Lakawon island resort, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental

Lakawon Resort is a tiny island, part of Barangay Cadiz Viejo, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental. I am from Cadiz City and the first time I went there was about 15-20 years ago, beautiful white sand island but no facilities, people just ride a boat and swim there, then go back in the afternoon. Some houses for a small fishing village.

Now things are different. Lakawon is now famous in fb and other social media. So last December, I brought my family there. 

  

View from the bridge. At high tide, the boats can dock at the beach but at low tide, they cannot so they dock at the end of this bridge and people walk to the island.

 

Huts and cottages for day visitors (they leave by 5pm)

Restaurant. Waiters and waitresses are not that trained well for the job though, they can rattle when there are too many customers ordering food, asking for water/drinks, get the bill, pay the bill, etc. so have patience. Beer is P60/bottle. Everything is "imported" from Negros mainland to this island, including drinking water.

Events/volleyball area. Below, open space between the aircon rooms and the restaurant, cottages area.

P3,500 per night. With two extra pull out beds, nice air-con, cable tv, but no own bathroom, series of bathrooms outside, which is also good so that people don't bring the sand and dirt from their feet inside the room. The two girls enjoyed the room.

There are nipa huts, P2,500/night with two beds, electric fan (no aircon). 

At the other side of the beach, high tide. Note the other islands farther away, either they are parts of Negros or Panay islands.

Morning, low tide. The "floating bar" seen from afar. This part is not deep enough for swimming even during high tide, 2-3 ft only and there are many small sharp stones or seagrasses.

The bridge at low tide, and at night.

 

The locals. The few families that used to live in the island were relocated to Cadiz Viejo mainland and they were given jobs. The resort hires lots of people -- waiters/waitresses/cashiers, cooks, room cleaners, construction workers, boatmen, etc. It should be the biggest employer in the whole barrio now, among the biggest in Cadiz.

It should be costly to develop this island. Everything like construction materials -- steel, cement, sand, tiles, roof, wood, etc. -- plus beds, food, water, LPG, etc. have to be brought from Negros mainland to the island by trucks then boats, then carried manually by the workers.

Electricity, despite being off-grid, it has 24/7 electricity from its diesel-powered genset. It should be far away because it cannot be heard humming even at night time.

Fees per head. The pumpboat fee covers 2-way, does not include boat ride to the floating bar, another P250/head 2-way ride with . If bringing food, corkage fee P50 or 75/head.

How to go there: From Bacolod City, go north and pass by the cities of Talisay, Silay, EB Magalona, Victorias, Manapla then Cadiz border. Brgy Caduhaan, then Brgy Cadiz Viejo, left at a small bus terminal, cemented barangay road about 3-4 kms.

From the airport in Silay City, you skip Bacolod and Talisay city proper, If coming from Iloilo or other provinces of Panay, better bring your car via RORO. Otherwise, it's taxi from the boat to Ceres bus terminal then bus then tricycle.

Those fees are a bit pricey, I won't go back there again in the next few years and would rather explore other parts of Negros. Nonetheless, for those living in Negros, the island is a cheaper substitute to see white sand beach and nice facilities than going to Boracay island (Aklan province) or Guimaras. If the fees are made higher, the resort will get less visitors, they will lose money. If they charge too low, the island will be swarmed by thousands daily, it will become ugly and the environmentalists will complain.

Sugarcane Farms of Negros Occ., Part 2

Bacolod City -- Arrived here yesterday to attend the wedding of my beautiful niece, Nessa Oplas-Sy. This morning, I went to my hometown, Cadiz City to see again my parents. I stopped by some areas to take photos of the rural scenes.

Out of the 84(?) provinces of the Philippines, I would say that Negros Occidental has the most optimal land use. One will hardly see even half-hectare of idle land. Cities, housing villages, coconut, banana, tree farms and sugarcane farms. Lots of it, Hundreds of thousands of hectares of sugarcane farms.

Harvested sugarcane.

A transloading station of sugarcane trucks. The canes are unloaded from 6- or 10-wheeler trucks, weighed, then transferred to 18-wheeler trucks, to be be brought to a sugar central for refinery..

A transloading station in Manapla, about 45 kms. north of Bacolod. This is one town before Cadiz City.

Another transloading station near Caduhaan, Cadiz City.

This 18-wheeler truck full of sugarcane is a common sight in the province.

Portion of a road in Silay City, 14 kms. north of Bacolod.

See also:
Sugarcane farms of Negros Island, March 23, 2012
Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, May 27, 2012
Canlaon, Negros Occidental, June 10, 2012
San Salvador, San Carlos, Negros Occidental, June 10, 2012
Elle Marie in Negros Occ., August 20, 2012
Ilongo ka gid Kon... July 18, 2012

Ilongo Expressions and Fun

I was born in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, grew up and studied there until high school. My parents and two siblings are still there, only me and my elder sister are in Manila. My wife is from Iloilo City.

