Tomorrow
marks the two-week anniversary of Bohol’ devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake
that affected thousands of Boholanos.
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| Bayanihan spirit Photo by Leo P. Udtohan |
Images
of hardships are still flooding your TV screen especially in the towns that
were the epicenter of the disaster. Many families lost their properties and loved
ones and some just disappeared in an instant.
The
effects of this dreadful quake are visible everywhere in tent cities where
people are still living without proper homes, clean running water and food.
As
I went to barangay Bagtic in Catigbian town, I saw people harvesting crops near
the tension cracks. There was “Diskwento Caravan” of the DTI in Loon town last
Thursday. And despite the quake, the people of Antequera had celebrated their
town fiesta yesterday. It was those little things –I’ve realized these are signs
of hope.
I
salute many amazing people and organizations that are making things better. I’ve
realized that there are many young people who care about other people and the province keeping the bayanihan spirit alive. They have volunteered to pack and deliver
relief goods to far-flung barangays.
A lot do voluntourism on Facebook and text messages to
help promote the affected tourism of Bohol.
Yes,
there is still great suffering from the horrific quake, but resilience and a
passion for life still dominate the Boholano people.
As you're reading this, you can do something.
***
Loboc Riverwatch offers quake-licious
I
saw how the 7.2 magnitude earthquake damaged the kitchen of the Loboc
Riverwatch, owned by Tessie and Libby Sumampong.
Madame
Susan Laguras (Tessie’s right hand) and crew were cleaning the area where a big
tree collapsed and destroyed the kitchen. They were saving some stuff.
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| Loboc Riverwatch floats again! |
“The
earthquake may have left us devastated after our property sustained damage but
our spirits were not dampened to rebuild again,” says Tessie.
Other
floating restaurants are now operational last week but Loboc Riverwatch
Floating Resto rises up and brings new menu with a twist.
Tomorrow,
Oct. 28, starters
on the new menu include
the primary wave: soup of the day which
is the linog-gaw, guso salad, manga-nitude with 7.2 bagoong, the epicentre has plain rice, pancit especial, humbang nangka, earth quickquick, chopseuy ni ondoy, battered
chicken, seafood kurog-kurog, intensified shrimp, grilled fish tuna-mi, dinakdakan or pork bbq.
The
quake delights includes aftershock-koy,
bingkang niliki, banana flitters, lindol-dol, faulto cheese, suman, dagandagan fruits in season with one
round softdrink.
“We aim to give the
earthquake a lighter note despite its heartbreaking effects to Bohol. We decided to introduce our new
menu so that diners can treat themselves while enjoying the Loboc River,” adds
Tessie.
It
can be noted that Tessie started serving authentic Boholano cuisines last
summer.
“50
% of the income will be donated to the Loboc Church,” says Tessie.
(Note:
Loboc Riverwatch: Tel. No: (038) - 537–9460, (038) -537–9460; Mobile: +63918 -
510 – 4032/ +63917- 306–0010/+63917-382–2254; Email: lobocriverwatch@gmail.com)
***
While we are at it, Prof. Marianito Luspo
shares his thoughts on Bohol and the killer quake:
BAMBOO FLOWERS. If you notice this was the
title of Maryo de los Reyes’ latest film project. He told me he got the title
while cruising along the Abatan River where some bamboo groves grow. He
obviously heard about how the bamboo flowers only once in its lifetime
– just before it dies. A poignant tale indeed and this inspired him to develop
the storyline of his movie. Seeing the preview, however, I was struck by the
fact that nowhere in the entire movie –all about Boholanos and shot mostly in
Bohol – is the lesson of the bamboo flower reflected. I did not see beauty
preceding extinction, of reality taken for granted until just as it started to
get noticed and admired death comes to take it away forever.
Then the cataclysmic earthquake happened and as I tried to grapple with the reality of our Boholano heritage either ruined or lost it dawned on me Maryo J’s tribute movie Bamboo Flowers may have, albeit inadvertently, presaged the fate of Bohol.
Imagine this, for the past several hundred years this island and all the wonders in it stood at the edge of nowhere. It was even bruited about for quite some time that nothing good ever comes out of this backwater of a province. Yes, even us, its inhabitants, used to be the butt of national jokes, it led some enterprising individuals, the likes of Yoyoy Villame, to simply say “Cebu” when asked where they come from, just to avoid the inevitable ribbing.
Then
not so long ago, Bohol suddenly hit the limelight and was touted about as the
next exciting tourist destination. It took us sometime to adjust to our new
found fame, the new monicker as the beautiful province. Overnight, it seemed,
we have become like the ugly duckling grown to become a splendid-looking swan.
The splendor of our hills were written about; the whiteness of our beach sand
is marveled at; our churches touted as exemplars of conservation and heritage
sensibility. Yes, even the tiny tarsiers became giants in the eyes of an
appreciative world. It took us sometime, yes, but soon we became convinced
ourselves we truly have a beautiful province to call home.
The
bamboo has flowered, after centuries of flourishing as an overgrown grass
species along the banks of the Abatan river. How long did its season of
flowering last – twenty years? No, it was much less than that. When the earth
groaned and went into paroxysms of sub-tectonic readjustment that fateful
morning of October 15, 2013, changing the face of our accustomed topography and
cultural landscape just as we were just learning to appreciate and take pride in
them, we were just ten years as a tourism frontliner, fifteen years cherishing
our natural and cultural inheritance and close to eighteen when we started on
the road to cultural rebirth. Now, most of beauty of that short-lived flowering
are but sad memories. But other bamboos are still there and someday soon they
will also come to flower.
***
Thanks for your
letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow
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