a tale of the exotic- the Bongao Chinese Pier

With more than 7,000 islands, the Philippines has to be intrinsically linked to the water. It is not even a choice. From ancient history to the present time, the ocean is a lifeline, offering an almost endless source of opportunities, challenges and histories.


the Chinese Pier is the center of commerce of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi (photo taken by my wife)
Canon PowerShot Pro1, 1/640s, f/4.0, 18.3mm



an interisland passenger boat arriving at the Chinese Pier
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/80s, f/5.6, 55mm, ISO 100


Where people congregated, societies developed. Richness and luxury were not strange concepts in pre-Hispanic times. Records, however sparse, pointed to commercial centers in the Philippines that thrived on the trade of merchandise like gold, silk and spices, with merchants from China, the Middle East and the Malay kingdoms. The common thread among these townships was that they sprung along a coastline, around a bay or even at a river delta. These embankments provided natural and safe harbors for maritime vessels and easy access to the open sea, facilitating the movements and exchanges of people, products and even ideas.


girl flying a kite on top of a boat at the Chinese Pier
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/500s, f/5.6, 55mm, ISO 100



the kiteflyer- photographic version by my wife
Canon PowerShot Pro1, 1/125s, f/2.8, 7.2 mm


Over time, these port towns grew in population and income, becoming major cities in the process. Think of Cebu, Cagayan, or Iloilo in the Visayas or Manila, Batangas and San Fernando in Luzon. In faraway north, the rough currents were no deterrent to the rise of Basco in Batanes where to this date, heavy interactions with Formosan Chinese continue. Down south, in the archipelago of Sulu, important barter hubs like Jolo and Isabela prospered from contacts primarily with the Arabs, the Indonesian and Malaysian people.


Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/250s, f/3.5, 18mm, ISO 100



the same girl- photographic version of my wife
Canon PowerShot Pro1, 1/60s, f/2.4, 7.2 mm


For Tawi-Tawi, Philippines' southernmost province, no port has a more prime rank in pre-colonial trade than one in Bongao, the Chinese Pier. Its name alone is a testament to its engagement with foreigners. This group of islands is also where Islam was first introduced by the Sheik Karimul Makdum in 1380. Over the centuries, Arab missionaries integrated themselves in the Tawi-Tawi's communities, ultimately spreading the faith to the rest of Mindanao.


panggi for sale- photo by my wife
Canon PowerShot Pro1, 1/60s, f/2.4, 7.2 mm


Spending time in the Chinese Pier is an immersion of the Tawi-Tawi way of life. The sea is still their highway and boats their cars. Business is to a significant degree transacted on the temper outriggers by Bajao fishermen bringing their catch of the day, Samal vendors displaying native delicacies like panggi, Tausug traders showing off bartered wares from Malaysia and even Christian farmers seeking exchanges for their vegetables. Aside from being the port of entry of most people, the port is laced by eateries, stores and the public market at the seaside level. Within the wider arc of Chinese Pier, there are the banks, stores, mosques, government offices and schools. In a broad but realistic sense, Bongao rose from this floating market.


Lumber and cassava paste for sale at floating market
Canon PowerShot S40



brisk sales of the panggi, a ground cassava staple of the native Sama and Badjaos
Canon PowerShot S40, 1/1000s, f/2.8, 7.1 mm


Having spent several working visits in Bongao, in 1991, 2005 and 2006, I notice one other thing. The Chinese Pier is used as the point of reference when giving directions. In the rapidly changing modern world that Tawi-Tawi is facing, the pier is a remaining constant. It will always be there.


commoditized vegetables in the wet market by the Chinese Pier
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/60s, f/3.5, 18mm, ISO 100



port arrival- photo by my wife
Canon PowerShot Pro1, 1/60, f/2.4, 7.2 mm

Bongao eats

Bongao, the capital town of Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines’ southernmost province, is far from your typical urban center in the country. Not at all dense in population, it is a town that is constantly developing and growing. Accommodations are modest and communication facilities are basic.

