Up North: UPDATE

So very much can and does happen in three months time.  Has it been three months already?  Let’s check the calendar and see.  We arrived home in mid-July and November is replacing October on the calendars.

Yes, I guess we have been here for about three and a half months – time for an update on what could and did happen.   There have been dry, sunny days as well as typhoon-induced windy and rainy days.  There have been good days, great days, and days better left to history alone.  

I’ll highlight the better-known (and reported) incidents.  They are, however, just the tip of this tropical iceberg called Live in the Philippines, Up North.

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HEADLINE:  Katulong – Lost and Found!

As you may know, the katulong who had taken care of our house in our absence, greeted us when we arrived, and helped us unpack is no longer in our employ.  She left us for that “higher calling” of love and marriage, and appears to be getting along well in that endeavor.  After what felt like an eternity of searching, we employed a new, part-time katulong.

An Ilocano proverb fits our situation pretty well:  “Ti napíli makapíli ti kuggangí.”  [He who is choosy often picks the worst.]

So far, so good:  our new katulong is learning the ins and outs of the job and of our expectations.  Sure, as with all new employees, there have been a few hiccups.  We solved those with improved communications, explaining the job’s requirements and limits.  You can’t do well if you don’t know what it is you are to do! 

Progress was positive, then what I believe was the inevitable happened.  You see, our katulong is a fisherman’s wife and has lived in poor fishing sitios and puroks all her life.  Not only was she learning how to keep house for us, she was learning how to keep house, period.  (It’s the often-observed result of a culturally pleasing affirmative answer whenever most pinoys/pinays are asked if they can do something.  “Can you do the work of a katulong?”  “Oh, yes!”)  She now says that we “may not be seeing her for a little while.”  (Translation:  “I give up; I’m quitting!”)

So, it will be back to “search mode” for baket ko (asawa ko) [my wife].  She still has some prospects lined up, and I’m still partial to fried Spam & rice, so things will work out.  (A little cuter this time, honey!)

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HEADLINE:  “The ‘BRO” & Internet Connectivity

Another search, this one a little more adventurous, resulted in putting us “on-line” and connecting us with the world via the Internet.  We sought out, found and obtained “broadband” service through SMART Bro.  Though fate stymied my further search for the “Share It” router and its 2Mbyte service, I remain happy with what service I have.  After all, I have “The ‘BRO’s” word that this higher speed service, which has yet to make its way to the smaller municipalities of outlying provinces, will be available next year.  In addition, I’m sure I could say that my current service is faster than “dial-up” if I had landline telephone service for comparison.

Sure, as with all new systems, there have been a few hiccups.  (I’m getting a sense of déjà vu – seems I’ve seen that somewhere before.)  Ever since the seven-day brown-out that accompanied and followed the show-stopping, three-time appearance of Typhoon Peping in early October, my connectivity has been spotty at best.  (Okay, Paul, enough with all of those hyphenated-words . . . now stop that!)  Service finally came to a halt some nights ago.  A call on the SMART Bro Hot Line resulted in the scheduling of a visit by a crack SMART Bro Tech Team on Saturday, same week.  (The little truck appeared at noon.  Manolito, Mo-Mo and Jackie-Boy had returned and they repaired a bad connection to the feed-cable inside the antenna unit.  THANK YOU, SMART Bro.) Coincidently, the LBC courier showed up the day before the “halt” with the SMART Bro bill that is due in two days’ time.  Do I detect an adventure (”turn over the money and will give you back your service”) story here somewhere?

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HEADLINE:  Rainy Season Nixes Movement

Wet weather continues to keep us close to home though, as reported here, we managed to venture out a couple of times.  This past week has been a little drier than most.  What that really means is that the rains start a little later in the day.  Planning trips or outings that will take longer than half a day is not yet possible, as, by the time you know the weather will hold for the day, there isn’t much time left in the day for the outing.

Sure, as with all . . . (insert your favorite “hiccup” déjà vu line here).  A few outings started out dry but ended up with our damp turn around for home.  There are plenty of dry days ahead of us, so those trips and outings (and their resulting articles and reports) will be on the back burner for the not so dry now.

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HEADLINE:  Wee Hour Wee Visitors

It appears that we had another visit from the “small people,” as our nephew refers to them.  I’ll refrain from saying the name “Aeta,” as I’ve since learned that they don’t really enjoy that label (ditto for “Negritos” or “Pugot”).  For lack of their proper tribal name, then, I’ll borrow on our nephew’s diplomacy and refer to them as “small people,” too.  The chronicler for this visit was our Auntie, the mother of the nephew who related the first visit.  Auntie was more forthcoming and timely in her report.

This episode involved only two small individuals for whom all of the neighborhood dogs barked as before (déjà vu for two?).  One of the two peered in through the gate while the other sat and enjoyed a smoke (Auntie believes it was a hand-rolled cigarette, or something of that nature, as this person’s hands were a bit busy prior to the smoke).  They stayed around for the duration of the latter’s moment of pleasure, only to hasten off again when they detected Auntie watchfully eying them.  She described them as short, stout, very dark almost black, very curly short hair, wearing shirts, shorts and slippers, and being very fleet of foot.  Having a longer look at the “small people” than her son had previously, Auntie was able to provide more detail in her descriptions of everything she witnessed.

