The Provincial Capitol
By Cecille A. La Plana
A crossroad of three cities right in the heart of Zamboanga Peninsula is Ipil. The seat of the provincial government of Zamboanga Sibugay is fast becoming an emerging business hub to would be investors from neighboring cities. It can be recalled that Ipil took the front pages of national daily papers in 1995 when the Abu Sayyaf first landed their assault. From that ruins raised a promising Ipil forging business ventures both locally and globally.
A three and a half hour drive by bus from Zamboanga City; approximately four hours from Dipolog and Pagadian, Ipil is best seen at daytime. It has the greens that urban cities do not have with a view of unspoiled beaches from Tungawan to Buug. Of the 16 municipalities, 13 of which are coastal municipalities boasting of its fishing industry. Home to the largest rubber producing province in the country, Sibugay enjoys that unofficial claim many had hoped for.
Backpacking travelers can now enjoy what Ipil and the rest of Sibugay province can offer. So I will take you to a tour of my hometown, my province. In this way, you would know a great civilization unfolds in this part of the region.
GETTING HERE
From urban Manila and Cebu, domestic airlines offer flights to and from Zamboanga, Dipolog, and Pagadian cities. The Rural Transit Management Incorporated, a Mindanao-wide bus operator, has 24 hour trip from these cities. It is advisable to travel at daytime for that sightseeing road trip. Bus stops help unload call of nature and or a drop off point to have that soul-quenching mouth enjoy a drink. There is nothing to worry at when hunger strikes even at the wee hours of night.
Big welcome arches can be seen from three entry points to Sibugay. New travelers are advised to be dropped at the last bus stop upon reaching Ipil as bus operators are not allowed a stop in the main thoroughfare. The Ipil Bus Terminal is located about two kilometers from town proper en route the Municipality of Titay and offers both bus and van transits to and from neighboring cities.
ACCOMODATION
There are many types of accommodation ranging from transient boarding houses to that well-paved and air-conditioned hotel. A night for standard hotel room rate can be had at P700 while transient boarding at the least can be enjoyed at P50. Bookings can be made via email or telephone. Communication providers have presence offering mobile and internet access. Some hotels and restaurants have WIFIs. The newly opened Casa Mea Hotel right in the heart of Ipil is the newest addition in accommodation. Businessmen, travelers, and tourists can check out Sibugay Grand Plaza Hotel, Diane Palace, Ricomar Pension, Cataluna de Sibugay and Mikasa for hotel reservations. If you’re in for some reflective moods there is a native house for different functions in Siay.
Ipil Green Resort
LEISURE and DINING
Mornings are great for a walk at the Capitol Hills where the grandeur of Zamboanga Sibugay sits. This iconic symbol shows the tri-people aborigines of the first settlers—Christians, Muslims and Subanens. A breathtaking experience of the panoramic view of Ipil and Titay is one of its main attributes along with a view of pristine beaches lining its shores. Apart from the must-see capitol building, the hills proffer a deck sight of Buluan Island. The lawn tennis and basketball courts are great grounds for sports enthusiasts. And that grilling effect walk for hikers up and down the hills is suggestive of what is called as active lifestyle for all ages.
Nightlife is simple. For the frugal pocket, the “island-island”, the streets within the corners of Ipil rotunda, has an array of ballot vendors. Barbeque has always been the bestseller at Pinoy B-B-Q. The cheapest and tastiest is offered at P3 to a budget of P45 a stick. The Undergound Disco at Sibugay Grand Plaza Hotel is hyped for teenagers. Planet Disco at the Mandarin Hotel and Sentro are two other places to spend the wee hours for social drinking. For fine dining Southwoods and Montebello Bar has the ambiance. For that hearty meal short orders take your time at Chicken Inato where I brought my visitors who came all the way from Ilo-ilo while fresh sea foods can be availed at Su-tu-kil.
Litayon Island in Alicia
Indoor Resorts are alternatives for those who do not want to take pleasure in the unspoiled beaches of Sibugay. Local operators Green Resort and Roderics in Ipil and Green Palace in Buug, have affordable rates to offer for business and family gatherings. For the adventurers bat caving is simply the best animal-horror experience at Barangay Timalang. And if one wants to see a face in a cave, Boalan Cave in Titay is ready for that camera click. The enthralling beach of Buluan Island, about 30 minute travel by boat, is the nearest get-away while Pandilusan Island in Payao, Litayon Island in Alicia and Looc Labuan in Tungawan resonates a Dakak feel. I love the waters of Looc Labuan as the horizon glitters in mix clear and bluish waters that are Sibugay.
One of the best adrenaline rushes for sightseeing is to be intimate with nature. The Culasian Nature Park in Titay is the best place for me to experience real breathtaking experience on foot. The green landscape of the forest is simply irresistible and I had my share of eagle’s eyes wandering in the beauty of the greens. The fresh air and the misty due of the morning feel like hovering in bliss. Thought I was in the middle of Amazon forest. Further on top of the mountain lies Tagbilat Falls great for private and small group roving.
