The charms of Mindanao

BUTUAN, Agusan del Norte – This is the second to the last leg of our Mindanao sojourn with a group of Sunshine Boys led by Ric Yanson. We go back to Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, then Bacolod .

And Mindanao impressed us with the beauty of its forests, the charm of its people, and most important to travelers, the condition of its roads.

Mindanao has the best roads. From Bacolod to Butuan, the only bad road we passed was in the fifth district of Negros Occidental under my friend Rep. Iggy Arroyo. Ironic really, considering Iggy is the President's brother-in-law.

We envy the beautiful roads of Mindanao and contrary to perception, it is peaceful.

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There were ten of us when we left Bacolod early Friday: Ric Yanson, Pompey Querubin, Toti Ramos, Willy Mirano, Buc-an Yulo, Ito Sanson, Marianing Tuvilla, Pope Jalando-on, Dr. Ed Mercado and myself.

We took a ferry in Dumaguete and landed in Dipolog. From Dipolog we took the sparkling new modern bus of Ric Yanson that is of international standard in riding comfort because of its air compression.

Ric brought 30 from China for use here.

Because there were ten of us we called ourselves “The Begotten.”

In Cagayan de Oro, Pompey stayed because of the convention of water districts. So we became the “Lucky Nine.”

Yesterday morning, Buc-an Yulo and Ito Sanson flew from Davao to Cebu . We are now the magnificent seven finishing the trip.

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Contrary to perception these parts of Mindanao are peaceful.

According to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte there is no live criminal in Davao City . They commit suicide. Then he made a loud whisper, “ Tikal lang na.”

In earlier interviews with officials they attested to the peacefulness of the place.

The Sunshine Boys interviewed Dipolog Mayor Evelyn Uy, Zamboanga del Norte Gov. Roland Yebes, Iligan Mayor Lawrence Cruz, Cagayan de Oro Mayor Constantino Jaraula, Bukidnon Gov. Jose Zubiri, and Duterte.

The interviews were covered by Sunshine Channel and the Boys proved to be good interviewers. These will be aired.

One thing we noted here politicians are dynastic. Dipolog Mayor Evelyn Uy was Vice-Mayor to her husband Roberto. Now Roberto is Vice Mayor.

In CDO, Jaraula used to be Vice-Mayor to Mayor Vicente Emano. Now Emano is the Vice Mayor.

In Davao , City Vice-Mayor is Duterte's daughter Sarah Duterte Lucas, a lawyer, too.

But the next most powerful official here is top councilor Bonnie Militar, cousin of Mayor Bing Leonardia. He was born in Tuguis, Pontevedra and remembers his lolo Enzo and lola Marga, grandparents of Bing. He is a future congressman.

It turned out Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr. is the nephew of Marianing Tuvilla because Prospero Nograles Sr. was from Pontevedra, his second cousin.

Councilor Militar is working for five congressional districts. It now has three.

It was a ten-hour trip from Davao to this capital city of Agusan del Norte .

Dr. Ed Mercado is really a good organizer and the executives of Ric Yanson here of his rural tours and Bachelors Express have been a big help.*

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