Journey to Samal » Davao

Living on Samal Island

Randy C — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 21:50:31 +0000

A little under four years ago I made a trip to the Philippines that began a love affair with this little island off the Davao Gulf commonly known as Samal Island. It was then that I agreed to purchase land near the White House, with hopes of eventually retiring there. Thus began this blog.

Four years can be a long time. Do I still have intentions to retire on Samal?

That’s not an easy question to answer.

Many things have changed during that time. I’ve had a couple of additional and extended trips to the Island Garden City of Samal. It’s all been documented here, which was the original purpose of this blog. From buying land on Samal, until retirement there.

Some events in my life have naturally been of personal nature, and I don’t feel the need to expound on in a public forum such as this. Other events, such as the realization that the plot of land that we purchased was difficult at best to reach, were just a matter of looking at things in a more practical manner.

My anticipated retirement age has also changed a number of times during that period. Sometimes a little longer, and occasionally much sooner. As of today I have a good idea when that will be, but there are a number of factors, as always, that are out of my control. I will know when the time is, when I do.

So I’ve avoided answering the question long enough, but as you can see, I don’t have a complete answer. If I were to somehow retire today, or soon, it appears to me that I would live in the greater Davao area. At the least, somewhere outside of Davao. That is where I have come to feel comfortable, and where most of my friends and acquaintances are located. Admittedly I have not traveled extensively throughout the Philippines, but I am comfortable with Davao, the people, and what it has to offer. Of course it is close to Samal, and I can visit whenever I desire.

At this time it appears to me that it would be more realistic to look into having a vacation home or bahay kubo on Samal with which to spend time at, much like my friend Kevin plans to do. If I were to need to live on Samal sooner than later, I would prefer to have something closer to the concrete road going from Babak to Penaplata. That makes sense to me, and is still very secluded. Of course I may feel differently down the road a bit.

I’ve met a surprising number of people, both in person and online, that live on Samal, at least part time. Ellen, Uli, Travis and Mae, Jack, Cleo, Matthew, and Angus. Probably more, I apologize if I missed someone. The point is, it can be done and many are doing it. I’m impressed by each and every one of them. A bit envious, too, I might add.

Samal Island holds a very special place in my heart. It remains to be seen if I end up there or not.

HDTV Davao Region

Randy C — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 16:25:36 +0000

I don’t watch a lot of television. Some sports, an occasional movie, but mostly not very much. So what’s available in that regard there in the Davao region has never been a major concern of mine. That doesn’t mean I haven’t looked into it though.

When I do watch TV, I only watch High Def channels. One might say I’m spoiled. I’m not going to argue the fact, but after watching HDTV for the last 7 years or so, it actually gives me a headache to watch standard definition for any length of time. That’s why I found it encouraging to see that HDTV is available in Davao, and to some degree possibly Samal now.

I’ve owned a 50″ Samsung HDTV for those past seven years. That setup, along with the home theater system, is not coming with me to the Philippines. Too big, too old, too expensive to ship, wrong voltage, etc. No, I’ll get by with something much smaller, but still HDTV I suppose. I’ll look at my options for content based on our needs.

One company that caught my eye during my visit was Cignal Digital TV (complicated but they are part of PLDT). Cignal is very similar in function to DirecTV or Dish Network here in the States. They use a dish, pointed to the right location, and it just needs a clear line of site for reception. This is great for Samal Island, as that is the exact kind of set up you need in a remote location. I didn’t ask if they are installing on Samal, but if they aren’t I would have to guess they would be soon.

Cignal offers many different packages, with the basic one costing P250 (lang) per month. That one doesn’t include HD though, you need to move up to the P590 to get a couple of channels of HD thrown in. To get all nine of the HD channels they offer – HBO HD, STAR Movies HD, National Geographic Channel HD, History HD, Discovery HD, STAR World HD, Food Network Asia HD, ESPN HD, NBA Premium TV HD – you’ll need to put out P1290 a month. The upper two packages include free equipment, so that’s a bonus. They also have a tenth PPV HD channel, so you can watch Manny in HD if you are willing to pony up the additional fee.

Their main competition appears to be SKYCable. This is your standard cable offering, not a dish setup. The prices are pretty similar between the two. SKYCable has about three more HD channels – Discovery HD World, History Channel HD, National Geographic Channel HD, HBO HD, HBO Hits HD, STAR Movies HD, FOX Family Movies HD, STAR World HD, Fox Channel HD, Fox Crime HD, NBA Premium TV HD, ESPN HD, and the HD PPV, but they handle the packages differently. There are a few bundles of HD channels for various prices that are “add ons” to the normal packages. That’s what makes it somewhat difficult to compare pricing between them an Cignal. SKYCable standard (non HD) packages start at P280. Depending upon your wants and needs, you might be better served with one or the other.

