Why We love Marinduque

The White Beach of Poctoy, Torrijos with Mt Malinding in the background

The following are some of quotes and comments from the web from visitors to our island of "Why They Love Marinduque".

Photo from marinduquegov.com
Traveling to the island during the Easter peak season can drive one nuts, but Marinduque greatly rewards your "penitencia" with one-of-a-kind religious revelry, beautiful landscape and gracious people. From: eazytraveler.blogspot.com

A small island province in central Philippines, Marinduque speaks of such profound natural beauty that will not escape the notice of a well seasoned traveller. From: instaurareperomniachristo.blogspot.com


I stayed in Marinduque for almost three weeks. It's a heart-shaped island surrounded by pristine blue waters, beautiful white sand beaches ( in most areas) and marine sanctuaries. I have been told it has one of the most beautiful virgin coral reefs. It is truly such an awesome place. While I was there I've seen so much picturesque views that more than once took my breath away. They were like pictures from National Geographic. From: www.myscrapworks.com/mswdigi/


It is with a heavy heart that I left Marinduque the next morning to go home. I wish to thank all Marinduquenos for their hospitality. Marinduque is for sure one of those places you should see before you die. http://my_sarisari_store.typepad.com/moriones Festival, May 26, 2006

My whole Holy Week experience was utterly engaging and can hardly be forgotten. Leaving the island of Marinduque after a week-long joyful festivities is quite saddening. On the Monday after the Festival, tourists begin to leave and the island become once more a place of simplicity, complacency and beauty. I am thankful to the Marinduquenos for giving me a temporary home away from my true home. Dennisvillegas.blogspot.com/april/2008.


Memories of a nocturnal walk in Boac, June 29, 2008

It was the last night of my week long sojourn to Marinduque. Eight in the evening, I went out of my hotel room to stroll once more the lovely streets of Boac. The evening was peaceful and cool with a lovely soft breeze of wind in the air. This reminded me that I was in one of the most rural places in the Philippines.etc...etc..

The sky was well illuminated with the romantic glow of the moon, creating lovely silhouttes of ancient houses from beyond, dwarfed only by the lowly clouds from above
etc... etc.... It was past midnight when I started back to my hotel room, still photographing street sceneries. Boac indeed is a lovely little town from the olden days, but its evening is even lovelier... Dennisvillegas blogspot.com/, june, 2008.


If it's your first time in Marinduque, do not worry. Almost everyone seems to be a friendly guide. Genuine hospitality is what I like most in this island.
From dongism.blogspot.com

Buenavista and Mt Malindig
Characterized by pristine natural beauty, Marinduque boasts of a wide spectrum of unspoiled beaches, mountain peaks, fabled sulfur springs, limestone caves, cascading waterfalls, fringing reefs, virgin islets and old Churches. From: www.marinduque.gov.ph


Last but not least from www.chateaudumer.com
Are you looking for a perfect and affordable vacation in the sun? Marinduque Island is the place for you! Stay at Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort. All you will hear are the sound of the waves and your heart beat. This will be an experience to remember!!.

Marinduque, Mi Corazon, Mi Amor

Two photographs of Bathala Cave, Santa Cruz (top & middle photos)
Poctoy White Beach and Mt Malindig

This poem was submitted by Reynaldo J. Muhi. Rey is currently the VP of MESA (Marinduquenos of the Eastern Seaboard of America). He is also the Webmaster of the Marinduque International, Inc website, www.marinduqueinternational.org
Rey and Amor and daughters, Melody, Crystal and Jazmyne resides in Colonia, New Jersey. Rey was born in Boac. He has worked for AT & T and Lucent Technologies. He retired after 22 years of combined service for the two companies.



MEMORIES, ETCHED IN MY MIND AND SOUL
LIKE JAZZY MELODY IN SOLITUDE I CAN RECALL
MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYS PORTRAYED IN EVERY SONG
SO AS RED ROSES AND THEIR PRICKLY THORNS.

WATERFALLS AND STREAMS CRYSTAL CLEAR AS MY TEARS
CRICKET AND BIRD SOUNDS ARE MUSIC TO MY EARS
VIVID IMAGES IN MY DREAM THERE APPEAR
HEAVENLY HYMN ECHOES IN MY DEEP SLUMBER.

A MIRACULOUS CAVE UPON THE MOUNTAIN RIDGE
PRAYERS ARE SAID TO FULFILL YOUR DREAMS
IN THE DARKEST NIGHT, A "REY" OF LIGHT WILL BEAM
HAPLESS FACES WITH SUFFERINGS REDEEMED.

RIVERS AND BLUE SEA BELOW THE BLUE YONDER
JOINING IN WIDE EXPANSE, VARYING CREATURES UNDER
WAVES RUSHING BACK TO THE RADIANT SHORE
IN TOUCH WITH THE PEBBLES AND SHELLS TO ITS CORE.

WHEN RAINDROPS FALL AND TOUCH THE RAGING SEA
BUBBLES & RIPPLES ROLL AS FAR AS I CAN SEE
MINGLES WITH THE WAVES UP TO THE DARK HORIZON
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES 'TILL THE BREAK OF DAWN.

HERE IS AN ISLAND WITH PRECIOUS GEMS
SHINING FROM AFAR ITS DISTANT KINS
GLEAMING HEARTS OF GOLD AND LAURELS ON THEIR HEADS
WILLING TO SHARE THEIR ACCOMPLISHED DREAMS.

M.I.ON IT, AM I IN IT?

