If there is one and only one reason I would cite as my primary reason for traveling to Iloilo, it would be to personally see the magnificent historic church and fortress of Miagao (pronounced Mee-yag-aw). That and for that alone, my long and tiring journey would have been more than compensated. Yet the beauty of it all is that there are hundreds and more reasons why traveling to Panay is worth more than all the kilometers needed to reach it.
I could have gone on a short plane trip to Iloilo but I decided to take the road route to reach it. In fact, a plane ticket to Iloilo costs almost the same amount as the bus ride--and it only takes about an hour of flight from Manila to Iloilo City. Yet I chose the long torturous 25-hour route because I wanted to experience the feel of getting there: the riding with ordinary folks, sharing a meal with them in restaurants, even becoming friends with some, and not to mention the romance of a sea voyage, and the sightseeing in the countryside. It’s just like traveling in the olden days when people would spend days and nights in caravans on the road to reach their destinations. The joy of travel lies not in reaching fast to your destination, but the joyride of getting there. It was tiring, but always wonderful, always fascinating.
After settling my things in a convenient and affordable hotel in Iloilo, I started to search for the road to Miagao. It was already one o’clock in the afternoon, a typical hot and humid day. I haven’t had a proper sleep yet, but the two hours of sleep last night at the MV Starlite Atlantic was already enough. I wanted to see the Miagao even before resting for a full sleep.
I arrived here in Iloilo as a complete stranger and I only knew very little of Hiligaynon dialect. I had a girlfriend before who was from Capiz, and she taught me a little conversational Hiligaynon—before she got married—to someone else. But that’s another story.
And so, I could understand some Ilonggo/Hiligaynon but couldn’t properly speak it (although I could perfectly imitate a Hiligaynon accent). Since the Ilonggos knew Tagalog, I could ask them in Tagalog and even if they answered in Hiligaynon, I’m sure to understand it.
Here’s a test: I approached a bicycle driver and I asked him in perfect Tagalog (although in Ilonggo accent):
“Saan po ba ang sakayan ng Jeep papunta sa Miagao?”
(Where is the Jeep terminal to Miagao)
And he answered in perfect Ilonggo:
“Mag-sakay ka diri, pakadto sa palengke”
(You can ride here in my bike towards the public market)
"Magkano po ang bayad?”
(How much?)
“Pulo”
(Ten pesos)
And so a few minutes later I was already in the public market where I found the Jeepneys that would bring me to Miagao. Miagao is some 40 kilometers from Iloilo City. It will be about a 45 minute ride along the southernmost coast of Panay island. The fare is 45 pesos.
The Iloilo-Miagao Jeepneys are longer and wider than their Manila counterparts. About thirty passengers can sit inside, plus 5-7 more who can ride standing on the entrance railing. Heavy baggages, sacks of rice and feeds, and other heavy materials can be placed on top of the vehicle for a small additional cost.
I decided that the most exciting way to ride to Miagao is to stand on the entrance railing of the Jeepney while it tread its way towards Miagao. From there, I can shoot the road we will be traversing, and at the same time get a good vantage point of the road route.
But I know fully well that this would be extremely dangerous--even on the verge of suicide--since I didn't know the exact road conditions from Iloilo to Miagao, and I didn't have any experience riding on the Jeepney's tail. But what the heck, if other men can do it, then I certainly can do it also. My only disadvantage would be that I would be holding a bulky professional camera in my right hand while my left would be holding on to the Jeepney's railing so that I wouldn't fall down into the road. This would make for a very challenging task: to be able to compose a good photograph, while at the same time half of my brain will be on survival mode not to fall from the Jeepney. But I think I can do it. I haven't traveled 500 kilometers yesterday just to be hunkered down by a 40-kilometer ride!
And so my dear readers, just sit back and enjoy the views, while we tread the road from Ilo-ilo to Miagao--some forty kilometers of suicidal Jeepney ride through the coast of the southernmost parts of Panay island---and from the vantage point of someone hanging for dear life from the tail of a deadly Jeepney.
The road to Miagao
Our kindly Jeepney konduktor (steward). He collects the passenger fares and assists elderlies to ride the Jeepney. He doesn't sit inside the Jeepney, but only rides on the outside, holding onto the Jeepney rails on top. I asked him to smile for this photo, and I think he was smiling.
Meet my other fellow riders on top of the Jeepney. They are holding tight because of the deadly speed of our Jeepney. If my estimate is correct, we are approaching the killer speed of 80 kilometer per hour, and one mistake from the driver could send us hurtling into road dirt--enough to seriously injure or kill all of us.
The passengers inside. The little boy was probably curious why I was doing such a stupid thing.
A Jeepney Race! My adrenaline is racing through my veins at this point, hoping to survive this suicidal ride!
An afternoon market scenery in Guimbal, Ilo-ilo.
A wooden bridge. It is a one way bridge--meaning the guard must let only one-way vehicles pass first and then give way later to vehicles going to the opposite direction. I must believe that it was a tiresome job.
We also passed through a concrete bridge over the Sibalom River in the town of Tigbauan. Having been accustomed to the dead rivers in Manila, I had the instant urge to go down and take a dip into what must be a very refreshing river.
The lovely coast is just a few meters from the road.
Another Jeepney going to Miagao. At one point, this Jeepney and our Jeepney were racing with each other to be the first to pick up the waiting passengers along the road. You can imagine me as the man in the yellow shirt (with backpack), because that's the very position I was in our Jeepney in this suicidal ride.
At last, after 45 minutes of suicidal Jeepney ride, we had reached the lovely town of Miagao. I thanked my Jeepney konduktor and fellow passengers for bearing on my photographing the route. The Jeepney had to continue its way towards San Joaquin--still some 2o minutes away. What's important to me now is that......I survived to tell you this story!
Finally, I caught my first glimpse of the magnificent Church and Fortress of Miagao. Isn't that worth the 45 minutes of my deadly ride to this lovely rustic town?
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