PALAWAN (MIS)ADVENTURES

In just ten days recently I was able to travel Palawan from Busuanga to Balabac. This is practically a trek from the tipmost of the one side to the other tipmost of the province. And I was able to do so all though commuting – by air, over waters, and on wheels. While every island indeed is an adventure in our Last Frontier it is interesting to note as well that every commuting to and fro, here and there could also equally be an adventure or misadventure depending on how one sees it. Tara, byahe tayo. Tour A- Puerto Princesa City to El Nido: An airline has just launched its maiden flight from Puerto Princesa City to El Nido. Instead of the 5-hour land trip, giving a try to this 40-minute newest route would indeed be an adventure. The tiny aircraft was cozy. It allowed me to gaze the aerial beauty of Palawan that I could almost touch both the clouds in the sky and the cliffs of mountain ranges along with the immaculately blueish ocean. As I looked around inside the plane I was somewhat amazed that I was the only native on board, all the rest are either Caucasian or “K-Pop” in skin pigmentation. The lone flight attendant on the flight struck a conversation with me. She was the usual genteel as you would expect an attendant must be. She did all the talking at first and was speaking in English until I blurted something in Tagalog. She was jolted and made a gesture of sigh as she told me, “Oh, salamat po sir. Filipino po pala kayo. English pa ako ng English. Akala ko po Japanese kayo.” Tour B- Lio Airport to Corong-corong. It was a luxury-feel upon touchdown in El Nido. Thanks to Lio Airport who transformed the area from somewhat rustic then to a glamorous spot now. A porter who had a sense that I did not have a private fetch kindheartedly led me where public transport was. He cautioned me, “Medyo mahal po ang tricycle dito.” I had no choice anyway. The charge was P350.00 for a 15-minute ride. By a snap calculation, I suspect that this is more pricey ride than the prior 40-minute plane ride. Tour C- Corongcorong to Pier: I got up early at dawn to catch the ferry to Coron. For a less than 10-minute ride, the driver charged me P100. 00. “Special trip po kasi, Sir.” It was too early yet to argue and so I rested my case too quickly. Tour D- El Nido to Coron: I took the so-called fast craft ( I overheard the other type of sea vessel is called slow boat). It was estimated to reach the destination for 4 hours. Due to uncooperative weather condition then, it took us a couple of hours more to arrive in Coron. Again, a great majority of passengers were foreign tourists.

Two impressions could be worth noting. One, foreigners could comfortably be seated with anybody anywhere and would initiate a conversation to anyone compared with our compatriots who could rather be shy, reserved, timid and endure (or enjoy?) the very long trip in speechlessness. And two, on disembarking, loads of luggage were being offloaded manually from the boat. I have observed, Filipinos tend to travel with bigger bags and with multiple suitcases. Foreigners would just pick their bulging backpacks up and walk away in a flash. Tour E- Port to Coron Poblacion: Along with my two bags and a box, I hurried to go outside the port and take a tricycle. Several trike drivers negotiated for P200.00. I blurted, “Taga-rito po ako e.” Very politely, one driver told me, “Doon na lang po kayo mag-abang sa may kalsada, Sir.” Off I went as I was abiding by the counsel. On the trike, it was just me and the driver until he picked up another passenger along the way. Upon reaching my destination, as I alighted from the trike, I asked the driver, “Magkano po?” A quick but edgy silence had separated us then and there. But the driver managed to reply with a playful grin, “20 po, sir dalawa po kasi. Pinaupo nyo po ang bag nyo po eh.” I did oblige instantly as I was thinking about the P200 fare on a contract basis a while ago. . to be continued