Are young going to Basilan? Are you sure?
Those were just among the series of questions well-meaning friends asked when I told them I was off for Basilan province for work.
Our thoughts were filled with anxiety and excitement knowing the place.
For those who are scare of Mindanao, the answer is no way! But inside me I said I will be fine, because I grew up a child of war in North Cotabato, life is life and God or Allah won’t abandon us.
As we touched down in Zamboanga International Airport, I witnessed the divergence of culture, Muslim women in hijab, boys in their garbs, Christian’s on their casual clothes and I heard multi-languages- I told myself, this is it!
I can understand what were they talking about, I am familiar with Mindanao languages (but not all words) but I got the idea, what there were up to in Chavacano (Zamboangeños), Meranaw, Maguindanao, Tausug and of course Yakan.
Outside the airport we were asked? quieres coche? and I answered cuanto cuesta el puerto que vamos a basilan? (Do you need a car? and I answered, how much to the port we are going to Basilan)
He said Tres Sientos (Three hundred) and I said okay
We travelled an hour to reach Isabela port and everything went well. I heard the dominant Yakan language everytime my questions were answered, I replied either Sukran (thank you in Arabic) or Magsukol (in Yakan), everyone was friendly.
We reached Lamitan City at around 4:20 in the afternoon, the port area was busy and every street was occupied, then we were told Thursday is the market day.
But, I can understand what they all talked about, I am familiar with Mindanao languages (but not all words) but I got the idea, what they were up to Chavacano (Zamboangeños), Maranaw, Maguindanao, Tausug and of course Yakan.
We travelled an hour to reach Isabela port and everything went well, this this I heard the dominant Yakan language everytime my questions were answered I replied either Sukran (thank you in Matanaw) or Magsukol (thank you in Yakan), everyone was friendly.
Colonel Cyril Santander, commander of the Army’s 18th Infantry Battalion sent the military vehicle and drove us to the place we stayed.
My team arrived in Lamitan City at around 4:20 in the afternoon, the port area was busy and every street occupied. We were told Thursday is the market day.
Late in the afternoon, we paid a courtesy visit to Lamitan City Mayor Roderick “Oric” Furigay. Who spoke in English and in Tagalog and there was Chavacano in between. The chief executive revealed there is a village in Lamitan where I can be so home- the village where 90 percent are Ilonggo- haha!
I had few hours with the communications officers of 18th IB, I had my cups of wow! Lamitan Coffee, a homegrown brand it was really good!
It was late night when we went out of the camp, Col. Santander offered us an escort which I deliberately declined because I want us to feel what was it like roaming in Lamitan at night, what non-Basilan residents fear- Basilan at night,
From the Army camp to our place was six (6) kilometers. We travelled without escort and it was cool. All we heard were the sounds of crickets as we feel the cold breeze of the November night.
I asked my team, are you all right? everyone answered “mingaw pero peaceful jud ” ( It is silent but it’s really peaceful). I again asked, are your afraid? and they unanimously answered “No, we are fine”.
The following day, we freely moved around Lamitan City with John Tan, our driver–everything was fine and food was great.
Tourism chief Corazon Arreola and her assistant Jarma Balneg guided us to the different destinations of Lamitan from the Gamaba Cultural Center (the weaving center) in barangay Parangbasak, to the beautiful 25-feet high and 41-meter wide Bulingan Falls and our last stop was the Tulip Garden in Sitio Panansangan, Barangay Ubit, where some 50,000 empty plastic bottles are artistically displayed as replica of the colorful tulip flowers.
The garden puts more meaning to what tulip flowers mean– perfect and deep love.
Engr. Racquel Martinez Hibionada, the chief of the General Services Office and the concurrent Environment Officer explained to us “At first, I just thought of making it more useful and suddenly I realized the tulip flowers can be easily designed and we can use the surplus paints to put colors unto it, and then mayor Rose Furigay liked the idea so– it started like that.”
We attended to the Hawaiian-themed birthday party of Mayor Oric, he turned 60. At 11:00 in the evening he headed to our place still the coolness of the breeze and the symphony of the singing crickets became our companion until we reached Sitti Auna Resort.
We will never forget the generosity of Miss Honeylyn Uy, the personal staff of the Mayor, who was attending and extending a helping hand to us from a distance.
During the entire trip, Grace Alconaba , our correspondent in Basilan province was with us, doing everything to make all things done. While Yayi Sali of Akbar town prepared the ground instantly which hastened our task.
As we bade goodbye to Lamitan City, I can say-indeed it is a city of colors in harmony.
On our last day, we visited the very clean and peaceful town of Akbar-it is dubbed as the rising town.
Mayor Sallih Ali gave us a try of Yakan delicacies and later led us to the wow! greenish-blue Linongan Island. Everyone is into fishing and fish is just an inch away below the pathway.
We headed back to Zamboanga City via the speed boat of mayor Ali and headed home to Davao.
When we arrived at the Davao International Airport, I asked Philip Tumaroy, Eugene Dango and the rest of my team, How’s the trip? everyone answered “There was fun in Basilan”. Meaning the enjoyed the food, the people and the travel. Aboveall, it was safe and people are warm.
There is no perfect place in the world today and everyone wants peace.
Least that we must think, peace starts in our hearts,
If we want to live in peace, we must start cultivating the seeds of peace in our hearts, Work for peace, then live in peace.
Merry Christmas!
