Manila to Cebu by Bus

CEBU, Philippines - I skipped the plane ride and sea trip from Manila to Cebu the last time I came home; I took a bus instead. Well, the journey wasn't solely by bus. Cebu is several islands away from Luzon, where Manila is, so the bus had to be transported aboard a ship as we hopped from one island to the next to get here.

One Sunday last March, I left Manila. At past 10 in the morning, the bus bound for Iloilo City left the terminal towards the direction of Batangas, to its port that would usher us into the islands of the Visayas. From Batangas City, we crossed to Calapan, Oriental Mindoro. As the bus traced its way down south of Mindoro, I was able to get a glimpse of secluded Naujan Lake-the lake was amidst mountains. It was from a ridge of one of these mountains, where the bus was waving its way through, that I caught sight of it for a moment. Then quickly it was gone, blocked from my view by the other mountains that surround it. Darkness fell shortly. The day's sightseeing was over, so I gave in to the night.

Suddenly, a sharp curve and bright lights woke me. The bus had entered the port of Roxas, Oriental Mindoro. From there, another ship would take us to Caticlan. We would be passing close to the island of Boracay, but it would still be dark by then.

The trips for Caticlan, Malay began at midnight. However, so many buses were also waiting for a ship that, unfortunately, we were among the last to board. It was almost six in the morning, Monday, when our turn came up. There was a consolation to our misfortune though. At mid-morning, our ship passed by a hilly island with a long stretch of white beach on its shore, and a variety of watercrafts and parasailing. It was Boracay!

A short distance from it was the pier of Caticlan; the ship docked there at half-past 10. After the last passenger had returned to his seat, our bus was rolling again, west towards Kalibo, Aklan. The buses have an interesting ritual in Kalibo. There, the road branches into two directions, one goes east to Roxas City, and the other goes south through the heart of Panay, across the provinces of Capiz and Iloilo. A passenger going to Roxas, but is in a bus travelling via the central route, transfers to a Roxas-bound bus with no additional charge. It is already paid for in the original fare. While those going to Iloilo City, but is on a bus for Roxas, also make the corresponding transfer.

Ours followed the central highway, across the valleys of Capiz. We passed by wide ricefields cut through by deep rivers. It happened that harvest was recent: unhusked rice, spread over bamboo mats and leather sheets in order to dry, were laid out in long stretches beside the road, inches away from the wheels of speeding buses. Upon crossing Passi River, we also crossed from Capiz to Iloilo Province. We saw the towns of Dingle, Pototan, and Barotac Nuevo which all have one thing in common: they have sprawling and well-kept plazas, with beautiful old churches on one side.

Sadly, I won't be going to Iloilo City as planned. I'm worried that I would miss the last boat for Bacolod if I continued there. On advice of the bus conductor, I got off in Dumangas, a couple of towns before Iloilo. This town also has regular trips to Bacolod. Upon getting off, I quickly found a tricycle to take me to the port. Still, luck evaded me, the 4:30 ship just shoved out of the pier when I got there, so I had to wait for the next one to sail two hours later.

It was past nine when I arrived in Bacolod. I could not linger, even for five minutes, because I had to rush to the bus terminal and try to catch a bus going to Cebu that night. If I could not catch it, I would have to sleep there and take the first trip the next day.

Finally, I was lucky. When I arrived, there was a bus scheduled to leave for Cebu at 10:30 that evening, and tickets were being issued. Fortunately, I bought the second to the last ticket for that trip. Tucked in a seat in the last row of the bus, I left Bacolod. We travelled north then east to the port of Escalante, passing through Silay, Victorias, Cadiz, and a few other towns. Upon arrival at Escalante, at past one in the morning, our ship immediately sailed out of the harbor; then, after a three-and-half hour crossing of Tanon Strait, we reached Tabuelan. It was Cebu at last.

My trip ended in Cebu North Bus Terminal at eight in the morning, Tuesday. It was tiring, it was filled with waiting, but it was also an interesting experience. Those who frequently travel between Cebu and Manila (with time and enthusiasm to spare) should try this for once. On your next trip to Manila, ditch the plane ride, and head to the north terminal for a bus tour of Western Visayas-and parts of Southern Tagalog region, as well.