musika del sur

I'd never before made it to the Philippines' southern most region of Mindanao. There is the general impression of compromised safety down there, considering that it's the region where the main Muslim separatist/terrorist groups reside & conduct their trainings & most of their bombings, beheadings & kidnappings. Maybe you've heard of the Abu Sayyaf? How about the MILF? (no not that MILF, the other one). Most foreign governments advise their citizens against visiting most of the region. Perfect material for the Mindanao Department of Tourism eh? Most recently, TV news anchor Ces Drilon and her crew were abducted by the Abu Sayyaf while doing a story in Sulu, a smaller province about an 18-hour drive away. She was freed a week later, and there are confirmed reports of a ransom payout, which enables the sad cycle of terrorism to continue. A shame, because the region is truly beautiful. It is also among the poorest in the country.

But Mindanao is a large island group, made up of many different districts, & believe it or not, not all of them are so unstable. Davao is the principle center of business & commerce there, & the 3rd busiest city in the country. If you take into account all the surrounding land area that occupies 244,000 hectares, Davao is actually the largest city in the world. Amid all the turmoil & violence that Mindanao is so known for, Davao has surprisingly emerged as an oasis of peace & tranquility, primarily thanks to their mayor, otherwise known as "The Punisher." He patrols the city streets on a motorbike with a shotgun & has been known to make criminals, especially drug pushers, simply disappear. Don't ask questions, just enjoy! He's also the reason the city's so progressive, practicing eco-friendliness & banning smoking in most public areas (save for designated areas)-- practically unheard of in this country.

My cousin & her family live there & have been begging me to visit for the longest time. Finally I did &... it's so dope down there.

Davao's got the ultimate laid-back vibe & beautiful natural wonders abound. The beaches & mountains are only a 20-minute dive away from the urban center. Not that I could tell where this alleged "urban center" was, as there are no tall buildings to speak of & nearly every road is a dirt road. Everything looked like a market place, but I reckon that's just part of the city's charm.

Poor little yummy piggies

I went straight to the sea, where I promptly discovered that Philippine diving kicks Thailand diving's ass any day of the week. The water was incredibly clear- I could see all the way down to the bottom from the deck of the boat. I didn't have to assemble my own equipment; it was all lovingly done for me by the diving attendants, & they carried my oxygen tank for me, rather than make me shuffle around precariously with it on my back like bloody Quasimodo. AND they let me go down to 25 meters! I'm really only allowed 18 (per PADI regulations), but Filipinos are just cool like that.

The boat guys caught some clams & steamed them on the boat. They even brought their own rice & vinegar = instant lunch! Mmmm chewy.

The Philippines' highest peak, Mt. Apo, lives here. And in the mountains reside the tribal groups Bagobos, Mandayas, Manobos, Mansakas and Tiboli, along with the endangered Philippine Eagle. Up there I went zipline-ing with my cuz-- first time ever!

And caught this brilliant display of nature in action. Nyek.

& then of course, what kind of trip would it be without me raiding the local market scene? The mecca for Muslim-made batik prints, tribal-inspired jewelry & cheap South Sea pearls. My 19-year-old princess of fashion niece was appalled when I swooned over the bright red beaded tribal-style necklace. I had to explain to her that while she, as a resident of Mindanao living amongst actual tribespeople would never dream of emulating their style, anywhere else in the world these items would be cool & "exotic." (hehe) She wasn't convinced, but I bought it anyway. For US$3! I just think of it as reppin' my national pride. I'm such a sucker for local handicrafts, & as a result my style is so very boho these days.

But the best part of the trip was the family time. Look how precious my youngest niece & nephew are. I totally heart them.