Photos et lettres des Philippines, de France et d'ailleurs

First we went to the lake Banilan about sixty kilometers far from the city.

(Jean-Paul at Banilan lake)

Then it was Dapitan in northern Mindanao at 70 km by boat from Dumaguete. This place is still untouched by mass tourism and has a lot of appeal though somewhat too much rainy for my taste

Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippines national hero, was exiled there by the Spaniards for four years and has a shrine near the centre of Dapitan. He spent also some time in Paris where a square bears his name in the 9th arrondissement.

(Dapitan beach along Sunset boulevard)


(Jose Rizal's house)


(Casa Rotunda, his medical clinic)


(Dakkak beach resort)

So we spent a day and a half in Dapitan and were now aboard the ferry bond to Dumaguete for a four hours crossing.
On a berth beside us was an old lady, slim and wrinkled. In fact she was only 65 years old but people are aging faster in the tropics especially when they don't have enough money.

Her name was Epigenia; she was a retired teacher and had never been in Dumaguete before. Anyway she wasn't planning to stop there because it was not his final destination. She had to go to Canlaon, 200 km to the north in the mountains. I pointed out that the vessel would arrive around 6pm and consequently she couldn't expect to arrive in Canlaon before 11pm-midnight. She said that she didn't mind a late arrival because what she had to do could not wait. I asked her what was so urgent and she replied that one of her former co-teacher had a cancer, and since she couldn't afford to undergo the treatment, she was heading for certain death.
Thus Epigenia was en route for that remote mountain place to contact a "Faith Healer". He alone, she said could save her friend.

(Picture of a 'Faith Healer' taken in 2003 in Siquijor)

 Once arrived in Dumaguete, we sent Epigenia off at the bus terminal and wished her bon voyage.

Epigenia is such a nice name, isn't-it? And it is a wonderful story of friendship when faith moves mountains or should I rather say when Epigenia moves toward the mountain.

Good luck to her and to her friend, and who knows?