171.BASCO

 

BASCO

Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano

21 March 2023

Everytime I see the sign “BASCO” at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), I always wish I could board that flight and see “Breathtaking Batanes” – the northernmost province of the country which is 80.47 kilometers shy from Taiwan. Last Thursday March 16, I landed at Basco Domestic Airport by Cebu Pacific airline after several schedules in the past decades that did not push through because of a thousand and one reasons. My welcome party was a single lady from the Provincial Heritage and Tourism Office of Batanes, Ms. Jonnaleyn F. Quindao. I was briefed that Ms. Quindao is one of the most hardworking and smart employees of the tourism department. This qualification was the reason why she was assigned to guide me in the whole duration of my official trip.

I immediately proceeded to the poblasyon, made my way to the provincial capitol building in Barangay Kayhuvokan and posed at the historical marker issued by the National Historical Commission (NHC) installed in front of the central stairway in 2014 that reads: CASA REAL. IPINAGAWA SA KAHOY NG MGA ESPANYOL NOONG IKA-18 SIGLO. IPINAGAWA SA BATO NI GOB. JOSE SERRA, 1872. DITO NAMATAY SI JULIAN FORTEA, ANG HULING GOBERNADOR ESPANYOL NG BATANES, NOONG SALAKAYIN NG MGA KATIPUNERO ANG CASA REAL, 18 SETYEMBRE 1898. NAGSILBING KABISERA ANG BATANES NOONG PANAHON NG MGA ESPANYOL HANGGANG SA KASALUKUYAN.

In front of the former Casa Real, at the right, is the monument of Batanes’ foremost hero with a marker installed by the NHC also in 2014 that states: KENAN AMAN DANGAT. ISINILANG SA MALAKDANG, SABTANG KASALUKUYANG MANGPUS (DATU) NANG INITINAGANG PAMAHALAANG ESPANYOL SA BATANES 26 HUNYO 1783. IPINAGTANGGOL ANG KATUTUBONG KARAPATAN; NAGPROTESTSA SA PAGPILITANG PAGKUHA NG MGA AHENTE NG ESPANYOL NG ANI AT TROSO SA BAYAN AT DAHIL DITO IPINIIT ANG KANYANG MGA TAUHAN. PINAMUNUAN ANG HIGIT ISANG DAANG MGA KALALAKIHAN SA SABTANG NA PUMATAY NG PITONG AHENTE. PINATAY AT BINITAY, SETYEMBRE 1791.

Another memorial caught my eyes, the statue of our national hero with a marker installed by the NHC also in 2014. At the right is a small monument, the Governor Barsana Marker mounted in memory of Governor (1916-1917) Vicente Barsana and other local officials of Batanes who perished at sea on January 22, 1917 while traveling back to Batan from an official visit in Itbayat. Governor Barsana also served as the second representative of Batanes in the 2nd and 3rd Philippine Assembly from 1911-1912 and 1912-1916.

The two main purpose of my visit are the Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE) trainings and my courtesy visits to the provincial and local officials. I got the chance to meet Vice Governor Ignacio Castillo Villa who served as Municipal Mayor of Itbayat (1998-2007, Sangguninag Panlalawigan (SP) Member of the 2nd District (2007-2016), and Sangguniang Bayan Member of Basco (2016-2019) before being elected as Vice Governor in 2019. He is now on his second term.

I delivered a message to the 52 participants of the two-day FBSE Training for tourism frontliners (tour guides, tour operators & accommodations) of the Municipalities of Basco, Mahatao and Ivana held at the SP Session Hall where three SP Members were present. The trainor, Ms. Gretchen A. Jallorina, informed me that the group was the most active participants she had encountered.

The DOT team had dinner at Vunong Dinette at Jessica’s Place situated at Taytay Street in downtown Basco where we consumed an authentic Ivatan cuisine cooked in the traditional Ivatan way. After the sumptuous meal, we retired for the night at Ukuys Place located at Sitio Tukon in Barangay Chanarian.

I woke up early in the morning and savored the cool breeze when I opened the door of the balcony with a view of the rolling hills of central Batan Island. I can see Fundacion Pacita at the left and the southern landscape of Basco facing the sea.

My second day officially started with the second batch of FBSE Training for the combined graduating students of Hospitality and Tourism Courses of the Batanes State College both located Barangay San Antonio. The training resulted in a fun-learning experience as the government and the academe joined hands in revitalizing the tourism industry in the Cagayan Valley Region.

My much-awaited tour of the iconic Basco Lighthouse at Naidi Hill in Barangay San Antonio was a blast. After conducting my 360⁰ degrees human drone video atop the pharos, I visited the souvenir shop and tried the vakul headdress and kanayi vests worn by Ivatan farmers; the vest for men and the headgear for women. These are made from the leaves of vuyavuy, a tree endemic to Batanes. The silhouette of the Basco Lighthouse is presently incorporated in the official regional tagline logo “Your Islands and Valley of Fun” formulated in 2017 with me as one of the think tanks, officially launched in 2019 and adopted by the Regional Development Council in 2022.

