Come to Bohol for the 2015 Sandugo Festival!

Last year's winner of the Sandugo Street Dancing (Photo grabbed from Sandugo FB)

This week, Bohol is in a celebratory mood.

First, July is the Sandugo month around Bohol. But most of the activities are focused on Tagbilaran, the province’s capital.

Sandugo, literally translated as blood compact, celebrates the treaty of friendship between Datu Si Katuna and Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legaspi in 1565. Boholanos often brag about this event since Spain was literally welcomed in Bohol while Magellan was killed when he and his men went to the nearby island of Cebu.

Sandugo Festival since then is scheduled every July despite the fact that the blood compact happened in March. Sandugo has become a filler because there are no big events in July and Filipinos all over the world are coming in for their yearly summer vacations.

So came the Tigum Bol-anon sa Tibuok Kalibutan (TBTK).

TBTK is the gathering of Boholanos from around the world. It is a biennial activity. It was first celebrated in Bohol and various places abroad since then. Boholanos are welcomed with cultural activities in the pageantry of Boholano fiesta.

So July is actually a month of merrymaking in Bohol.

How to get to Tagbilaran

There are several flights coming in from Manila to Tagbilaran served by major airlines like Cebu Pacific, Philipine Airlines and Air Asia. The flights usually take an hour.

There are also fastcrafts coming in from Cebu, a major destination in the Philippines. OceanJet, Weesam Express and SuperCat 2Go have more than 2 daily trips from Cebu to Tagbilaran.

There are also boats coming from Mindanao and nearby islands.

When in Tagbilaran, the major transport is the tricycle. A word of caution though, tricycles have their own ghost tariff rates. They can dictate the fare as they please. Don’t mind if there are religious quotes on them. Some are rude. So a note of advice before riding in- HAGGLE. 

Important links

Tigum Bol-anon sa Tibuok Kalibutan

Sandugo Festival 2015

My friend, Chris Ramasola's winning Sandugo logo

The festival has begun

Three days before the Sinulog Mardi Gras, the streets of Cebu are already bursting with the sights and sounds and smell of fiesta. No, wait, the celebrations has started since last week actually.

So if you are planning to visit Cebu City this weekend be prepared to master the art of eluding massive crowds or else have your patience extended 700 times seven.

Pit Senyor!

Fasting and Ramadan: Patience and Misconceptions

On our way to our fasting break, I asked Ary why he had a flight schedule when it will be a holiday on Monday. Our driver, upon hearing, asked me why it would be a holiday this Monday. I told him some influential person died and will be buried on Monday. I regretted having informed him. We were literally bombarded non-stop, for about 15 minutes, of his anger towards Gloria Arroyo. Puro na lang ta holiday ani sa Pilipinas natapulan na ta. These holidays made us lazy Filipinos.

Patience, in moments like this, is a virtue.

Which reminds me to use my patience again when asked about my fasting during Ramadan. Until now people still ask. I give my answer.

I found out that we are still biased against our Muslim brothers and sisters. Many times, we smirk at the thought of Ramadan because we Christians believed fasting is unnecessary and only for show especially when Muslims overstuff themselves during the night. Magpista man na sila inig ka gabii. They are having a fiesta during the night. And when Filipinos say the magic word FIESTA, we are reminded of anything in excess. Pork, food, liquor.

I found this shocking and not true.

For one, when you are fasting, the thought of stuffing yourself in excess (food, to be specific) after the break, would find you in a terrible state. Although the thought of food is a welcome relief, it would do you no good to overeat. In my case, I barely have the energy to eat after the break. I have to eat for nourishment and for me to survive another day.

I am an incessant drunk, but having a bottle of beer after dinner made my head ache and my stomach upset. So the thought of them Muslims stuffing like it is the end of the world is purely fabricated.

When you are hungry, you will learn a lot of lessons in life. Your spirituality, your connection with God and other beings, your relationship with other people, your fragile life. You even won't mind people trying to destroy you. You live your life. You pray. I know I am too preachy and I know I would only be jeered. That is called life. Patience, my dear.

Today is my 16th day of fasting. I shall make it to the 21st of September. And I will. But this fasting stuff won't make me a saint. Promise.

In conclusion I share with you this prayer from a Muslim-

May your blessings be too many to count. And your worries too few to matter. May your days be full of sunshine. And your nights in comfort. May you never go hungry. And be able to share your bounty. May God bless and protect you. And strengthen your faith. May you be free from oppression, hatred, persecution and fear. Please remember those who go hungry all year long. Ramadan Mubarak to all.

(pic from in-gender.com)

Siksik sa Laman

Yeah, just like packed sardines, riding in a public bus after our town fiesta in Batuan, Bohol is a terrible hitch to Tagbilaran, the province's capital city. Good for me I was seated smacked between two drunk men bringing fighting cocks.

But nothing more packed and meaty than this lady, on my way to Cebu City via Weesam Express. Excuse me Ma'am you are blocking my way!

That Was A Feast

Despite the claims of government officials that we have a rice crisis, we actually can buy as much rice as our money can buy, if you have the money. Is it RICE CRISES or MONEY CRISES? Hayyy so many things are now being invented by the government to cover-up its inefficiency and the obviously obvious corruption.

Despite with that fact, we go on feasting (attention Bohol fiestas) and buying things other people can't buy. Look around, even Carbon market is busy with the haggling and business is alive and well.

Speaking of feast, I had a great lunch the other week with my housemates. Our feast consisted of red rice, steamed okra with bagoong, isda pinaksiw style with vegetables and a bottle of ice-cold Coke was consumed heartily!

I have to burp many times.

Excuse me.