Food is another matter though. While it does not feature fancy restaurants of high name recall, Bongao is inarguably a haven of fresh seafood that come straight from the boats. From tunas to mackerel and prawns to crabs, the bounty of sea spills in the market.


the catch of the day is paraded in the Chinese Pier, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi (photo taken by my wife)
Canon PowerShot Pro1, 1/10s, f/2.4, 7.2mm


Whether you have your seafood in the small eateries or cooked in the home of a local, little else matters when they come as fresh as they do in Bongao.


some shellfishes, like the sea urchins above, are available all throughout the island (photo taken by my wife)
Canon PowerShot Pro1, 1/125s, f/4, 50.8mm


Food seems to be a street affair in Bongao. Ready to eat comestibles are everywhere in the streets, particularly near the Chinese Pier of Bongao which in anytime of the day is filled with the aroma of grilled and fried food.


a typical barbecue stall at Bongao
Canon PowerShot S40, 1/800s, f/2.8, 7.1mm



the ukoy-ukoy or vegetable cakes are commonly cooked and peddled in the streets by the Chinese Pier
Canon PowerShot S40, 1/1000s, f/2.8, 7.1mm


There is a sizeable Christian population in Bongao, estimated to be near 40%, but to skirt Muslim sensibilities, pork consumption is still discreetly done. Most eateries are halal and Christian and Muslim delicacies are normally offered side by side. Nevertheless, the not-so-secret delicacy of Bongao is cured meat from wild boars which roam freely in the hinterlands. I’ve never done this in the three or four times I’ve been to Bongao, but they say that you have to order a day ahead to partake of the gourmet dried tapas.


traditional Muslim and Christian cakes and bread at a carenderia by the Chinese pier, Bongao
Canon PowerShot S40, 1/250s, f/2.8, 7.1mm


Muslims in Bongao are either Tausug, Samal or Badjaos. The predominant group is the Samal, reputed for their peace-loving demeanor. The typical staple is cassava, which they pound and ground and sell as panggi and this starch basic is found everywhere in the Chinese Pier.


the panggi, a ground cassava staple of the native Sama and Badjaos
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/200s, f/4.5, 34mm, ISO 100



a bunch of bianban cassava cake sold at the Sanga-Sanga airport, Bongao
Canon PowerShot S40, 1/125s, f/2.8, 7.1mm


But perhaps the most curious item I remembered so well were the tiny roseapple fruits, or tambis in Cebuano. They were the smallest I have ever seen but they were no less juicy and sweet.


the miniature tambis or roseapple variety in Bongao is the smallest I have ever seen yet
Canon PowerShot S40, 1/40s, f/2.8, 7.1mm


To date, I haven’t seen anything smaller than they were in Bongao. Miniature can occasionally be better than the ordinary.


more roseapples (tambis) but in paler pink, with some green mangoes at Bongao
Canon PowerShot S40, 1/1000s, f/2.8, 7.1 mm

an homage to the apam of Bongao

Tawi-Tawi, the southernmost province of the Philippines, boasts of an archipelago of more than 100 islands. It offers fresh seafood, delectable cassava treats and curious delicacies like cured wild boar tapas (dried meat). To me however, the food which I remembered the most is the indulgently delicious apam daub daya or apam, cooked nowhere else but in the streets.


the gloriously delicious apam- photo by my wife
Canon PowerShot Pro1, 3/5s, f/2.8, 10.6mm


I love streetfood and the Bongao apam beats all other Filipino street hotcakes I have tasted so far. The mixture of flour, margarine and eggs is rich. The serving is oversized, thick and fluffy. Add to that the rich sprinkling of ground peanuts and I would be in gustatory heaven.


cooking apam hotcakes at the Chinese Pier, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi
Canon PowerShot S40, 1/500s, f/2.8, 7.1mm



the apam being cooked, up close
Canon PowerShot S40, 1/1000s, f/2.8, 7.1mm

Too bad this type of apam is not available anywhere except Tawi-Tawi. For up to 10 pesos (the price in 2006, the year I last visited Bongao), I could not ask for more!


a lady cooking the apam- photo by my wife
Canon PowerShot Pro1, 1/10s, f/2.4, 7.2mm

Photographing Philippine Mosques

In the 14th century, there was no Philippine nation, at least not in the political concept of a united archipelago of 7,107 islands under one government. What were extant were settlements and states called barangays, self-sustaining mostly but nonetheless trading on a regular basis with the Chinese, the Arabs and the Javanese. Islam was but a product of the cultural exchange with neighborhood islands that are now part of Malaysia and Indonesia in particular and Moghul India by extension.

Islam went far north in Luzon, even establishing a stronghold in Manila, although most of the islands remained animist with some elements of Hinduism and Buddhism. The fabric of history changed however when the Spanish came in 1521 and the subsequent imperialistic push of the Spaniards in the later part of the century became such a success that Islam’s hold in the country slipped. Today, Filipino Muslims comprise only about 5% of the population and are concentrated in the southern part of Mindanao.

