Random thoughts from the Philippines

Traffic - You couldn’t pay me to drive in the Philippines. The traffic is horrendous and rules of the road seem to be non-existant. Palau wasn’t too bad even though the steering wheel was on the right side of the car and we drove on the right side of the road. It was different for the driver to be close to the edge of the road and the passenger to be closer to oncoming traffic. Doreen was uncomfortable with the arrangement–could it be she doesn’t trust my driving? At least we weren’t driving a standard transmission so I didn’t have to worry about constantly shifting gears with my left hand. I even managed to signal turns without switching on the windshield wipers.
We overnighted in Manila in transit from Palau and left the hotel for the airport shortly before 6 a..m. The streets were already clogged with traffic–both pedestrian and vehicular. We landed in the small town of Tagbilaran City and the traffic was just as bad. Things quieted down when we got out into the countryside but never totally petered out. There are all kinds of rigs on the road–everything from two wheels, to three, four, six and more. Some are pedal power, some are small motors–all go at different rates of speed. Nobody signals lane changes for passing (actually did find one driver who used his signal lights–the chap who drove us to the boat to Balicasag Island). Many of the small rigs have no lights so night time is particularly dangerous. Our driver at Isla Hayahay, Harold, told me you have to watch for hand signals (local variety)–another problem for night driving. Despite the seeming chaos, we haven’t seen a single accident (we’ve heard of one).
There don’t seem to be any limits on number of passengers. We’ve seen motorbikes with four and five people–mom, dad, the kids and all the groceries they’ve just bought at the local market. There’s a helmet law but it’s not enforced and only a small minority of riders bother with a helmet. The jeepneys are something else, especially with their wild colors. When all the inside space (sitting and standing) is taken, people start hanging on the outside, standing on the bumpers and in open windows and sitting on the roof. It’s an incredible sight.
Housing - There’s a wild variety of house styles in the Philippines. All you need are a few concrete blocks, a little wood, some corrugated metal, maybe some pandanus thatch and, presto, you can build a house. In the small villages we traversed, it seemed every second or third house was a little store. Or else they were using the advertising signs as a replacement for siding on their houses. Many of the houses look like they couldn’t stand up to the ‘big, bad wolf’ let alone a tropical storm. But people take pride in their property, sweeping up morning and afternoon, and planting flowers everywhere.
Tourism - There’s a charge for everything it seems. You want to see the old church? Pay here. You want to see the tarsiers? Pay here. You want to see the ‘Chocolate Hills’? Pay here. It’s almost like Niagara Falls charging a fee to everybody who comes to see the Falls. The fees are fairly small but they’re constant. And everywhere there are souvenir sellers and hawkers. Some of them are more than a little persistent. From their viewpoint, I guess they’re simple showing initiative and working hard to supply a life for their family. You get a different perspective when you get a chance to talk to some of them, like our guide for the Isla Hayahay tours, Benjamin. He’s worked for government boards for years, wants to be a teacher and supplements his income with his guiding.
Poverty - There are simply too many people for the resources the islands have. Most of the people work hard and take pride in their country but there isn’t enough to go around. By our standards, many of the people live in third-world conditions. Despite the bright colors (especially the buses and jeepneys), everything looks dingy and drab. One thing we noticed was the overwhelming presence of cell phones. The kids might not have a good shirt or pair of pants but they have a cell phone. Benjamin confirmed this but noted that he could afford only to use his cell phone for texting, rather than talking, and he had to share his cell phone with his daughter.
Accommodations - We lucked out with Isla Hayahay, a small resort on the island of Pangangan which is connected to Bohol by a community-built causeway (3.5 km of unpaved, very bumpy road–it takes 10 minutes to drive). We were the only guests in residence so were catered to–what time would you like breakfast, etc. The staff were very personable and committed to ensuring we enjoyed our stay. We had one day on the water and one day for a land tour and both were enjoyable. We weren’t as lucky with the Balicasag Island Dive Resort, a government-run facility. There aren’t any divers in residence so we haven’t been able to book any excursions. We’ve had to settle for snorkeling from shore. It’s a marine reserve so it’s been pretty good but, I think after the wonder of Palau, anything would be anti-climatic. The staff seem to be coasting with minimal effort to see to guests’ concerns and no attempt to anticipate guests’ needs. The marine reserve is very popular, with many people coming on day trips from nearby islands. The place is being loved to death–lots of dead coral because people walk on it. Somewhat reminiscent of the bad, old days at Hanauma Bay.