My Rotaryo Masbateño Adventure
Many Filipinos don’t know where Masbate is. As a geography teacher, I knew where it was although I’ve never been there. All I knew about Masbate was what I usually read in books, magazines, and newspapers – cows, horses, rodeos, the Espinosas, the Khos, political vendettas, eco-tourism, bi-lingual in Bicolano and Visayan, etc. I also knew that the Korean War hero, Boni Serrano (as in the Quezon City street along Camp Crame and Camp Aguinaldo) was from Masbate.
So when AG Chuck Ravanera invited me to go with him and lecture about WCS, I immediately jumped at the chance. PP Arnel Rodelas of RC Gumaca was also invited to lecture on the RI website and using the internet as a tool for club administration. Pres. Bobby Matriano of RC Calauag tagged along for the adventure.
April 12, 4:00 AM – we finally arrived at the Pilar, Sorsogon port for the ferry boat transfer to Masbate City. Although tired and sleepless after a whole night of traveling, adrenalin was still flowing in anticipation of that unknown adventure known as Masbate.
Among his tons of baggage, AG Chuck had this gigantic wooden Rotary wheel to adorn the Rotary float during the Rodeo Masbateño parade. Yes, he lugged this all the way from Naga City so if Naga Rotarians are missing one giant Rotary wheel, now you know where it is.
April 12, 7:30 AM – the ferry boat – the puny MB City of Bacolod of Montenegro Lines – finally allowed us to board although it was not so reassuring. It looked like what it really was – a relic of the Japanese maritime industry that should have been relegated to the scrap heap decades ago. I’m still wondering why Bacolod City lent its name to this icon of the 1960s.
But since it was the fastest craft (2 hours) going to Masbate City, we gamely boarded it after paying P380 one way. The airconditioning was as old as the boat but it gamely chugged on and gave us some cool air to comfort us while we tried to grab some precious sleep. The blaring cabin music was not so helpful, though. I ended up singing between my catnaps! Nevertheless, the crew was friendly and helpful. Maybe it was because we looked like tourists out to explore the seldom-visited island of Masbate.
April 12, 9:30 AM – we finally arrive at the Masbate port. There was a large group of Masbate Rotarians to welcome us complete with tarpaulin welcome streamers. 5-6 SUVs were ready to haul us to the city.
We were brought to the Masbate Airport where the Masbate Rotarians had their clubhouse. They rented the airport restaurant and made it their meeting place. Breakfast was served and it was a portent of wonderful things (and food!) to come. Dried pusit, beef tapa, scambled eggs, and fried rice. Yummy! And lovingly prepared by their resident kusinero, Rtn. Jose “Boy” Ataat, who is also the City Health Officer. I’m not so good with names but I usually remember the cook of a good meal. The other Rotarians acted as the waiters, providing all our needs and ensuring our comfort. Pres. Teofi Tambago and rest of the gang provided top class service and no need to tip, too!
After breakfast, it was off to the hotel – the Seablick Hotel. It’s owned by a German expat who married a local lass. He has two hotels so he likes the hotel business, I guess. The hotel and its rooms were cozy, clean, aseptic and functional, a bargain at the quoted room rates. Bed and breakfast too.
The downside was there was a brownout (no electricity) until 4:00 PM that day. Bummer! So, no airconditioning, no water pump (so very weak water pressure), no lights, etc. Apparently, the whole city suffered whole daytime brownouts during Saturdays to enable the local electric coop to make some repairs and maintenance. But no complaints from us since it was city-wide. Quezonians are used to brownouts anyway.
April 12, 1:00 PM – lunch at the RC Masbate Clubhouse; steaming hot and tender Masbate bulalo, sans the commercial restaurant veggie frills – just pure Masbate beef.
April 12 – 3:00 PM – at the Liceo de Masbate, we participated in the project launching of the Biosand Water Filter of RC Masbate and RC Brighton Beach (RID 5330). People from the Pag-asa Youth Association of the Philippines explained the surprisingly simple and affordable concept of the water filter.
Sidebar: If you want to know more about this project, contact AG Chuck Ravanera. Believe me, it’s really simple and affordable (it’s made of sand and cement); ideal for a community-based clean water project.
