Monday, June 27, 2005

MEMORIES OF BALER

It was a "surprise" when my immediate boss allowed me to attend and assist the VF Facilitators Training to be held in Baler, Aurora. The said VF Training will be participated in by CFC and some MATUTUPAD Cooperative members in Aurora. And they will be the one who will conduct the 13-sessions of Values Formation to the members of UCPB-CIIF MATUTUPAD cooperatives in the area.

Baler, Aurora was selected to be the venue of said VF Facilitators Training where participants will come from the Central area (Baler, Ma. Aurora, San. Luis, Dipaculao etc) and the Casiguran area.

June 17, 2005, aboard a private van of a Tekton Core Trainor, we drove to Northern Luzon. After we fetched a fellow UCPB Staff in Cabanatuan City, we proceeded in Baler, Aurora via Bongabon and "villa". The town of Baler is 114 km away from Cabanatuan City. And in between Bongabon, Nueva Ecija and San Luis, Aurora (the town before Baler) is a very swirl road. The 64km stretch is composed of cleared landslides in both sides of the roads, randomly cemented road with some portion of it caving under, some boulders and uprooted trees lying somewhere, destroyed bridges and pavements. It still reflected the destruction brought about by the typhoon of late last year.

Around 1pm, we reached the town of Baler and head straight to our foster home for our four-day stay, Bay's Inn, a resort along the shoreline of Baler Bay. A fresh eggplant salad with pork binagoongan was served for our lunch.

After visiting the venue of the training, Bahia de Baler, just a stone throw away from Bay's Inn, we take the opportunity to visit a garden in Ma. Aurora, a nearby town of Baler.

Euphoric over Euphorbia
On our way to Baler, while on the road, I've been hearing the Tekton trainors talking about this plant, Euphorbia. They would gleefully comment if they see some along the road, in the gardens that we pass by. It draws my curiosity over the plant. And when they pointed one, all I can see from a far is a shrub like 'santan' with different colors of flowers. But it wasn't, they said.

It wasn't really. Upon reaching a garden in Ma. Aurora, there I saw for the very first time in close-up a Euphorbia. Commonly known as Crown of Thorns because of thorns present in its stems, it turned out that this plant is getting its own household significance and becoming to be a backyard industry of some households here in Baler.

To introduce to you this plant, and the hype it brings to plant collectors and lovers, these I found in my research.

A native to Madagascar, is a succulent, with thick, fleshy stems adapted for water storage. The stems are 5-7 sided, greyish-brown, branched & up to 2-3' in height, with many prominent, grey 1" spines. The leaves tend to be obovate (wider near the tip), up to 1'' long, but much larger (to 6") in the Thai hybrids. They are spirally arranged, have smooth margins, & vary from bright green to grey-green. Foliage is present only on new growth. Euphorbia millii var splendens is similar, but grows to 5-6".

The "Crown of Thorns" or more aptly, the Euphorbia milli hybrids have recently gained prominence in the gardener's consciousness. Who could resist the plumpness of its appearance, its compact growth, the variety or colors and color combinations of its floral bracts, and their over-petulant thorns? This is beside the plant's ability to produce flowers all year round, especially during February and March.


"Poysean" as they are called in Thailand produce larger flowers and are more vigorous compared to their American, European and Taiwanese counterparts. They regard the Euphorbia milli hybrids as harbingers of good luck as they possess the eight virtues of the gods: health, bravery, wealth, beauty, artistry, cleverness, poetry, and victory over evil and bad spirits. This is conspicuously parallel to the feng shui in Sansevieria.

After the "euphoric euphorbia" visitation and buying some, we return back to Baler town. It was already dark when we arrived in Bay's Inn and we had our hefty dinner in Bahia de Baler that includes freshly caught shrimps of big sizes. (By the way, a kilo cost only 150 pesos!)

Life in the Night
Ten o'clock in the evening in Bay's Inn is not boring at all, though we have cable television in our air-conditioned rooms, I opted to go out, walk in the sea side. As the waves touches the shoreline, that creates gushing sound, it mixes with the loud music coming from two separate live bands of the two entertainment/disco bar situated just across Bay's Inn.

Looking far in the horizon are blinking lights coming from the fishing boats hauling the next days catch while the vast sky posed brilliant moon and flashing stars aside from the intermittent lightning striking randomly across the dark sky.

At 2am, I returned back to my room and finally find myself dozing off to my dreams.

Tedious yet Noble
A hot creamed-coffee, beef tapa with rice and sunny-side-up-egg and sunny Saturday morning welcomes the 19 VF Facilitator's Training participants.

Six CFC's came from Casiguran which is 4-5 hours away from Baler. They left Casiguran 3am and arrived Baler at 7:30am. They said, the road going to Casiguran is 3 times worse than the road between the town of Bongabon and San Luis. The rest of the participants came from CFC locals of Baler, Ma. Aurora, San Luis and cooperative members who are willing to facilitate the VF sessions in other cooperative.

The Facilitators Training composed of lectures, teachings, and sample presentations done by Tekton Trainor. (I made a sample session among with the participants, my first time to handle a session in front of CFC elders in the area). And after the sample presentations, the participants themselves presented their own sessions. These sessions are those VF sessions that will be given to coco farmers and coconut cooperatives in Aurora province duly accredited by UCPB-CIIF (Cocofinance).

It was almost 11PM when the 3rd to last group session presentation ended. Though late already, I made myself available again in trekking down the shoreline.


