Kuching, Malaysia: The City of Unity

I have completed another trip in Malaysia last August 4-7 to attend to a Community-Based Ecotourism (CBET) Capability Building course in the city of Kuching, state of Sarawak. The event was organized by BIMP-EAGA and I was part of the Philippine delegation which was headed by DOT Assistant Secretary Art Boncato and participated by three Regional Directors and three Tourism Officers with CBET areas enrolled under BIMP-EAGA. Fortunately, the Tibolo Cultural Village was enrolled under the program which came just right for me to justify my participation to the course. My salute to ASEC Art for always steering initiatives that open up opportunities for ecotourism in Mindanao.

  

As I noticed, Kuching is another city worth emulating for. I observed the higher level of discipline among its residents. Unlike any other big cities in the world, Kuching is not saturated with structures. I witnessed how its government harmoniously implemented a solid and comprehensive urban plan. The major roads are wide and traffic condition is managed well. 

 

Its main river system situated right at the heart of the city is very clean and is even considered the blood vessel of Sarawak. They have developed it into one of the world’s most attractive river tourism destinations as a strategy to prevent illegal settlers. We had a short river cruise in our first day and there we were treated with a very memorable river boat entertainment and delectable foods of Malaysia.  

 

Just recently, Kuching was declared as “City of Unity”, the very first in the world which caused all its people to celebrate. To have such prestigious citation involves complying twelve criteria and Kuching made it all. According to our tour guide Bob, Kuching is a good example of a city that reveals the unity of spirit. The communities are attentive and sensitive to the restrictions of other religions and races. They have maintained a high level of unity. Kuching also has higher rate of inter-marriages as compared to other cities in the world. Truly, the declaration added another crown to their already-colorful timeline of this place known as the city of cats and hornbills. 

 

 On the second day of the course, we traveled for more than an hour to the town of Padawan and were immersed into the long houses of Sarawak, a cultural community-managed homestays as accommodation support for tourists who would like to stay in the area for a night or two. The homestays are traditional dwellings of the cultural subdivisions of the Borneo Island such as the Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu. Presently, the long houses are an integral tour destination of Malaysia where one can access all other natural and cultural sites of Sarawak such as waterfalls, caves, rivers and hot springs. 

     

On our last day in the city, we visited the Sarawak Cultural Village to witness the Rainforest World Music Festival. It is a unique festival that brings together on the same stage world renowned musicians from all over the world. What is more unique about this event is that it is being staged in the middle of a rainforest where the music played thrillingly blended well with the chirping of birds and insects. It was some kind of a cultural woodstuck. 

Meanwhile, the Sarawak Cultural Village is a prime tourist destination in Malaysia composed of resorts, golf course, long houses of Ibans and Malays and other features. It is home to Gunung Santubong Natural Park and is lied within the Kuching Wetlands area. 

In a nutshell, my third time to visit Malaysia is an ultimate experience.  The country, which is distinctly located in the equator, has lived up to its tag line “Truly Asia”. For me, Malaysia is one of the best countries in the world in terms of making tourism as an engine for overall economic growth and development. And Kuching deserves to be in the list of one of the most promising cities in the world.

A remarkable revisiting of the Tibolo Cultural Village

Eight years ago, our office had collaborated with the Department of Tourism to conceptualize a project that would preserve the culture of the Bagobo-Tagabawa tribe in Sta. Cruz and at the same time serve as a model cultural tourism destination in the entire Mindanao island. We envisioned that the project would somehow become one of a kind even in the country, where the community would take the overall leadership in the implementation phase and that they will be capacitated to do everything that they have especially in managing their rich cultural and natural attributes.

 

 

  

As a prevailing tribal group in the foothills of Mt. Apo, the Bagobo-Tagabawa of Tibolo and other nearby areas willingly accepted the program and have reciprocated whatever interventions we introduced. A certain Datu Ruben Ayoc, now a very good friend of mine, allowed us to use a portion of his land belonging to the Bagobo-Tagabawa Ancestral Domain for a project called Tibolo Cultural Village (TCV). We had minimal trouble doing the early phase of the project particularly on the community preparation phase but with the help of the Ayoc clan and other government offices, we succeeded the initial push. To set the tone, we started the program with the Padunggoe Sandawa, a gathering of all tribes in Mindanao held in 2006 and the host tribe was the Tibolo Tagabawa Community. It was indeed an exclamation point. A gun start that signalled the creation of the tribal village we aspired for.

Now, a lot of development interventions were already in place. We have received plenty of grants from national government agencies like the Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, private sectors and lately from DOT’s Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) worth 10 million pesos for further site development. In an instance, Tibolo became a destination favoured by those who love to learn the Tagabawa culture and to commune with nature. And most of all, the program enabled the community to manage a community-based, culture-focused intervention that eventually improved the quality of life of the Tagabawa tribe residing within the territorial jurisdiction of their ancestral domain. 

