City of Tacurong...Oozing with Goodwill at the Crossroads of Progress
Posted on Thursday, 19 January 2017
City of Tacurong…Oozing with Goodwill
At the Crossroads of Progress
By Apolinario Villalobos
The city spearheads the rousing endeavor of
Sultan Kudarat province to move forward. She practically stands at the
crossroads of South Cotabato, North Cotabato/Maguindanao/Davao, and Cotabato
City. Such location is fittingly symbolized by the rotunda that encloses the
concrete image of “talakudong” (head covering) from which her name has been
derived, although, much earlier, she was referred to as “Pamansang”.
Even before she was weaned from the
political cuddles of Buluan, hordes of immigrants from Luzon and Visayas had
been attracted by the prospective ventures that lay under the thick grassy
mantle of her swamplands. The immigrants braved the mosquitoes when they
arrived at the port of Cotabato City from which they equally braved the ride on
the frail bancas and crude ferries that navigated the Rio Grande de Mindanao
with destinations such as Buluan and Dulawan.
When she was yet a barrio of Buluan, the
trek to Tacurong from the former, over
grassy trails according to Ms. Nenita Bernardo and the late Mr. Menandro Lapuz
took almost half a half day. Those who came via Dulawan had to take the trail
through Lambayong (Sultan sa Barongis), or the much easier though longer trek
via Maganoy onward through Esperanza on the highway that leads to Isulan from
where they turned left to cross the Lower Katungal or Kapingkong River, until
finally reaching the sparsely inhabited “sentro” with its muddy roads.
Today, the city is under the administration
of Mayor Lina Montilla with Dr. Joseph George Lechonsito assisting her, being
the Vice-Mayor. And, just like any local government that needs an information
machinery that must be effective, for Tacurong, it is provided by the Information
Team of Allan Freno, a soft-spoken and unassuming proud product of Notre Dame
of Tacurong College, and whose office publishes a very informative magazine,
“The Goodwill”. It contains just anything about what had been done and what
should be done, yet…in simply-written English language. The compactness of the publication is such
that the layout has been made to accommodate as many information as possible,
without compromising the artistry and color. Visitors to the city are advised
to check out the office of Mr. Freno for a copy, at the City Hall.
The city prides in her Baras Bird Sanctuary
and Monte Vicenteaux Resort which has been accredited by the Department of
Tourism, lately. The two touristic destinations can easily be accessed on any
tricycle that can be hired, the cost for which can be negotiated. The bird
sanctuary is located along the bank of the Kapingkong River and shaded with
bamboo grooves and other age-old hard woods, not far from sprawling rice fields
and African palm plantations. As the morning sun breaks the horizon, flocks of
white egrets could be seen hovering over the heavily-foliaged canopy of trees
and creaking bamboos that sway at the mildly blowing wind. The Monte Vicenteaux
Resort is located a little farther, at New Passi, where it breaks the wide
expanse of rice fields at the foot of the low-lying hill of Magon and fed by
naturally flowing spring. The main pool is semi-Olympic sized around which are
cottages that could be hired. Below the pools are adjoining ponds of tilapia,
halu-an (mudfish) and pantat (catfish). On harvest days, the resort welcome
even the walk-in visitors who would like to make a purchase. Due to be finished
are the facilities for overnight- staying guests. In the meantime, according to
the management, those who would like to use their tents can make arrangements
for the tenting area to be assigned. Other conveniences and comforts are
provided by stores and clean restrooms. Added features that make the resort
functional are the activity areas provided with adjustable stages made of steel
segments.
The “tag” of the city has been
appropriately chosen- “goodwill”. If “goodwill” stands for friendliness,
kindness, care and many more positive descriptions of a person’s character,
then Tacurong really deserves it. A visitor can just look around to see happy
and smiling faces of locals… the young calling their elders either “uncle”,
“kol” (abbreviated uncle), “auntie”, “manong”,
“manang”, or “sir”and “ma’am”. With that, how can a visitor not feel
pampered with respect and assurance that his or her stay is guaranteed with a
warm congeniality and safety? The first time I experienced this “goodwillish”
attitude was when I heard a young passenger, obviously a student, who was with
me on the same aircon van from Davao when I went home for a quick visit. In a
very tender voice, she told the driver, “lihug para , sir…” (please stop, sir…)
when she got off at the vicinity of rotunda where the Talakudong landmark is
located.