Sunday Spree
After a breakfast of tapang usa, the two remaining group sample presentation went ahead. Enthusiastic and filled with zeal and passion, participants willingly signed their commitment of doing what they have been tasked to do. The Facilitators Training ended 1pm, just in time for those who came from Casiguran to catch up the last trip going back to their town.

With the warmth reception coming from the CFC in Baler, our stay wasn't boring at all. With lots of time in the afternoon, we were toured by a fellow CFC in the outskirts of Baler.

Ermita Park
It is located in Barangay Zabali. It is a short, steep trek from the foot of the hill, through small trees and cogon grass, to the top. There are concrete kiosk spreads in the site which serve as picnic hut. Still under construction are the grotto and the view deck. The view deck provides an excellent view of the town of Baler, Sabang Beach and Dimadimalangat islet, and the ranges of Mt. Sierra Madre.

(Hidden beneath a clump of trees are the almost unrecognizable remains of a bell tower. Owing to its excellent vantage point, the bell tower was formerly used to warn people of Baler of raiding pirates. During sunny days the place is swelteringly hot.)

Digisit Beach
After that scenic view, we drove to Diguisit (Digisit). Situated on the eastern side tip of Baler is a remote shoreline. This upper landward shore is mostly sand while the water shores are barricades of corals forming a protective reef that prevents strong waves of the Pacific from smashing onto the shore. The area is good for diving, and during calmer months, for snorkeling.

After collecting some shells and 'sigay', corals and sea stones, we headed back to the northern part of Baler. While I opted to stay in the town proper and visited the church and the local museum, my colleagues visited Ma. Aurora.

President Quezon Memorial Park
Fenced by concrete material and set on a circular cement platform, it serves as a landmark of Baler, the birthplace of the late President Manuel L. Quezon. This is located in a big street block along with the Local Museum of Baler that houses the memorabilia of Quezon, of Angaras and other historical features of Baler.



Baler Catholic Chuch
It was the last Spanish garrison of four officers and fifty men siege by Filipino insurgents on June 27, 1899. This is also where the La Campana de Baler, an ancient high quality bell, was used and later stored as a relic.

I noticed the concrete footprints in front of the church leading to the Quezon Memorial Park. Just like the concrete footprints of Rizal in Intramuros from Fort Santiago going to Bagumbayan (Luneta). But I found no one from the Museum to answer my query.

Balete Park
My colleagues went to Ma. Aurora and visited the Balete Park.

This park contains the 600-year-old balete tree that was designated the official "Millennium Tree" of The Philippines. It is the largest tree of its kind in Asia, and it would take 60 grown men, holding one another at arm's length, to encircle its gigantic trunk. Due to its age, the tree's thick roots have grown above ground, such that caves have formed under various sections of the trunk. This unique tree has generated national media attention and is now the most visited tourist spot in Aurora.

Then they went ahead to the house of our hostess where they plentifully devour fresh buko. When they arrived in Bay's Inn, they brought with them, what else, Euphorbia, given to them as gift.

My last night in Baler is not the same with my first two nights. Since this is my last night, I decided to visit the local bar and singly watched the band performing in front of a handful costumers.


Monday Dip
At the stroke of 6am, we are in front of the resort, testing the sea water if it is cold. To my surprise, it's almost lukewarm! Forty five minutes of wading in the water is not enough to test the 'surfing' area of Aurora.

I remember, Saturday afternoon while conducting the training in Bahia de Baler, I've seen some folks in front of that resort, with their surf board, paddling and trying to ride in the waves as it touches the shoreline. The locals said that surfing season usually falls in the last quarter of the year where waves rose double.

In Barangay Sabang, located on this long stretch of gray sand beach, are several resorts namely: Angara's Beach House, Bay's Inn Resort (Our foster home), Bahia de Baler, Surfers' Inn, MIA Surf and Sports Resort and Baler Guesthouse and Restaurant, which, offer accommodations near the beachfront and provide food, relaxation, and respite for swimmers and surfers.

From March through June, the waves are relatively calm providing a good beachfront for swimmers and an excellent challenge for expert windsurfers. The months from October to February bring in the large waves for beginner surfers to learn the basics. Since the sea level is gradual in its depth and no sudden slopes, it is relatively safety to surf and you won't get any scratches if big waves will eat you down to the sea level since there were no coral present but only fine sand at the bottomed.

They said the most popular surfing point is found right in front of Bay's Inn, where beginners brave the moderate waves and regular surfers practice.

(Lindy's point, found further north along Sabang beach, is a highly-prized secret spot among local surfers.)

Unfortunately, I found no one in that very early Monday morning paddling their surfboard, only handful joggers in the shoreline. And the Surfers' Inn, where they have surfing board rental, is still close.

Home Sweet Home
After packing and having our hefty breakfast, we received 'buko' as pabaon from a cooperative member who have attended our VF Training.

We left Baler 9:30am taking the same road, the 'villa', going back to Cabanatuan, and from time-to-time do some stop over, buying some plants along the way from the locals (waling-waling, wild orchids, 'dapo'/fern)

I thought Euphorbia is already over but when we reached San Leonardo town in Nueva Ecija, we dropped by in another garden and my colleagues bought another variety of euphorbia, Euphorbia Lactea that looks like a fan.

That was already 7:30pm when I finally say "I'm home!".

My four-day stay in Baler is so quick but full of fun memories, noble works and mission, moments of interest, food, history and nature. And I quickly said to myself, I'll be back again in Baler....or probably the farthest town in Aurora, Casiguran (no electricity, only generator that runs until 12mn; no cellular signal till you go to higher places; cheap and fresh sea foods; plain, simple and full life).. and this will be another story.



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