When I first came here in the mid-1980s, a year after meeting Rizza's father in Jerusalem, there was no electricity, no running water, and the only phones were 8 landlines in a government installation in the middle of town. There were only dirt roads and though it still takes us 6 hours to travel to the nearest mall in Davao City, we can do so at any time of the year. In the past, during the Western Monsoon from June to December, you couly go by horse or water buffalo, and in the dry season- winter- the ride to Davao City literally took 18 hours. Progress?
I am, at heart, a Luddite. I disdain most modern comforts and more than that, I am sickened by crass globalist, American- derived fast food culture. I remember when Jose Bove, a French farmer, drove his tractor through a McDonald's plate glass window shortly after it opened in hia quaint French village. He went on to create what has become known as the "Slow Food Movement." A hero as I see it, though I personally abhor the destruction of private property I definitely dig that symbolism.
We have McDonald's here, in the island's three biggest cities (Davao, Cagayam del Oro, and Butuan). Butuan City is the closest, about a 120 km ride down out of the mountains on a cleanl road that even, inexplicably, has 4 lanes in some parts. I say inexplicable because this is an incredibly poor place, one of the poorest in an excruciatingly poor nation. Seeing entire families sleeping on cardboard on the sidewalks of Manila still irks me after all these years.
As a particularly poor region there aren't a lot of vehicles. The primary form of public transportation is a "habal habal" (as in "Hubble," like the telescope) and to a lesser extent, "skylabs" (as in the space station). A habal is simply a motorcycle dirtbike, a 250cc or less, with an extended seat that can, and often does, carry 4 passengers, more if kids are present- and helmets are non-existent. Skylabs are the same thing but with two, full size wooden pallets attached, one on each side off of the seat, as in wings...just like the real Skylab once had. The pallets hold freight and or more people. The most people I have ever seen riding on one was 12 adults and a couple of toddlers. Sometimes only 6 or 7 people and a couple of full sized pigs, etc.
In long distance travel most ride "Jeepneys," WWII surplus Willys Jeeps with the drive shaft extended until it is as long as a small school bus. Plastic or wooden benches are placed along the sides of the interior. A "konduktor" rides hanging off the back and collects the 70 US Cents that people pay, you just knock on the metal to get the driver to stop, as he plys a regular route. There are usually a dozen or so people plus livestock on the roof as well. There are also commercial bus routes for long hauls, but on Mindanao you literally risk being murdered or kidnapped while riding them. The most recent attack on one that I recall was in the municipality of Tungawan, wheb four kids got on after flagging down the bus on the hiway, a common way to catch a bus here.
When the driver began negotiating a series of "s" turns on a mountain road two of them stood up, without a word, one pivoted 180 degrees and nailed one of two paramilitary soldiers, working for the bus company as "marshals." The 45 caliber round literally went right between his eyes. Boy #2 trained his pistol on Marshal #2. Sitting next to the murdered marshal was an Army Major, Julastidi Arasid of the 18IB (Infantry Battalion), with his wife Sitti Ayala Arasid and their 15 year old son. The Major was out of uniform, they were going to their son's graduation, as highschool here ends by age 16.
The Major reached for his service pistol but both him and his wife were nailed as well, ad the second boy shot the other marshal. The Major's 15 year old son dived out of the open window and ran. All passengers were made to exit the bus. Then, leaving the 3 dead bodies inside of the bus, they torched it with diesel they had brought with a jerrycan.
Life is definitely cheaper here, it is a "Wild West" environment.
Regressing to McDonalds...We have a large cattle operation and yet even I can't find decent beef here. We raise Brahma hybrids and they taste like shit, but that's what folks eat here. Every once and again I get a hankering for an American-type burger. There is actually a place in Davao City, "Space Burger," two shoppes, that do make a great burger, but I get to Butuan more often. I will sometimes get a Big Mac but most of the menu is shit. Catering to local tastes, instead of crisps (fries), you get a ball of boiled white rice. Tikes. The most popular burger? The "McDo," as in McJew. It is a soggy little disc with a garish pink sauce that is especially popular here, mafe from mayonnaise and banana catsup (ketchup). Yep, they don't use tomatoes here. Instead, catsup is made from green banas, sugar, and food colouring. It is among the more disgusting shit I have ever eaten but locals love it (considering that the army made me eat rat and drink my own urine my aversion is a good indicator of how foul the Mc5o and its banana shit tastes like.
Ill perhaps post some photos in the next entry.