In the city, you can still buy ripe bananas
per bunch, vegetables, water melon from surrounding barangays, and cavendish
banana from Datu Paglas – all at ridiculously low price. The local coffee is
what I would like to specially mention because for me, it is much better than
the “barako” of Batangas. I am a coffee drinker and I know how the coffee
should be pleasantly bitter to be called “real coffee”. Here, you can also buy
the healthy mix of ground coffee and yellow corn. Add to those the black bars
of dry molasses, the real sugar cane and coconut sap vinegars with variations
that come with ginger or langkawas, garlic and really red hot chili, that are
sold along the highway that traverses Tuwato, the city’s boundary with
Buluan.
The city likewise, serves as the outlet for
the freshly harvested and dried mudfish (dalag or halu-an), tilapia, and
catfish (pantat or hito) that come from Buluan. On market days, even the
“panyalam” a sweet, brown-colored and sotanghon-like dry noodles, though finer,
can be found sold alongside various rice cakes. And, of course, the visitor
should not miss the colorful “tikug” mats and other handwoven crafts made of
rattan. When locusts infest the rice and corn fields, the locals get back at
them by frying them into savory crispiness flavored with plenty of toasted
garlic and chili, then sold at the market per small tumbler or drinking glass,
and this was what I chanced upon when I last visited the city. I shamefully
consumed one glassful at one standing in just a few minutes, enjoying the
crispy chili-hot delicacy that was also enjoyed by the Israelites while they
went around the desert for 40 years before finally allowed to “enter” the
Promised Land!
Late in the afternoon until around 10 in
the evening, the marketside portion of the Tacurong-Isulan highway comes alive
with local cafes shaded with tarpaulin. The open-air carenderias compete with
airconditioned hamburger and pizza joints, as well as, grilled food stands that
sell barbecued fish, chicken and pork. Beside them are piles of oranges from
Tulunan, pineapples from Polomolok (bundle of 3 for Php20-50), guavas and
mangoes. Popular hamburger outlets, pizza parlors and unli-rice joints have
joined the rush to have a share of the city’s economic upsurge, along with
equally popular drug stores that sell generic and branded medicines.
Culturally and spiritually, Tacurong is one
good model for what Filipinos dream of as “unity in diversity”. Those from
Luzon and Visayas live side by side with the Iranuns, Maguindanaoans and
Maranaos. The stillness of dawn is broken by the call for the morning prayer
that emanates from the loudspeaker perched on the minaret of the Islamic
Mosque, while the bells of the Catholic church peal from their belfry. The
diversified cultures admirably meld as shown by Muslims who speak fluent
Visayan, Tagalog and Ilocano, and Christians who have made the ever-useful
malong and tubaw (head covering) as part of their wardrobe, as well as, delight
at the peculiar taste of “pastil”, the Muslim version of the “binalot”, and
whose topping vary from the shredded chicken to tilapia, halu-an (mudfish), or
pantat (catfish).
The City of Tacurong which has gained a
foothold in the tourism map due to its Talakudong Festival, Baras Bird
Sanctuary, and Monte Vienteaux Resort, can be visited via Davao City, General
Santos City (Gensan) and Cotabato City. One can take a flight to any of the
cities mentioned and at the airport take a taxi to any of the bus and aircon
van stations for the scheduled trips to Tacurong. As for the accommodation, the city has plenty
of comfortable aircon and non-aircon lodging inns and hotels to choose from.
I would like to say that the smile of the
Tacurongnons is more than a greeting that if spoken would sound something like,
“Maayo nga pag-abot!”…an Hiligaynon equivalent of “Welcome”.
For the interested parties, please Google
search, “Tacurong City” for more of her historic, political, economic, cultural
details, and photos. The mentioned festival, resort and bird sanctuary can also
be specifically searched.
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