Jekoy Express: February 2015

Friday, February 27, 2015

South Cotabato | The Enchanting Lake Sebu

From North Cotabato I’ll be heading to the South Cotabato this time. My next destination is the enchanting Lake Sebu! I’m so grateful to Kuya Neil that he sends me to the bus terminal going to Cotabato City. From Cotabato City I ride a jeepney going to Husky bus terminal then hop a bus bound to Isulan in Sulatan Kudarat. The bus going to Isulan passes by the province of Maguindanao. I’m supposed to have a side trip to Shariff Aguak but I decided to go directly to Isulan. From there I took a van to Surallah then a jeepney ride again to the Lake Sebu.

Lake Sebu is a natural lake located in the municipality of Lake Sebu, South Cotabato and within the Alah Valley region. It is one of the country's most important watersheds, supplying irrigation to the provinces of Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato. The villages around the lake have been turned into an independent municipality called Lake Sebu after being a former village of Surallah.

The T'boli and Ubo tribes have been the traditional dwellers of the lake. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources have recognized, through Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2, Series of 1993, the claim of these tribes that the lake and its surroundings are under their ancestral domain.

I enjoyed eating different kinds of tilapia dishes. One of the tastiest tilapia I’ve tried. Main draws of Lake Sebu is the 7 waterfalls. I got to visit the 2 accessible falls. Hope to see all 7 waterfalls when i return to Lake Sebu next month. They are celebrating their festival during my visit. Before heading to Sultan Kudarat i watched tribe performances at the plaza.

This is part of the 2nd leg of my solo backpacking in Mindanao.

how to get to lake sebu

From Manila - Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Air flies daily to General Santos City. From there ride a van/bus bound to Surallah. From the Surallah transport terminal hop a jeepney to Lake Sebu then habal habal to your resort.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

North Cotabato | The Breathtaking Asik-Asik Waterfalls

I left Cotabato City early in the morning to catch the double-tire jeep in Midsayap. The double-tire jeep leaves Midsayap market at around 10am then took 2 hours to reach Dado in Alamada. I am so excited to finally see the curtain like spring fall of Asik-asik.

The people of North Cotabato speak Ilonggo. From barangay Dado I took a heavy duty motorcycle/habal-habal to upper Dado. The road uphill were rough that passes through the countryside of Alamada. It was the worst habal-habal ride experience of my life. There were times where I opt to walk because anytime well get out of balance and got an accident. It was a butt trembling journey.

Approaching the jump off municipal officials and resident of Upper Dado held a meeting on how they manage the Asik-asik falls. Roads were under construction. They told me that the rough habal-habal experience is part of the adventure of going to Asik-asik.

There is also store selling beverages, coffee, snacks and souvenir items and nipa huts for those who want to stay overnight.

I stayed for a while then and a group of Midsayap locals boarded a 4WD arrived with their foreigner friend. We walk down the muddy trail heading to the falls. The makeshift bridge they constructed is destroyed by a recent typhoon and the strong current of river would not allow us to cross the other side.

The breathtaking views of Asik-asik were really worth to visit. It is one of a kind.

After spending some time I went back to the jump off point still undecided to stay overnight or go back to Midsayap. One of the locals asked my family name and it happens that his grandparents were same as mine, we are distant relatives. He invited me to stay at their home in Midsayap. I got also a free ride on his 4WD, accommodation and dinner.

The following day I travel back to Cotabato City and headed to my next destination the Lake Sebu in South Cotabato!

This is part of the 2nd leg of my solo backpacking in Mindanao.

Monday, February 9, 2015

Cotabato City | The Grand Mosque Of Cotabato

monument of sultan kudarat

After spending hours roaming around Marawi City I headed to the transport terminal and waited for the van bound to Cotabato City. While waiting for some passengers I took some photos within the vicinity. I can’t understand their language so I just spend time editing my pictures while observing some locals. Contrary to what my friends says nothing to fear in Marawi but you needs enough courage to be on that place. It’s just like ordinary places in the Philippines.

old cotabato city hall

We left Marawi at around noon. The highway that connects Marawi to Cotabato passes by the remote towns that belong to Maguindanao province. It just likes a ghost town where we seldom see vehicles passes that route.

We arrived at Cotabato City at around 2 pm. I ate a late lunch in a nearby eatery then afterwards I walk towards the plaza scouting for a cheaper accommodation. After I settle my accommodation at Hotel Filipino I took a quick shower then headed to the grand mosque. From the plaza I hop a jeepney bound to Awang then get off at the husky bus terminal. At the junctions I take habal habal to the grand mosque.

The Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Masjid or the grand mosque of Cotabato is the largest mosque in the Philippines. The construction of the mosque in Barangay Kalanganan was funded by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam as a gift to the emerging Muslim population in the southern Philippines.

cotabato city hall

From the grand mosque i drop by the People’s Palace or the Cotabato city hall. Kids were playing soccer on the fields. I took some photos then one of the kids with disability approaches me and gamely smiles at me.

I head back to the hotel and roamed around the plaza. There is a dance competition in the park. Food stalls were also on the street that sells grilled chicken, sea foods and pastel I bought some and ate it on my room. After eating my dinner I stayed at the hotel’s veranda and observing the night life of Cotabato City. I took a rest and prepare myself for my next destination the Asik-Asik falls in Alamada North Cotabato the following day.

This is part of the 2nd leg of my solo backpacking in Mindanao.

Lanao Del Sur | The Islamic City Of Marawi

From Mukas I boarded a bus bound to Iligan City. I spend a night at famous pension house located at the back of Adventist Medical Center along Andres Bonifacio Avenue. I leave Iligan at around 5 am. From the highway I hail a habal habal to the south-bound terminal where jeepneys that fly to Marawi City embark.

Marawi City is predominantly a Muslim City which accounts for 95% of the population. Sharia criminal law exists but without stoning, amputations or other harsh Islamic punishments as they are against the law of the Philippines. The distribution of alcoholic products and gambling is forbidden and women must cover their heads. Non-Muslims though are exempted to this rule. Other than Sharia law in personal matters, these laws are not applicable elsewhere in Lanao Del Sur.

An hour of land travel finally I reach the main campus of Mindanao State University. The Lanao Lake is overlooking from the campus of the university also inside where Aga Khan Museum and King Faisal mosque.

From MSU i took a tricycle to the Lanao Del Norte provincial capitol. I enter the capitol ground. The government building and offices were huge. There is also a mosque inside. From there I walk the nearby Marawi integrated terminal and boarded a van bound to Cotabato City.

It was a short visit to Marawi City. Some of my friends warned me that it is too dangerous there but it’s worth to take the risk to visit unfamiliar places.

This is part of the 2nd leg of my solo backpacking in Mindanao.