March
Maayong Adlaw!
How far can
your money go?
by Cristina Tupaz  comfort rooms and the beach are
I  n the province where food is
cheap and access to places is
easy, budget would be one of
the major dilemmas when moving into
the city. Food is a need and leisure in
going to work, school parks, malls,
mountains, while beaches are part of
recreation activities. Of course, to do all
these, one needs money. It varies where
you are. In the Philippines, there are
two categories - the city and the prov-
ince.
As a migrant in the city for the past
four years, budgeting food and getting
to places I want to go to have been a
challenge for me. The Big City, also
known as Manila, could be really fasci-
nating. Cars, shopping malls, high-rise
buildings and fine-dining restaurants
are just some of the things city dwellers
go nuts about.
The province, on the other hand,
always has the stereotypical image of
mountains, beaches, bungalows and
anything that is color green. Life there
is always laidback. Almost everyone
makes their own food--- coming from
their very own backyard to the kitchen
and finally, putting it up to the table for
a festive meal.
So my journey begins with a little
bit of both worlds. My journey to Davao
City is an experience I will remember
Quill
for the rest of my life. The place is be-
yond paradise for it offers you every-
thing you want and need- whether to-
day you want to go fancy and tomor-
row, you want to go to the beach.
For one, to have a better picture of
Davao, let’s start with the question:
How far can your Php1000 go in one
day?
Imagine how you want to spend
your day somewhere paradise-like.
White beaches, friendly people, sunny
weather, good food, good music--- all
great things rolled into one. But the
catch is, you do not have to spend too
much. In Manila, if you want to go to the
beach, it would take you hours, lots of
money and very complicated roads to
take and other problems that will suck
up one’s energy. In Davao, it will only
take you 30 minutes to get to the beach
from the town. What is more exciting is
that the fare is very cheap--- just less
than Php20. Plus, you get to feel the
fresh air touching your skin and a beau-
tiful sight of what Davao has to offer.
Upon reaching the beach, a small
boat will take you to another island
about 10 minutes away, which again,
would cost only P15. Paradise is now
called Samal Island. Thus, the resort
where we stayed at is called “Paradise
Island”. There, I found peace with the
sight of clear blue water and
white beach. How can a place as
commercialized as Davao take
you to paradise in just a snap of a
finger?
To avail its facilities, entrance
only costs P100. With that, occu-
pying and use of chairs, tables,
al- ready included. Hence, for a budget
of P300, I was able to have a sumptuous
meal of my choice for lunch – seafood,
pork, Spanish cuisine. You choose. Food
is very good, mind you.
For recreational purposes, Paradise
Island offers a range of water activities
to choose from. Kayak, aqua cycle, jetski
and snorkeling activities ranges from
Php90 to Php4,000 (of course, bear in
mind jetski-ing is always expensive).
Nothing beats the feeling of soaking in
the sun, with the sight of God’s best
creations humans can never put to
words.
A day has passed and everyone
goes back to the city. A little bit of traf-
fic will
catch you
at a busy
time in
Davao
City. Go-
ing back
to the
hotel,
one can
take the
s a m e
e a s y
r o u t e
going to
5
Samal Island which I found very hassle-
free.
Before going back to the hotel and
call it a day, one can ease up energy by
eating somewhere, again, bearing in
mind the budget to work on. Mandarin
Tea Garden is the most popular Chinese
Restaurants in Davao. It offers a variety
of Chinese cuisine at a very cheap price.
The serving is mouthful. Paying only
P200, I feel I ordered too much. I could
not even finish everything. Food was
really great, not any Chinese food in
Manila can compare.
Davao is really surprising. It is a
mixture of both worlds anyone wants
to have. It is amazing that one does not
have to go far, far away to be in a differ-
ent place. In Davao, everything you
want and need is just around the cor-
ner. Life there is unexplainably easy. In
less than a thousand pesos, one does
not need so much effort to find para-
dise.
I love Davao. No, scratch that. Actu-
ally, I want to live in Davao someday. ∎
IN DAVAO, 
FOOD AND 
AMENITIES 
COME MORE 
AFFORD‐
ABLE.  
P400 will  
already buy 
you a relaxing 
day at the 
beach.          
   
