We had hoped to sleep in the following morning after our all-night cha cha fest, but after a mere three hours were summoned to eat a quick breakfast and load up into another dump truck for the Magellan’s Landing mass and celebration. If the first dump truck experience was the best thing we’ve done here so far, this second truck is probably one of the worst.
I was lucky enough to score a seat in the cab as a lady, but Brandon and Eric rode in the back, along with 30+ other people. Bodies flailed about in the bed and people held onto each other as they flew forward and back over the cracks in the road along steep terrain for more than an hour. The deep red earth of Homonhon caked the truck and more red dust whipped us as we rode. When we finally made it to the Landing site, everyone was exhausted and covered in a thick layer of red dirt.
On the way, we drove across the mid-section of the island, the interior where the mining has taken place. Here are some images of the mined landscape, not a pretty sight:
Mining operations have been shut down for a number of years, but we’ve heard the company has plans to reopen. Some levels of government here are opposed to it, but on the other hand, the people (and seemingly the most local level of government) hope the mine will reopen for the sake of their livelihoods. On Homonhon there are few alternatives for people to earn a basic living. It’s a story we’ve definitely heard before, and one that makes us think of home.
Magellan landed on the south side of the island, and just inland from where he came ashore there’s a monument known as Magellan’s Cross.
[where Magellan supposedly came ashore] The festivities took place there at the monument site, with a mass and meal.
Each village had its own table, and as the only foreign guests we were invited to join the governor’s feast.
[no silverware or plate, just go for it. pansit, fresh seafood, rootcrops, and of course rice] The entire celebration lasted a couple of hours and we returned to the other side of the island for a much needed shower and nap.
We slept most of the day but woke up for the big event – a concert, the first ‘real’ concert ever on the island, by two national celebrities. The mayor sponsored the event and shipped over the equipment for a professional show. A special stage was built in the town plaza and a troupe of dancers from Manila was brought in. Hundreds of people flocked the plaza that night to watch the concert, which was actually pretty entertaining. Plus, we were able to get seats in the back row and spend most of the evening unnoticed (a first for us!)
The next morning we woke early and secured a spot on the 9am boat back to the mainland. We ate a leisurely breakfast and headed to the dock at 8:45, only to see that our boat was already out to sea!
[What happened to waiting three hours for the boat to actually leave, like on the trip there??] We returned to the house dejected and were told there would be no more boats. We would have to stay an extra day.
How to spend an entire day with no plans? We were invited to tour the island with the mayor, but because we’re non-political as volunteers and it’s election season, we declined and stayed in the Kapitana’s village. Plus they were taking the dump truck again, so… no thank you. We napped through the hot hours of the day, played cards and taught folks how to play Skip-Bo, then took the Kapitana’s granddaughter for a walk. This girl is quite the character and she and her friend were great companions for a trip to the beach.
[going for a stroll] 
[typical beach village scene] 
[lookin for shells] The following morning we woke extra early to ensure that we’d make the boat, yet somehow we almost missed it AGAIN, even though we were two hours earlier than the day before. Lesson learned: there is NO schedule for these things; be prepared for anything!
When arriving at the dock, we saw the little boat from the trip there (the one we had mocked because it was barely afloat) and realized that THIS is what we’d be taking back. Oh, the irony.
So we loaded up, I donned my rain jacket (although others weren’t as lucky), and we spent the next three hours getting drenched by the waves. Unlike our first, large boat that rode above them, this small pumpboat cut right through the waves. We liked to joke that it was “kind of like the log ride, only better!” Although, it’s fun for about the first half hour, and then you realize that you have two hours more of being pounded by the water and riding the rollercoaster-like waves. It gets old.
[fearfully boarding the boat] Back on the mainland now, we’re returning to our regular work, thankful for the new connections we made and the new cultural experiences we had on Homonhon. We have many potential projects in the works. Here’s a brief list of what might be coming up:
Brandon:
-Education campaign against the non-sustainable practice of harvesting gravid (pregnant) crabs
-Writing a proposal to fund a marine protected area (MPA) project and working with the community to develop a management plan
Tori:
-Organizing village weaving associations for people who weave grass mats; the project would train weavers in new skills like dyeing and making higher value products
-Tourism development: creating a local accommodations and transportation guide for the tourist info center
Both:
-An Earth Day education event
-Ongoing climate change education
-Creating profiles of the coastal villages and training co-facilitators
April will be a busy month with Holy Week, a visit from 17 other PC volunteers, Brandon’s 28th birthday, Earth Day, and a trip to Central Visayas. We hope everyone’s enjoying the start of spring back home!