After the Biosand Project Launching, it was time for CP Vey Abella of RC Virac (yes, Virginia, she crossed two bodies of water to get to Masbate) to talk to a group of young Masbateños about the wonderful world of Rotaract. CP Vey gave a comprehensive overview of what Rotaract was all about and how it molded young people into future leaders.
It was at this time that I met the grand old lady of Masbate City and the de facto patron of RC Masbate. No, she wasn’t a Rotarian but her heart was fully into serving her community. She was a successful business woman many times over and also regular patron of the local Rotary club, contributing to their projects and activities. But true to form, I forgot her name! All I can remember is her mane of gray hair, which enhanced her charm and elegance.
At about 5:00 PM, we were accompanied to the changi to buy dried fish and pusit. Dried pusit was at only P390 a kilo, a real bargain even for fishing towns like Calauag and Gumaca. Lucky was the stall we picked because we bought almost all her dried pusit, daing, and dilis.
April 12, 6:30 PM – back to the clubhouse where it was my turn to help Rotarize our hosts; to share WCS with the Masbate Rotarians. For good measure, CP Vey and Pres. Francis Dabu of RC Naga, joined the discussion group and contributed their own inputs and experiences. It was small compact group so there was no need for a projector or sound system. Pres. Teofi’s laptop was perfect for the intimate setting of the lecture.
April 12, 8:30 – we proceeded to Pres. Teofi Tambago’s majestic residence. He comes from a family of lawyers and most are CPA-Lawyers. How’s that for a group of overachievers! Pres. Teofi is also the manager of the local Metrobank branch, so we weren’t too worried about running out of money. Come to think of it, there were about two other bank managers in the club so we were financially secure.
Dinner was a feast out of a tourist guide book – crabs, shrimps, tapa, native chicken, grilled fish and pusit, the array was endless!
After dinner, it was PP Arnel Rodelas’ turn to earn his keep. He talked about the RI website and its various features. The garden setting of his lecture probably inspired him because his lecture took 3 hours! Anyway, the beer was flowing so by the time PP Arnel finished his lecture, all of us were ready for bed. So back to Seablick Hotel (catchy name, don’t you think?). We were too pooped out to make any sidetrip.
April 13, whole morning – AG Chuck mercifully allowed all of us to sleep late. Anyway, we were waiting for the arrival of DGN Tato Dimayuga and his party to arrive. Like us, they spent the whole previous night traveling overland from Batangas. They kept AG Chuck awake the whole night with half-hour bulletins of their location. Since electricity was resumed the afternoon before, we spent the whole morning languishing inside our airconditioned rooms.
Breakfast at Seablick was the standard tapsilog choices but it was hot and delicious.
At about 10:30 AM, it was suddenly bedlam as DGN Tato arrived with his group, most notable were PP Jenny Salud of RC San Juan, PP Kiks Satin of RC Lipa South, and PP George Dulay of RC Tanauan. Sorry to the other guys but I’m just so lousy at remembering names!
Of course the new arrivals wanted to take a rest after their exhausting travel. So it was back to our individual rooms until lunch time.
April 13, 12:30 PM – lunch was again at Pres. Teofi’s palatial home. Again, it was a buffet right out of a tourist guide book. By now, the early birds were already used to seeing a long table full of food and delicacies. But the new arrivals were, of course, rightly impressed by the wide array of food in the buffet.
After lunch it was off to Bituon Beach Resort, owned by one of RC Masbate’s Past Presidents and only Paul Harris Fellow. Calling Gov. Paeng! These Masbate Rotarians are ripe for the picking of more PHFs and PHSMs!
April 13, 3:00 PM – Bituon Beach Resort was a good 30 minutes drive outside the city. The scenery was just like any countryside in Luzon but without the choking traffic and smoke-belching jeeps and buses. We were grandly welcomed by the resort’s owner and given a quick tour of the facilities in this large resort. Lazy me opted to stay behind in the Grand Pavilion so the other guys have to describe what they saw.
The upside of staying behind was to be the first one to be served merienda – a delicious melt-in-your-mouth budin with buko slices and buko shake. The servedoras were so efficient in serving the snacks that I was able to get to two servings before the main party came back from their walking tour. Being lazy has its advantages, too!
At about 4:30 PM, we had a meeting with the club members in the grand pavilion. First was the standard “introduce yourself, your mother club and your classification ritual” Then it was DGN Tato’s turn to Rotarize the Masbateños.
