batanes, my batanes...

Batanes – “Arava u mayet an namaes u ryes” Thus the Ivatan version of the proverb ‘there is no strong man when the sea is at its worst’. Popularly known as “typhoon island” , as I traveled around this northernmost part of the Philippine Archipelago  holy week 2008, I discovered that what I read about the place is true, if not an understatement.

Batanes province is a small group of islands that can make a great destination. Located north of Luzon, they compose the northernmost part of the archipelago with the three major islands of Batan , Itbayat and Sabtang and 7 smaller islets: Dequey, Siayan, Mabudis, Ibuhos, Diogo, North Island, and Y'ami, the northernmost point of the Philippines.

These islands have been compared to New Zealand, Ireland and the Scottish Highlands.
Being composed of several small islands, the largest maybe ten miles long and a couple miles wide, it is also the most isolated province, separated from the mainland of Luzon by about 130 nautical miles. The islands are closer to Taiwan than the mainland Luzon. The native dialects are very Chinese sounding. It is also the smallest province in the Philippines in terms of population and land area

The landscape of Batanes is also distinct from other Philippine provinces - steep cliffs, rolling hills, deep canyons and boulder-lined shores. It is composed of a group of islands defined by the splash of sea against rugged cliffs, verdant hills dominated by grass and stunted trees, and the great Mt. Iraya. Over the centuries, harsh weather conditions and rough seas have shaped the islands’ picturesque cliffs and land formations. These far-flung islands’ isolation has preserved their old captivating charm.
Ivatan economy is somewhat propelled by seafarers, as it is estimated that almost twenty to thirty percent of the population are into the seafaring career.

Batanes is the smallest province in the Philippines, both in land area and population, but it has one of the largest territorial waters in all of the Philippines. Over 15,000 people live in the province, which is bounded by Bashi Channel on the north, the Balintang Channel in the south, the Philippine Sea /Pacific Ocean on the east and the China Sea in the west.

Traveling between the Batanes islands using the sturdier native boats known as faluwas, chinarem, or the tataya is the Ivatan lifestyle.

In response to high waves brought about by the currents, the Batanes boat is unlike the common Southeast Asian outriggered banca. It is a wooden boat with rounded sides that skims the stormy Batanes sea. These boats had deep rounded hulls that bobbed in the sea. They were slow but capacious so were fit for the task of transportation


Only found in Scotland, Finland and Batanes, vernacular houses are made from stones, lime and cogon. It is only in Batanes, where people have traditionally built low-slung sturdy stone houses capped by a thick thatch roof.

The layout of human settlement and the architecture of the homes also respond intimately with nature. Villages of low stone houses covered with thickly woven cogon roofs huddle in clusters to protect each other's strong homes from the typhoons that constantly pound their island and their lives. The streets that separate houses are straight and narrow, sometimes barely wide enough to allow a vehicle to pass.

The contemporary Ivatan houses have now become more difficult to typify than they used to be. They have diversified in both material and style of construction. Today, the dominant types of houses are (1) stone and lime walling with cogon roof, and (2) reinforced concrete walling with galvanized iron or concrete roof. Although most houses until after the Second World War had only one floor, the two storey house now become a fashion. Only one essential feature has been permanent in Ivatan architecture : durability calculated to withstand typhoons.

One of the most popular mode of transportation in Batanes is the bicycle. It is said that most of the bicycles were brought in by seamen themselves, as well as other OFWs, as they availed of tax exemptions. Some of these bicycles were then sold by the cooperatives.

Many of the bikes in batanes are vintage Japanese and Taiwanese in style. They have no gears, are single-speed and oddly-shaped, the seats are low, and there are baskets and dynamo-powered lights in front. Bikes are also registed in Batanes, and there are bike-specific road signs along the highway. Everyone had a bicycle. Everywhere you look, you'll see one. But there's not record anywhere of any bicycle getting stolen.

The Ivatans are known to live simply. Most of its settlers own and use bicycles as a form of transportation thereby making it popularly known as the bicycle country. Environment-friendly bicycles are used to get around even in nearby towns although a few scooters have already found their way into the lifestyle of some Ivatans

DIOS MAMAJES, Ivatan word for “thank you”, is the most appropriate phrase one can say upon leaving this wonderful place called “BATANES.”

HOW TO GET THERE You are compelled to take the plane when you visit Batanes from mainland Luzon. There a number of flights from Manila Domestic Airport to Batanes weekly. One can likewise fly from Manila to Tuguegarao City in Cagayan province and, from there, take a chartered eight-seater plane to Basco.
FLIGHT SCHEDULE (as of March 2009)

ZestAir
Manila-Basco-Manila (1.20 hours)
Monday-Wednesday-Friday
Leaves Manila 0530H / Arrives Basco 0650H
Leaves Basco 0715H / Arrives Manila 0830H

Southeast Asia Airlines (SEAir)
Manila-Basco-Manila (1.20 hours)
Daily
Leaves Manila 0540H / Arrives Basco 0715H
Leaves Basco 0735H / Arrives Manila 0900H

Chemtrad Aviation
Tuguegarao-Basco-Tuguegarao
Basco-Itbayat-Basco
Mondays-Wednesdays-Fridays

Batanes Airlines
Tuguegarao-Basco-Tuguegarao
Basco-Itbayat-Basco
Mondays-Wednesdays-Fridays

Starting March 2009, a passenger vessel will ferry passengers twice weeklyfrom Batanes to two points in northern Luzon using an 80-seater passenger seacraft. Travel time: 9 hours.
MISUBI Sea Transportation Cooperative
Basco to Sta. Ana, Cagayan (Fare: PHP 2,500)
Basco to Currimao (Fare: PHP 2,200)
Twice a week

For more travel info, visit the provincial govt weebsite   http://www.purocastillejos.com/visitors/index.php