Where was your humble columnist during this episode, you ask?  As before, here was a chance for a nocturnal, cultural adventure, AND I SLEPT RIGHT THROUGH IT!  Baket ko (Asawa ko) [My wife] now makes sure that any dog barking at night is answered by my sleepy-eyed gaze and investigation.

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HEADLINE:  Three Strikes & You’re Out!

I guess this is the major story of our first three months.  Typhoon Peping took three good strikes at us, and then was out to sea for good.  It was very similar to my going through the same typhoon three times in five day’s time while stationed in Okinawa during the early seventies.  (What is it with all of this déjà vu stuff, anyway?  Am I repeating unlearnt history?)

My “Fascination with Rice” took a new turn.  The beautiful rice crop that was in the paddies took it kind of tough during those three passes.  Early estimated reports of damage were high, but farmers are replacing those estimates with lower ones.  There were three or four different plantings of the rice crop, with the most damage suffered by the youngest crop (last planted).  Its “flowering” is doubtful and it will most likely end up as just straw.

The first planted crop was close to harvest time, so it suffered “field loss” damage – some of the grains were blown off the plant, leaving others still attached a little weaker and prone to drop off “in the field.”  The result will be fewer grains harvested and marketed.

Damage to crops planted between the first and last is extremely hard to compute.  All crops planted were a hybrid version formulated to withstand excess water and storms.  Though some of these crops were “laid down” by the high winds, signs of resurrection are hopeful.  The worries here are just how long will standing water remain in the fields, will the rice grains fill out properly, will disease or pests infect the crop, etc.

No one will really know the total damage until after the final harvest.  Prices at the market for harvested, un-milled rice may go up a little and help offset the losses a little, but profit may still be a big squeeze for the farmers, not to mention the effects of rice availability, etc.

Personally, my “banana crop” loss is approximately 75%.  I lost one entire fruiting tree and half of the fruit of another.  The remaining fruit on the latter is yet to approach harvest time, so who knows what could happen.  The three typhoon passes also eliminated 100% of the eggplant that was almost ready for harvest.  Three of four malunggay trees snapped in half with most of the remaining leaves being lost to the wind as well (good thing we harvested leaves before the storm).  I still have five calamansi fruits on one bush, and a second bush is trying to recover from storm damage.

(Note:  At the time I am drafting this acticle, Typhoon Lupit [Ramil] is threatening to finish up the damage started by Peping, and throw in some of its own for good measure.  We can only hope it decides to wend its way north an miss The Philippines all together.   We’ll find out later this week just what are Lupit’s (Ramil’s) intentions.  You have to love living here and put up with its storms, or else leave.

Further update:  After snaking around the Philippine Sea for a week, it appears that Lupit had made an abrupt turn to the ENE, lost some of its power – being downgraded to Tropical Storm – and is headed for Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands.  For this storm, waiting seems to be its worst aspect.  While six international weather services have amended their projections for Lupit to coincide with its current movements, they still warn that “the snake” could turn for us again as well as intensify prior to visiting.  That won’t happen as Lupit was last seen skirting up the coast of Japan, having lost a lot of its intensity and dispersing in cooler, northern sea waters as a low pressure area. 

Harvesting rice has become very hard work.  The fields are still flooded from all the rains, the rice plants are all soaked and heavily laden with moisture; and the cutting, carrying, threshing, etc. is more back-breaking than ever.  Reminds me of shovelling “wet” snow is winters past.

Oh yes:  Lupit hasn’t affected the remaining banana crop.  For the “Bananaphiles” out there, eight hands remain, each averaging between 14-16 fingers.)

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That’s the UPDATE from Up North.  All in all, I make a poor farmer and a merely average resident.  I just hope my article writing is a little better.

Yes I’m Alive, I Think!

Why? (One could ask!) Would any human being desire a trip to Mega Manila? I’d sooner drive a Peterbilt 18 wheeler through New York City at 5pm rush hour, or accept a sharp stick in my eye, so I hired a driver! Four hours from my house in Dinalupihan Bataan to the Philippine Capital or NCR.  What does the “MEGA” in Mega Manila mean? (Oh, I know, mega problems), the reason for the trip was that I came to renew my un-expired Retired Military ID card as requested by letter from some very high placed government official. I arrived at the location designated in a most official letter I had received from The U.S. Government asking me to visit them at a hotel in Manila. Very Nice Hotel on the U.S. Taxpayers dime I might add.

I told the driver to park and I entered the hotel to find the visiting ID card people. Four Minutes later I’m seated in front of a computer station and the young lady from the States is proving to the computer that I am indeed me. Three minutes later I process a new and updated Military ID card and had time to chat. The reason that I was there, I discovered, was because retirees in the P.I. seem to live an extraordinary long time, Spanish American War Veterans were still collecting their checks. And for some reason the Government had serious doubts that this could be true. I told them I felt it was more than likely true.

You see in 1997 I pulled into Manila Harbor onboard the USNS Tippecanoe (T-AO-99) and noticed while boarding the liberty boat, that there was not one Pinoy from the ship with gray hair, whereas, the day before there was. This could only bring me to the conclusion that the waters of Manila Bay must contain magical properties, or at best be the true Fountain of Youth!

I told the young lady a story on how this longevity occurs. A Local Bank in Olongapo City in the 1970’s told the Filipina wife, she could not pick up her husband’s money without his thumb print. He had lost both legs to diabetes after retiring from a base Civil Service job, and she had to load him into the car once a month and take him to the bank. After he passed she never notified the U.S. Government and still went to the Bank every month to collect his (her?) money, but now she only had to take his frozen thumb in a cooler.

