SOUND TRIP 3: Call of Nature

The Mangyan “Mayor” was nowhere to be found when we went up their village in the mountains of Calintaan. (Their village is the gateway to the Mt. Iglit-Baco National Park, home of the tamaraw.) We were told he was out in his kaingin, usually a fair distance from home.

How to reach him? Simple. A Mangyan boy started shouting towards the direction of the kaingin, giving out the message that visitors are in the village waiting to see the “Mayor”. Pretty soon, we heard another Mangyan shouting on the other side of the mountain, presumably to relay the message he just heard.

An hour later, the beaming Mayor arrived. We asked how many “relay stations” it took for him to get the message. “Four”, he chuckled.

Beats text messaging anytime!


on a hanging bridge leading to the Mangyan village

FIRST TRIP 12: Tall Tales of Tails

Mangyans have tails, if ignorant lowlanders are to be believed. As a child from a neighboring island, I used to believe that too. Now, years later I got to finally meet them up close and personal. Not surprisingly without the tails people whispered about.

Mangyan is the generic name for the eight indigenous groups found in Mindoro island, each with its own tribal name, language, and set of customs. I will be working with these tribes in the next two to three years, in the hopes of making some improvements in their lives, particularly in the areas of education, health, and livelihood.

Tall order I say. But good luck to me. And them. ;p


Crossing rivers going to the Mangyan village









Mangyan house in the mountains








Tau-buid tribe