 

The 2-hectare cultural village today serves as a landmark of living indigenous cultural traditions, a venue for cultural exchange, life-long learning and techno-share, a center for culture-focused creative industry and trade, a learning site for conservation of cultural and natural resources, an abode for indigenous tribal leaders and a key stopover for mountain climbers and trekkers in Mt. Apo using the Sibulan Trail.

My latest visit to the TCV on July 23, 2015 was one of the worth visits I considered in my countless trips to Tibolo. I accompanied a team from the Department of Tourism headed by Regional Director Robby Alabado and staff Kai and Yetyet. Every time I visit this place, there is always something special. Tibolo for me is a home away from home. The people there I considered as a family already. With my frequent visits to the village, there were indelible marks left, the most notable was in 2009 when I struggled to survive in an incident that was very traumatic.

With the new structures erected by TIEZA, the village become even more captivating and colourful as it was surrounded by assorted floral varieties cultivated by the women group of the barangay. Director Alabado, being a bird watcher, had enough reasons to stay longer because bird species there are in abundance also. The Tibolo Women Association, a group we capacitated to handle enterprise activities, is still very much blooming to offer us their soothing native coffee and other native culinary including my favourites ludang, linotlot and chayote leaves salad.

While I roamed around the cottages, the flowers were at their highly-saturated colors. The ecologic activity was very obvious as insects freely took their time to kiss the elegant petals all throughout the village. They were unmindful of us, they were just in their usual state and we were left watching them as witnesses to their playground. The early afternoon rain added so much drama to the already-vivid environment. Very relaxing and mesmerizing.

In awe, RD Robby stayed the village longer than expected. He loved the village as much as I do. After a short conversation with the Tagabawa women, we left the place but with another level of urge to really go back after a month or two. With the ongoing rehabilitation and improvement of the road going to Tibolo from the DPWH-DOT convergence program to improve several roads leading to tourist destinations and with the effort to fix some flaws of the village’s accommodation facilities, I am sure a lot of people can visit the Tibolo Cultural Village later this year.

After all, the TCV will be your promising destination too.

Afterthought: JUST THE WAY WE ARE (Runner’s Angels)

Text and Photos by DOREEN JOY D. BAUYA

"Make Your Life A Mission Not An Intermission" 

As far as I could remember since I was a child I love being with people and very eager to help in my own little ways. And this maybe the reason why I'd love to be involved in humanitarian acts such as outreach programs and charity events. Some may say, "bakit ka ba sumasali sa mga ganyan, eh wala namang bayad at mapapagod ka lang. Sayang yung time and effort mo dyan." But I am humbly boasted, it is worth fulfilling and the happiness you feel inside is so genuine. 

Let me share this - "VOLUNTEERING involves spending time, effort, unpaid and it must be a choice freely made by each individual. An opportunity comes in many shapes and sizes. And can make real difference to your own life and the lives of those around you. Probably the most important are commitment, common sense and the ability to work in a team." 

Definitely true. Let me add also, it involves the goodness of friendships and the real people around us who responded very eagerly with their undying support and willing to back us up when called upon by anytime. Of course their amazing trust to me and to my team is heaven to me personally. And I already have this "trust issues" so I am just very thankful to God for being there with me because it is really a big risk and the responsibility of doing this kind of activity. After all, He just wanted me to keep inspiring other people. 

 

On a separate occasions dated May 23 and June 13, 2015 came the most awaited part of my life because this 2-day event so far is the best memories not only for myself but also to all my good friends who made the event successful. As I christened this group "Runner's Angels" outreach program. You may ask why Runner's Angels? Simply because this is a group of ordinary, beautiful, thoughtful, caring and generous individuals who want to give back all the graces and blessings from God. We are all runners as described being messengers, courriers, gofers, joggers etc. And for that, we are the human angels. 

 

Last May 23, 2015 we had our first outreach activity in Barangay Tiobolo. I was with my team - Alma Bauya, Jane Picot-Monton, Maurice Dence Bacaling and Richovielle Bacaling. We distributed school supplies and slippers to three Day Care Centers (Centro, Lawon and Basak) with a total of 150 Day care and Kindergarten children.

And just last June 13, 2015 was our second outreach activity in Sitio Langan, Coronon. And I was with my other team - Jenamie Mellina, Irish Gay Simbajon and Faridah Lumpapac. We distributed school slippers to Langan Day Care Center children and some neighboring less fortunate children as our recipients on the aid activity. We also donated some school supplies to Langan Day Care Center. 

 

Our two outreach activities were very successful. Those lovely and genuine smiles of innocent children of God really brighten our days that money could not buy. This initiative is already 4 years old and for that I am super thankful and grateful to all our sponsors and donors. Since day 1 you never rejected my requests. Lastly, or course to my very supportive teams as in my super good friends (alam nyo na kung sino kayo), sobrang salamat. I know you are just beside me, ready to support and help me. This journey will be continued forever just the way we are. My thank you is not enough but God will surely give back a hundred folds to all of you. Until next time, I heart you my Runner's Angels.