After a long hiatus, I am back to
where I belong: blogging. An explanation is a must and that is what I owe to
myself and to my readers. For at least three months, a lot has transpired
especially in my personal life. There was no other quarter that I have
travelled more compared to the 2nd quarter of 2012 but for varying
reasons. I went to Calaguas Island in Camarines Norte with my friends, went to
Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bataan for a company outing and went to North
Cotabato to attend the wake and burial of my beloved father. For a time, I started
to doubt myself if I can still pursue writing as an interest. I lost the
vitality and vigor of translating the energy of life into my write ups. A death
and tragedy in my family was so sudden and disturbing that my life turned 180
degrees. As of the moment, I am still trying to cope with the pain and taking
it one day at a time. A day won’t pass by without me thinking of my father and
of the memories that we shared and the moments that we must supposed to have.
My father, together with my mother and Jafet are my travel buddies. My renewed
optimism in writing is a gift and recognition for my father: a PATIENT, CALM
and CHEERFUL traveler.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
FORT PIKIT:A LOST TREASURE
Look what I found in the 23rd
Philippine Travel Mart held in MOA SMX last August 10-12, 2012: FORT PIKIT. Not
that I am belittling the capacity of my hometown as a tourist spot but I wasn’t
just expecting that I could see a picture of it in a big event like this travel
expo. Around 100 booths participated in the event from all islands and islets
of the Philippines, each as unique as its own cultural heritage and tourist
spots. From the usual crowd drawer of Boracay, Bohol and Palawan to the
untouched Palaui Island of Cagayan Valley and Fort Pikit of North Cotabato; the
expo was such a sight to behold. For a minimal fee of PHP50, one can go
booth-shopping and explore the Philippines in just one day.
I have been to Fort Pikit a
countless time and I always equate the spot with my childhood memories. The
earliest memory I have with the place was the one together with my siblings and
cousins. The place has been through a lot of uplifts and down lifts. It was
frequented by visitors and locals in the early 90s but then it was not
maintained until it was just a piece of land and rocks smothered by grass and
wastes. Then, it was transformed into a military camp at the height of the
conflict in Mindanao around 2004. Since then, nothing has changed much for the
tourist spot.
The potential of Fort Pikit as a
tourist spot is as bright as the future of Pikit town itself. With the
leadership of the local government and the help of local citizens, the spot can
be transformed into a park in the sky like the one in Tagaytay. Enjoying dinner
in the fort and watching the sun as it settles down in the verdant mountainous
range of North Cotabato reflected in the meandering river of Rio Grande de
Mindanao is a sure tourist arrival booster. This picture perfect FORT PIKIT
could take years of planning and sustainable development but it could be the
one that will propel the town’s economy. The trickledown effect of tourism is
incalculable as of this time. This is the wakeup call for all Pikitenos and we
must unite in protecting and developing the Fort Pikit that we used to know and
love.
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