I would imagine, much as the way it happened here, the number of HD channels will continue to increase whereas in the future virtually all channels will have a HD equivalent, if not just HD. Regardless, I feel that it’s a pretty good start. ESPN in HD is good enough for me, not that I really know how ESPN differs from what they show here. I’ll need to look into that sometime.

Comparatively you can get either product much cheaper than what you might pay here. The total number of channels is much less, but how many of the 200+ channels do people really watch? The most expensive Cignal package comes in about $30 US (at todays rate). I can only get the most basic package here for that price. No ESPN, and the only HD are the local channels.

For those television watchers around Davao (and Samal hopefully), things are looking pretty good.

Trader Joe’s Spokane

Randy C — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 23:27:07 +0000

Trader Joe’s Spokane store opened last Friday, October 28th. It was, and still is, a mad house.

For those of you not familiar with Trader Joe’s (no it’s not run by “Hey Joe”), it’s a specialty grocery store that has a lot of unique items, quite a bit of organic, low prices and many items branded especially for them. Actually they are kind of difficult to explain, if you’ve not been to one. This is exactly the kind of place that I will miss when living in the Philippines.

Spokane waited many years for this store to open. Spokane is in the top 100 cities by population in the US, but often times is late to get the more desired stores, such as this and the Apple Store that opened here last year.

If the reception so far is any indication, I do not see how they could possibly do any better with sales than they have so far. The line goes out the door and you’re basically on a conveyor built (not really) going through the store. You can not move forward until the person in front of you does – that’s how crowded it is. Obviously it won’t stay this way, at least it better not. I do not enjoy these kinds of crowds. Reminds me of some of the malls I’ve visited in Manila, but this is in a much smaller space.

No, I will not find this kind of store in the Philippines. I will not find the kind of items they carry in many instances either. In some cases there are good and even better alternatives to be had in the Philippines. Other things will just be missed I’m afraid.

I wonder how many more years before this kind of place could be successful in the bigger cities such as Manila, Cebu and Davao? Is there enough foreign population and/or demand within the younger pilipinos to make such a place desirable and profitable? I know Davao has stores such as the Swiss Deli that specialize in imported and otherwise difficult to find products.

What do you think, is Davao is ready for this kind of yet?

Ports of Samal Island

Randy C — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 17:05:30 +0000

Like most of the tourist visitors to Samal Island I usually take one of the passenger ferries from Davao to get there. I was aware of the two main ferry ports on Samal, and the existence of one further down the island near Kaputian. It wasn’t until just recently that I happened to learn there are quite a few more.

I’m always amazed at how difficult it can be for people to find the RORO wharf in Davao. I’ve had both private drivers and taxis get confused as to where it is. I’m afraid I’ve not been a big help because it seems the landmarks I use only add to the confusion. Part of this confusion comes from the fact that there is separate passenger ferry going to Barangay Villarica, Babak District, than the main RORO (Roll-On Roll-Off) that ends up in Kinawitnon, Barangay Caliclic, Babak District. They both leave Davao from Sasa Wharf, Km. 11 Sasa Public Market and Km. 10 Mae Wess Ferry Terminal respectively.

I consider the Caliclic port the main port as it carries vehicles and passengers, including the Island City Express buses that many take to and from various parts of Davao to their destinations on Samal Island. I don’t have the numbers, but as far as I know the bulk of the traffic coming and going to Samal is through this port, especially because of the number of passengers the buses hold.

Those aren’t the only ports though. I count at least six official ones, if you include Talikud.

Samal Island Ports:

Babak
Caliclic
Kaputian
Limao
Peñaplata
Sta. Cruz (Talikud)

The Philippines Ports Authority (PPO) has a great website with all the statistic, maps, diagrams and details you would want about all of the ports in the Davao region, including all the ones on the Island Garden City of Samal. For those interested in this kind of stuff it’s a great resource and well worth your while to check it out – Davao Sasa Wharf.

ATM in the Philippines

Randy C — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 21:47:19 +0000

I’ve always been able to use my debit or credit card during my visits to the Philippines. Though it has always been a struggle to use an ATM, sometimes bordering on panic, when it appears that I may have been blocked out of using my cards.

