Tranquility at Tanawan in Sta. Rosa

About thirty minutes away from the town proper of Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija is Tanawan, a favorite destination of locals and visitors.

"Tanawan" may mean "viewing area" and the place is rightfully named because it offers visitors a panoramic view of the rolling hills and carpets of green surroundings. it also gives you a unique view of some parts of Cabanatuan City.

Before reaching Tanawan, you will pass through the main entrance of the nearby Fort Magsaysay military camp, itself a worthy destination especially if you are riding a bike or jogging.

Tanawan is also part of Palayan City, which is the capital of Nueva Ecija.

Getting to Tanawan is an adventure in itself. There are no public transports and most locals go there on a motorbike and in groups. The long, winding, and hilly roads give visitors a glimpse of the life of people living in the many communities that you will pass by before reaching Tanawan.

The roads are paved and relatively new. Passing through, one can see numerous orchards, green rice fields, massive trees with equally massive canopies, farms, and quaint houses. You will also pass by a military reserve, which can give you a feeling of security, considering that Tanawan is still fairly remote.

A short, steep zigzag road (about 2 kilometers long) will finally take you up to Tanawan.

Reaching Tanawan, there are a few carinderias that can offer anything from food to beer. For a modest rent, you can use the nipa huts scattered around in which to enjoy your cold drinks or your food.

Once you're settled in the nipa hut, you can enjoy the view and the cool breeze. From afar, the horizon looks untouched, dotted only by a few small houses. Tanawan is mostly tranquil and the silence is often disturbed only by the occasional motorbike revving up to a hilly climb up the road.

Here's a quick guide to get to Tanawan:

1.) From Sta. Rosa town proper, simply follow the Sta. Rosa-Fort Magsaysay Road.

2.) From Maharlika Highway, turn left (if you're coming from the north) or turn right if you are coming from Manila or Bulacan.

3.) Coming from the neighboring town of Zaragosa, Nueva Ecija simply go straight ahead after passing by the Sta. Rosa Bridge and Sta. Rosa public market.

My Saudi sojourn (Part 3)

They say the last few months will be the hardest, when you’re about to end your stay in a foreign land and go back home. Overall, my stay in Saudi Arabia was uneventful. Sure, I’ve been to a number of interesting places, met a few interesting people, gained some friends, and immersed in a foreign culture.

I really felt I belonged to this close circle of friends I learned to trust. In return, I have been a loyal and helping friend to them. In the grand scheme of things, it is my hope that I will remembered as a good friend to those I’ll be leaving behind.

A few weeks before I decided to approach the office manager to give my resignation letter, I harbored mixed feelings. I am happy to be just a few weeks away from going back home to family and friends. At the same time, I felt a bit nostalgic knowing that many Filipinos in Saudi Arabia do not have the luxury of making decisions or choices given me. Many Filipinos do not have the luxury of choosing jobs, and many still are literally stuck in a foreign country to toil until better days come for them. And many of these Filipinos are my friends.

The economics are really simple. A Filipino worker is better off working in a foreign land where there are many job choices, if one is not too picky. And this does not apply only to Filipinos with menial jobs. Professionals in Saudi Arabia will have a difficult time leaving their jobs, knowing fully-well that high-paying jobs are too few in their homeland.

Some even had to bring their families to Saudi Arabia, resigned to the fact that they will be staying there for a really long time. As for me, I guess I am fortunate to have friends and colleagues who are eager to work with me again. I do not call it luck, but rather choice. I chose to work back in my home country knowing that I will be leaving behind a lucrative job.

The night I was about to leave, I bid a happy, but sad, goodbye to my friends. It will be an image that I will remember for the rest of my life. There they were, waving, some shaking my hand, some heckling, some laughing, as I boarded the company car to take me to the airport.

After a few more hours of anxiety, I boarded the plane to take me back to Manila. Unlike the first time, the hours whizzed past and before I know it, the plane was touching down. I was back in the Philippines, back home, at last.

The Dupinga River

Dupinga River is located in Gabaldon, one of the more remote towns in the vast province of Nueva Ecija.

According to accounts, the river was merely a source of water from the scattered communities around Gabaldon. Traditionally, locals, most often penitents during Holy Week troop to the river after traversing the numerous churches and chapels along the way.

But the river, with its clear and clean water, begun attracting a slew of visitors.
Soon after, locals eventually erected a few nipa huts and started renting them out to visitors. A sari-sari store followed, a
nd more nipa huts eventually mushroomed around the edges of the river.
Today, Dupinga River is a favored location of picnic goers, mostly out-of-town visitors.

For a modest fee, one can rent a hut near the edge of the river and take a dip in the cold water.

The river is still one of the best kept secrets of Gabaldon town. Seeing its rugged beauty, one can’t help but wish that it remains a secret.

My Saudi Arabia sojourn (Part II)

It was the onset of the summer season of 2009 when I got to Saudi Arabia to work for a year. I immediately felt the suffocating heat whenever I went outdoors.

