Warrior Pilgrimage

Featured in www.pinoyapache.blospot.com on June 16, 2009

SOMETIME LAST MAY 30, 2009, I was tasked by my employer to deliver a special package to the PAGCOR satellite casino inside Dakak Beach Resort in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte. That dawn, from my home, I walked to the waterfront area of Cebu to join a queue and purchase a fastcraft ferry ticket, round trip, for Dapitan and back. The Ocean Fast Ferry ticketing office will open at five; their craft will leave at six. I was way too early.

At 5:30 AM, the ticketing office opened. I paid my fare and they asked me another twenty pesos. Jeez, twenty pesos! All my money are in 500-peso bills and the guy behind the window have no change to spare. Well, I scoured all the stores found along the street outside the pier area to buy some item or food, yet, they have no change to spare too and the clock ticked closer to six!

I decided to sit inside an eatery and ordered breakfast hoping that this time I will get the change that I am praying for. Bad luck. None. But, at least, they tried their best to have my money cashed in from neighboring stores and after 10-15 minutes they returned empty handed and I was in a quandary now where to find that elusive twenty pesos and it is already 5:50 AM! At the last minute, the owner came and handed me my change, three pesos short. A crumpled old 20-peso bill is all I need to get on board that boat.


I settled myself inside the craft and, later, the engine coughed to life and we were ready to steam to Dapitan that day with brief stoppages at the ports of Tagbilaran and Dumaguete. I eyed my cell phone time – it's 6:15 AM. The boat left the Port of Cebu slightly delayed. Sunrise glowed in the horizon offering a sunny promise for the day...READ MORE (Press CTRL + mouse click)