The young ID card lady from Washington seemed to view that with much humor, and went to explain my theory of Philippine Longevity to her fellow workers, who stopped working and started laughing. I departed, thinking, “What do they know?” I choose to live here, and am kinda’ glad I do, as I want to live forever also!

Flying to Tuguegarao

Last month, I needed to go up to Abulug in order to pick up Rebecca and Juanito. We are back and forth to the province about every month, depending on what needs to be done up there. Over the course of this year, with Juanito’s adoption in progress and several land transactions (along with a squatter problem), we have had to go to Abulug more often than normal… And it usually involves things that Rebecca must do, rather than my being the helpful Kano husband. Abulug is 120 km away from the closest airport, in Tuguegarao. To get up there, there are three ways to go: Drive, bus, or Fly and drive. Each way of travelling has its’ own advantages and disadvantages, and we tend to use whichever method suits our needs for a particular trip. Of the three travelling methods, we use the bus the most, followed by me driving, and flying the least often.

Here’s how we travel, with the approximate costs, time, advantages, and disadvantages. I hope this is helpful to expats when deciding how to travel within the country… The relative advantages, disadvantages, and costs are roughly comparable throughout most of the country, regardless of  your destination. Note that we normally rent a car up North when I travel (Rebecca never learned how to drive)… At the end, I’ll detail how to do that in the province (No Avis or Hertz in most small provincial towns).

By bus:

Cost: Florida Lines, Cubao or Sampaloc to Tuguegarao, Aparri, or Ballesteros.

400 pesos each way, per person for Ordinary (Small seats, no aircon, many stops)… 12 hours to Tuguegarao, 16 to Aparri or Ballesteros.

650 pesos each way, per person for Deluxe (Same as Ordinary, but with padded seats, aircon, and video… Planned stops every 2-3 hours)… Same time as Ordinary.

850 pesos each way, per person, for Super Deluxe (Wide seats, aircon, videon, one stop or nonstop)… 9 hours to Tuguegarao. No Service to Aparri or Ballesteros. (FX, Jeepney, or drive from there, about 3 hours).

950 pesos each way, per person, for Sleeper (very comfortable Lie-flat seats, nonstop, only one bus per day to each origin station). 8-9 hours to Tuguegarao. No service to Aparri or Ballesteros. (FX, Jeepney, or drive from there, about 3 hours).

Rebecca has been taking the bus back and forth to Abulug from the time she was an infant. Note that there is normally no central bus station in Philippine towns (There used to be a Central terminal in Cubao during the Marcos years, but that has long since disappeared)… Each bus company operates its’own stations along their allotted routes. The locations of the station you depart from depend on where you are going and which bus company owns the route. For Tuguegarao, it is Florida Lines and Victory Lines, primarily, with a few smaller bus companies also. Once you ride a route, you learn where the stops are located for meals, though I must caution tender Western stomachs to be really careful when eating along bus routes. We always take the busses that leave in the early evening, travelling overnight, and arriving very early AM in Tuguegarao (or late AM in Ballesteros).

Advantages:

1. Virtually unlimited amounts of baggage (Generally, for two people, 3 bags / boxes per person… Over that, you buy a “seat” for your cargo, either officially, or unofficially by making a deal with the driver or conductor.) This is an advantage for us since there are times we may be carrying several hundred kg of “stuff” with us to the province.

2. Very cheap way to travel.

3. Ironically, very relaxing. The stops break up the trip, and, if travelling in daytime, a beautiful route with nice scenery.

Disadvantages:

1. It is a bloody long ride, and very hard day… Lose a day up and a day back. Except the sleeper bus, it can be difficult to get much sleep.

2. The bus drivers tend to set the aircon cold enough to hang meat in the bus (or freeze all testicular function).

3. We have had things stolen from baggage on the bus (While we were asleep… an Ipod and Cell Phone)… Keep valuables close at hand.

Driving:

Cost: I pay 2,000 pesos per day, plus petrol (one tank up and one tank back) for a Nissan Sentra (Private owner… Hertz and Avis average 3,500, but you are insured and not responsible for any damage… an issue. Read my earlier article about driving at night). (Average 10,000 pesos for short, up and back, trips… 3 days minimum).

Time: 14 hours minimum, each way (I made it once 13.5 hours, but in bad traffic, it also took 19 hours once.)

Advantages:

1. No need to rent a vehicle up North.

2. Lots of room for baggage and cargo.

3. Ability to stop whenever we want.

4. No problem on Juanito’s car seat.

Disadvantages:

1. Long, hard, drive, with few hotels along the way to sleep over. After going up and back, I need time to recover.

2. Dangerous at night.

3. More expensive.

Flying:

Cost: Despite the low fares advertised, it averages out at 5,000 pesos per person each way after taxes, departure fees, and taxi to the airport.

Time: 2 hours screwing around at the airport, 45 minutes flight time. Tuguegarao flights are ALWAYS late(Every time I’ve flown there, sometimes by up to 3 hours. Still need to get to Abulug after landing, so + 3 hours). Minimum time 6 hours.

Advantages:

1. Despite delays, quick and less stressful. Still have 1/2 day in Abulug on travel days.

2. Relatively comfortable.

3. Flights depart from NAIA Terminal 3… New and stress free.

Disadvantages:

1. Tight baggage weight / pc restrictions (This is a BIG issue with us). Restrictions are more strict on domestic flights.