Photo by Zarah 
Dayao 
 6 Quill
rip
Untitled
by Andrea Zarah Dayao
Under the resplendent pigment
of its woven fabric
an innocent seraph of heaven sub-
sists.
Marveling her exuberance,
she was enriched yet delicate.
But like your dale
filled with green and growing things
Someday my darling
you too shall go,
and the world shall rest
its hope…
in you
Blue
Paradise
by Andrea Zarah Dayao
Such fate of this paradise’s early
promise,
waves dancing and swaying leaves,
waves we played on at morning
and leaves frolicking to the wind’s
last shaking
And all I have now is the shoreline
of that paradise
and the journey that now has ended
Litrato
by Cielo Eunice Flores
Ito ang samahan na walang makaka-
pagpabago.
Minsan sobra, minsan kulang, pero
ganoon pa man, pagmamahalan ay
buo.
Sana ang mga ngiti ay hindi lang sa
litrato.
Napagdaanan na ang lahat, patuloy
pa rin sa pagtayo
Ng pangalangang PJ sa isip at sa
puso.
Sana ang samahan ay hindi lang sa
litrato.
Bawat isa ay pinagkaloob ng ang-
king ganda at talino.
Kamay ang gamit sa pagsulat ng
mga artikulo at mga kwento.
At sa pagdating ng panahon, makali-
mot man tayo,
sana kahit sa pagtanda, buo pa rin
ang litrato.
March 2011
o avao
Samahan
by Rose Anne Valledo
Saan nga ba nagsimula?
Paano nag-umpisa ang pagkakaibi-
gan?
Nang mabuo ang PJ, nagsimula ang
lahat
Nabuo ang samahang walang
makakasira.
Tiwala sa isa't isa na nagpatibay ng
samahan,
Samahang mapagkakatiwalaan.
Minsan ng sinubok ng tadhana ang
samahan,
Ngunit hindi nagpabuwag at nag-
patalo
Subalit nagpatibay pa lalo ng
samahan.
Minsan lang makumpleto,
Ngunit pag nagkasama ay parang
wala ng bukas.
Problema ng isa’y problema ng lahat,
Kaaway ng isa ay kaaway na rin ng
lahat,
Walang makakaapi isa man sa PJ,
Asahan mong lahat ay makakaaway.
Ganyan katibay ang samahan ng PJ.
Hindi ka mag-iisa,
Nandyan sila upang dumamay.
Tunay na hulog ng langit,
Sa puso ay hindi ipagpapalit,
PJ, salamat at sa buhay ay dumating.
Hawak
Kamay
by Rose Anne Valledo
Ano mang problema ang dumating
Ano mang unos ang harapin
Tayo ay hawak kamay at sama sama
pa rin
Di pagkakaunawaa’y isang pagsubok
Na ating hinarap
Walang anu mang makakapaghi-
walay
Sa higpit ng ating pagsasasamahan
March 2011 Quill 7

A Literary and Photo essay on the island under the sun ☺

Photographs by: Andrea Zarah Dayao and Rose Anne Valledo

Paalam Countryside
by Andrea Zarah Dayao
by Rose Anne Valledo
We rant over our wants—
Nang magkasama sa Print Journal- traffic jams,
ism minor, crowded trains,
Kasiyahan ang naramdaman. messed-up hair,
busted cellphones
Ang mga ngiti at payo ang pina- and laptops
baon, even accept
Nang mga taong binigay ng pag- our execrations.
kakataon, And them
Mga minamahal naming guro, in the countryside,
Ms. PJ, Sir Nath, Sir Jerrie, Sir Jokay, who before chant over a good har-
Na handang tumulong at umalalay. vest
and wild hog for supper,
Kasa-kasama umaga hanggang now fume for only one thing:
hapon,
Tawanang walang humpay at tigil
Mga pangyayaring ating pinag- the ancestral domain
daanan, seized from them
Na umabot hanggang Davao up to this very day.
Na tiyak mananatili sa ating mga
puso.

Ngayon ay huling buwan na mag-

kakasama
Isang pagtatapos at pamamaalam
Mananatili sa puso’t isipan,
Low Tide
Mga alaala ng samahang walang
by Cielo Eunice Flores
tatalo.

Asahang magkikita tayong muli at Lulubog, lilitaw ang tubig na iyong

magkakasalubong, natatanaw
Sapagka’t puso’t isipan, iisa at mag- Nagtatanong, nagtataka, saan na
kakaugnay. napunta ang ganda?
Tila naging malungkot ang dagat,
ang buhangin na naghihintay sa
tubig na umangat.

Sa init ng araw, mistulang na uhaw.

Ang buhanging naghihintay,
sa tubig, ayaw nang mawalay.
Bumalik na ang tubig,
sa ganda ng karagatan,
ang mga tao’y muling nagbigay ng
pag-ibig.

Hakbang ng Bala
Sama-sama by Andrea Zarah Dayao

by Rose Anne Valledo Ang gobyerno ay gumagastos ng

P3.00
sa isang libro.
Malapit na ang ating pagtatapos
Malapit na rin magkahiwalay. May badyet din itong P1.00 sa bawat
Ngunit madami pang pagsubok, ang gamot.
dapat suungin
Pagsubok na haharapin ng sama- At sa M16 rifle, P16.00 ang ginagas-
sama tos ng gobyerno sa bawat bala nito.