Let me just say that the problems I encounter are, for the most part, due to not having lived in the regions that I’m visiting, and not yet experiencing what works and what doesn’t. I am sure that most expats have found reliable ATMs for their transactions on their US based cards. They have also learned the available limits and the required fees. Unfortunately, that doesn’t help the visiting tourist who doesn’t know these things. Even after many visits to the Philippines I still find myself in this later category.

In theory I should be able to use most ATMs in the Philippines and withdraw funds from my US bank accounts. It is important to note that before you leave on your trip that you should notify your issuing bank of the place and times of your visit. I learned that one early on, as one of my banks put my card on hold and I couldn’t even use it when I returned until I contacted them regarding the matter.

What I have encountered when trying to withdraw cash is a VERY mixed bag of results. More often than not, I have not been able to get any cash at all on a particular transaction. The percentage of success I’ve had is quite low. The extremely frustrating part of that is the notifications from the ATM rarely explain the reason I was not able to withdraw cash. Sometimes telling me to contact my US based bank. That’s really difficult to do on a weekend in the Philippines.

The reasons seem to be: wrong pin (yes I’ve gotten frustrated and entered the wrong pin on occasion), trying to withdraw more than that particular bank/ATM allows, the ATM or bank being offline, the ATM being out of cash, debit/credit card not compatible with the bank’s system, and the ATM not working with US debit/card cards.

In addition to the unknown of what machines might actually work with your card, there is the unknown of what charges you will incur. Evidently the ATMs there now charge anywhere from P150-200, depending upon the bank. That fee is listed on your receipt, assuming you get one and you can read it. Three of the receipts I got from the BDO ATM at NCCC Mall were completely blank. This fee is new to me, as I had not been charged it in the past.

The fee for BDO turned out to be P200, that is in addition to the fee that my bank charges. Upon returning I looked into my charges more closely (as I could never remember the exchange being so high before) and learned that I was charged the P200 by BDO, $2.50 by my bank, and 3% visa fee by my bank. There was also what appeared to be a small exchange rate difference, but it was not much. Effectively I had an exchange rate of about P39.5 to 1 on every transaction.

You know that wouldn’t have been too bad, that’s the price of not knowing but also having money for my vacation, but I used the ATM four times, as I did not know how much I could withdraw at one time. Many attempts, as I stated, were unsuccessful and it appeared that I was locked out of my cards. When I finally got it to work I took out a minimal amount, wondering if I had been trying to take out too much previously. I increased the amounts each time, but did not want to try too large a sum, as I needed the funds for the rest of my stay.

I’ve done a lot of research since that time, and that’s where I learned of the new ATM fees being charged by Philippine banks. I understand that HSBC may not charge those, and I will give them a try next time. I’ve also learned the percentage charged by your bank can vary anywhere from 0% to 3%. It would be wise to check with your bank(s) before you leave to find out about your charges. I certainly will from here on out, and it may effect how much physical cash I decide to bring.

Checklist for using ATM with US card:

Notify your bank of your trip so they don’t lock your card(s)
Bring as much cash as you can, but only what you feel comfortable with
Check your bank’s fees – both ATM use and visa percentage charge (here is a good source)
Bring at least two different bank’s cards, if you have them
Have a back up source, such as Remithome/Xoom to send emergency funds if all else fails
Contact other expats in the area you are visiting and find out which ATMs work for them
Have lots of patience – try other banks’s ATMs and other ATM locations for the same bank

This is another of those areas that I feel could be improved upon to help attract tourist and keep them coming back. I don’t know how the government would go about standardizing this, or even if they could, but if it could somehow make it more clear how to get your money and where, it would surely help increase the amount a tourist would spend while there.

It really seems to me that sometimes the big picture tourism push is missing the point and not paying attention to the basic necessities of their visitors.

photo: WN / Renzelle Mae Abasolo

Lon Wa Buddhist Temple (re)Visited

Randy C — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 00:25:28 +0000

I’ve spoken before about my interest in visiting the Lon Wa Buddhist Temple (also known as Long Hua Temple). Finally I had an opportunity to do so, and I was not disappointed.

Though the structure itself was fascinating, along with the many sculptures and furnishings, the tour is not an all day event. It makes a great side trip when you are in the area (near Davao Medical Center on C.P. Cabaguio Ave.), or passing by.

Upon arriving I was not certain that I was at the correct place because I could see no indication of the name Lon Wa anywhere. The security guard assured me that it was the correct place, and proceeded to act as my guide through the main hall. I was quickly informed that “no” shoes were allowed in this area.

After a brief explanation of things I was left on my own to explore the facility. There were various rooms in the building behind the main hall, and it seems there was an ongoing school on the premises. I did not pay much attention to that, but I did notice students at times while I perused the complex.

