The province of Davao Oriental

They say: "Surf’s now up in Davao Oriental"

Seven years ago, Davao Oriental became known as the Philippines’ sunrise capital when locals and foreigners converged at the Pusan Point in Barangay Santiago in Caraga to witness the first millennium sunrise.

Today, the province, just three hours away from the Davao International Airport and Sasa wharf, is promoting its other side.

In September, the Department of Tourism-Southern Mindanao and provincial government launched the 1st Surf and Skimboarding Safari in Dahican Beach, one of the best white-sand beaches the capital city of Mati has to offer.



“This is a fabulous province. We are hoping that Davao Oriental will become the next favorite tourist destination. This is the best place for lovers of nature, culture and history,” Gov. Corazon Malanyaon said.

The DOT also launched “Baybay nato ni Bay” (This is our beach, pal), a coastal-management campaign designed to create environmental awareness among different communities.




Surfers and skimboarders are now common sights at the Dahican beach. George Plaza, the 34-year-old trainer of about 13 skimboarders, said they tried the sport two years ago.

“Dayo dayo lang mi pag nay competition sa ubang area. Ang uban pud sila gadayo diri sa amo,” he said (We went to places where there were competitions. But other people also came here.).
When a Japanese national saw their plight, he said, he donated five surf boards worth over P50,000 each.

Best waves and beaches



“He surfed with us. He said we had the potential, we had the best waves and best beaches for practice but we were not using the right surfboard,” Plaza said.

Plaza said most of those engaged in surfboarding and skimboarding were sons of local fishermen.
So, even if a skimboard cost only P1,000, they could not afford to buy it because their parents were only fisherfolk, he said.

Plaza said the boys were elementary and high-school students who practiced during weekends.
He said one of his trainees, 13-year-old Sonny Aporbo, a Grade 3 student already won in several surfing competitions. The youngest surfer in his team now is 9-year-old Jovec Monares, also a son of fisherman.

“Kana siya, walo na sila ka mag-igsoon. Gusto ra gyud skimboard. Bug-at pa ang board kaysa sa iya pero maayo nga bata, naa gyud talent,” Plaza said. (They are eight kids in the family. He really wants a skimboard. The board is bigger than him, but he is a good kid and has talent.)





Foreign visitors

Today, the province has at least three diving sites and one surfing site. Unknown to many, these sites are already frequented by foreigners and they may be the next top tourist and surfing destination in Mindanao.

Sonia Garcia, DOT-Southern Mindanao regional director, said the department was developing new destinations and new skimboarding and surfing sites.

“The coast here is very clean. Marunong mag-alaga ang mga tao sa coastal areas nila dito sa Mati. We hope that this will be the next tourist destination. We have great places to dive and surf here,” she said.

“People can visit this place. If they want to stay on a weekend, we have the best beach. We also have the Carmelite Monastery,” Garcia said.



The Carmelite Monastery in Barangay Matiao is a good place to visit during Holy Week. José Barcena has sculpted the mysteries of the Holy Rosary for the 16-hectare monastery.


First resort

Garcia said a local Mati businessman, Efren Dupa, had also constructed in Barangay Badas the first 50-room coastal resort in Davao Oriental.

Dupa said, “Gwapo atong mga dagat diri. Daghang mabisita nga gwapong lugar. Diri sa resort they can try fishing. We have bangus and dangit. We also have floating cottages.” (Our beach is nice and guests can also visit many other nice places. Here in the resort they can try fishing.)

Garcia said, with the new resort, Mati would be attracting more visitors. “It is a boost for Mati.

Hopefully in the next few days or weeks, tourists will now be coming,” she said.

The province’s famous attractions also include Pujada Bay, Wason House, 17th-century Caraga Church, Cape of San Agustin, San Agustin Altar Cave, Mandaya Village, Tuboran Muslim Village, Menzi Tourism Complex, Provincial Capitol Park, Aliwagwag Falls in Cateel, Sleeping Dinosaur Peninsula, Calapagan Hotspring, Sigaboy Island, Mt. Hamiguitan Bonsai Forest in San Isidro town, Pujada Island, Waniban Island, San Victor Island and Lake Diomabok.