It's fun being an Ilongo or a native of Negros Occidental, Iloilo and other Ilongo-speaking provinces in Western Visayas (region 6). Ilongo is also spoken in portions of General Santos City and Sarangani province in Mindanao.

Got this today in the facebook group, Basta Ilongo Da Best Ka, funny, for those who can understand Ilongo. Enjoy. (Photos below I got from the web).

YOU ARE A TRUE BLOODED ILONGGO IF:

1. Your one peso is pisos.

2. You take a bath using a kabo, which you call Caltex. The same Caltex is also often used as a unit of measurement (i.e. isa ka caltex nga pasayan, isa ka caltex nga hipon, isa ka caltex nga asin).

3. Your bathroom has at least one lugod.

4. Your nanay used to make you drink Mirinda or Royal Tru Orange and give you Saltine when you have a fever, which is supposed to make you feel better.

5. Sinamak is a staple in your dining table.

6. Your toyo is patis and your patis is toyo.

7. You call brown sugar red (kalamay nga pula).

8. You use atsuete for your adobo and pinamarhan.

9. Your daily meal will likely include laswa, KBL, ginat-an nga tambo with tugabang and okra, ginat-an nga munggo, linutik, apan-apan, etc.

10. November 1 means eating ibus, suman, suman latik, kalamay-hati, bayi-bayi, valenciana or other native delicacies with glutinous rice and coconut milk.

11. You call those you love palangga, pangga, langga or 'ga.

12. You call your siblings or cousins inday, nonoy or toto.

13. You call those who are older than you manang or manong.

14. You catch the attention of sales attendants by calling them 'day or 'to.

15. Your childhood games include tumba patis, taksi, panagu-ay, balay-balay, ins, tin-tin bika, etc.

16. You used to be (or still are) scared to go out at night lest you meet the aswang, tik-tik, tayhu, kapre, kama-kama, morto, etc.

17. You used to listen (or still listens) to Sin-o Ang May Sala, Lain Siya Sa Iban, Mundo Mystico and Toyang Ermitanya.

18. You know the lyrics of Ili-Ili, Dandansoy, Turagsoy and Provincial Jail.

19. Your grandparents read Yuhum or Hiligaynon magazine.

20. You call a person, thing, place and event "kwan" when you forget it (si kwan, ang kwan, sa kwan).

21. You used to sleep in an aboy-aboy made of patadyong when you were a baby.

22. You understand that “Particulars Keep Out” sign means outsiders keep out (believe me, this sign may look and sound English but only us Ilonggos use it).

23. You use words such as “ahay” (expression of pity, grief, empathy), “yuga” (expression of disbelief, surprise), “ambot ah” (you don’t know, expression of impatience) and “teh man... gaba!” (na karma sya)

24. You often start your sentence with “ti”.

25. You say goodbye by saying “halong”.

-burdigol

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And I add these:

26. You call toothpaste “Colgate”, and you call slippers "smagol".

27. Your other favorite expressions are “Yodepugah” or “Linti bah” (expression of admiration, or disbelief), “Palagpat” (when someone is telling uncertain stories), “Belat ibay ya” (expression of disappointment).

- nonoy

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These were added by fellow Cadiznons from the fb group, Cadizmycitymyhome:

28. You call Coke "Coks", Judge or Huwes "wes"

29. You call water "tubi"; ubos = "urot";

30. Other expressions and sentences "lihog putsa sa poyo";

"kasamok sa imo abi pagpahimuyong...

"nugay dalagan ma momo ka gani...

"pabakal colgate nga close-up ; palmolive nga sunsilk toinkz!

"mahampang ta piko;sudsud;tumba patis;tubiganay kg bagols.

 "dali d anay ka hingutuhan taka… atutulihan pa gid.
"makaon ta anay."

31. To take pictures, "TO, KODAKI kmi anay bi";
blade for shaving is "gilyet": ”bakal to anay gilyet” (gillette)

33. Other expressions:
"manghingutoanay ta kay daw damo na guid kuto ulo ko...

"mapa manicure ko sg kuko ko sa tiil..

"cgeha da bala kapasaway kay lusiiiion, kurinaton q gd karon hita mo

34. maski elevated ang siudad, "ma DULHOG kmi da karun sa SYUDAD a"

35. Expressions of blaming: "Ahay ah wala k gd bla naga halong."

"Nan! kay ka tangadal sa imo." "Teh mirisi! Maliwat ka pa?"

36. ang tawag sa kaon kis a DAPAL "Hala wala untat dapal mo ka sud an ba."

(Special thanks to my former classmates in high school, Judith Gelle and Reginaldo Real. Also to Rolan Espinosa, Agnes Lovingco, Jesu Pasamanero, other contributors.)

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See also:

Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, May 27, 2012

Cadiz City, Part 2,  May 28, 2012

Elle Marie in Negros Occ., August 20, 2012

Elle Marie in Negros Occ.

Elle Marie is the 8th grandchild of my parents. We are five siblings and all of us have kids, between one to three. As my two girls are growing up, my parents are getting older and weaker. Our house is in a barrio about four kilometers away from Cadiz City proper, Negros Occidental. Cadiz City is 62 kilometers north of Bacolod City, the provincial capital.