2. Limited number of flights (One each daily, Air Philippines and Cebu Pacific). The return flight turns around immediately, and each airline departs near the same time, so impossible to fly up and back the same day (You need minimum of one night overnight in Tuguegarao).

3. Most expensive way to travel.

4. Still need to get from Tuguegarao. (Going by FX averages 500 pesos for Filipinos each way, 1,000 pesos for Kanos each way…Unless you are a highly skilled negotiator… The drivers are all in Kahoots, so the rates are fairly standard, including Kano pricing).

Car Rental in Tuguegarao or Aparri:

As I mentioned above, I tend to rent a car when I go up to Abulug. There are a number of reasons behind this, not least of which is that since Rebecca’s mother does not own a car, there is usually some hauling and other tasks that need to be done up on the farm. Additionally, we tend to go to Tuguegarao and then shop, do other chores, before heading up to Abulug. A vehicle makes these tasks much, much easier. As I mentioned, there aren’t many car rental options outside of Manila, Cebu, Davao, and GenSan, so how do we rent a vehicle? Well, the answer is that we rent from Becky’s large, extended family. In Tuguegarao, we rent a Mitsubishi Pajero from an in-law at 2,500 pesos per day, plus petrol. In Aparri, we rent an FX from Rebecca’s uncle for 2,000 pesos per day, plus petrol. Filling the tank on each of these vehicles usually costs between 2,500 and 3,000 pesos for diesel. We are 100% responsible for any damage, regardless of fault (Even a flat tire… I had to get one fixed… You don’t just call Avis!)… Something to keep in mind before making these types of arrangements. Also, when you rent from Hertz or a company, the daily rate clock is 24 hours from when you pick up the car… Expect in these types of arrangements to pay an extra day over the time you rent, because they always count sun-up to sundown as a full “day” . Most Jeepneys and FXs can also be rented by the day, with driver, averaging 2,000 pesos for an FX or 1,000 pesos for a jeepney… The drivers wait for the busses and flights to arrive and congregate there at those times. You just need to ask around at the airport or bus depot… SOMEONE will rent to you there.

Hopefully, you found this article helpful before heading out into the sticks… Again, costs and times are relative, but having travelled in all three regions of the Philippines, they are relatively consistent in my experience.

Going Bananas Over Rainy Season (Pt II)

It’s been quite a quest to beat the blues of “Rainy Season,” but those blues appear to be on the run.  They’re being chased by a purplish pod – a banana blossom – and little green hands of banana fingers that, when ripened and yellow, should provide delicious entertainment to our taste buds. 

Going bananas?  Seeing colors?  Too much time without direct sunshine and Vitamin D?  Just what is going one here?

Have patience, dear reader, as we unwrap the pedals of this blossoming tale.

Continuing my wordy love affair with a fairer fruit, we resume the log as something afoul approaches:

10/01/2009 - I thought I would get some photos from a different angle.  This shot provides a better view of the hands that have been uncovered and the beginning of their rise toward the sky.  No pedals dropped away today, but a few more seem to be getting ready for the leap.  This blossom is starting to look like the typical bunch of bananas.

 

 

 

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10/02/2009 – Hands and fingers are really popping out all over. As we are expecting a visit from Typhoon Pepeng (Parma), and don’t know when the first band of rain showers and winds will appear, I took this picture a little earlier in the afternoon. Wow! Look at all those fingers – and to think there are more under each of those pedals. I’ll have to ask Emy to dig up some banana recipes. We certainly will have enough ingredients! Also might be able to sell some at the tienda (palengke) [market].

 

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10/3/2009 – We had heavy, periodic rain overnight accompanied by some stong wind gusts. Today is mostly overcast and periodic downpours and gusts. During a break between rains, the sun came out and so did the digital camera. Last night’s weather helped clear a few pedals from the blossom and reveal the hands hiding beneath them. There are quite a few hands attached to the stem, and still a lot of pedals left to shed. The plant next to this one is showing signs of a possible blossom, too. Oh, the bananas!

 

 

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10/04/09 – Typhoon Pepeng visited us last night, and demanded bananas.  We bartered all night long – he was quite windy – and we came to an arrangement.  Pepeng would take the banana plant that was just starting to show signs of a blossom.  I could keep the banana plant that I had been documenting, but . . . .  So others would know that he drives a hard bargain, Pepeng tipped my banana plant about 45°.  The fruit should continue to develop but it’s as if the plant has a sign that says, “Pepeng was here” hanging about its branches.  For the rest of the day, Pepeng danced all around the neighborhood, making a bargain here, taking something there, breaking something way over there, etc.

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10/05/2009 – The typhoon is lingering about 245km away, and weather conditions let up enough for a close-up of our surviving banana plant.  The hands look healthy, but I still wonder if all will be well.  There is word that Typhoon Pepeng may return.  If so, will Pepeng demand more bananas?   After all these days, I’d hate to give them up.

 

 

 

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10/06/2009 – Typhoon Pepeng must have liked his bananas.  He made a U-turn and came back across Pasuquin and Ilocos Norte.  My small banana grove now consists of four small (less than a meter tall) plants and the plant that I’ve been tracking.   All I can do is to wait and see whether my survivor is on Pepeng’s menu.