The evolution of Kitoy

Ang encounter ni Kitoy

This a story about a passenger and an Army solider at the bus terminal in Ecoland, Davao City. This is not a fairy tale story nor a fable. Maybe, fable in some ways because there are characters in this story who are animals in their own way.

Sundalo: “Abi, dalha na dire bag mo.”

Traveler: “Sir, camera na ha?” (Pina bira gamay ug mejo di maayo paggunit sa bag)

Sundalo: “Buy-i ba kay tanawon ko!” (mejo taas boses)

Traveler: Hinay lang ba kay camera na! (mejo syagit pud pasahero kay camera gud pero di gyud nya buy-an ang bag kay naa gud camera )Samtang daghan pa yawyaw ang sundalo ug di na sad maayo tinan-awan sa pasahero, iyahang gikuot ang Canon 17-35mm L na lens . Nakuyawan ang pasahero kay murag feeling sa sundalo baso lang nga naa beer. Hay sus, manong, ug nahulog to, di kabayad tatlo ka bulan mo na sweldo ato bords.

Sundalo: Abrihi ba kay tanawon nato kay camera man kaha! (taas na sad boses na pa-astig ang dating)

Traveler: Hinay lang lagi kay camera na! (kay iya man murag gina ukay na murag kamatis samtang di gyud buy-an sang pasahero ang iya bag kay camera gud. hadlok lang sya ma-tilt gamay kay kung madisgrasya, di pa kabayad ang sundalo..ma tenk u and sorry na lang ang lens)

Sundalo: Unsa man ka, abi mo ignorante ko??!! (syagit sa sundalo)

Traveler: Gina hadlok nimo ko?! wala ko nahadlok nimo. Gina ingnan ka lang na hinay-hinaya kay camera ikaw pa masuko. Abi mo nahadlok ko nimo?! (Sabay sarado sa bag ug nilakaw)
Nitindog ang sundalo ug mi-ingon: “Unsa man, ka minos ka nako?!!?” taas gyud iya boses. Lakaw lang ang pasahero sabay tutok sa sundalo.

Traveler: “Hello, tenyente..anak ni Boy. Naay imo tao dire sa terminal na arrogante. Wala man na unsa ako camera pero di lang ko ganahan the way nya handle it. Abi nya siguro kamatis lang ni dala nako.”

The lieutenant told the traveler to have him talk to the soldier. But the soldier refused to talk to his officer even if the traveler told him that it’s his superior. ” Sa HQ na lang mi kita, didto ta kita,” ingon sa sundalo sa traveler.

But the story did not end there… As the traveler went back to Davao City after an hour, he went straight to the office of his friend kay uban sila adto sa Task Force Davao HQ kay naa pud diay reklamo ang iya friend. Halos pareho ra, mga arrogant na TF Davao nga naa sa terminal. Ug didto man pud nilabay ang bus, so didto na sad nanaog ang traveler dala ang iyahang kamatis ay ang camera diay.

Pag-abot nilang duha sa TF Davao headquarters sa Ecoland, nangayo pasaylo si tenyente kay naulaw sya sa gibuhat sa iyahang tao. Ingon sa biktima na wala man to kaso unta kung nakiusap lang sya ug tarong kay mag inspection siya. Wala man to kaso unta kung maayo ang pag approach nya sa pasahero. Unsaon ta man kay sya pa man isog?

Pero nasabonan na sa tenyente tong iyahang tao na arogante kay aside pa sa pagka arogante pa sya sa pasahero, iya ba gi-isnab ang selpon sa pasahero na gi-offer aron storyahon sya sa iyang opisyal. So, magpalit pa to sabon ang tenyente unya kay manglaba gyud tong sundalo unya.

Sa dihang gidala na sa sulod sa TF Davao office kay para daw mas formal ang reklamo. Kelangan gyud daw mag narrate sa nahitabo, gusto sa opisyal na babae na madunggan sad ang side sa pasahero.