The place was really quite simple, but at the same time very ornate. I did not take any notes, or get any kind of hand out regarding the history, though the guard was able to answer most questions (of which I’ve completely forgotten as of now). I was given a free “Be a Lamp Upon Yourself” book upon my departure. It is a brief explanation of Buddhism, and quite interesting really.

I feel the photos do best to demonstrate the temple and it’s interesting pieces. I could have taken more, but I feel like I got a good representation. It certainly is one of those places that is better to see in person. I recommend doing so if you’ve got some free time in the area.

Time to Make Davao Airport Truly International

Randy C — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 18:27:44 +0000

Have you flown into Davao City from outside of the country? Did you go through Manila? Chances are very good that you did. Why? Because there are very few international flights that fly in and out of Davao Airport.

Francisco Bangoy International Airport is an “international” airport, as it’s official name states. There are a couple of flights that fly to and from Singapore, but as far as I know that is all there is at this point. When I’ve looked into trying to hook up with one of those, not only was the timing incredibly difficult to accommodate but the cost was also prohibitive.

The main issue to date has been the lack of an “open sky” policy within the Philippines. Airlines such as Philippine Airlines, are opposed to such a policy, as the feeling is they would be adversely affected by outside competition. Even still, from what I’ve read, an Executive Order has been signed to allow secondary airports such as Davao, Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro City to start accepting selective international flights. What airlines, and when they might start, is unknown. Again, there is a lot of opposition to this EO. There have been attempts to implement open skies in previously, and they failed.

My reasons for wanting Davao to get more international flight are admittedly selfish. I REALLY dislike flying into Manila to get to Davao. Ninoy Aquino International Airport, as most of you know, is extremely busy, crowded and to to a large degree run down. It is always the least favorite part of my trip, trying to maneuver to and through the airport in Manila. Even finding the correct terminal can be an adventure, but it’s an evil that must be navigated. Flying into and out of Davao would not only save me from the stressful plight at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, but also add days to my trip there.

I really like the airport in Davao. It is much smaller, as would be expected, but appears much cleaner and friendlier, too. Access is fairly easy. It’s not difficult to find your terminal there. Lines can get long, but nothing like the multiple long lines you will encounter in Manila. I can’t even remember how many different lines I need to go through in Manila, but every time I think I’m done, there is another.

I don’t know how much tourism Davao loses because of the lack of international flights. If an individual is going to meet family or friends, obviously they are going to make the neccesary connections to get to Davao. But what about business, conventions, meetings, etc., wouldn’t it be much easier just to have stay right in Manila? Why add the extra cost, travel time, and hassle of continuing on to Davao? I wonder if there has been any studies done in this regard, because it seems it could significantly impact tourism.

There are always pluses and minuses to a situation. “Careful what you wish for” could be applicable here. If Davao Airpot did suddenly start accepting more international flights, could the airport support a large increase in traffic? Would it turn into the sea of bodies seen at customs and counters at Ninoy Aquino International Airport? Not if done with foresight and planning, but that is certainly one of the detriments of increasing international traffic.

Longterm, I think that there will need to be flights to Japan, Korea, Tawain, Malaysia or similar destinations from Davao. A well thought out and carefully implemented plan is my hope.

Mindanao Tourism

Randy C — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 17:56:41 +0000

How does one go about promoting tourism in the large region of the Philippines known as Mindanao? That’s the task that Art Boncato has taken on, at least partially, as the Regional Director for the Davao region, Department of Tourism-XI.

Though I know next to nothing about the business of promoting tourism, from what I’ve been reading, and it’s been a lot, it seems to me that they have the right man for the task. He’s been very active in meetings and planning, and especially communicating that information with the media. He’s also very visible and accessible via his Facebook account.

Davao Region, designated as Region XI, is one of the regions of the Philippines, located on the southeastern portion of Mindanao. Davao Region consists of four provinces, namely: Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, and Davao Oriental. The region
encloses the Davao Gulf and its regional center is Davao City.

There seems to be a big tourism push going on in the Philippines recently. Obviously it is one area that has been targeted to generate income for the country, now and in the future. The types of tourism I see mentioned most are meetings & conventions, ecotourism* and medical tourism. All these are very important to the Davao region. Medical tourism, in particular, is an area that appears could easily be promoted and utilized to higher degree than it is currently.

One of the fruits of the Department of Tourism-XI’s labors has been a “Let’s Meet in Davao” MICE manual (meeting, incentive, conference, exhibition), along with a MICE accomandation guide. Both of these documents are available online, and offer detailed information about what is available in Davao for your next MICE and resources that you can avail to help make your MICE visit more rewarding.

