Rough riders on their knees

Masbate, Philippines – I’ve finally made it to “Marlboro country” and it’s full of cows and a different lot of “cowboys”. Yes, Masbate does live up to the title of being cattle country of the Philippines considering it takes you an entire day just to visit three out of so many cattle ranches and feedlots all over the province. Outside the city limits even the fragrance of the air takes a distinctly “agricultural” scent.

Unlike the western TV version, the cowboys here are similar to those in Brazil. For the people we met, it’s even a family thing where the husband, wife, daughters, even toddlers learn to ride horses even before they’ve learned to walk. Often times it’s hard to tell who’s the cowhand from the Ranch boss because they don’t dress or act the part. No titles or a sense of entitlement. Here you get down and dirty and walking on cow-cakes is no big mess.

Aside from having the “one-day Cowboy” experience, we also discovered a “Rehab center” Fazenda built by, and based on a Brazilian Cattle ranch model where people addicted to drugs, alcohol and even computers would be welcomed, stay as “volunteers” for a year and then sent off on their second chances and their success rate is 80% on the average. Roland, a young German volunteer explained that Fazenda has an open door policy and said in flawless Tagalog: “dito ang bakod ay para sa baka, hindi tao”.

Unlike hospitals and psychiatry-based rehab centers, here it’s hard work for the flesh, balanced with much needed spirituality for the soul.

This in fact seemed to be the common thread that I noticed on this trip. Coming to Masbate, I fully expected to step into the macho world of cowboys and provincial politicians. But what I discovered was that this community of “Rough Riders” can get on their knees to pray just as fast as they can mount a horse or wrestle a steer. The second and even third generation members of the once feuding politicians can now gather around a table and join in prayer for the province of Masbate and its people. Yes there is a change taking place in Masbate and it’s an honor to witness it first hand.

When my fellow Tuesday Club member Maloli Espinosa-Supnet invited a few friends in media to visit Masbate, there was no mad rush to sign up for the trip. Most people were anxious about going to a province that has had a long history of political violence plus the fact that there is very little known about Masbate in terms of tourist attractions.

Anyone who Google’s Masbate will see a lot of images concerning cattle and the annual Masbate Rodeo competition which is a big event for people involved in agriculture particularly those in Animal science, cattle farming and academe. In fact, teams from as far as Benguet State University down to the University of Southern Mindanao in Kabakan, Cotobato as well as professional OFW ranch hands from Australia etc. regularly participate to win the “Buckle of Honor” for the different categories of the Masbate Rodeo. 

Other than that, Masbate has a lot of rolling hills; wide-open spaces perfect for grazing and white sand beaches much like Boracay since both provinces are in the same area. Unfortunately even though there may be a lot of entries on the web concerning Masbate, it would seem that there are not enough “traveller stories” or useful information that would enable would-be visitors to decide on a visit or plan a vacation.

In the end, one ends up having an impression that Masbate is just one of those third or fourth-class municipality with nothing much to offer to the average domestic or foreign tourist. Sadly, because of “familiarity” or the “same old-same old” mind-set, even the locals have convinced themselves that there’s not much in Masbate, which is all wrong. Masbate has as many places, stories, and opportunities to offer just like Boracay, Bohol, Cebu did in their “Genesis period” and that is what a group of pioneering Masbateños are now trying to tell anyone who would care to listen and visit.

Choosing to depart from a dependence on politics and political patronage and the ensuing violence, a loosely knit group of organizations have come together in a spirit of cooperation to promote the province as well as each other’s business and personal interests. Using their well known annual Rodeo event as a launching pad, the Rodeo Masbateño Inc. (RMI), The Volunteer Rodeo Officials Of Masbate (VROOM) and the Masbate Association of Hotels, Resorts, Restaurants and Tour Operators are now actively engaging the media, industry experts, stakeholders and government to tell the world about beautiful Masbate.

Instead of celebrating the Chinese New Year, a small group of men and women in business left their titles: CEO, Owner, or COO (Child Of Owner) and played the role of tourist guides to introduce members of the national media to what Masbate has to offer. Most of them were “ranchers”; “cowboys” and teachers who were more at ease wrestling cows or lassoing horses than entertaining city slickers.

After a whole day of dust showers, stomping on cow cakes and picking “wild native guavas” for snacks, You learn that cattle ranching is a lot of hard work but that each grass chewing raw-hide on four legs can fetch 5 to 6 figures anytime of the day. As a reward for being amateur cowhands, we had a feast at the “ranch house of RTC Judge Juan Manuel Sese who made me realize that just like the rest of us, Masbateños are equally concerned about the environment.

Instead of just minding the ranch, Judge Sese humbly asked the media to bring national government’s attention to the widespread use of cyanide for catching lapu-lapu. It seems that most of the coral areas along the shores of 3 barangay; Aroroy, Balod and Mandaon have been wiped out by cyanide using fisher folks. It seems while the DENR and D.A/BAI have been all eyes on cattle, the BFAR has been powerless to stop cyanide fishing in the area.

The following day, we headed out to a couple of “beach destinations” such as their famous sand bar, a huge bat cave and a favorite resting place of banded sea snakes that are as deadly as they look pretty. In between we would meet local personalities and retirees who would proudly and warmly invite us to their own secret gardens such as Choy Puzon who spent some 25 years in the US and then moved back to Masbate and built a Rice terraces inspired pineapple and vegetable farm as well as one of the best looking rest houses for family and guests.

Yes Masbate is like a pearl that has come about from much irritation, pain and struggle. But now it slowly opens itself to the world to reveal a long hidden secret, a pearl of great value. Yes, Masbate, we will be back.