A helicopter ride over Sibuguey River provides a perfect panoramic view of the letter S shaped river. The river traverses the municipalities of Diplahan, Imelda, Siay etc. What are great to look up to are the vast emerald plains of rice and paddy fields.
Sea snakes in Olutanga
Down in the Island of Olutanga, wanderers have mysteriously dosed questions why hundreds of venomous sea snakes called “walo-walo” can become a man’s best friend. I made attempts to see for my eyes these seemingly nice creatures but could not afford to be tamed with snakes. The thought of it just makes my breath stop. Courageous visitors still flock to visit the small shanty in the islet.
Aqua farming is still a thriving industry here. Lobsters, crabs, prawns, shrimps and oysters have always found a place in sumptuous dining menus. A catch of cultured tilapia and lapu-lapu for the health conscious are indeed mouthwatering gastronomic cuisines everyone would love too. Picnic in fishponds could be a good idea while watching the Noah’s Ark in Barangay Magsaysay of R.T.Lim.
Natural rubber latex from our farm
Abaca farming is a flourishing venture too. A 30 minute drive to Goodyear in Kabasalan offers a good side trip. Backpacking in Sibugay is not complete without taking sustainable travel to rubber plantations and plants. As the largest natural rubber producing province in the Philippines, it is predominantly agro-based with rubber smallholders as strategic partners and plantation owners as key providers. As one of the rubber small holders, I grew up learning to love the stinky smell of rubber latex which is best spelled as m-o-n-e-y. The “bagsakan” in Titay is where one gets to meet rubber smallholders, agents and traders.
SHOP TALK
Medium-sized shopping centers, the newly-built pasalubong center, street boutiques are where one can find some must-haves for pasalubong. Not that exquisite though but sure there are items lovely for that hard-earned bucks.
Dining set made of native rattan and bamboo are great finds at the “tabuan” site in Barangay Tirso Babiera while native delicacies are being displayed at Sanito fronting the Sibugay Grand Hotel. Grocery stores too have delicacies which are proudly Sibugay made.
CULTURE
Ibn Saud Ahmad Salipyasin's masterpiece
There are local artisans producing products that are uniquely Sibugay. From handicrafts to furniture and the development of local delicacies, Sibugay has many to boasts of. A short stint at the capitol has given me the privilege to meet a true blooded artist whose strokes are a combination of lines and circles forming one piece of the puzzle to make a masterpiece. Ibn Saud Ahmad Salipyasin is a renowned muslim painter from Kabasalan. His paintings have been exhibited in hall of fames in Paris, France, New York to name a few. He was the man behind the intricate dome-ceiling painting in Pasonanca, Zamboanga City. Lucky enough, I was able to attend two Pusaka exhibits in the Cogon Palace at the Capitol Hills some five years ago. Hosting the events were experiences my journal could not put into oblivion. One piece that I especially remember was his painting portraying an acquaintance scene between Pope John Paul II and then president Fidel V. Ramos which I saw from a photo shoot my friend Eric took.
The Indigenous People (IPs) shared a rich culture in this part of the region. In the hinterlands of Sibugay and Zamboanga del Sur for example, the Subanens still practice wine production the traditional way. A taste of pangasi sends my spirit free. It really is tasty, strong and perfectly blended. Going places in the outskirts is best experienced by taking privately-hired “habal-habal”—a motorcycle designed for rough roads which can take five or more persons at a time.
To really explore Sibugay just by watching is to witness the Sibug-sibug festival’s street dancing and showdown drawing attraction in February of each year. The sounds and tempos of drums and the upbeat contemporary music make a whole picture of our genuine cultural heritage.
A day or two gives a glimpse of Sibugay! Tara na to Zamboanga Sibugay!
My town, my province, has always been dear to me. My younger years have always been spent walking across the main thoroughfare with two to three vehicles passing by. In church, I could memorize faces and their usual seating arrangements. Three decades past a new Ipil, a new province, have risen from the ruins of its past. Traffic is getting heavier and I could no longer identify most church goers.
BRIEF HISTORY OF ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY
There were several attempts to divide the Province of Zamboanga del Sur into two separate provinces dating back 1960s. Several bills were filed in congress but all filed bills remained unacted and relegated to the recesses in the annals of our history.
Congressman George T. Hofer of the Municipality of Titay sponsored House Bill No. 1311. His bill sailed through rough waters but he managed to push the bill up in the ladders of Congress, giving it a new identity by naming the proposed province as Zamboanga Sibugay. Behind his efforts were the unsung heroes called the YES Movemen; they were his legwork team. Cong. Hofer lobbied for its approval in the Senate and finally gained approval for the creation of the new province. Republic Act 8973 embodies the legal creation of the 79th province, the Province of Zamboanga Sibugay.
Photo courtesy of Fr. JJ L. Rocamora and Mr. Elson Monterola