The Muslim tradition in the South is understandably rich. In the 19th century, the power of the Islamic sultanate of Sulu was of significant import that its sovereignty extended as far as Sabah which it actually owned. Ethnologically, Muslim Philippines is not a single society but highly diverse. There are three main groups, the Maguindanao, the Maranaos and the Tausugs. Other subgroups are smaller and are marked by a different language and unique indigenous cultures, like the Samals and Badjaos of Sulu and the Yakans of Basilan.

Diverse they may be, these groups are united, firmly and inexorably, by religion. In this context, it became an exciting venture for me to photographically document the one identifiable symbol of the Islamic religion –the mosque or the holy place of worship.

I have been lucky to be a frequent visitor to the Sulu archipelago and these photographs specifically center on the mosques in Tawi-Tawi, the southernmost province in the country. These gems are definitively lesser seen by the majority of the Filipinos, but no less outstanding for their distillation of the Islamic esthetics.


Mosque of Makhdum, Simunul Island, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines

Islam was introduced in the Philippines by the Arabian missionary Sheik Karin UI Makhdum. He built the the first Muslim mosque in 1380 A.D. in the small island of Simunul just across Bongao, the capital of Tawi-Tawi. Primarily fashioned of logs, the mosque in Tubig Indangan expanded as the population and the popularity of the religion grew.

Since its foundation, it still is a functioning mosque. Today, the mosque of Makhdum is a national monument and is an acknowledged mecca of the Philippine and Asian Muslim religious. Every Friday is a busy affair where scholars, students and the faithful gather as a community of believers.



Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/800s, f/6.3, 34mm, ISO 100
the mosque of Makhdum, Tubig Indangan, Simunul Island, Tawi-Tawi province, Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, the Philippines




Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/1000s, f/5.6, 18mm, ISO 100, -1/3 EV
full view of the mosque in of Makhdum, Tubig Indangan, Simunul Island, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines


The Sheik Makhdum continues to enjoy local mythical status. His legend includes that of a powerful imam who can lift 3-foot diameter pillars. His remains is being claimed to have been buried by two separate islands, one of which is Simunul of course. Both graveyards are claimed to be “growing” or “rising” to this day.



Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/160s, f/5.6, 25mm, ISO 800, -1/3 EV
one of four remaining pillars inside the mosque of Makhdum, Tubig Indangan, Simunul Island, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines


the Makhdum Memorial, Sibutu island, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines

The “other” claimant as the burial place of the Sheikh is Sibutu island, a municipality that used to be part of Sitangkai, the last set of islands that is nearer to Sabah, Malaysia than the main island of Mindanao itself. In Sibutu now stands a colorful and still unfinished memorial in honor of the Sheikh. Behind the memorial is the graveyard of the Sheikh which is just a plain marked mound of dirt.



Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/800s, f/5.6, 18mm, ISO 100
Makhdum memorial, Sibutu, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines

the Mosques of Sibutu, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines

Probably the biggest mosque in Sibutu is the one in Tandubanak. Sporting a pink and green motif, it stands proudly alongside the narrow and singular road that bisects the island. Without any wide angle lens, it is difficult to capture the full breadth of the beautiful mosque so the next best alternative is to show how stately it stands out against the wooden houses of stilts that are typical of Tawi-Tawi.


Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/100s, f/11, 55mm, ISO 100
the Masjid of Tandubanak in Sibutu island, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines


Sibutu is a poor municipality. Its main source of livelihood is the open seas, most importantly seaweed cultivation, as well as the more traditional fishing. The economic constriction of the community does not preclude the people from sprucing up their mosques. Below is a mosque in Ligayen with its dome made of hammered GI sheets. The paint is flaking but the crescent stands proud as always.


Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/1000s, f/4.0, 75mm, ISO 100
the dome of the mosque of Ligayen, Sibutu, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines


Masjid Haji Imam, Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines

Sitangkai is an anomaly even in Muslim Philippines. The 25,000 people or so living in Sitangki chose not to live in the speck of the island but rather on a network of house of stilts on the reef, connected by walkways and manmade causeways. The main population belong to the Samal and the Badjaos, both of whom find it unimaginable to live on “enchanted” and “wild” land (kappat). The island is where you can find though the graveyards, the military detachment, the schools and of course, the main mosque of Haji Imam, the oldest in Sitangkai. It features four tall minarets and a golden dome.



Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/100s, f/5.6, 18mm, ISO 100, -1/3 EV
Masjid Haji Imam, Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines




Canon EOS 350D Digital, 6.0s, f/5.6, 300mm, ISO 100
the golden dome of Masjid Haji Imam, Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines


Musholla in the Capitol, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi

To cap the tour of mosques of the province of Tawi-Tawi, I will end in its capital in Bongao. Being part of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, Tawi-Tawi has a provincial capitol building that has a musholla (Muslim prayer room) in its topmost foor. Flanked with watchtower minarets at the corners, the capitol is located on the hill overlooking the entire poblacion (town center).


Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/1250s, f/5.6, 37mm, ISO 400
a corner minaret at the Provincial Capitol of Bongao, the capital of Tawi-Tawi province, Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, the Philippines

The musholla’s interior is modern and sparse. Its walls and floors are made of hardwood. As in mosques, this one has no furnitures. In the picture below, you can only see a clock, a Koran bookstand and several sajada prayer carpets.


Canon EOS 350D Digital, 0.4s, f/5.6, 18mm, ISO 400
the musholla at the Bongao Capitol, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines

48 hours in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi (Day 2)

continued from Day 1

Simandagat
What’s a visit to Bongao without my prerequisite sunrise scenes? Think of the unique places that could not be found elsewhere like Muslim mosques or traditional Samal houses on stilts.As always, I checked out the map to scout for vantage points so I knew that staying at Beachside Inn which faces southeast the Simandagat beach would be convenient.


phototip: Underexpose a sunrise shot to get silhouettes.
Camera: Canon EOS 350D, 0.4s, f/10, 55mm, ISO 100
at Simandagat, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines


Everyday scenes offer a lot too. You may choose to photograph fishermen pulling out into the sea, subsistent fisherfolks gathering sea urchins or even school children walking to school. I even found one interesting “welcome” dome-shaped archway of a barangay.

phototip: Be patient. For the shot above, I waited for most of the clouds to clear as I wanted only just a few wisps. Negative space can be dramatic especially if the sky was this blue.
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 0.001s, f/5.6, 55mm, ISO100, +1/3 EV
Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines


Simunul Island
I strongly suggest getting to Simunul island, an island south of Bongao considered to be the birthplace of Islam in the Philippines. Catch a public boat or charter one if you could afford it. Simunul is less than an hour away.


phototip: Watch out for fleeting scenes. Always be ready for unrehearsed moments. This girl was playing with her home-made toy airplane solo, lost in her own world, while our boat slowly tried to dock.
Canon EOS 350D, 0.001s, f/5.6, 255mm, ISO 100
Tubig Indangan, Simunul Island, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines


Largely laidback and quiet, Simunul is where the Arab missionary Karimul Sheikh Makhdum built the first mosque in the Philippines in 1380. For obvious reasons, this mosque is revered by Philippine Muslims and every Friday is a designated congregation day for imams and religious folks to come and pray. Already a national monument, visitors are welcome to come inside whether you are Muslim or not. People are accommodating and would gladly show you around. This mosque is sparse but it still proudly houses four 3-feet diameter ipil pillars of the original structure.


Camera: Canon EOS 350D, 0.001s, f/6.3, 34mm, ISO 100
mosque of Makhdum, Tubig Indangan, Simunul Island, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines


Within the vicinity of the mosque is one of two reputed graveyards of the Sheikh Makhdum. It seems its actual site is in dispute as when I visited Sibutu Island in Sitangkai, there’s another monument there claiming that the Sheikh was buried in the area. Also check out several centuries-old sunduk gravemarkers that are often featured in magazines and books.


Camera: Canon EOS 350D, 0.008s, f/6.3, 21mm, ISO 100
a centuries-old sunduk across the mosque of Makhdum, Tubig Indangan, Simunul Island, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines


Tango Island
The visit to Simunul will only take you half a day. The afternoon should be spent in any of the sandy beaches and reef that Tawi-Tawi is blessed. My pick of heaven on earth is the islet of Tango with its exceptionally white sand, with nary a cover except for some greens of mangrove and coconut. Surrounded by generous sandbars and emerald waters, it is paradisical. I only saw this island from the plane but I wish I could come over and immerse in its shores.

