BASILAN IN THE MORNING

 

The Port of Isabela is the doorway to Basilan Island

This island province is just an hour and a half away by boat from Zamboanga City. On arrival from Jolo on the overnight ferry, my two travel companions and I quickly transferred to the Reina Kleopatra, docked on the next berth. Just like changing trains on the subway for our next destination, Basilan.

Basilan, like Sulu, has a troubled and violent past. It is even known as the bombing capital of the Philippines.

Our guide met us at the Port of Isabela; and whisked us away for breakfast at Jollibee. He told us  by noon there would be lines all the way out of the door of people wanting to eat chicken Joy. Pancit Palabok here is pork-free.

Once again, like in Sulu, our guide and driver in Basilan were one in saying that the province was peaceful and that the Abu Sayaf had fled. No more kidnappings, they said.

Even if we just had one morning here, we took a rather long drive to Lamitan, the capital of the province, to see the lovely Bulingan falls, one of the top tourist spots there.

Bulingan Falls in Lamitan Ctiy, the Basilan capital, is a popular spot

Basilan was in the news last year when ex Lamitan Mayor Rose Furigay was shot and killed inside the  Ateneo campus. She was there for her daughter’s graduation.

Along the way to Lamitan, we saw rubber tree farms. Basilan is home to rubber plantations; with more than 50,000 hectares of it. I read that a blight blanketed the rubber trees so seriously that a state of calamity was declared early this year.

We drove back to Isabela, making stops at the local market to see how traditional Yakan delicacies were made; the provincial capitol, and at the Isabela city hall.

I introduced myself to an employee at the city hall, telling her we were from Manila. She was effusive in her welcome and thanked us for visiting. Balik kayo, she said.

Basilan

July 14, 2023