Langogan

After the first couple days of being shown around, and after the weekend, I was invited to join George and crew on an Eco-Survey to Langogan, the farthest baranguay north in the jurisdiction of Puerto Princesa City. As I am somewhat of a side project, George has other responsibilities than just showing me around, and this was one of them. He said that perhaps I could interview the people there regarding their local products. Upon arrival at the baranguay hall, I spoke to a few local officials who told me about rice and coconuts, and fish, but who were more interested in finding out how they could get to Canada, than promoting their products.

I joined the team from the city Planning Office to the beach where they spent several hours conducting a survey of about 20 or 30 locals about the quality of their surroundings. The village was made up of the typical grass roof, thatched huts on stilts, with the regular assortment of half dressed toddlers, and chickens running around. There was a central covered hut that seemed to act as a community gathering place, and near here a few people were turning over fish that were being dried out in the sun on large chicken wire topped benches. Interestingly enough, there was a hut with a sign indicating it as the local tattoo parlour, and another sign on a home at the entrance to the area which displayed a sign that translated to "lover's lane" The people spoke mainly Cebuan (from the city of Cebu) some of the many recent migrants to Palawan. The city's questions gathered information about access to the beach, safety, and whether or not the beach was clean (although every single one of them said yes to that last question, the beach was littered with packages, bottles and rusting batteries—there were chickens eating styrofoam). The only concern was that if installed, a breakwater would limit damage to the beach in stormy weather.

There were traditional wooden fishing boats being built and painted in this village, and like other hand painted signs I have observed with fascination, these were just as excellent. I watched a man painting the name Charlie in red on the side of a yellow boat, and could not believe how accurate he executed it by hand. I was told by Myrna, one of the city community officers later that they were asking if I was an investor. The children thought it was funny that I was sweating so much (that's what you get for being a pasty white foreign guy in the tropics).

We had a lunch of, you guessed it, rice, with some of the dried fish we got from the beach community. The fish was fried up in a pan over an improvised fire. At the end of the day, it was interesting to see what kinds of tasks and projects the city government is up to, and to see a community outside of the urban city center, however I couldn't help but feel that I was already getting a little off track. (see more photos)