Ilang hakbang na lang Kung pagkain lang ang bala,

Tayo’y magkakahiwalay na Walang kakalam na
Ilang hakbang na lang sikmura
Tayo’y haharap na sa panibagong
hakbang ng buhay.
 8 Quill
E ditorial
by Jasmine Shewakramani  In addition to this, chairs and
Travelling is such a funny experi-
ence. I don’t mean funny as in humor-
ous, but funny in a rather oh-wow-this-
is-so-deep-we’re-talking-about-life kind
of way. When one travels, sometimes
it’s not just the destination that mat-
ters, but the journey as well. Travel is
such an encompassing word which es-
sentially means movement. In this
sense, travelling starts from the journey
to and ends with the journey back and
includes everything in between.
This means that even the means by
which we journey to a place are in-
cluded in the travelling experience.
Airports are the first places tourists
see when they enter a country or a new
city, and the last when they leave. First
impressions last, and for all the won-
ders the Philippines has to offer, the
state of the international airports in the
country has left much to be desired.
Ninoy Aquino International Airport
(NAIA)’s Terminal 1, for example, has
seen better days. According to many
reports from users online, it is so dilapi-
dated that they feel embarrassed for
the foreigners who come to the country
by way of this airport. Bathrooms are
dirty, plumbing is broken, fixtures are
rusted and tabos are placed in each stall
instead of toilet paper. Tiles all over the
facility are cracked, and linoleum used
in decoration is faded.
Airport Anomalies
The state of disarray of airports in the Philippines
benches provided for passengers at
waiting areas are broken. Cushions of
these seats are ripped and the stuffing
has popped out. Some of these seats are
new yet they are evidently not made of
quality material since they have not
withstood heavy use. Facilities have not
been renovated in a long time, and the
airport does not have conveniences that
should be made available to travellers,
like free wi-fi and decent lounge areas.
On the other hand, NAIA Terminal
3, the newest airport with upscale ar-
chitecture and upgraded facilities more
appropriate for international flights,
has been in use for several years now
but is not fully operational. Even if it
has more check-in counters, better
seats, improved lounges and decent
restrooms, it only services three do-
mestic carriers. Not all the check-in
counters are used by the airline as-
signed to it, and more than 20 percent
are totally unused. It still makes check-
ing in a long process. Despite the new
administration’s promises to make it
fully operational by the end of the pre-
vious year, improvements are yet to be
seen.
NAIA is one of the busiest airports
in the world. According to a report pub-
lished in the Inquirer, the airport ser-
viced 24.1 million passengers in 2009,
and the numbers keep growing. It is no
wonder the state of the airport has
J.S.
brought on much frustration for regular
users, especially considering the fact
that it charges a terminal fee for each
departing passenger. This amount
ranges from 200 pesos for passengers
flying to domestic destinations, to 750
pesos for those flying international.
Considering the number of people using
NAIA annually, this is a substantial
amount for the airport’s budget. How-
ever, it is not evident, and no financial
documents are released to show the
breakdown of expenses, leading pas-
sengers to believe that there is some
sort of corruption happening.
The Philippines is the only country
in the world that requires a terminal fee
that is paid separately before depar-
ture. Other countries which charge ter-
minal fees or airport tax incorporate
the fee in the tickets bought at respec-
tive airlines. This greatly lessens the
amount of time spent for check-in and
prevents pocketing of money by airport
employees, a practice observed and
reported by Filipinos who use NAIA
Terminal 1.
As a matter of fact, the check-in
procedure in Philippine airports com-
pared with those in other countries is
unnecessarily lengthy. In a letter wrtten
by environmentalist Atty. Antonio
Oposa Jr. regarding the flaws of the cur-
rent system in international airports in
the Philippines addressed to concerned
government offices, the check-in proce-
March 2011
dure of the passenger from arrival at
the airport to boarding is composed of
nine steps. This includes checking of
tickets, boarding passes and/or re-
ceipts four times, and x-ray check twice
or thrice, usually upon entering the air-
port and once more before boarding.
According to Oposa, this can be
reduced to check-in and x-rays upon
entering the pre-departure area and
before final boarding. Most airports in
other countries use this procedure, and
it makes for more efficient and hassle-
free travel.
Many airport users are now taking
concrete actions to push for the im-
provement of Philippine airports. There
is a Facebook page that calls for the
improvement of airports in the country.
Users report their negative experiences
and observations while suggesting
ways to further improve the airport
system that is in dire need of an over-
haul. Several writers and bloggers have
also made their opinions known, fur-
ther igniting the discussion on the
many anomalies and flaws of local air-
ports.
Atty. Oposa’s letter,which has been
made public by blogger Cecile Van
Straten was recently replied to by Maj.
General Jose Angel Honrado (ret.), head
of the Manila International Airport Au-
thority, but did not offer much consola-
tion in terms of immediate solutions.
Honrado acknowledged that Terminal 1
is in a bad state of disarray and could
use a lot of renovation. He further
stated that improvements are slowly
being made in terms of cleanliness as
well as the state of bathrooms and seat-
ing areas. Honrado ended the reply by
asking the Filipino people to under-
stand that these improvements “do not
happen overnight” and they “need more
time to undo the neglect.”
These statements were met with
much reaction from concerned users,
and has even brought up the discussion
if the airport should be privatized to
hasten the improvements. A Twitter
user said that “it is such a shame,” citing
that a 15-storey building was built in
China in 6 days, and it takes 25 days to
complete renovations in one restroom
at Terminal 1.
Needless to say, it will take a lot of
people power before government offi-
cials hasten the improvements to the
airports and address suspected corrup-
tion with the airport funds. It is a won-
der that the president of the current
administration hasn’t stepped up and
given more importance to this issue
when it his father’s name that graces
the gateway to the Philippines. ∎