 

 

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10/07/2009 – The storm left us heading south.  Pepeng must have taken someone else’s bananas as my survivor is still hanging in there.  Unfortunately, the winds associated with Pepeng’s return removed some of the blossom’s pedals prematurely.  You can see the under-developed fingers near the blossom.  All with be touch-and-go from this point on.  I don’t know if there was any internal damage to the plant.  Gee, what a way to chase the rainy season blues away!

 

 

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10/08/2009 – We had to remove the plant’s blossom from the bunch.  It is no longer producing fingers that would develop into edible fruit.  While the amputation was a rather sad occasion, something positive resulted as well.  When a blossom has produced all of the fingers it has, its remaining part is edible as well.  Like an artichoke, peeling away the remaining leaves reveals a “heart.”  Though one can eat it raw, the heart is a great ingredient for making a delicious soup.

 

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10/09/2009 – The remaining hands of banana fingers on the bunch are in need of sunshine.  Overcast skies remain from the weather systems that passed over us.  Whether or not these remaining hands will survive and become fruit will be up to the sun.  Having gone a week without sunshine (and mostly harsh winds and rain) can’t be too good for fruiting.

 

 

 

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10/10/2009 – Finally, the sun is out.  Birds are singing. Farmers are gathering in their rice fields to assess storm damage to their rice crops.  Me?  I’m looking at what’s left of my bananas.  Perhaps another story may come from this plant.  Another story may come from its twin that was starting to show those familiar signs of motherhood right next to my plant, until Pepeng knocked her to the ground and took her bananas.   Who knows?  For now, however, it’s time to end the log.

 

-:-

All should be convinced by now:  I’ve gone bananas over rainy season!

Going Bananas Over Rainy Season (Pt I)

As I write this article, it is still the “Rainy Season” up here in Pasuquin.  This season usually runs from sometime around May or June to sometime during the “ber” months.  One just can’t put a finger on a definite period – like seven days in a week – to define this season.  (I was going to use a month for an example but, you know, 30, 31, 28, or 29 days doesn’t really make my point.)  Rainy season starts when the rains start, and ends when the rains end, more or less.

Technically, the season is rooted in such things like tropical convection zones, monsoonal conditions, tropical depressions, and so on.  All I care to know is whether I’ll need my payong (payong) [umbrella] when I go out.  Sometimes the rains are monsoon-like:  A constant, consistent rainfall that hardly varies at all for hours on end.   Most common are afternoon and evening thunderstorms.  Occasionally, a tropical depression develops into a tropical storm that builds into a typhoon.  That means a lot of very mean rain and very high winds, plus chances for thunderstorms and funnel clouds/waterspouts.

We felt the last round of storms – those that caused the horrific flooding in Manila and surrounding areas – as gusty winds and one Friday night’s worth of very mean downpours and thunderstorms.  The next morning, rice fields revealed that a few microbursts of wind and rain flattened the crop in some small areas.  Sort of like “crop circles” but definitely storm related.  Other than that, not much damage accompanied the driving rains.

The Thursday before the storm, I was alone.  Baket ko (Asawa ko) [My wife] Emy was in Manila with some relatives picking up a used car and bringing it back up north.  While they were fortunately making their way north, I celebrated my 60^th birthday by discovering a curious growth on one of our banana trees.

There was a purplish growth or pod coming out from the top leaves.  I hadn’t noticed it before but there it was.  This definitely was not another leaf to grow and unfurl, as did a number of leaves before it.  Nature was providing me a birthday present.  The tree was producing a blossom – I was going to be a daddy to a bunch of bananas!

As I looked at it, I thought, “Here’s a way to chase any rainy season-induced blues away.  I’ll document its growth with pictures.  A picture a day – that should keep me busy for the rest of the rainy season, however long that may be.  I’ll add some comments and have a logbook or a (ho-hum) journal.  (In my youth I developed a severe dislike for journals – those were things that the “snooty kids” would make for extra credit in school.)

My goal will be to put together an interesting article, while beating back those blues.  Hopefully readers will enjoy this little log.

09/24/09 – First noticed a blossom appearing on one of our banana trees.  Will try to keep a runnng log on its progress for as long as I dare.

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09/25/09 - I almost forgot that I was going to take pictures of the banana tree each day.  Around 3:30 PM, I pulled out my digital camera and walked out to the tree.  I was amazed at the speed of development.  This blossom was definitely coming out of the leaves and would soon “make its turn” and start showing some signs of the fruit once “petals” started to open up and fall off.  I thought that it’s only Friday – better not expect too much right away.

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09/26/09 - Overnight was quite a storm – Tropical Storm Ketsana (Ondoy) to be exact.  Thunder, lightning, wind gusts and very heavy downpour.  During the night, I didn’t really expect the blossom to be there when daylight broke.  I was sure the storm would have claimed it as its victim.  I was quite surprised (and relieved) to see the storm’s effects.  Like some form of natural mid-wife, the storm helped the blossom “make its turn.”  That was quick but I’m sure, storm induced.  Could this occur at such a quick pace on its own?

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09/27/09 - The blossom is showing signs of continued growth and it is drooping further.  I can’t believe the speed of nature.  I only first noticed this miracle of life a few days ago.  Already it has progressed along quite well and quite quickly.  I can see a pedal or two starting to pull away from the blossom.  There will be layer after layer of pedals.  Beneath each pedal will be a “hand” of about 12-20 “fingers” or bananas.  I’ve also noticed that most of the growth and movement occurs overnight, so far.

