Time warped in Batanes

Going back to another place and time

From the moment you set foot in its quaint airport, it feels like you have traveled back in time to when chivalry and good manners are still the norm and have not gone out of style yet.

At the airport, a dignified-looking man greeted us "Kapyan ka pa nu Dios sichamavekhas!" (Good morning! May God be with you!) and helped us carry our luggage. Our driver, Manong Jay, greeted the man and paid his respects through the traditional pagmamano. Children pay respects to their elders by calling them Tiyang or Tiyong and kissing their hands.

Oh, did we mention that the dignified-looking man was the governor of Batanes, Telesforo Castillejos, who came back to his beloved hometown for the first time since he was ambushed elsewhere?

Good manners hibernating...not!

On the way to Batanes Resort, a lodging place managed by the local government of Batanes, our driver would sound the horn to greet passersby and other drivers; he also gave way to smaller vehicles-- a far cry from Manila.

Bicycles and motorbikes are the common means of transportation. You will notice that they are just parked on the roadside. We asked Manong Jay where the owners were. He answered: "Nandoon sa bukid. Iyong iba nasa dagat, nangingisda."

And weren’t they worried that their bikes would be stolen? He quipped: "Hindi. Wala naman nagnanakaw dito eh." True enough, the provincial jail had only six inmates: four were foreign poachers, and the remaining two were totally drunk and had stolen their neighbors’ chickens.

Being in Batanes reminded us of our elders’ stories of when one could walk during the wee hours without any untoward incidents happening. It was so peaceful that you could actually leave your door open all night without worrying that you would be robbed, or just leave your valuables unattended and find them exactly where you left them.

Honesty is the best policy

If ever you lose something there, don’t worry, because the province has a radio station where people report lost and found objects ranging from the most expensive to the most mundane objects such as ballpens. Some people even report cows that have gone astray.

Somewhere in Ivana is a quaint shop selling basic commodities and pasalubong items for tourists. At a glance, there was nothing extraordinary about it...except no one was manning the store.

Honesty Coffee Shop is a self-service store that evokes honesty among its patrons. One can heat water, cook viands, and eat anything that is on the shelf; one just pays for anything one gets. There’s a signage that informs customers where to put their bayad.

The owners used to work downtown. They established the store to augment their income, but the problem was, no one could man the store. So they left it open, trusting that whoever would go to their shop would be honest enough to pay for whatever they took. Eventually, the coffee shop became popular, not only among Ivatans but also with tourists.

Old settlements

The early Ivatans used to live in idjang, a natural man-improved rocky fortress, especially during tribe wars. Each town has its own idjang. Some are still intact, though most need to be preserved.

More than just their architectural and cultural importance, all the stone houses are proof that bayanihan is still alive in Batanes.

A house owner seeks assistance to build a house. Strong men and women would come to render their services for free. They would assist the owners in building the foundation, floor, and cogon roof. Those who can’t come send construction materials or akhad (anything that can be served or cooked). The whole process is called kapanyidung.

"There’s a belief that the collective effort in building houses can bring additional luck. It is taboo if you build your house and [do] not invite your neighbors and relatives to help in the construction," said Gov. Castillejos, who added that houses are built to withstand typhoons and other natural phenomena.

For the common good

Batanes has no public market, only small stores selling basic commodities. Most Ivatans tend their own land and fish for their needs. When harvest time comes, they store enough for the family’s needs and share; in some instances, they sell whatever is left to their neighbors and relatives.

Ivatans make coffins for their departed loved ones. Hence, there is no funeral parlor. The community lends a hand in giving the departed an ordinary but decent burial. During the wake, people assist in the vigil.

Another communal activity that Ivatans still practice today is the payaman (communal pasture). What tourists call the Marlboro Country is actually a payaman, a ranch where cows can run wild and graze freely.

"Watching over the cows [is] rotational. There is one communal male to breed the female cows. A shepherd...[checks] if the cows are expectant and monitors [their] progress. The owners design unique earmarks for their cows. The ears are nipped in different patterns [so that we] know who the owners are," shared Gov. Castillejos.

Whether cow-watching or simply gazing at the azure sky before typhoons come battering the idyllic island that is Batanes, the experience is like going back in time, to a place where peace and serenity reign. A trip to Batanes is definitely worth your while.