Aside from my attendance in the trainings, I decided to personally award the DOT Certificates of Accreditation and stickers to the establishments in Batanes. One of the DOT accredited business’ is the Fundacion Pacita Batanes Nature Lodge at Sitio Tukon in Barangay Charian. This former residence of international Filipino artist Pacita Abad (1946-2004) set atop a hill offers dramatic views and cozy accommodation and is the most sought place by local and foreign tourists.

After my tour at the outskirt of the townproper, I strolled around the plaza and saw another historical edifice and a marker of the NHC installed in 2013 that reads: BATANES HIGH SCHOOL. ITINATAG SA BASCO, BATANES UPANG MAGKATOON NG SEKONDARYANG PAARALAN SA LALAWIGAN 1917. NAGTAPOS ANG MGA UNANG MAG-AARAL 1982. PANSAMNTALANG ISINARA NOONG IKALAWANG DIGMAANG PANDAIGDIG 1942-1945; MULING BINUKSAN MATAPOS ANG DIGMAAN 1946. NAGING BATANES NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL 18 HUNYO 1964. GINAWING BATANES NATIONAL SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL 22 AGOSTO 2000.

The day ended with a dinner hosted by the proprietors of Bunker’s Bistro, DOT accredited, owned by Engr. Marlon Delos Santos and Ms. Jennifer Gabilo with a complete menu of pork, beef, fish, vegetable, seafood, desserts and drinks.

I sailed and stayed in the island-municipality of Sabtang for two days, was back in Basco on the 19th and went to hear Mass before sunset since it was a Sunday. The church compound is dotted with historical markers. The Basco Cathedral, canonically named as Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, and commonly known as Santo Domingo Church in Barangay Kayhuvocan has a marker installed by the NHC in 2013 and reads: SIMBAHAN NG BASCO. UNANG ITINAYO NINA P. BALTAZAR CALDERON, O.P. AT P. ARTIGUEZ, O.P. SA PATRONAHE NI SANTO DOMINGO DE GUZMAN 1873. GINAWA SA BATO NI P. FRANCISCO DE PAULA ESTEBAN O.P. 1795. PINAIKLI ANG NABE AT ITINAYO ANG FACHADA NI P. NICOLAS CASTAÑO 1812. NASUNOG, 1860: MULING ITINAYO NI P. ANTONIO VICENTE, O.P. 1863; PINALITAN NG YERONG BUBONG NI P. MARIANO GOMEZ, O.P. 1891: NAILIGTAS NOONG DIGMAANG FILIPINO-AMERIKANO, 1899 1901. PANGALAWANG DIGMAANG PANDAIGDIG, 1941-1945: ISINAAYOS NI OBISPO PEREGRIN DE LA FUENTE O.P, D.D. NOONG MGA TAONG 1950. NASIRA NG LINDOL ANG KAMPANARYO, 2000. MULING ISINAAYOS NI OBISPO JOSE SALAZAR, O.P. D.D. AT P. HENRY ROMERO, S.O.L.T., 2002. KILALA RIN BILANG KATEDRAL NG IMMACULADA CONCEPCION NA PATRONA NG LALAWIGAN NG BATANES.

The Spanish Era Bell of Batanes can be found outside the Cathedral churchyard and a marker issued by the Catholic Church reads: THE MISSION BELL OF BASCO 1783. This bell was a gift of King Charles Ill of Spain to the lvatan People. It was brought by the Pioneer Dominican Missionaries to Batanes, Padre Baltazar Fernandez Calderon, OP and Padre Bartolome Atigvez, OP aboard the packet-boat Nuestra Señora del Carmen which arrived Batanes on June 4, 1783. The bell was first rung during the First Holy Mass celebrated at the Plains of Basco on June 8, 1783, "Feast of the Holy Spirit". This same bell was rung in June 26, 1783 on the formal establishment of Batanes Mission. Together with the ringing of this bell was the hoisting of the Spanish Flag and the planting of the huge wooden Cross. This bell has been a witness to the selfless Missionary Works of the Spanish Dominican Missionaries and the lvatans' unwavering faith to God. For 235 years, this bell has called the community into prayer and worship from 1783 until March of 2018 when the new bells from Holland were installed at the belfry. This monument was funded by the Hermandad de Sto. Domingo de Basco and blessed on August 15, 2020 for the greater glory of God.

