Of Durian, Marang and Mindanao Isuzu Fuego Mindanao Express

Tell a Manileño that you brought home some durian and marang fruits for dessert and the immediate reaction would be a puzzled look or a repulsed "no, thanks". Pity though, the smell of the durian and the marang (to a lesser extent) may be offensive to some, but these fruits are sweet, meaty and delicious. Mention a road trip through Mindanao and the immediate reaction will be predictably the same. Pity though, for in spite of the war and uncertainty in some areas, Mindanao is a land of beautiful scenery and friendly people.

And drove through Mindanao Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) did. They invited several Manila- and Davao-based motoring and business journalists to tour scenic parts of Mindanao with Isuzu Fuego owners. Dubbed as the "Isuzu Fuego Mindanao Express", the convoy went around the south last September 13 and 14 (Saturday and Sunday) in cooperation with Caltex Delo Sports, Sulpicio Lines and Isuzu Davao. No, we did not wear bullet-proof vests nor did we ride around in armored cars. We drove around in a convoy of Isuzu Fuego pick-ups and made it back in one piece. And we’re the happier for it.

Number 4 Is Ready To Roll

Our trip started early Saturday morning at Isuzu Davao where the media guests and the participating Fuego owners converged. The media people from Manila, including yours truly, were driven from the Davao airport to the dealership and were given vehicle assignments once we were there. I was assigned to drive Vehicle No. 4, a red Fuego 4X2 with automatic transmission, with Jose Luis Romualdez and JB Canlas of RPN 9’s Auto Extreme. Our first stop was the Caltex station where the thirteen pickups in our convoy were filled up for the long road trip ahead.

Afterwards, we filled ourselves up by grabbing a heavy, sumptuous breakfast at the Apo Golf & Country Club, where we were welcomed by Milton Liu, the affable president and general manager of Isuzu Davao. Mr. Liu announced that he will be riding the lead car in our convoy with Joseph Bautista, IPC’s adventurous product manager, while Mr. Liu’s daughter, Melissa will be hamming it up with Timmy Naval, the PR marvel/unofficial tourism officer of IPC and some media people in Vehicle No. 5. And after introductions and some pep talk from IPC Customer Relations honcho Rommel Cortez, we began our trek at about 9:30 a.m.

Tuna, Pineapples And The Key To The City

We drove on wide smooth highways and zigzagged through scenic mountain passes until we reached General Santos City or "Gen San" as it is often called, for lunch with Mayor Pedro Acharon, Jr. Unfortunately, hizzoner was not able to join us but was represented by his top city councilors and the local tourism officer. Gen San is known for its Saranggani Bay, where the world’s tuna population passes through during its annual migration. Thus, with its tuna production, Gen San boasts of a robust economy and a promising future. Unfortunately, the MILF rebellion around the region and the general uncertainty tempered the city’s growth.

After another heavy meal, we bade farewell and drove on through Polomolok, where Vice Mayor Noel Abellera gave us a quick and simple roadside reception and a guided tour of the pineapple plantation of Dole Philippines. There were pineapple plants (shrubs?) as far as the eye can see, and we had a unique photo opportunity when we drove our convoy through the middle of a patch. The gloomy weather forced us to cut our pineapple-tripping ride short and we drove through an off-road rolling track that felt like a rollercoaster ride before re-joining the paved highway.

We reached the city of Koronadal after a short driving spell and a slight drizzle. We were welcomed at the city hall by Mayor Fernando Miguel, who presented the symbolic "Key to the City" to IPC assistant department manager Myrna Gonzales and Mr. Liu. The Mayor and his whole city council gifted IPC executives with another treat: parked in front of the hall was the city’s official vehicles and all of them were Isuzus! We left Koronadal by 3:00 p.m. and drove to Surallah to pay a short courtesy call to Mayor Jesie Bendita. Both mayors invited us to go back and visit their cities again.

A Lake In The Mountains

Through the late afternoon, our convoy trekked through off-road tracks and drove up winding mountain roads under a pouring rain to reach Lake Sebu by early evening. The place was serenely beautiful and the dusk added an eerie glow to the surroundings. Since we were a large group, our accommodations were divided between the lake resorts of Estares and Punta Isla. My bungalow at Estares had a commanding view overlooking Lake Sebu, and the tranquility of the lake and its surroundings lulled this weary traveler to rest.

After a short nap, I rejoined our group at Punta Isla for dinner with South Cotabato vice governor Eliordo Ogena and Lake Sebu Vice Mayor Nena Twalang. After our sumptuous meal, which included the steaming tilapia dishes Lake Sebu is famous for, we were treated to a cultural presentation performed in colorful, native and authentic T’boli music and dance. The spokeswoman of the T’boli tribe appealed to the audience to respect and help keep the T’boli culture alive. This message was also relayed by Vice Mayor Twalang who thanked us for visiting her picturesque town and rekindling interest in the T’boli people. For his part, Vice Governor Ogena expressed his appreciation for our sojourn to the province and hoped that national government can move forward to end the conflict in Mindanao.

Dawn Sunday morning found me riding a boat around Lake Sebu with five other participants. I can’t help but admire Mother Nature’s design of trapping water in a valley and creating a large lake and several islets. A light morning mist is created around Lake Sebu when the warm sun evaporates the cold surface waters to create an illusion that the lake is steaming. Scaredy Cat that I am, I dipped my hand in the water to check if the lake was sitting on a volcano or some geothermal enclave, but it wasn’t hot enough to suggest that.

Back To Davao

We bade goodbye to the friendly staff of Punta Isla by 9:00 a.m. and headed back to Davao. Traffic was light and easy, and the return trip was mostly uneventful except for the two Simba armored personnel carriers (APC) we chanced upon running our way. We slipped between the two APCs and took photos that made it look like these tanks were escorting our convoy. The APC’s gunners must have sensed the humor and gamely smiled at us.

We made it to Davao half an hour after one in the afternoon for a late lunch with Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. The no-nonsense Mayor looked tough and spoke tough, yet behind his "Dirty Harry" stance, you could see a dedicated public servant and a highly-informed city executive who wants nothing more than to keep his city free from criminality and to maintain his constituents safety and productivity. He shows a wry sense of humor and a profound respect for people’s beliefs, whether he be Christian, Protestant or Muslim. After his informal talk with our group, one can’t help but wish that our public officials should be more like him.

After lunch, I joined a group who drove to the Caltex-sponsored Philippine Eagle Conservatory a few kilometers outside of the city to see the famous "Pagasa", the monkey-eating eagle who was bred in captivity. Then, after buying all the marang fruits we can see, we drove to the airport to catch the evening flight to Manila.

The whole trip was an eye-opener for some, especially those who only read or hear about Mindanao through the media’s accounts of the war and nefarious activities there. What we experienced was a land of promise, a fertile ground for growth and a tourism haven. Here’s hoping that lasting peace can be brokered between warring factions so Mindanao can realize her full potential and that her rejuvenated trade, commerce and tourism could uplift the lives of her people.