Monthly Archives: January 1990

Mardi Gras in the Philippines (Kalibo, Aklan)

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We were now in our second day at the Akelco (Aklan Electric Cooperative) guesthouse in Lezo (Aklan), having just arrived there yesterday afternoon upon the invitation of its general manager Job Y. Besana.  Today was to be a fun day as we were going to attend the extraordinary Ati-Atihan Festival, one of the most exciting and exuberant festivals in the country. The Ati-Atihan is invariably described by many as the “Mardi Gras of the Philippines” or the “country’s greatest party.”

Parading with Tribu Bukid Tigayon

This spectacular, 300-year old celebration is held in honor of the Sto. Niño (Holy Child), Kalibo’s patron saint, who was said to have saved the town from Moro raiders.  A mixture of pagan and Christian elements, this exuberant festival usually attracts an estimated 50,000 local and foreign tourists yearly.  Flights to and from Kalibo, as well as the town’s hotels and pension houses, are usually fully booked at this time.

However, we arrived just a little over a month after the December 1-9, 1989 coup de etat attempt in Manila and, as a consequence, foreign tourist arrivals are down. However, there was a plus side to this as lesser crowds  means easier access to the festival action.   We left the Akelco guesthouse right after lunch and, although Kalibo was  just less than 10 kms. away, the going was slow as we approached the town as there were still lots of people gathered along the street to watch the parade.

After parking our car, it was all footwork from hereon as we walked towards the parade route.  The parade was already underway when we arrived.   The parade featured tribus (“tribes”) composed of members of local barangays and organizations, each with its own striking costume made from local materials like coconut shells, feathers and fronds.  Participants also blacken their faces with soot and imitate the Atis, Aklan’s Negrito inhabitants, after whom the festival was named for.

Grace, Mommy, Jandy and I

The atmosphere was electrifying with its swirl of riotous color, reverberating drumbeats and cries of “Hala Bira!” and “Viva kay Señor Sto. Niño” (“Long Live the Holy Child”) as participants dance the Ati-Ati, a ritual dance with different movements.  Foreign, as well as, local visitors were also enticed to join in the dancing, drinking and the uninhibited revelry.   The festival also features a beauty pageant (Miss Kalibo Ati-Atihan), fireworks display, a Purchase of Panay re-enactment, a 9-day novena, field mass, pahilot (or paeappak, an old faith healing tradition), cockfight derbies, crafts fair and a torch parade and procession.    

Jandy admiring an Ati

Kalibo Tourism Office: Magsaysay Park, Kalibo, Aklan. Tel: (036) 262-1020, 268-4110, 262-3241 & 262-3079. Fax: (036)  268-4120 & 262-3241.

Boracay Here We Come! (Malay, Aklan)

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After breakfast at Dad’s ancestral home in Malay, we boarded the L-200 and were driven, along 6 kms. of dirt road, to the makeshift jetty port at Brgy. Caticlan.  Here, we boarded a big outrigger boat for Boracay Island.  Our 15-min. pumpboat ride to the island was smooth all the way and soon the crystal blue waters turned sparklingly clear as we approached the island’s famous White Beach.  It was just about noontime and the palm-fringed beach’s dazzlingly white sand was practically deserted and enchanting.

On our way

Our boat docked at Boat Station 2, actually just an open beach point without piers where boats land.  All passengers, including us, have to alight the boat via a narrow gangplank then wade a short distance through the shallow water to the beach.  Others, however, hired brawny porters to carry them to shore on their shoulders.  From the beach, we walked a short distance to a narrow alley.  From the alley entrance, we walked a further 100 m. to Lion’s Den Resort on our left.

This rustic resort, owned and managed by Lowell A. Talamisan, an apo (grandnephew) of my father-in-law and a nephew of my wife Grace, is conveniently located midway between the beach and Main Road.  Here, we stayed at one of the resort’s quaint and cozy nipa and bamboo cottages with private bath.  Our cottage also had a verandah with a nice hammock slung at the posts.

Jandy and his lola relaxing at the verandah

Boracay Island then was without electricity and our cottage was lit at night with gas lanterns.  Other high-end resorts were powered by generators.  This didn’t matter to us then, since food and accommodation were inexpensive and the people were friendly. Sometimes we would dine on grilled blue marlin at the resort or dine out at the restaurant of the nearby Red Coconut Resort.

White Beach circa 1990

The most exhilarating portion of our 3-day stay on the island was  the  feel of the sand of White Beach, snow white and fine as sifted confectionary sugar, top-grade cake flour or baby powder.   It was so white you can get a total suntan  due to the  sun’s  reflection on the sand.  The  aquamarine  water was shallow and clear and the sunset was always magnificent.

Sand, sea and sky at Boracay

Up north along White Beach, across Willy’s Beach Resort, is Willy’s Rock, the familiar and frequently photographed landmark that dominates the seascape.  This large, castle-like natural boulder rises 7 m. (23 ft.) from the sand.

Posing by the much photographed Willy’s Rock

 

My First Visit to Aklan

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My father-in-law, Engr. Manuel L. Sta. Maria, retired deputy administrator of the National Electrification Administration (NEA) and a resident of Malay, Aklan, suggested that we visit his hometown and its emerging star – Boracay  Island. It would my first and Grace’s second visit, she having visited the place sometime in 1978 when White Beach was then blissfully deserted.

Grace at Boracay, circa 1978

The timing of the visit couldn’t have been any better.  Grace (then 5 months pregnant with my daughter Cheska), 3-1/2 year-old Jandy, my in-laws and I arrived  in Kalibo on  board a Philippine Airlines morning flight, just over a month after the nearly successful December 1-9, 1989 coup de etat.  Tourist arrivals were still down but this later proved to be a blessing in disguise.

Our arrival at Kalibo Airport
We were all picked up at the airport by an airconditioned L-200 pickup. The trip to Malay town proper took all of of 90 mins. and the  going  was rough as we approached Brgy. Caticlan, Malay, , the gateway to Boracay Island, because the zigzag road there was still unpaved and dusty.  Foreign tourists, however, didn’t seem to mind as we  saw many  of them  clinging precariously onto the roofs of  jeepneys, thoroughly  enjoying  the bumpy and dusty ride to Brgy Caticlan.  The views of the Sibuyan Sea from the road were magnificent.  Along the dusty part of the road to Malay, we chance upon Malay Mayor Roger S. Aguirre, the nephew of my father-in-law and Grace’s first cousin, who was supervising the concreting the road.
  
My father-in-law’s ancestral house

We finally arrived at my  father-in-law’s old 2-storey, wood and concrete  ancestral house located near the plaza and seashore. The town of Malay was created only in 1949, being a barrio of Buruanga before that time.  The father of Tay Lolong (as my father-in-law was called there), Mr. Melanio Sta. Maria, was mayor of Buruanga from 1925-29.  The street in front of the house was named after him.

Jandy frolicking by the beach
About 50 m. from the house was the shallow, brown sand beach of the town and beyond it, seemingly within paddling distance, were the enticing white sands of Boracay’s White Beach.  We just couldn’t wait to get there.