Also in the same churchyard is another historical monument and marker with an inscription in the Ivatan dialect narrating the founding of Batanes and it reads: Du 26 nu Hunyo 1783 si Don Josw Huelva y Melgarejo a nanuma a gobernador nu Batanes aya, kanira u misyonero a sa P. Fr. Bartolome Artiguez O.P. kani P. Fr. Baltazar Calderon O.P. as kanira u adaan apuapuhen ta du Batanes saya as kanira u tau nu gobyerno espanol ad kanira dana u aru a Ivatan, am havayavayat sira du lugar a masngen du taytu aya a yanan nu Monumento aya askapatnek da siya u kurus a tayungkad nu nakavakug na rana nu Batanes aya a provinsya nu Filipinas a dayay nu Espana kanawri napasakuy su kartus si Gob. Hurlva as napamaltug sira su paltug da u sindyalu a isaludo su okasyon awri pinangaran u kapital nu Provinsya aya di Don Jose Basco y Vargas a gobernador heneral kanaw nu Filipinas aya as nu ngaran nu Batanes aya su Provincia dela Concepcion a iyañib su Nakapaytau na Abu su Gatus nu Ina nu Diyos.

Pinarin u inagurasyon nu Monumento aya du 26 nu Hunyo 2004 du icha-221 na a ka kawan nu nakavakug siya a provinsya u Batanes aya du ka Mayor na du Basco aya nu Anianiven a si Manuel G. Viola; as ka Gobernador nu Anianiven a si Vicente S. GATO; As Prelado nu Prelatura nu Batanes ayau Uyud a Reverendo Obispo Camilo D. Gregorio D.D.

The last memorial in the compound located near the entrance is the bust of Msgr. Mario L. Baltazar, O.P. (1926-2012). Monsignor Baltazar was a well-loved servant of God who hailed from Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, the founder of the Saint Dominic College in 1968 and is known as the “Father of Tertiary Education in Batanes”. He was also the second prelate of Batanes, Babuyanes and the first chairman of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Episcopal Committee on the Bible in 1969.

Towards the end of the Mass, the parish priest, Rev. Fr. Ronaldo B. Manabat announced that a fund-raising campaign is being conducted by the parish for the benefit of the financially challenged Ivatans who regularly seeks the help of the church. The fund drive is through the selling of a “pilgrim passport” to be used in the coming visita iglesia of the province this holy week. I gave my donation to the worthy cause and secured the pilgrim passport the following day as my personal souvenir.

On the 20th, I graced the flag rites of the Provincial Government where Governor Marilou Horlina Cayco, in her speech, lauded the DOT on the four trainings conducted. After the morning ceremonies, I paid courtesy at her office in the presence of the vice governor and all the members of the SP who also had their regular weekly session on that Monday morning. Our conversations evolved in the establishment of a DOT satellite office in Basco and I informed the governor that a job order (JO) employee is now reserved for the aforementioned office. The governor committed to provide an office space and an additional staff for the DOT local workplace. I ended our short meeting with the commitment that DOT will conduct a training in the island-municipality of Itbayat, the hometown of the congressman, governor, vice governor and the SP member chair on the Committee on Tourism.

I continued my courtesy visits starting with the tourism officer of Basco, Ms. Kristine S. Viola and eventually with Mayor German Amboy Caccam of the capital-town of Basco. I suggested to the local chief executive the creation of a permanent tourism officer and he responded that it is already in their pipeline. Mayor Caccam served as vice mayor for two terms (2016-2019 & 2019-2022) before being elected mayor in 2022.

The day ended with a dinner with the delegates and officials of the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) led by Ms. Teresita "Babes" DL. Landan, Manager of the Domestic Tourism Department who had their Familiarization Trip in the province. The meal was held at Pension Ivatan in Barangay Kayvaluganan located at the end of the runway of the domestic airport. I retired for the night at the Batanes Resort in Barangay Kaychanarianan, a local government-owned tourism accommodation located on the mountain slopes with a spectacular view of the sea.

As I gazed the aerial view of Basco on board the Sky Pasada airline bound to Tuguegarao City, Cagayan the following morning, I remembered in my numerous researches on Philippine history the word “Basco”. The name of the capital-town was derived from the surname of José Basco y Vargas (1733-1805), the 53rd Spanish Governor-General of the Philippines (1778-1787) who served under King (1758-1788) Charles III (1716-1788) of Spain. Basco, a naval officer of the Spanish Navy, was the 1st Count of the Conquest of Batanes Islands. He established the Sociedad Económica de los Amigos del País, or the Economic Society of Friends of the Country, which revived the tobacco industry in Spanish Philippines. He established the basis for the massive growth of Philippine agricultural export, with a policy of tolerance toward illegal activity of foreign retailers. He also made the colony independent by freeing it from the control of New Spain. Hoping to free the Philippines from Mexican and Chinese trade, Basco established reforms including incentivizing the production of sugarcane, spices, cotton and mining, as well as rewarding scientific reforms.

If Governor-General Basco is alive today, he will be very amazed how his namesake transformed from an isolated island almost unreachable and closed to the modern world to a busy and progressive capital in the north. Ang ganda ng Basco, promise! Mabuhay!