A mind-blowing trip to Sagada

Sagada is featured today (5:30 p.m.) on ETC on ABS-CBN Channel 2. It’s a lovely town with 15,000 people, 2,000 of them working in cities around the country and abroad. People are charming, children flaunt their red cheeks, the pine trees are solemn, the air is cool and the town is peaceful and serene.

By nine o’clock in the evening, the bells of the municipio ring nine times to announce the curfew. So you don’t see children or teenagers loitering in Sagada after 9 p.m. Adults stay at home if they want to enjoy mountain tea or wine. There are no tricycles in Sagada because people don’t like the noise they create. But dogs are noisy and ferocious. But their howls blend naturally with the mysterious wilderness and the cool breeze of the mountain haven. People retire early as they start work in the fields as soon as the sun creeps out of the darkness. Crime rate is 1 percent and the coldest months are from December to February.

For ETC, I went caving at the Sumaguing Cave. It was totally mind-blowing and exciting. Going down on slippery rocks and stalagmites at the cavernous Sumaguing Cave, I came face-to-face with my own mortality. One wrong step would have sent me to the foyer of hell or heaven. My director JV Noriega, my partner Bong Quintana and our two expert guides, Davis and Jigz were extremely helpful. Some of the most difficult parts in the journey to the bottom of the Sumaguing Cave are the five or so meters of slippery rocks that were so steep I could almost see St. Peter’s stick.

"Stay close to the rocks. Use your head and feet. Don’t slide!" the voice of JV Noriega sounded like God’s. I followed every word. I must have looked like an overweight spider. Another part was the rappelling. "Spread your legs and put the ropes between your legs," JV’s voice was once again commanding. It was hard. I was too heavy and the ropes hurt. But I managed. We also traversed a portion holding on to a merciful rope while walking with our bottoms. It was scary.

I was telling Tin-Tin Bersola that I was terrified by the darkness and the unknown that I realized that in the middle of the cavernous Sumaguing Cave, with only the help of two "Petromax," our guides held with their dear lives, that, yes, you choose to be brave to conquer the unknown and the impenetrable darkness – because it is the only choice you have if you want to live.

But after almost an hour of crawling, jumping, sliding inside the Sumaguing Cave, we reached "The Curtain," one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen in my entire life (Watch ETC today and see why this death-defying experience was all worth it).

If only for the Sumaguing Cave in Sagada, I shall always hold ETC fondly in my heart. I know ETC is not going to last forever or even perhaps a little longer, but I now have enough memories to last me another lifetime. You see, doing a show like ETC is more bewildering than caving the majestic Sumaguing Cave in Sagada. And both in the worlds of ETC and the Sumaguing Cave, vultures abound. In both worlds, you surrender your life to God!

Barba’s art

Andrew Barba is a visual artist from Cebu. The invitation to his one-man show, Andrew Barba: Recent Works at the Manila Pavilion Hotel in March 21 carries one of his paintings called Family. The message is simple – "love is the only thing we can never run out of."

Barba’s works are known for the unique style he employs, giving his paintworks a one-of-a-kind appeal. One identifying quality his paintings have are the luminous outlines that define the features of his subjects. They are also noted for his application of thick transparent adhesive in symmetrical patterns – giving a rich texture and a graphic effect to the painted surface.

The dominant lines and curves seen in Barba’s works mark the convergence of conventional and contemporary art genres and disciplines. Apart from this, his paintings show an over-all clear and unified composition and are easy to comprehend and appreciate. He simplifies what is already simple.