The famous phone rang again Thursday morning and guess who’s on the other end of the line. You guessed it right. Tony asked: “How do you see yourself as an insurer?” I responded: “Why not?”
Tony was mulling a proposition for a job opportunity at his father’s insurance company and we thought it could open up for us some additional income in our free time. I reckoned his father, Mr. Bong Ramos, operator of Alpha Insurance, wanted his son to learn the craft of the business and Tony had the thought of taking me on the ride. Before lunch, Mr. Bong Ramos was contemplating on expanding his bail and surety bond unit and saw me as a bondsman if that day comes. I pictured myself as that bondsman and I found it to be not bad at all. So fingers are crossed on this certain matters.
We called Russell from the Alpha office to ascertain if he had received and check e-mails that I have sent containing the draft of the constitution and by-laws for Progress for Peace and relief Organization (PPRO), the infantile humanitarian organization that we are meeting heads for. It turned out that Russell was busy preparing for an expedition to Sibuco and he asked if we could accompany him on this one-day sojourn into the land that was in our mind during these past few weeks. Hec was on a task from the Mayor Edding, the Sibuco municipal chief executive, to fetch a vehicle there in order to bring it to Zamboanga for major repairs. We hopped in without any further adieu. I was a little taken aback how Tony decided to join the trip without any hesitation whatsoever. I had some reservation about going to Sibuco for reasons that you will know later on but I reckoned it wasn’t right for me to show any fear when others display courage like a badge on their chest. And so we headed towards heartland Mindanao in the early afternoon, through rivers and jungles and steep mountain passages.
Due to the volatile condition in some part of the route towards Sibuco, Russell had with him three military men serving as bodyguards—Usham, Kevedee, and Ibs. They did not wear their uniforms properly that if one were not careful, they would have been mistaken for rebels themselves.
The trip towards the farthest end of Zamboanga del Norte took us more than three hours. Nearly halfway, the brake of the Nissan Frontier we were riding collapsed and so we had to stop. There was some leaking in the tubings that brake fluid dripped out gradually. We had to stop a passing bus in order to source some much needed brake fluids. In those parts of the world, everyone is most inclined to offer assistance that stranded persons could always seek some water or automobile tools and equipment whenever emergencies occur. It put some scare inside me having the awareness that the brake system broke down. We may fix it soon but the chances of another breakdown would still be there.
Finally, we proceeded with our journey on a half-working brake system, through steep unpaved road and knee-deep riverways. We arrived in Sibuco town by about 3 o’ clock in the afternoon and we proceeded to take some pictures after a cup of coffee. We went to talk to the Municipal doctor as well as the principal of the highschool there. Talking to those people opened up the very reality that progress in the rural lands are much pitiful that as we left the town, we were forced to make some promises which at best, we could not really fulfill considering the very infantile resources we had.
Near nighttime, we proceeded back to Zamboanga City and not an hour after; the other vehicle we brought ran out of diesel. Everyone was blaming someone. Why the confidence that the tank was full and it wasn’t. It took us nearly two hours to fix this particular problem seemingly stranded in the middle of nowhere and feeling the real threat from rebel lost commands in the area.
We arrived in the city nearly close to midnight and the feeling was that of so much relief. We actually survived not a few scary moments in an area so sensitive in peace and order condition. This trip seem to forebear the things that we may encounter as we go along with our NGO.
Yesterday it was the birthday of my brod in Triskelion Ritchie Bucoy so we drank until we could not drink anymore. Present was brods Michael Lopez, John Elago, Russell Iglesias, Lester Masuhud, and nearly brod Ritchie Enriquez. I had to go home much earlier than the others since too much alcohol may not allow me to drive home safely. Last Saturday, a friend from way back in the elementary days, Zulpicar Mundoc was home from Kuwait on a short vacation. So we played billiards until we could not play anymore. Perhaps, these two events need more elaboration in my next post. There are just so much stories in our lives to contend to.
Verse of the Day: 1 Peter 5:9-11. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
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