Sus, unsaon ta man kay di man diay sya kasabot ug Bisaya. Namroblema ang ang pasahero kay mas lami man gyud mag re-enact na Bisaya or Ilonggo gyud bords. Ingon sa mga opisyal tagalogin mo lang gyud kay di gyud daw sila kasabot sa Bisaya.

Ah, wala lami ang re-enactment kay mas lingaw gyud to unta kung Bisaya bah. Nagkalisud ang pasahero oi. Kapoi gyud mag Tagalog. Lisud man sad mag Ingles kay wala gyapon feelings. Mao, to ningkamot gyud ang pasahero na ma-narrate in Tagalog pero nagka guliyang gyud.

Gipatawag tong sundalo aron mahusay ang probema. Pero wa gyud nagpakita maski pag gi-ingnan na stay-put kay naay nag-reklamo nimo, nawala gyapon. Murag halata gyud sa babae na opisyal na masabonan na gyud sya kay niabot direkta sa iyang hari-hari na wala ni-agi sa iyaha kay iyaha man diay to tao. So iyaha gyud to command responsibilty.

Nakahibalo na sad diay ang sundalo na arrogante na naa syay cliente pagka-gabii kay nanawag diay ila hari-hari para imbestigahan. Mao to na nagkaguliyang sad sila kay nakaabot naman diay sa ilahang hari-hari.

Pasahero: “We understand your job, we understand the security procedures that every passgenger has to undergo before boardingthe bus. Pero sana wag naman ganun na napaka-arrogante. Kung nakiusap sya ng maayos, wala namang problema. Ang ayaw ko doon was, tumayo sya sa upuan nya at sinundan ako for about 2-3 steps away from his post.”

(Nagkalisud sa iningles ug tagalog ang pasahero oi. Abi nyo lalim, mayo na lang gani wala gisabayan tagaktak sa typwriter.)

Babae na kauban sa pasahero: “Ako pud biktima sad ko anang ka arogante diha sa terminal. Gi-ingnan nga dili ukayon kay kapoi ayos ana.Unya kay gi ukay nya, tapos singkahan pa nya ko na dili daw nila trabaho mag-arrange. Maayo ba na?”

Sundalo na babae: “Sa asa diay mo sir, mam? ( Samtang naa isa ka tenyente sad na sige lecture na murag bag-o ra ka sugakod ug checkpoint o di kaha basin tan-aw nya sa duha ka bisita murag mahuraw gyud nila)

Traveler:“Ah, ako si Keith Bacongco of Business Mirror”

Babae na kauban sa traveler: “Ako pud si Joselle Badilla sa Philippine Daily Inquirer.”

Pero at least nakabalo sila side sa pasahero. Matud pa sa ilang hari-hari na wala sad didto, pero nag text lang kanamo na: “Whatever his story his I will reassign him. Di na muna sya sa terminal. Thanks for your feedback. ”

Kani man gud na sitwasyon, pauna-unahay lang na eh. If you want that soldier to earn my respect, he shouldn’t have done it that way. In fact, I was the one who offered my bag for inspection. But even the way he approached me was already wrong.

Unsaon na lang tong uban na wala gyud guts mag complain? Unsaon na lang tong mga ordinaryo na mga pasahero diha? Although dili man tanan mga sundalo ana, naa man sad uban na maayo man mag approach sa mga pasahero. Kani na panghitabo, usahay ra ni sa usa ka bulan. Usahay wala pa gyud gani. Maayo unta kung ana permi bah.

Ug abi nya siguro mahuraw nya ko sa kadako nya ug kadako sa boses nya, no no man! Naniguang na ko ug kober anang mag sundaloha mo, mayo lang gani wala sad ko na warshock. Kabalo na ko sa katag nyo. Abi man gud nya siguro itoy-itoy lang ko na dala-dala ug kamatis aw camera diay…Pitbull ni bords, pitbull!