Thankfully, I did most of my work from my computer in a moderately large office cubicle I share with a few other Filipinos. The first few weeks allowed me to adjust to the working conditions and office culture.

The company employs many Filipinos, as well as Saudi Arabs, Palestines, a Venezuelan, a Nigerian, and quite a number of Indians, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani, among others.
To my relief, the company is a bit lax when it comes to office formalities. There is no bundy clock, but office workers do follow a more or less 7am to 5pm schedule. Employees, especially when not busy on a project, are free to mill around.

I soon found out that the “work cycle” involves a lot of free time, but when work does come in, everyone would be busy. It is also good to note that the company is output oriented.

I am not good at ranting about work, but I found it fascinating how some office employees, particularly those in the lower rung, tend to emphasize their perceived importance in the company, which I think is only natural.

The weekend starts on a Wednesday, when work is only half-day, until Thursday and Friday where there is no work at all. Interestingly, the work week starts on a Saturday.

Most foreign workers have to make this adjustment because as a Muslim country, Saudi Arabia observes Thursday and Friday as its rest days.

My work week was mostly uneventful, and for a good half of 2009, my routine is mostly ordinary and regular.

Travelling to a second home in Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija

About five years ago, we left our hometown in San Miguel, Tarlac City, to live in Sta. Rosa in Nueva Ecija.

My fondest memories of childhood will always be in San Miguel in that small compound where I grew up with my uncles and aunts, and cousins.

But I slowly learned to love Sta. Rosa with its wide rice fields, open roads, and rural beauty. I consider myself lucky because the modest lot my parents were able to buy is literally standing in the middle of rice paddies with a backdrop of mountains and hills.

The house my parents now live in is still a work in progress, but visiting Sta. Rosa will always be like getting a breath of fresh air for someone like me who works in Manila.

In my parents’ small lawn are a few mango trees, some guava trees, and a rather colorful fruiting macopa tree, among others. My mother has a small area for her gumamela, euphorbia, and orchids, all flowering at the same time. My parents also have a few chickens and ducks, all with chicks and ducklings.

A small pond with tilapia and the uninvited mudfish and catfish welcomes the few neighbors that often come to chat. My mother would often invite them for breakfast or coffee as the early morning sun begins to shine.

My father loves to trim the grass along the small lawn so that his grandkids can run around and play, while Blacky, our dog, ever loyal to his masters, stands guard.

The rice fields are a sight to behold, at least for me. I often stay under the shade of a mango tree, stretched upon a hammock just enjoying the calm, soothing breeze, as I watch the chickens and ducks run around searching for food.

In the afternoon, nothing beats having coffee and some light snacks with my old folks as the sun begins to set.

It said that happiness and contentment are always subjective. I could not agree more.

My Saudi Arabia sojourn

I decided to work in Saudi Arabia thinking it would be a quite a learning experience for me. I have been in many countries, but never have I stayed more than a few days away from family and friends.

To me, the chance to work abroad is an opportunity that does not come too often. I also see the opportunity to test my resolve and go through what millions of Filipinos all over the world have gone through.

So one clear day in July, toting my trolley bag and a backpack, I was heading toward the airport off to a foreign land to live and earn a living for a year.

My younger brother and my parents accompanied me to the airport. It was an uneasy feeling as I bid farewell to my family.

The flight was quite long and sleep was too difficult.

After eight hours, I finally arrived in Saudi Arabia, trying very hard to remember all the things I needed to do and preparing in haste all of the documents I needed to show.

A Saudi immigration officer passively browsed through my papers, and in a few minutes, I was off to the airport terminal.

Waiting for me was a jolly Indian fellow, who quickly grabbed my trolley and tossed it at the back of the car.

I was brought to my hotel, where I will be billeted for the rest of my one-year stay.

I was tired and spent, but it took a while for sleep to come to me. My mind was too occupied thinking what tomorrow might bring, my first day of work.

A visit to quaint Pundaquit

The coastal barrio of Pundaquit is becoming a popular destination in Zambales.
Located some 7 to 8 kilometers away from San Antonio town, the village typifies a small, quaint community where fishing is the main source of livelihood for residents.

It will take almost 4 hours to reach Pundaquit from Manila. The roads leading to Subic and other Zambales towns are generally well-maintained. It was a nice surprise to see the smooth and very straight tree-lined road leading to Pundaquit after we arrived in San Antonio.

For both sides of the road we saw rice fields resembling a massive chessboard of light brown squares.

Boracay it is not, but Pundaquit is slowly embracing tourism. It has become the take-off point for island-hopping to nearby Anawangin Cove and Capones Islands, to name a few.

But the beach in Pundaquit is truly scenic, with cottages and huts and colorful boats lined up along the sea shore. The view is more picturesque with mountains and faraway islands serving as a backdrop.

The sea itself can sometimes be quite rough, with at least six-foot waves regularly crashing in on the dark sand beach and retreating back to the ocean.

Surfers have found a haven in these waters, and when the waves are too rough for the boats, one can see a few brave souls, both local and out-of-towners, toting their surfboards to hit the massive waves.