Danajon Double Barrier Reef

 November 21, 2012

I was excited to go to a management planning workshop for the Danajon Double Barrier Reef (DDBR) in Talibon, Bohol. This trip gave me the needed experience on how to get around to different island regions; especially Bohol since I’m going there for a New Years get together with other PCVs.


Laura Mudge from New Jersey, right where
Sandy hit the hardest. She's a marine biologist and
 master diver and is the closet PCV to me,
30 minutes away in Baybay

Laura came from Baybay in a LGU vehicle and picked me up on the way. We caught a pump boat for the two hour trip from Bato to Ubay. When we were within view of Ubay we came upon a fisherman in his boat who seemed to be in distress. He was waving a shirt frantically. Our boat turned around to help him. I was happy we did because I’d heard stories of this happening to fishermen except no one stops to help them. He told us to go ahead because there was another boat on the way to help him.

guy in trouble



The Hair Had To Go

November 17, 2012
It is so hot having long hair makes it way too hot. My hair went bye-bye in Baybay where I found a hair salon that wasn't too scary.
This was a big deal. I haven't had short hair since I was 15 years old.

SWM Waste Inspections

November 14 and 15, 2012 Waste Inspections

Barangay Guadalupe



T-Ting's smiling face.He works for the NGO Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation (CCEF)
and helped us with the evaluations

Solid Waste Management is managed by the Municipal Environmental and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) I work out of. One of the first things I noticed and was so happy to see is how clean and trash free it is here in Leyte. I was a member of one of two teams going out to do waste segregation inspections in our barangays. This gave me a very close up and personal view of how many people live. Mostly things are very nice. Many are living in what I would consider a great backpacking campsite where I'm planning to stay a week.

Farmers' Association Meeting



A jeepney in town is an unusual site

November 13, 2012

Today I went to a Farmers’ Association meeting with Cito held in baranguy Maljo.

 

I learned something about the way the association works.

 

Farmers can borrow money from the LGU at a low interest 3% interest rate. Is the money for seed I asked? No. It’s usually needed and used for medical bills.

Meetings are held monthly. Members come to make interest payments. Half of this is put into a savings account they get back at the end of the year.



Members also bring P100 to put in a pot. At the end of the meeting names are drawn and two people go home with P2000 pesos. The names of people who have won are not allowed to win again until everyone has won.Seems to me this is a good way to get a good turnout at meetings.

 

A couple of sweet little girls

 

Bato Falls in Barangay Mara-o

November 11, 2012

I found out there was another place to swim with a waterfall about seven miles further upriver, in barangay Mara-o. Anita went with Mark and me in a tricycle as far as the barangay hall where Mark’s friend Liza joined us.

 

Anita went back home to help with preparations for Sheryl’s birthday dinner. Before she left she hooked us up with a couple of guides, the barangay treasurer and friend who were very nice.

 

With machetes they hacked the trail down as we worked our way through the jungle and along the river for a half mile to the falls.

This was great. I could hear lots of birds although I didn’t see them. The jungle is thick and lush with ferns, bamboo, palms and all sorts of vines; a perfect location for Tarzan, Jane and Cheetah.