He talked about the wonderful world of Rotary and TRF and two of their flagship programs – GSE and YEP; also about Matching Grants and WCS, and all the other ways Masbate could benefit from Rotary.
While all of this was going on, I espied three large ducks brought into the kitchen and overheard something about a whole goat to be slaughtered. Sure enough, when dinner was served, adobong pato and calderetang kambing! Of course there were the already standard grilled fish and veggies as pamhimagas!
April 13, 7:30 PM – it was back to the Rotary Clubhouse for a night of beer, wine, fellowship, and, yes, ballroom dancing, with dancing lights and all the other disco frills. DGN Tato, PP Kiks, PP Jenny, and all the other guys and gals burned the dancefloor until the wee hours of the morning. If this were a Cinderella story, we would all have turned into mice and horses because the party ended past 1:00 AM. So back it was to Seablick for our much-needed rest.
April 14, 8:00 AM – PP Arnel, Pres. Bobby and I were going to catch the noon ferry back to the mainland. DGN Tato’s party was staying behind for the rodeo and an island tour. Much as we wanted to stay on, our parental (read as in wife’s) permits were expiring that day.
So, Pres. Bobby and I went to the Masbate port to purchase tickets for the RORO. Nope, not the venerable fast craft, but the large, and therefore, slower – 3 hours instead of the 2 – but hopefully more reassuring RORO.
Then to the market to purchase some of those cool cowboy hats; cheap at P150-170 per depending on the quality and style. When in cowboy country, do as the cowboys do – wear a cowboy hat!
The on to the Fazenda store in the church for our pasalubongs of fresh milk (plain or flavored), beef tapa, and home baked cookies. Too bad, they run out of fresh romaine lettuce from the Fazenda farm.
Sidebar: Fazenda is a unique rehabilitation (drug addicts, alcoholics, etc) center run by Brazilian missionaries. Supposedly, there are no walls or fences. The inmates do all the farming and other stuff hence all the products sold at the Fazenda store in the church come from the center. AG Chuck, DGN Tato and the rest of the Luzon Rotarians were scheduled to visit the Fazenda farm later that day so they’ll have to describe the place and the system.
Finally and sadly, it was check out time and off to the Masbate port. To avoid tearful goodbyes, we opted to take the tricycle instead. Anyway, the Masbate Rotarians still had a handful of guests to host until the rodeo and for the island tour.
The RORO, although much larger hence more reassuring, was as old, if not older than the fast craft ferry. But size has its advantages when crossing the seas. Besides, the fare was much cheaper, P180 only. We were also able to soak in the sights of small islands that dotted the seas back to Pilar, Sorsogon.
Back in the mainland and in the comfort of our bus seats, I couldn’t help but reminisce about my Rotaryo Masbateño Adventure – the people I met (I got lots of calling cards as proof!), the rustic, small town atmosphere of Masbate City, the warmth and hospitality of the Masbate Rotarians (hey, our regular escort was a Provincial Board Member, Bokal Boy, using his Trooper SUV!), the food galore, Seablick Hotel (I really dig that name!), Fazenda, the cowboy hats, AG Chuck and his giant Rotary wheel, the Biosand Water Filter (WCS Project potential!), etc. too many to mention. Isn’t Rotary such a wonderful thing?
It was my first time to visit Masbate but I am sure it won’t be my last!
The intrepid and adventurous 3820-Rotarians who shared this wonderful experience with me were:
From RC Naga - PDS Fortunato “Tato” Mendoza, AG Carlos “Chuck” Ravanera, Pres. Francis Dabu and RS Magda, Rtn Francia “Franz” Canlas, and Rotex Claire Catherinet from France.
From RC Virac - CP Vietriz “Vhey” Abella.
From RC Calauag - PP Vince Eleazar and Pres. Roberto “Bobby” Matriano.
From RC Gumaca – PP Arnel Rodelas
From RC Tanauan – DGN Fortunato “Tato” Dimayuga and Rtn. George Dulay.
From RC San Juan (Batangas) – PP Jenny Salud and Rtn. Rudy Escartin.
From RC Lipa South – PP Thelma “Kiks” Satin.
Click on this link for all the photos.
