas?

Tahimik lang si BNH.

So iniba ko na ang usapan, baka masyadong toxic para sa honeymooners. So pinag-usapan na lang namin kung saan kami pupunta kinabukasan. Ganito ang naging takbo:

Ako: Google na lang.

Siya: Okey.

Pagkatapos pa ng ilang makabuluhang usapan tungkol sa mga balak naming gawin sa Marinduque, nagpasya na kaming mag-bill out. Tumataginting na lagpas P400 ang aming bill.

Yes, mahal pa sa Maynila!

Mahigit P200 pala ang buttered chicken. P70 ang pansit. P40 ang dalawang kanin. P30 ang mga Coke. P70 ang dalawang San Mig Light.

Hindi kasi kami nagtanong ng presyo ng pagkain bago kami umorder. Ayan!

E, magha-honeymoon na kami, OMG, OMG. Hindi puwedeng bad vibes ako, o siya.

Hay. Dinner for 2, non-aircon venue, lagpas P400. Hay. Di bale. Keri na. Keri na.

Probinsiya naman iyon. Minsan lang kaming mapadpad doon. Fresh ang sangkap ng pagkain, hindi minamadali ang preparasyon at pagluluto. Fresh ang hangin. At masarap naman ang manok. (Kaya pina-take out na lang namin ang natira, iyon na ang aalmusalin namin kinabukasan.) Keri na. Keri na.

So naglakad na kami pabalik sa Hilltop. Winawaksi na ng isip ko ang na-over the budget naming hapunan. (O sadyang kuripot lang talaga ako?)

Pagdating sa “hotel room,” nag-ready na ako para sa aming gabi. Woho!

Da bed:


Da guide (kelangan namin ito, first timers, e):


Da attire (ito lang ang suot ko, wink, wink):


Joke! Eto:


Tapos sabi ni Brand New Husband, “Higa na tayo.”

Eeeeeee! Eto na! Eto na!

Da position:


Ay, asa pa. Siyempre, pagod kami. Maghapon ang biyahe.
Zzz...


Copyright ng teksto: Bebang Siy | Copyright ng mga larawan: Bebang Siy at Ronald Verzo

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