FROM COAST TO COAST AND ACROSS THE MIGHTY FALLS
KEEP THE STREAM FLOWING WHEN DUTY CALLS
THE TWINKLE IN THEIR EYES SEEING A-"REY" OF LIGHTS
THIS GROUP OF OURS IS TAKING ITS PATH JUST RIGHT

INITIATIVES TO MAKE AND GOALS TO MEET
"OUR MISSION IS TO HELP,TOGETHER WE WILL SUCCEED".
SO IT WAS WRITTEN AND SO MUCH HAS BEEN DONE
BUT NOT ENOUGH TO STOP-NOT UNTIL WE ARE GONE!!!

Rey mentioned that his inspirations are: Mother, Corazon, Wife, Amor, and Children:
Melody, Crystal and Jazmyne, Beloved Province, Marinduque and M.I.,Inc.

Thank you Rey for your submission!

Marinduque On My Mind

The first picture is from Amanah, Nature Reserve, an eco-friendly sanctuary of Yong Nieva in Cawit, Boac. The next two photographs were taken from the balcony of the Chateau Du Mer Beach House in Amoingon, Boac, "Sunset at Low Tide"!

Yong (Guillermo Nieva,Jr) Nieva, Macrine's first cousin sent us an e-mail recently to collect articles from Marinduquenos all over the world on their memories about growing up in Marinduque. Eventually, as soon as I received a number of posts, we will published it as book ( not the coffee type book), but as serious reading that stirs the soul and commit our beloved island of Marinduque to memory... in our hearts, in our minds and in our souls! So that even when we look beyond the coast of California across the Pacific, at least we will not be alone, we have company in each other souls! A collection of true "felt stories".

Yong wrote the following Preface for the Proposed Book, "Marinduque on My Mind"

Marinduque is a strange illness. You come and you would go. You think you are leaving, but its the town that gets away from you. You wish you could understand, and yet you keep coming back.

I realized I had a "problem" that I have to deal with; the problem of my relationships to this small island and the areas around it. I therefore decided that someday we can write a book to try to understand what was really happening, that could clarify our feelings, not by thinking descriptively,analytically or rationally.

We must follow the journey to go back in time. Follow a thread, but which one?
It really doesn't matter. We just let ourselves be led by an image; a word, a memory; the trails of ink left by visitors who have been won over and those that have been lost. There's so many indeed!

Here's a short biography of Yong: He is named after his father Guillermo(Will) Sarmiento Nieva,Sr of Boac. He has grown to be known as Yong. After a short stint with Philippine Airlines, in 1980, he got married and lived in San Francisco working for Allstate Insurance for fifteen years. In 1955 he got divorced and moved back to Manila. He is now in the restaurant business. Together with his wife Ivy Syquia Almario, an interior designer, they regularly visit Cawit, Boac starting an "ecologically-correct" family retreat or sanctuary. They named it AMANAH, Nature Reserve.(see first picture above).

Here's a summary of Yong's email to us:

Dear Manang Macrine and Manong Dave'

Greetings! It was a lazy Sunday afternoon today and looking at the photos in my e-mail of my project in Cawit " The Amana", I was struck by the thought of what is it that really beckons me to keep going back to our beloved island, Marinduque.

When I started thinking of words to describe the feeling about Marinduque, all thoughts just came in a rush. It became a virtual "collage-series" of events in my young life. How Papa made it an annual mandate that we spent two weeks of summer with Lola Elving and our aunts, uncles and cousins in Boac. Ah, days of reckless abandon-the treks to the beach, and the jam-sessions at night. How we felt so loved by each and everyone of them, which even to this day we cherish. How even our cousins friends also became our friends. And they remember!

This is not only about us-the children of Guillermo "Will" Nieva of Boac. I then thought, "What about others"? What about those, who like me lived in the States, but still carry Marinduque in their hearts. Maybe if we all share via website, the hi-tech way, to answer the question of what really beckons us to Marinduque. Then together we can solve this strange illness. ( My personal comment: this illness will grow deeper and stronger as we grow older and older).

Surely, the Marinduquenos association all over the US, do not only continue to thrive because of its leaders, but also because if we really look closely, there are many reasons why its members continue to stay in touch. It is a rare gift, if I may say so!

In that Marinduquenos heart, there's still an image- a face of his/her first love, or the first kiss; an incident in his/her young life that forever changed his life; his dreams, his goals, his pains that drove him to become what he/she is now; the emotions felt of being left behind from a good bye; the sound of the rambling jeepney on its way to Balanacan; the scent of coconut oil in early morning hours as you drive the narrow roads; the fear and scampering from the town's idiot or from the town's bully, and why not? the love story of beautiful "Peace Corp" volunteer fell in love and married the handsome local swain! So many essays and narratives to start and follow the "journey". ( Personal Note: I was told the pancit of Choing still reminds some of you of your pleasant childhood memories)

Manong Dave, could you please design a website for this literary project and invite our fellow Marinduquenos there in US to share their thoughts, hearts and feelings in words and so we can solved (or at least understand) this "strange illness" inside each and everyone of us!

My response to Yong: I am excited of this idea. My suggestion is to create a blog site instead of a website. The blog site is easy to manage. This is where articles could be posted and edited. The blog site is free and easy. I could titled it http://marinduqueonmymind.blogspot.com. I will manage it along with my other blogs on the internet. Once we have collected a number of postings, we can published it ourselves via publisher as mypublisher.com

I will volunteer to write an article on " I left my Heart in Marinduque ( not in San Francisco), since I did not grow up in Marinduque but married a marinduquena.
NOTE TO ALL MARINDUQUENOS WHO WANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROJECT:

You may write your article via the comment section of this blog or sent your article to my e-mail, tagajaro@comcast.net or to tagaboac@comcast.net. I am looking forward to your submissions.
View of Balanacan Harbor