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09/28/09 - The outer pedals of the blossom started to pull away from the blossom today.  In only four days, this blossom went from barely peaking through the other leaves to growing thick and having its outer pedals pull away.  Along with being thicker, I’m starting to detect some “ripples” along the pedals.  Could those be the baby bananas, waiting for the pedal to pull away and fall off?  I wonder when I’ll find out the answer.  The day-to-day changes are amazing.

-:-

09/29/09 - There it is!  The first hand to come into view as the pedal that protected it moved away.  It’s  not even a week and I’m seeing a hand full of fingers.  Later in the day, its job finished, the blossom pedal (directly being the hand in the picture) fell away from the plant.  A second pedal is pulling away and, yes, beneath it is another hand.  I’m beginning to wonder just how many hands and how many fingers I’ll have.  A bunch, or banana stem, can weigh 30-50 kg and have up to 400 fingers, or bananas grouped approximately 12-20 fingers per hand.

-:-

09/30/3009 - Overnight, another pedal dropped off and exposed a second hand full of fingers.  Additionally, the first hand has started its own turn upward.  Bananas grow “bottoms up” and each hand will turn upward toward the sky.  During the afternoon, yet another pedal started to pull away from the blossom.  That means three full hands are now visible.  Even the second hand that appeared overnight started to make its turn to the sky.  This has to be the fastest growing fruit I’ve ever seen.

-:-

Little did I know at the end of September that some changes were in store for me, my banana plant and all those hands and fingers.  There’s a storm a-brewin’ – a BIG storm.

Where’s the coverage?

I have just returned from the UK, after only a few weeks away from my beloved Philippines and I chose an amazing time to be away, as the wrath of the gods had hit the Islands.

In fact ten days before I left I was in Manila with Migs and the rain was constant, and the Umbrella sales man annoyed Migs by overcharging for his products because of the deluge of water and the fact that I was standing next to Migs. This always seems to put he price up.

As I left the Philippines the first typhoon was making its way to Luzon, and within a few hours the wrath of the hell storm hit Manila and we all saw the horrific pictures that was broadcast around the world. Dams busting, houses and bridges collapsing and people dead.

Within the Philippines the site of dead bodies being broadcast is accepted, however to the west dead bodies are mostly not shown as not to upset or offend audiences. I think the networks here show too many bodies all year round and the reaction of love ones screaming in anguish into the camera, followed by the basketball results.

I was watching the BBC and CNN coverage whilst I was in the UK, and after less than 48 hours the story and the suffering of the Philippines was knocked off the lead by the earthquakes, and all the TV reporters left Manila accordingly. By the third day the suffering and pains of the Pinoy and the 100,000s of displaced people without enough food and medicine was not even worthy of being mentioned in the international news programs.

I was in constant contact with Migs , who lives in Quezon City where the floods were harsh and many people died, and houses were destroyed or badly damaged, and he like thousands of others were involved in trying to help the fellow Pinoys and even his next door neighbor whose house was very badly damaged by water.

Now back in the UK, you would think everything was now ok in the Philippines, as the main news about the earthquakes and a follow up of a landslide in Italy where some houses and few lives were lost, when in Luzon the terror was still continuing.

Three weeks later I return to Manila an am watching ABS-CBN showing more flash floods and deaths in places like La Union and Bagiuo, shortage of foods, destroyed infrastructure and Mayors on live TV asking for help .400,000 people now displaced. The networks here provided great help and coverage, whilst the BBC gave it a 30 second slot, obviously political speeches and more deaths in Iraq are more important than a huge number of people suffering in Asia.

It does make you question what is news? and who decides?

Visitors at Midnight

Author’s Note:  Trusted relatives, who live directly across the street from us, provided me with the details of this visit about a week after it occurred.  They delayed relating their account of what happened that night to me out of a consideration for my possibly becoming frightened, upset or displaying some other form of strange reaction.  After all, episodes such as these are extremely rare (the last occurring a few years ago) and they didn’t want to test my sensibilities right away.  At the time of the visit, I was fast asleep, courtesy of some prescribed sleeping aids.

- : -

Baket ko (Asawa ko) [My wife] Emy and I were spending a little time relaxing and chatting with relatives and friends a night or two ago.  Here in the province, especially away from the town proper, there isn’t much excitement or activity going on after dark.  After eating and before bedtime is a nice, quiet time of day when the breezes are cool and enjoyable.  Friends or relatives will gather for a chat session and pass the “local news” around as well as just entertaining each other with tsismis [idle talk].

One nephew had something he wanted to tell us, and directed his comments toward me.  I listened as best as I could and he spoke as best he could – mostly English but some Ilocano.  Knowing that I understand just a little Ilocano, he spoke a little slower than he would have, given the little excitement in his voice.

The conversation went something like this:

Nephew (N):  Did you see them, Uncle?

Me (P):  Who?

N:  Your visitors the other night.

P:  Which night?

N:  The night with no moon.

P:  The new moon?

N:  Wen, wen (o-o) [yes, yes] the new moon.

P:  Sabado [Saturday]?

N:  Wen, Saturday night.

I thought for a second – I couldn’t remember having any visitors last Saturday.  Emy and I had spent the day in Laoag City.  After we returned home, we ate then spent some time outside enjoying a nice cool breeze and chatting with the katulong.  We turned in for the night early, as our day was a bit tiring.  No, I couldn’t recall any visitors arriving on Saturday.

P:  What time was this?

