A common scenery in the fishing islands: white sand, coconut trees and blue seas.
My home island, Hingotanan, the fishing island where I was born, 1 hour by pumpboat ride to town, four hours to Cebu province. It is an island where seaweeds are being farmed. Seaweeds products are exported to USA and Denmark. These are used as food preservatives and manufactured as snacks and gelatines. Here in this island can be found a number of multinational corporations.
An island called Bilangbilangan, the neighboring island of Hingotanan, It can be reached by paddling or by pumpboat in ten minutes. The beach is white and there are open areas far away from where the local people reside. The island does not have a source of drinking water because ground water is salty. Local residents get drinking water from Hingotanan or they have rain collected from rooftops as source for drinking.
Another neighboring island. There are about 15 other fishing islands surrounding my home island and these are places for possible rest or for swimming.
A sight in Sinquijor Island in the Negros Province. Here can be found big rocks along the beach,a good place to hide while swimming. The town Siquijor is noted for vodoo practices. One example is inserting a number of needles into a doll, if a person wants to inflict pain on another that has put him to shame. A vodoo practice is a form of revenge. Many Filipinos do not believe in this.
Still in Siquijor, the white beach and the shallow and clean sea.
It is possible to borrow a small boat one can use to row while exploring the shallow parts of the sea and the surrounding shorelines.
Trees and rocks along the beach of Siquijor.
The common fishing islands have coconut trees that dot near the beaches.
Ricefields in the valleys of the Chocolate Hills in Carmen, Bohol.
Chocolate Hills are about 1,00O hills in the town of Carmen, a very popular tourist spot which shows a window of the historical found of seashells on the hills which support the theory that the area was under the sea water at some point in time.
Still in Bohol Province. Bohol Province is noted to be the province in the country which has staged 100 revolts against the Spaniards. The towns in Bóhol showcase the beautiful Hispanic churches that witness to the forced labour during colonial time.
The smallest monkey in the whole world is found in the province of Bohol. This is something that tourists do not want to miss.
Small inlets leading to a waterfall.
There are a number of Water Falls in the Philippines.
Beach in Maomaowan Island
July 29, 2008
A scene along the beach in Maomaowan Island
during my visit
The skies, a scene while sitting down on the beach of Maomaowan Island
July 29, 2008
Look up the skies and the horizons
during the visit on Maomaowan Beach
July 29, 2008
A road leading to the beach of Maomaowan, guided by relatives in the island
July 29, 2008
The site along the beach of Maomaowan Island
Great awe at the sight of beauty on way to the beach
Maomaowan Island
Still hanging on along the beach
My cousin in blue, serving as the village captain in Maomaowan Island, seeing to it that the beach is clean.
Maomaowan Island at a short distance
visit, July 29, 2008
A sight in the island, a boat just arriving from town Talibon and letting some passengers embark in one of the fishing islands.
Students of Hingotanan Barangay High School, listening to my talk on art and human creativity.
Wharf in Tagbilaran, a photo I took while waiting for the boat to Cebu.
On the way of Negros, stopping by Bato in order to get the boat to Negros, where Silliman University is.
Along the coast of Negros, while taking the bus on the way to Dumaguete City, where Silliman University is.
Finding the Silliman Beach, still a way to go. Much has been changed.
A small glimpse of Silliman, my alma mater.
Silliman Cultural Center.
On the way to the Divinity School, Silliman Campus
Bradford Church in Cebu, the United Church of Christ in the Philippines,my home church
A Catholic Church in Maomaowan Island.
A protestant church in the town of Buenavista, Bohol... Buenavista United Church of Christ in the Philippines. I served in this church for two years.
Bradford Church in Cebu City, the central Protestant church that holds three worship services on a Sunday plus worship services on Wednesdays.
How happy they were to receive toothbrush and paste!
Meeting of parents...