Life in Biliran

I've been to many provinces in the Philippines, especially in Eastern Visayas and Northern Samar. Living in the province is one of the most quiet and safe place in my entire life. They established harmony, hospitality, and peace. They preserved the norms and traditions, that only in the provinces in the Philippines you can experience.

Photo grabbed from Vigattintourism.com

I lived in the province of Biliran for almost five years. This province is located in the heart of Eastern Visayas. The land of undiscovered paradise. I spent my college years there. We lived near the coastal area and unlike in the city with noisy vehicles, here the only sound that touches your ears is the whisper of the calm sea. People lived in simple life and their primary source of income is fishing with this big boat they called Kubkuban. At dawn, fishermen sails with some teenage boys in our barangay, it's their daily routine before going to school and even during weekends. children played tradional games after school like "dakop-dakopan", "taguan", "tumbang preso" and other games originated here in the Philippines. They also trust their neighbor so much that they just leave their farm animals outside their houses.

Philippines is known to have the longest Christmas in the world. Well, yes that's true especially in the provinces. When ber-months started they put their Christmas decors right away, they just love Christmas, New Year and parties. Talking about parties, the celebration of annual festivity of patrons are the highlighted event in every provinces. They spend a lot of money for the preparation of a magnificent party called fiesta. They welcome visitors and even gatecrashers, everyone is invited, literally everyone who passed into their houses. Rich and poor families celebrates this even if it leaves them with empty pockets afterwards.

Every provinces differ to how technology changes every bit of it. Like the province of Northern Samar, there are places in that province that is away from the latest forms of technology. In my 6 months of staying in one of the barangays there, I have witnessed how people there have simple and ordinary ways of living. They live in a traditional house called Kubo, they don't have faucet (tap water) at home and the source of water came from deep wells, traditional water pumps and ground water called "Tubod".

Deep well

Water pump

Farming and fishing are the main source of income. Students that came from poor families walks kilometers away in going to school. Seeing these scenarios everyday made me wondered how they are able to live like this and how diligent these people can be. Having no phone signal, distant water supply, away from the city and technology, children playing like the old times... For me it is hard, but amazingly they have been living like this for God-knows how long. They live without the things that I think I can’t live without.

Filipino students walking their way to school

Life in the province is very simple than everybody can imagine. It seems hard to us, but for them? It's just nothing. It's the place you can feel safe, the place that taught you the true beauty of the Philippine culture and its tradition, the place that will make you realize how lucky you are having a place like this a home.

Written by Cherrie for The Promdi Girl