Canon EOS 350D, 0.002s, f/6.3, 55mm, ISO 100
Tango Island, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines


banig
One should not leave Tawi-Tawi without bringing home a banig or handwoven mat from the screwpine palm leaves (called pandan or romblon). The Philippines claims to produce the handsomest mat in Asia and arguably the most colorful and intricate fine-grained mats are handwoven by the Samal tribe of Tawi-Tawi. Preparation takes one week, with at least 2 cycles of boiling, stick-beating, drawing into strips, sun-bleaching and finally dying. Weaving consumes another two to five weeks. The bordered double-layer mats are the most expensive at about $20 each and is valued to 2-3x as much when brought to the big cities of Cebu or Manila. There is a cooperative of weavers which has a stall near the Notre Dame University in Bongao. Or check out the inventory at the Bongao Department of Tourism which also sells woven pandan salakot hats.


Canon PowerShot S40, 0.001s, f/2.8, 7.1mm
Tango Island, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines


Saying goodbye to a place after 2 wonderful days can only be sweet if tempered with a promise to return back someday. I never am sure when but I bet there are more nooks to discover in faraway Bongao.


Canon EOS 350D, 0.002s, f/6.3, 25mm, ISO 100
Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines



Canon EOS 350D, 1/1000s, f/4, 21mm, ISO 100, -1/3EV
an uninhabited island of Tawi-Tawi, the Sulu Archipelago, Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, the Philippines

48 hours in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi (Day 1)

My memories of my first visit in Bongao are vague. I remember waking up to the early dawn Muslim prayers from the numerous mosques around the nondescript inn where I spent the night over. That’s about it. Nada. This was in 1991 and memory can be exceedingly selective at times. I was on my way back from a two week research study in Sitangkai Island, and I was dying for the comfort of home. When I received an invite back to Bongao after more than 15 years, I immediately jumped on the opportunity.

getting there
Let me introduce Bongao first. It is the capital of the province of Tawi-Tawi which is the most south you can get in the Philippines. Any further down and you are in Sabah, Malaysia already. For most Filipinos, the southernmost city one has visited probably is Zamboanga. Well, Zamboanga is only the takeoff point for Bongao which is an hour away by plane (Seair) or about 26 hours by ferry via Jolo.

accommodations
Bongao lies southwest of the main island of Tawi-Tawi. Today, I hear that there are about 3 reputable hostels in Bongao. I have tried Rachel’s Inn in 2005. This is where you would want to be if you need to be in the urban part of the town as it is only walking distance to market, the major schools, eateries and well, the internet café if you want to stay connected. An alternative I would suggest is the Beachside Inn where I stayed in 2006 as it faces the popular Simandagat beach.

security
Filipinos are basically afraid of going down to Muslim Mindanao. Zamboanga scares a lot of Filipinos which is a sad exaggerated reaction from the negative publicity the South is getting. I probably would skip hot spots like Basilan and Jolo but Tawi-Tawi is quite secure. There are always rumors of kidnapping for ransom in most places in the South and Tawi-Tawi has not been spared. If it makes you feel better, you can always visit the army detachment there and request for a military escort. Yes, this can be done.

Day 1
On your first day in Bongao, what better to orient yourself around than take a tour around town. I recommend hiring a tricycle for the day. I doubt if there are cars for hire there anyway.

Canon PowerShot S40, 0.003s, f/2.8, 7.1mm
Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines


the old Chinese pier
Start with the Chinese pier. Originally a floating market where goods are peddled on boats, this is the biggest market in Tawi-Tawi which now extends around the vicinity of the U-shaped bay. It owes its name to its pre-Hispanic pre-eminence as a commercial entrepot where the Chinese, Arabs and Filipinos converged and bartered goods. All that are available in Tawi-Tawi go through here so expect an assault of sight, sound, smell and taste.


Canon EOS 350D Digital, 0.033s, f/5.6, 55mm, ISO 100
the old Chinese pier, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines


the Bongao “Capitol”
Atop a hill overlooking the bay is the Bongao municipal hall. Having the tricycle climb the exceedingly steep winding road is a thrill by itself. White and stately, the provincial capitol is a popular destination for the unprecedented view of the poblacion (main town), the airport at Sanga-Sanga and the neighboring islands. Peculiarly, it has a large musholla or Muslim prayer room. It also boasts of white-washed Mughal-inspired minarets at the corners, which strongly remind you that the province after all is part of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

phototip: Use a low angle to utilize the sky as a background.
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 0.001s, f/5.6, 37mm, ISO 400
at the Provincial Capitol of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines


the Muslim gravemarkers
Call me morbid but I egg you to visit any of the old Muslim cemetery in Bongao. Look for the old sunduk grave markers. Tawi-Tawi is a center of the indigenous carving art of ukkil wherein only chisels, hammers and other basic tools are used in executing ornate patterns on stone, coral or wood. Said to be used even before Islamic times and continued in practice even today, the grave markers indicate the sex of the deceased: flat floral scrolls or combs for women and knobbed pillars, often hexagonal, for men. Dating the coral grave markers in historical tombs is difficult unless dates are inscribed. While they have survived the ravages of time and weather, they have not been spared by man’s greed and enterprise. Some of the best examples of these works of art are now found only in archival photographs and museums.

Canon PowerShot S40, 0.025s, f/2.8, 7.1mm
a Muslim cemetery in Bongao, the capital of Tawi-Tawi province, the Philippines


food
Tawi-Tawi, with its more than 100 islands, is inarguably a haven for seafood from fresh fish to prawns to crabs. There are no fancy restaurants so expect to dine in small eateries where food is simply grilled, steamed or fried. There is a sizeable Christian population in Bongao (40%?) but pork consumption is still discreetly done. However, the not-so-secret delicacy of Bongao is cured meat from wild boars which roam freely in the hinterlands. You have to order a day ahead though to partake of the gourmet tapas. Other treats I indulged in were the apam daub daya or apam (I miss this the most!), the miniature tambis or roseapple which I’ve never seen that small, the ukoy-ukoy or vegetable cakes. Ifever I get back to Bongao, I plan on trying the bianban or cassava cake wrapped in ornate coconut leaves, the panggi which is the basic ground cassava staple of the native Sama and Badjaos and any of the other delicacies displayed in the stores by the Chinese pier.

Bud Bongao
Go physical and climb the Bongao Peak, a place sacred to the Muslims. It is Tawi-Tawi’s unmistakeable landmark visible from afar and is kind of reminiscent of the flat-topped Table Mountain of Capetown which I climbed in 2001. Bongao Peak is about 422 meters above sea level and is a relatively easy 2-hour climb were it not for the muddy trail. At the summit are two Muslim graves popular among the locals which unfortunately we only came to know after we got down. Talk about being close yet so far.

Bongao Peak is also a sanctuary of long-tailed macaques. Which brings me to a story.

Canon Canon EOS 350D Digital, 0.125s, f/22, 18mm, ISO 100
Bud Bongao or the Bongao Peak, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines


In 2006, my girlfriend (now wife) and I climbed the peak and midway, we were accosted by a gang of monkeys. The trail was narrow and there was no way to pass through them. As appeasement, I opened my messenger bag to get some bananas. I moved slowly and deliberately. I was careful not show off that I brought a bundle as I wanted to leave some bananas for the other monkeys along the way. All of a sudden, the biggest monkey, probably the alpha male, jumped on me and latched on the bag. With the entire weight of the bag and the monkey bearing down on on my shoulder, I could only freeze. The monkey could not zip open my bag to steal the entire bagful of bananas. While it was not willing to loosen its steely grip, I too was not about to give up my bag either as it contained my telephoto lens, tripod and some other accessories. The standoff seemed like eternity. Finally I mustered the courage to zip open the bag and promptly, the monkey grabbed the entire stash of bananas and scampered away. Sweating profusely and trembling from the adrenalin rush, we didn’t know what to do. We were alone. The monkeys may have left us but we were sure that there would be more monkeys along the way. Between going back or proceeding without any more banana “gifts”, we decided to continue. Maybe the next batch of monkeys were already tame or were forewarned that we were “generous”, the rest of monkeys we met were no longer aggressive. They did hover and trail us eerily from a distance as if we were pied pipers but they allowed us in. Even the descent was without any drama so it was strange how monkeys can become confrontational then become docile the next.



travel tip: If you would climb Bongao peak, do not forget the bananas!
Canon EOS 350D, 0.013s, f/4.5, 75mm, ISO 800
a long-tail macaque guarding the Bongao Peak, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines


seaside dining
Just at the foot of Bongao Peaks are at least two beach resorts that offer local foodfare. I remember that the beach was already facing west so I took the opportunity to shoot some sunset photos. The colors of the setting sun, the shape-shifting forms of the clouds and the images of fishermen rushing home are always rewarding.

Canon EOS 350D Digital, 0.002s, f/5.6, 300mm, ISO 100, +1/3EV
Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines

Next: Day 2