N:  When all the dogs started barking – about midnight.  Didn’t you hear all the dogs barking?

P:  Saan (hindi) [no] – I was sleeping.

N:  Dogs barking woke me up.  You didn’t wake up from dogs?

P:  Saan.

My nephew was surprised that I could sleep through all the barking that went on.  Those prescribed sleeping aids really do work.  I didn’t awaken for anything.  Emy said she did and that she nudged my elbow and asked me about the dogs.  Getting no response from me other than a possible snore, she rolled back over and tried to get back to sleep.

N:  Then you missed them.

P:  Wen, I guess I missed them.

N:  I heard all the dogs barking so I got up, went outside to see why.  That’s when I saw them.

P:  Who was it?

N:  The little people.

P:  The little people?

N:  Wen, you know, the little people.

Now I’m wondering what in the heck goes on while I’m deeply asleep.  What adventures do I sleep through?

P:  Little people; you mean like dwende [mythical dwarves]?

N:  Saan – dogs don’t bark at dwende.  All the dogs were barking.  Those weren’t dwende.

P:  Who could they be?

N:  People from the mountain, we call them “Pugot” [a nocturnal creature in Ilocano mythology; a slang term given to small people or spirits of the forests and mountains] but they’re really not pugot.  They’re like people from the volcano in Pampanga.

P:  Mt. Pinatubo?

N:  Wen, Pinatubo – small people, very dark.

P:  Aeta?

N:  Wen, that’s it – Aeta people.  I saw them at your gate.  They were looking in.  When they heard me, they all ran away.  I think they were running back to the mountains.  But they were there, looking into your gate.  Maybe three or four of them.  Then they ran away.

My nephew then went on to tell me about what he saw.  He was kind enough to let me know that these Aeta were not in their traditional costumes and didn’t have any weapons that he could see.  They were wearing t-shirts, shorts and rubber flip-flops.  They were very dark skinned, had curly hair, and ran real fast.  Their clothes were dirty so they must have come down from the mountains – about an 18 km walk.

He continued to say that three or four years ago, when there were some typhoons passing through and flooding a couple of Aeta relocation centers (where some of the Pinatubo Aetas were taken after the 1991 eruption), the government started to “redistribute them” in other provinces.  He said that his friend saw a government dump truck unload about fifteen Aeta here, north of Pasuquin proper.  If true, then there appears to be Aeta in the area, AND I MISSED SEEING THEM.

Aeta (a collective name given to these people – different tribes have their own names that they prefer to be known by – the Spanish called them “Negritos” or little black ones) are the descendants of the indigenous people of the Philippines.  Their numbers are dwindling, and they are the most discriminated against people in the Philippines.  Traditionally, they are from the mountain forests (though at one time they did inhabit the lowlands) and are nomadic.  They literally live off the land and are experts in jungle survival.   They were the top instructors at the Air Force Jungle Survival School near the old Clark Air Base – many servicemen passed through that school on their way to Vietnam in the 1960s and 1970s.

Here was a chance for a nocturnal, cultural adventure, AND I SLEPT RIGHT THROUGH IT!

State of Calamity: Luzon

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock these past few weeks you’ve undoubtedly heard about the absolute disaster that has befallen the people living on Luzon.

Back to back typhoons, one of which saw fit to circle back around and revisit the northern part of Luzon, have left a path of destruction that the nation will be a long time in recovering from.  My heart goes out to the people in the disaster areas and to the countless dead, victims of the wrath of Mother Nature.  In watching the news I was revisited with memories of the destruction left on Gulfport and New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina.

All this has allowed me to evaluate the differences between how the USA handles a disaster and the Philippines… and also the similarities.  As far as I know the Philippines has no version of FEMA, although they do have a disaster preparedness bureau which like FEMA in the USA is underfunded and woefully inadequate to the task at hand.  Here as in the USA a large part of relief efforts depends on individuals whether donating volunteer time, clothing, food or money it is through their efforts we are too a large part of relief for the refugees.  During the aftermath of Katrina donations poured in from all over the globe and it was this money that helped most in alleviating the suffering of the people of New Orleans.

It is a sad testament to the Philippine Coast Guard they their training was not enough to prepare them for the rescue of countless of people trapped on rooftops much like New Orleans after the levee breaks left countless people in the 9th Ward trapped on rooftops.  In New Orleans the Coast Guard, Navy and Army did a splendid job of rescuing people from their perilous situation, however I found the rescue efforts lackluster in Marikina after Ondoy left the city underwater.  I suppose it is like most government entities in the Philippines, Underfunded and Undertrained Personnel.  Not one week after Ondoy, the Philippines was faced with Typhoon Peping which left the north inundated with more rain than the ground could handle.  Here in the aftermath of the storm a huge landslide claimed the life of 160+ people.  Landslides are an all too common problem in the Philippines.  In the USA the US Army Corps of Engineers determines unsafe areas to build, but if such an entity exists in the Philippines I have never seen it.  Even if it did I doubt that people would listen anyway as land is precious here, no matter how unsafe it is to build on.

The Philippines has a problem on it’s hands the scope of which has yet to even unfold.  Typhoon season is not over yet either, we can only hope and pray that other storms spare the Philippines from their fury as it is beyond the abilities of the Government to handle any more disasters.  Perhaps it is time to start actually being a government for the people and stop worrying about furthering political aspirations… a lesson even the USA needs to learn as well.

