#everydayphilippines
With no itinerary, I decided to stay in Siargao Island for a week and with a constant talking I made friends with the local surfers. It was my first visit and I had a glimpse of the different side of the island. Early mornings and late afternoons are usually spent at the sea as I recklessly sit in between my surfboard looking at the horizon waiting for the ‘unbroken green wave.’
No photograph can capture the moment and the amount of emotion we felt as we continue to share a couple of waves while it was drizzling. Sliding in wave after wave. It was a moment of pure bliss.
— Daku Island, Siargao.
Drone photograph by: Mark Escoltura.
Ended the three-day journey from Camiguin Island with a view of a heart-shaped cay as seen from the window seat.
“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in.”
— Haruki Murakami, Kafka On The Shore.
*Feeling my ears pop, I opened my mouth to release the pressure. The bombardier tilted slightly to the left and began a slow and steady turn. Gradually, everything began to come into view. I was in awe when a sea of clouds bathed in golden light caught my eyes. Down below, the ground looked like square plots on a huge map of some kind.
Tacloban City, November 2018.
“Aginod sa Aguinid Waterfalls, Cebu.”
After four years I made another visit to Aguinid waterfalls together with Van. Hours down the road we arrived in the southern town of Cebu almost late in the morning.
I’ve heard a story that the named of the falls was based on the local term for slow, which is “aginod.” Or to walk around slowly but locals aren’t convinced as they can casually walk around the steep slopes even before the handholds and footholds were carved by the local government. Aguinid waterfall is a multi-tier waterfall. Going up was a climb of many thrills: wading in the flow or swimming where the water pools, stepping from rock to rock, climbing and pausing to take a shower. The water gushes over sparkling white slabs of limestone. The entire watercourse is blessed with cool, turquoise waters. The trail is covered with lush canopies, think of it as canyoneering’s mellow brother. It may not be as adrenaline-pumping, but it’s as rewarding.
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”Meeting Binangawan Falls in Camiguin Island.”
“Sure gyud ka?” my guide asked me. I lost count on how many times he asked me that same question as we had a rendezvous at a local bakeshop. For a minute, I knew he was skeptical but I kept my grit grounded. There was no turning back. As I steadfastly gaining balance at the back of his habal-habalI was amused listening to his countless stories of spells, enchantments and mythical creatures. He told me that the knowledge of this waterfall has been limited to a handful of locals for a long time. Hidden in an almost untouched and dense rainforest of Mt Timpoong with a trail that could send you falling into a deep ravine. Evidence of verdant grass, loose soil, fallen trees and blood sucking leeches wards off tourists from seeing her beauty.
Difficult roads often leads to a beautiful destination. A rainbow forms when the sunlight hits the gushing ice-cold water. Thus, named after the Bisayan word for rainbows “bangaw.” I was out of words with the sight and sound of the surroundings. In the midst of a wilderness, I found myself sitting on a flat surfaced boulders, marveling at my well-earned reward. For a moment I felt I was like an ‘explorer’ in the wild.
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