Sunday, July 6, 2008

On assignment in Batanes • Day 2

We set out for Sabtang at sunrise from San Vicente (found out that the locals don’t use the port of Ivana anymore since they consider the fact that the church facing the sea can mean bad luck).I  was on a mission here since twice I tried to cross over in the past and twice, the weather denied me the chance. our guide, Mang Romy Merida and my Ivatan friend, Manny, were all-smiles once we set foot on the shores of sentro. as part of the team sponsored by the Batanes Cultural Travel Agency (BCTA), I didn’t’ really have to worry about anything like hiring the jeepney that will take us around from sentro to the towns of Savidug (where the homestay program is being implemented), and Chavayan (where the beautiful Nakabuang Beach can be found). We rode the boat going to and from Sabtang with the mayor who nonchalantly stays on the boat’s prow the whole trip and eagerly chats with us. Talk about the total absence of protocol. Image details: 82 year old Aling Filomena Hubalde is Sabtang Island's oldest resident. At her age, she still goes to her field daily to farm, a testament to the island's work ethic.

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