And the *WINNER* is . . .

Oh, happy days are here again – a solution found; a problem solved!  No more searching the near and far reaches of the province for someone whom we feel safe being with and whom we can trust with everything we have.  In the “Find a Katulong” contest, we have a *WINNER*!

As most readers may recall, *LOVE* took our former katulong away from us.  Now, she is happily living at her intended’s parents’ house.  (How strange is that – living with your “future” mother- and father-in-law prior to your wedding?  I must have stumbled upon some kind of cultural thing by chance; or . . . .)

Her sudden departure left us in a bit of a bind (darn that Cupid).  We had only been home for about a month’s time when she told us of her plans.  We were quite dependent on her to help us settle back into our Philippine life.  Now we faced a challenge – finding another katulong.  While my wife Emy and I agreed that this was her task, I remained available on the sidelines to assist whenever needed.

It didn’t take long for that need to arise.  Emy was not having much luck, and the friends and relatives who were helping with the search were not having much luck either.  She asked me if I had any ideas.  I didn’t but was able to shuffle about as if I did.  I asked just what kind of person we were looking for.  When I heard the description, I could only think of one person – the love-struck katulong who had just left.  Perhaps it was time to sit down and discuss all the aspects we could think of concerning a replacement and not a twin.

Let’s see just what qualities we want in a katulong.  Male or female – tradition says female and we’re a tradition-mindful couple.  Single or married – we don’t want Cupid to sting us again if we can help it, so make that one married.  Related or stranger – having interviewed a couple of strangers already, Emy says she definitely wants a relative (and not a distant relative).  Young or old – since an older woman may have difficulties in doing some things, we’d want a stronger, healthier young one (being married would help set the lower limit of the age range).

Summarizing so far, we’re looking for a young, married, female relative.  That narrows the field down considerably.  Is there somewhere we can be a little more flexible?  Perhaps we need to “think outside the box,” even if it’s just a little bit outside.  Those four qualities, however, seemed fixed as far as Emy was concerned.  We’d have to look at other “katulong things” for our out-of-box venture.

Our former katulong stayed with us 24/6.  We provided room and board, and gave her a day off each week.  Now, if we wanted a young, married, female relative, would she put up with seeing her family only one day in seven?  Perhaps we can shorten the stay to something like 12/6 – six days of working 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM or thereabouts.  That would make the position a little more attractive and, besides, we’re just two able adults staying in this house overnight.  We couldn’t think of any reason that we would need someone to stay with us throughout the night.

Another thing we could try is providing a little flexibility in the work schedule.  If the katulong needed to take some time off during the week (say, for visiting her child[ren]’s school), we could adjust her schedule.  Being able adults, we don’t really need anyone at our beck and call at all hours of the day.  Though our house is large, its layout is quite open so cleaning doesn’t take as long as it would in a more traditional style house.

These, and a few other “human resources paradigm shifts,” provided a larger and better-focused field of search.  The only thing we needed to do was communicate these shifts to all who were helping us look.  For me, it was back to the sidelines.  Emy would handle the communications.

It seemed like the supply of potential katulongs had opened before us.  There were interviews (I watched and listened from another room) and a lot of good prospects.  I did feel sorry for the “good looking gals” – they’ll never know that their beauty disqualified them though they might have been the most qualified otherwise.  With the prerogative of baket ko (asawa ko) [my wife] being to keep all temptation away from me, this was no beauty contest!  Still, out of a number of potential katulongs, no one seemed just right to “the boss.”

As is its habit, fate intervened.  A first-degree cousin in California called to ask whether the position was still available.  He heard we were in the market and he had a suggestion for us.  (Have to love that “bamboo grapevine”/”coconut wireless”!)  His son and daughter-in-law live in a fishing barangay just down the road and they were looking for ways to earn a little extra cash.  They have college and high school aged kids, so the daughter-in-law was still “relatively” young and strong.  Her looks barely passed Emy’s strict qualifications.

So let’s see – a young, married, female relative is what we were looking for.  Our niece meets these qualifications.  Was she willing to work six twelve hour days and take one day off?  Yes.  Could she handle regular katulong duties?  Oh, yes.  Would she be willing to take on some extra tasks like watering lawns and plants, and light gardening?  Sure.  It all sounded good to Emy – she called me off the sidelines to provide my limited input.  I agreed.  We’d give her a probationary period of two weeks and see how she copes with us.

Probation has been over for a week or two, and she’s still with us.  “Our katulong” – seems great to be able to say that again.  Yes, we have a winner (actually, Emy and I are the winners); and the *WINNER* is our niece.

Typhoon Pepeng (Parma) – Video

Typhoon Pepeng (International Name Parma) is currently making it’s way through Northern Luzon, having made landfall there a few hours ago.  I have been keeping in touch with Paul Keating, who lives in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte, not all that far from where the storm is passing through.

Earlier today, Paul sent me a video of current conditions at his location.  Things are still fairly calm in the area, but Paul told me that he hopes to update me with additional videos as the storm passes through.  Of course, with the possibility of severe weather conditions, we can’t be sure if Paul will be able to do additional videos or not.  Also, Internet has already been in and out for Paul. so it’s unsure he will be able to transmit the videos to me either.  But, if he is able to get the video and send it to me, I will keep sharing Paul’s storm videos here, and also on my You Tube Channel.

Good luck Paul, and anybody else in the storm’s “hot zone,” we are praying for your safety.

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