What A Beautiful Place
I feel free. I smell fresh air. I was surrounded by greener environment. There’s a lake where plenty of fish is catched. There’s a lot of bamboos. It’s not noisy. The only noise you will hear is the motorbancas and oftentimes single motorcycles. This is where we live in. a certain barangay in Talim, Island located in Binangonan, Rizal.
We had our simple living here. Neighbors are great. Cost of living is not that much. Because we have the Laguna the Bay, most of the locals here are fishermen. And you know what? You can buy a kilo of tilapia here for only fifty pesos or less depends in the size of the fish, the bigger the fish, the higher the price. But it’s not too much, if a kilo of fish consists of 6 to 7 pieces, you can have it for only forty pesos. Great, isn’t it?
There’s someone who planted root crops and vegetables, when it’s time to harvest, you can buy for just a low price. A kilo of cassava cost only fifteen pesos per kilo, a papaya can cost five pesos per piece, Indian mango costs ten pesos per kilo, a bundle of camote tops cost five pesos also, a bundle of string beans for only ten pesos and many more crops for low price.
And since there’s a lot of bamboo here, another source of income is from bamboo shoots. Bamboo sala sets, tables and chairs, chicken cages, cribs, coin banks and even bamboo pots are available here. Some locals are bamboo set maker, they can earn as much as 300 pesos a day to make a pair. Girls can earn as much as 50 pesos by removing the bamboo skin or “pagkakalis” which is part of making the product. Another product from bamboo which is very popular here in our place is bamboo sticks. It’s very difficult to do because there is so many process in making it. First you’ll get a bamboo, then cut it by size, how long and how thick it is (sticks have many size according to it’s use), next is you will cut one end to make it pointed, after you make some, you will put it under the sun to dry, then in the afternoon you get it and keep, the next day you have to put it back under the sun to ensure that it dried up so well, then you will smoothen it by using cutter blade and after that you will count them and make it in bundles before bringing it to the market. So hard, but you will consider it as labor of love.
About transportation, motorbanca is the primary transportation means, we have one boat a day if you will go to the town proper. This is the only boat you can ride back and forth, that’s why if you have something to do in the town or you will go to the market, make sure that you will be back in time, or else you will be left by the boat man. There are motorcycles here, but it’s going only to neighbor barangays, you can not use it going to the town proper.
There is also a popular mountain here in island, it is called Mount Tagapo also known as Susong Dalaga. Hikers went there especially during Holy Week. I cannot say anything about Mount Tagapo or how it feels like going uphill because I didn’t experience going there yet. Maybe some other time.
If we want to swim and went to a picnic, we can go ride on a boat and go to the “laot” there are some kubo there where you can stay. How happy is that specially when you were together with your family or set of friends.
In this place, you are free from water, air and noise pollution. You can eat fresh fish and vegetables. It’s a stress free place, it’s not crowded. What a beautiful place!