There are other organizations working to help the promotion of the area as well. Mindanao Tourism Council, Samal Island Tourism Council and Visit Samal are all groups that are working towards that goal. The later two are obviously focused on our favorite island, the Island Garden City of Samal.

I believe all those in the Davao region can feel very proud about the leadership they have in regards to the important industry of tourism.

MR. ARTURO P. BONCATO, JR., Regional Director
Rm. 512, LANDCO Corporate Center Bldg.,
J.P. Laurel Avenue, 8000 Davao City
Tel.: (6382) 225 1940
Fax: (6382) 221 0070 / 221 6955
E-Mail: dotr11@yahoo.com
Websites: www.visitmyphilippines.com
www.discoverdavao.com

* Ecotourism is responsible travel to fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas that strive to be low impact and (often) small scale (as an alternative to mass tourism). Its purpose is to educate the traveler; provide funds for ecological conservation; directly benefit the economic development and political empowerment of local communities; and foster respect for different cultures and for human rights.

SEAIR Grounded

Randy C — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 01:12:41 +0000

Before they even take off with their new Manila – Davao route, SEAIR has been told to cancel all reservations and scheduled flights. Yes, they’ve been grounded.

According to the email I received from Tiger Airways for SEAIR, their competition objected to the new flights, thus resulting in the cancellation of the scheduled routes.

I don’t know how these things work, but it does seem to me that they would have prior approval for any routes, as air space would need to be reserved. Assuming that was done, how can the flights be pulled from them after the fact?

I was looking forward to trying Seair as they had some good promos and their flight schedule was appealing to me.

Dear Customer,

We regret to inform you that we have been forced to temporarily suspend the domestic route on which you booked a flight operated by SEAIR.

The decision to suspend the route is unfortunately out of SEAIR’s and Tiger Airways’ control and has in part come about after competitors protested our flights.

We do apologise to the disruption of your travel plans. Please kindly inform the other passengers who are booked under the same reservation.

Please be informed that international routes operated by both Tiger Airways and SEAIR are not affected by this cancellation and are operating as normal. This includes Clark* to Singapore, Hong Kong & Macau. Look out for additional frequencies on these routes soon.

As a result of this suspension, we will in due course be processing a refund to your original source of payment. In accordance with our policy, we will be processing the refund in order of flight date priority. Your patience in this regard is appreciated.

Please click on the link below to acknowledge this notification.
CLICK HERE TO ACKNOWLEDGE

We thank you for your support and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Yours faithfully,
Tiger Airways Singapore Pte Ltd

*Flights to/from Manila-Clark (DMIA) are operated by SEAIR*

It is yet to be determined what “due course” means in regards to the processing of my refund. I will note that the charge went through immediately upon the placing of the reservation.

SEAIR – we hardly knew ye.

SEAIR Launches Manila to Davao Flights

Randy C — Thu, 26 May 2011 02:01:34 +0000

Everyone has their favorite, and least favorite, airline to get to the Davao region. Until the “Open Skies” policy is adapted it is pretty likely you’ll be coming through Manila to get to Davao, and on to Samal Island. As of July 2nd of this year you’ll have another option at least.

South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR) recently announced that it will launch its first domestic jet services from Manila to Davao on July 2 as part of the SEAIR-Tiger Airways Partner Airline Programme.

The largest city in the country and the premier city and hub of Mindanao, Davao is also home to some of the country’s top beach and mountain resorts, most notably the Pearl Farm in the secluded island of Samal, just 45 minutes off the coast of the city. Adventure-seekers can sign up for a two-day climb at Mount Apo, Philippines’ tallest mountain at 9,692 ft located just 40 km northeast of Davao, or sample “the king of fruits”, durian, which, due to its unusual flavor and odor, have aroused intense passion in some and dislike in others. The annual week-long Kadayawan Festival in August, the biggest of its kind in Mindanao, is celebrated during the peak season of durian and mangosteen (another fruit) as a thanksgiving celebration for the bountiful harvest of flowers and fruits that Davao is known for.

The Cebu and Davao flights are the first domestic flights under the SEAIR-Tiger Airways Partner Airline Programme, which allows SEAIR to distribute its seats through Tiger Airways’ established internet booking system, www.tigerairways.com.

Being the adventurous (read cheap) type that I am, I’m going to give them a try on my next visit. They are offering some very good promotional deals, and their regular prices look to be near the best, too. I’ll let you know how they do. Competition should be a good thing for us travelers.

via SEAIR Now Offers the Lowest Fares to Cebu and Davao