These two pictures were taken April 2010 or more than two years ago. Elle was 3 1/2 years old then. She had that always smiling, always laughing face, beside Lolo Ben and Lola Consuelo. My parents were relatively healthy that time too, it was nice.

These photos were taken on April 2009 or more than three years ago. My wife, Ella (white shirt) was about three months pregnant at that time for Bien Mary. The girl beside my Mama is my elder sister, Manang Lilibeth and the girl beside Elle is my niece, Lois Oplas, the daughter of my younger brother, Bobong.

Lower photo, Marvien, holding my mother, is Manang Bebeth's only son.

Here, Elle sat on a truck that hauls sucarcane. Also her first experience to hold a sugarcane. And she enjoyed playing with my parents' two dogs.

When we were young, we would enter a sugarcane farm almost anytime we want and get some cane to munch. A sugarcane field was just about 15 meters away from our house.

I got a temporary playmate for Elle in our 2D/2N stay at that time. The two children are real barrio folks, but at least the girl could read some English sentences. But Elle would go out to look for the two dogs and play with them.

Below, upper left photo, with Tita Gemma, the wife of her Tito Bobong, and Lois. The two girls here are my niece, Krizza and Nessa. Their father, our eldest in the family, Manong Nestor, died of prostate cancer more than five years ago due.

Lower photos, with her Tita Bebeth. Manang Bebeth has a flower garden beside our house, Elle enjoyed picking up different flowers from it.

Below, after her Santakrusan parade in Lapaz, Iloilo last May this year, Elle and I crossed the sea and we went again to my parents' house in Cadiz. Elle here posing beside a sugarcane farm. Upper right, Elle posed with Joshua, the son of our helper in Manila, their Ate Cheche. Elle and Joshua are of same age. Here, Elle was playing with a puppy.

Lower photos, Elle tried to help her Lolo Ben tilling a small vegetable plot behind our house.  My Papa was planting some tomatoes and other vegetables in these small plots.

Elle seemed to have enjoyed touching the soil that morning. That was several hours before we would go to the airport for our flight back to Manila. 

My younger brother, Bobong, the sleeveless guy standing in lower photos. Final photo ops before we boarded the car that would bring us to the airport.

More photos: with Lolo Ben, then Tita Beth and Ate Lois, they brought us to Silay-Bacolod airport for our flight back to Manila. Elle with her weak Lola Consuelo.

The masks are inside the Silay-Bacolod airport, Elle tried one just for fun. The famous annual fiesta in Bacolod is called the Maskara festival, done during October I think.

I told my Mama to hang on as we will visit them again, either this October or December. I will bring along Bien Mary.

San Salvador, San Carlos, Negros Occidental

Last June 05, 2011, I travelled from Bacolod City to San Carlos City via San Salvador. Then from San Carlos I went to Canlaon, and back to Bacolod. It was a Sunday, I left Bacolod around 11 am and was back by almost 8pm.

This is Mt. Silay on the horizon, beyond wide plains of sugarcane plantations.

San Salvador Benedicto is also known as the "summer capital" of Negros due to its relatively high elevation, cooler temperature, and many beautiful scenes. I think it's nestled on sort of a plateau between Mt. Silay and Mt. Canlaon.

This is the bus terminal in San Carlos City. The city proper is a bit far from here, one needs to ride a tricucle or trisikad. I was amused at those mini-buses that carry passengers up the roof.

The tricycles here are a bit weird looking.

Canlaon, Negros Occidental

Canlaon is a mountainous city in Negros Occidental, Philippines. Canlaon volcano, an active volcano several kilometers from the city proper, is the most prominent place there These photos I took last year, June 05, 2011.

It's a "sleepy" place, I did not see big structures there. But one can see and feel the imposing presence of the volcano from the city proper.

Various views of the volcano. My bus was going from Canlaon to Bacolod City then.

Hills and small mountains, winding road from San Carlos City to Canlaon.

Kaingin farming, or slash-burn-land clearing, converting lands from forest to non-forest use, usually various agricultural crops, is visible on some parts the road.

It was my first visit to Canlaon actually. Glad that I made that trip.

Cadiz City, Part 2

Below are photos not from my camera, or more accurately, from my camera phone. These are from our facebook group, "Cadizmycitymyhome". Many of these were posted particularly by Nhenn Satur Tabanda.

Fishing villages in the city proper, in Barangay Banquerohan, others.

The new city port, still not fully used.

Beach resorts in Banquerohan.

Cadiz got talent 2012. Crabs, crabs, crabs....

The following photos from various sources in the web. The dried fish photos particularly from The Sweet Smell of Cadiz City.

Lacawon Beach, a small white beach island west of the city proper. Photos from Everybody's Free in Lacawon Island.

A new resort, photos from Little Jungle, Barangay Cabahug, Cadiz.

I  haven't visited this resort yet. Will see when I go home again this coming December.