Catanduanes in the Rough

 

I did a little waypoint research for places to see in Catanduanes about a week prior to leaving. There was so little available information online it got me worried that there might be nothing in the province to entice me with.  

I missed my flight with friends direct toVirac so I had to catch another one to Legaspi where I took a van to Tabaco before taking a ferry to the port town of San Andres in Catanduanes. I downloaded the PDF book of THE ROUGH GUIDE TO THE PHILIPPINES for some reading while I travel on my own, which got me pretty much more interested than I was when I left Manila.

". . . another area of the Philippines ripe for exploration, 

a large, rugged, rural island 

with mile upon mile of majestic coastline. 

It hasn't felt the impact of tourism 

because getting there has been a problem until recently

 . . . This is no reason to stay away, however."

-- Rough Guide to the Philippines by David Dalton

Approaching the island looked promising. The edge is thick with trees and the background are small mountains. In between the foreground and background are a building or two that are surprisingly a little too modern for what I expected to see in the island. I got off the ferry in the afternoon and had to go to Virac because apparently it's the only town with lodging houses I could stay overnight. I was so tempted to stay another day to explore the caves and beaches and church  at the south of the island, but friends were beckoning up northwest. 

By morning, I took the bus going to Sabangan and traveled 3-hours through the side of the mountains, overlooking the beautiful ocean and passed towns that looked and felt the same as the last. 

road-side scenery

provincial twilight

The roads aren't always paved and when it wasn't, the ride was really rough and "bumpy" being high in the meter. I basically ate dirt and my white kurti was brown on the hems by the time I got to my destination. The bus driver and the jolly ticket conductor seem to know everyone as they often exchange pleasantries with nearly anyone on the road; I actually just told them where to drop me off since I've never been to Sabangan before.

Immediately upon meeting my friends that afternoon,  we trekked to a waterfall at the neighboring town. 

 

I wasn't too impressed with the waterfall itself, having chased a lot of waterfalls since the latter part of 2011, but I can't pass off a chance to walk on fallen logs and jump off platforms as you can see below:

What I do find awesome about this trip are the islets between Catanduanes and mainland Bicol that our boatmen said could take you to the middle of the Pacific Ocean should you be lost in bad weather. 

the little boat we used for the 1-hr sea-crossing

our approach from the sea

With Catanduanes being smack in the path of our typhoon-highway, stories of fishermen and water commuters are numerous and sometimes quite horrifying -- lost at sea for weeks, ending up in Taiwan; women surviving losing nipples and parts of their breasts from small sea creatures by the time they reach shore, only made possible through the guidance of big sea turtles etc. etc.

I can't tell you more how beautiful the seascape is, traveling from Sabangan to Panay islands except with these pictures. The water clarity was as the water coming from your tap -- it was absolutely fabulous!

 

After all that, you can imagine how disturbed I was when we found an emptied shell of a sea turtle floating towards the shore . . . Our boatman deduced that it must've been just slaughtered for food, either somewhere at sea or in the island, as the meat was still freshly frayed from the inside of the shell. 

Our boatmen brought the shell back to the main island of Catanduanes on our way back.

I don't understand why people would eat such beautiful creatures as wild pawikans when there are already the domesticated chicken and pork and beef ready for consumption (not that I eat any of the above food-group) for the omnivores. I have this long-standing question to humanity: if invading aliens are to destroy our specie, and asks for ANYONE to vouch for our survival, do you think anyone will stand on our behalf to say we deserve to be saved? What will all the cows say? What will the dolphins say? What will the sea turtles say?

This, for me, the the most important exposure in this trip. In the city, how would I have known first hand the slaughter of these beautiful creatures? At the vulnerable situation of the wildlife in our country face everyday, constantly exposed to danger from man despite laws that protects them. The buildings, the mass in the streets, the screen of my computer defuses the gravity of the death I could touch at that moment. 

"Sec. 2. Prohibition. - It shall be unlawful to take or catch dolphins, whales and porpoises in Philippine waters or to sell, purchase, possess, transport or export the same whether dead or alive, in any state or form whether raw or processed. PROVIDED, That the Secretary of Agriculture (DA), upon the recommendation of the Director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), may issue a special permit in favor of any government or private agency engaged in purely scientific research on dolphins, whales, and porpoises, including those to be used for exhibition and show purposes subject such terms and conditions as the said Secretary may deem wise to impose."

"It shall likewise, be unlawful to wound or kill dolphins, whales and porpoises in the course of fishing. Dolphins, whales, and porpoises, which are accidentally included in the catch by any gear or washed ashore alive, shall be immediately released unharmed into the sea; otherwise the liability shall be deemed to still exist. Dead whales, dolphins or porpoises that are washed ashore shall be reported and/or surrendered to the nearest Department of Agriculture (DA) office for proper disposition and documentation."

What I bore witness to absolutely dampened what an otherwise was a wonderful experience in the islands between Caramoan and Caramoran.  I could show you all the pictures and the videos, but in my head all I could see was that slaughtered turtle. All I wish is that when you get a chance to go there, you will not bear witness to the same . . .

as TV shows normally end things: "join me next time"

GETTING THERE BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT / TRAVEL TIME / DAMAGE TO THE POCKET:
* Route 1: Direct flight Manila to Virac (airfare depends on airline).

* Route 2: Fly from Manila to Legaspi (airfare depends on airline). 1-hr van ride from the main terminal in Legaspi to Tabaco (PhP50 at the time of writing). 3-hr ferry trip from the port of Tabaco: to the town of Virac in the morning, or San Andres at 1PM (Non-A/C @ PhP170). 

* Route 3: RSL bus from Manila to Virac (call the bus line for their latest fare matrix).