Brave crewThe daring teams on board the two balangays are the same people comprising the Philippine Mount Everest Team. These are former Department of Transportation and Communication Undersecretary Art Valdez, and Leo Oracion and Pastor Emata, the first and second Filipinos to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
They were also joined by female Everest conquerors Janet Belarmino-Sardena, Carina Dayondon, Noelle Wenceslao, as well as Fred Jamili (another Everest team member) and Ted Esquerra of the Philippine Coast Guard.
Other Balangay crew members Daniel Calo, Lemzar John Manginsay, Daniel Dominic Calo, Samuel Thomas Raypon, Eugene Boco and Billy Jack Bahi-an--all from Butuan--are proud to have been part of the team. They were flanked by their townmates in a festive welcoming ceremony in Butuan City Friday morning.
Fulfilling and harrowingAmid the ethnic dances and the pulsating beat of drums and gongs, they relished their experiences at sea. Masawa Hong Butuan's Eugene Boco described the journey as both fulfilling and harrowing.
"Fulfilling kay naka uli mi tanan nga buhi, proud pud ang mga Pinoy sa ubang nasud kay Pilipino lang ang nakahimog libot sa Southeast Asia (It is fulfilling because we were able to come home alive. I also feel proud about being a Filipino. Only the Filipinos are able to travel to all of southeast Asia this way)," said Boco.
While the Voyage of the Balangay was intended to celebrate the rich history of our seafaring forefathers, it also brought out a time-tested Filipino cultural trait---teamwork. The Balangay crew shared that never has the bayanihan spirit been more alive in contemporary time than when they took the helm of the Balangay.
And how did Butuan figure in this historical event? An original balangay was discovered in the city in 1976. Believed to have been made sometime 1245 A.D., it was used as the model in building the workhorses of the present day's Voyage of the Balangay. -- With reports from Charmaine Awitan and Richmond Hinayon
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