Batanes / People
Many of the younger generation are eager to leave for the big city, if not Manila then Tuguegarao. If they can't even make it that far, they at least want to go to Basco, the provincial capital. Admittedly, there is no television, are no movie houses, no shopping centers, but at least there are video shows, they have electricity until 23:30 and even longer if it's video night, and there are a number of small sari-sari stores with goods from Manila, and a choice of bakeries and eateries.
The capital is also the location of the major educational facilities in the province, including the Sto. Dominican College (12), adjacent to the Basco church. Also near the church, on a large tract of land where Barangay San Antonio begins, are the extensive buildings of the "National" high school, two elementary schools and the School for Arts and Trades (15).
The people of Batanes are surprisingly interested in education. Of course, to find jobs outside their lonely paradise, they have to be qualified. But it's not just that. Education also gives them something to do. Consequently, Batanes boasts a literacy rate of 93%. And even grandparents attend college level courses offered through night school.
On flight days many residents take a stroll to the park-like airport at the edge of town, just to socialize at one of the picnic tables with cogon grass umbrellas and wait for the plane to arrive, even if they are not expecting visitors.
Because on such small islands everyone knows everyone, in fact with almost everyone being related, newcomers are quickly distinguished and observed curiously, especially upon arrival at the airport. Usually there is someone bold enough to approach the visitor. If not, one question is all it takes for the friendly, inquisitive people to offer assistance.
Though it's somewhat of a drawback that everyone knows everyone else's business, this small town familiarity has helped keep Batanes virtually crime-free. Despite relatively high alcohol consumption, especially during the long rainy season, the people remain basically "honest and hardworking".
Houses are rarely locked except during typhoons, and it is safe to walk alone at night. Most people are in bed by 22:00, partly because their day begins at 5:00, and partly because outside Basco, there is electricity only from 18:30 to 21:30, if at all.
Though their income is far below the national average, no one starves or goes homeless. They are better off than poor urban dwellers (who may have higher salaries) because the Batanes people still have the land, and still can depend on it for their livelihood. This actually makes them independent - independent of the high costs of food and shelter that shackles many of those who struggle in the city without a garden.
Yet some wistful locals contend that life in Batanes is hard. There is limited motorized transportation; many places have neither indoor running water nor indoor toilet facilities; and there are no telephones, no television and no night life (0).
But they take for granted that more importantly, there is also no NPA, no social unrest, no industrial pollution, no water shortages, nor any of the other countless problems that can make the so-called easy life in the city even harder. And if they had ever experienced Manila's air pollution and the toil of rush hour traffic, they would probably be glad of their freedom to walk.
During the coup attempts in Manila, the local Philippine Constabulary (17) spent their days as they often do: playing basketball and napping. Keeping peace and order in Batanes gives them so little to do.
A unique feature of small town politics in Batanes occurs before gubernatorial elections. Instead of the usual name calling and verbal backstabbing expected, the candidates in Batanes go door-to-door together to meet the voters. Each candidate explains his platform, after which, the one candidate cordially invites the voter to vote for his opponent, if not for himself. Of course, the fact that the candidates are related may have something to do with their geniality; the Castillejos family has held political power for generations.
Farming, fishing, raising cattle, hogs, other livestock and some poultry are the main sources of livelihood for the people of Batanes. Garlic and cattle are the main exports.
Although only a few can afford to export cattle, almost every family grows garlic as a cash crop. The high price of garlic in the rest of the Philippines has made it a very lucrative business.
At the beginning of the garlic harvest, which runs from February to April, the price of garlic tumbles from a high of 195 pesos/kg to a low of 30 pesos/kg. The harvest is transported from Batanes to Luzon by an LST (Landing Ship Tank), used for inter-island cargo shipping.
Jumping on the bandwagon to cash in on the demand, many have converted into garlic fields large portions of land normally reserved for subsistence crops. Such a mass of garlic coming from this far north in the archipelago also fuels the belief that this garlic is actually part of the illegal imports from Taiwan, accused of unfairly competing with domestic garlic.
Whether or not this is true, the production of garlic in Batanes has so increased, that the LST boat occasionally makes a special trip beyond the island of Batan, to Itbayat just to pick up their garlic shipment.
The trade-off of garlic in place of subsistence crops has already relegated to second place the production of basic root crops like cassava. Along with rice, they are essential as staples stored for consumption during the typhoon season when regular shipments from outside cannot be counted on.
It also threatens to make the general population even more dependent than before on the canned goods and other imports that arrive in Batanes often at twice the Manila retail price, thus depleting twice as fast the extra income gained from crop conversion.
In addition to garlic and root crops, many families grow some vegetables and fruits such as pineapple, bananas, papaya, jack-fruit, watermelon and even oranges. But although these fruits grow well in the islands, commercial production would be extremely risky, as the entire harvest could be so easily wiped out by just one of the many typhoons that strike every year.
Furthermore, because of the heavy agricultural demands on the land, without sufficient replenishment of nutrients, the soil has become somewhat less productive. People tell of yams that used to be the size of watermelons. Supposedly the Bureau of Soils has taken steps to restore and maintain the land's fertility.
Apart from the land being productive, the open seas are rich in marine resources. Proof of this are the many so-called Taiwanese junks, powerful modern trawlers plying the open waters day and night and reaping large catches.
By stark comparison, the local fishermen of Batanes with their simple wooden boats and small nets are lucky to get even a few kilos which is a bare subsistence catch. Fishing is difficult for the locals as their small boats can safely navigate only in the channels between the islands. Outside the channels the winds make the sea too rough.
More on Batanes:
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