March 4 - After having breakfast at Jollibee which became our morning ritual, Perry and I went around the town square again to take some more pictures of the nearby landmarks.
Bangued’s Municipal Hall building
The provincial seal of Abra
Informal morning talk with the provincial governor(Left to right: Ferddie, Perry, Gov. Eustaquio “Takit” Bersamin and Cris Albolote, ENRO)
Either it was by fate or pure luck that we had the chance to meet and have an informal talk with the present Governor of Abra, “Takit” Bersamin and Cris Albolote, the provincial environment and natural resources officer. We were told that the governor would regularly sit in front of the provincial capitol building and interact with constituents. I appreciated the Governor’s hospitality, receptiveness and candor during our short conversation where we gave our fifty centavo advice on how Abra could further achieve progress. Apparently, he will again run for Governor this coming local election uncontested. If that is the case, I wish him well during his next term of office.
Facade of the St. James the Elder Church
I took additional pictures of the St. James the Elder Parish Church. Since we stayed at the Parish Center, I passed by the church everyday but it was only today that I had entered it.
At the side of the church is the Holy Spirit Academy and
tablets of the Ten Commandments ( in the Ilocano dialect)
Inside the St. James the Elder Church
The DZPA building: Home to the CCAGG
Also home to several offices like the provincial branch of the National Statistics Office (NSO), it is also known as the Arnold Janssen Communications Center housing two radio stations DZPA (‘Puso ti Abra’ - Heart of Abra) 873 kHz and DWWM 96.9, and the local newspaper Abra Today.
The Malanas Left Irrigation System Project in the Municipality of San Juan
Today, we joined CCAGG volunteers look over the ongoing Malanas Left Irrigation System in Barangay Baug in the Municipality of San Juan, some 30 kilometers away from Bangued.
Irrigation canals bring much needed water to the rice fields
A deep contrast between the green irrigated rice fields…
…and the brown parched earth on the non-irrigated lands of the countryside
Local folk hunt in the irrigation canals for Hito (catfish) and Tilapia (St. Peter’s fish)
At the horizon is the town proper of San Juan
The ongoing concreting of the Lagangilang- Tabiog Road
CCAGG volunteers inspect the concrete roads for compliance to building standards
Half-way through
Stopover at Talledo’s in Dolores municipality
Later, in search of native Abra delicacies to bring home, we made a side trip to a place called Mudiit in the Municipality of Dolores locally famous for miki and canton noodles. We were introduced to Talledo’s Miki Commercial, a home grown food manufacturer assisted by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through its Special Enterprises Technology Upgrading Program or SETUP. Through this program, the DOST assists small enterprises improve its yield and enhance product competitiveness.
In the case of Talledo’s, DOST-CAR’s intervention involved upgrades of its squash canton processing. I think the DOST also supports this product because Vitamin A-rich squash heightens the nutritional content of commercially sold noodles.
Talledo’s is the home of quality miki and canton noodlesThere were actually several differently flavored miki and canton noodles. They included vegetables like ampalaya, saluyot, malunggay, broccoli, squash, and carrot. I bought 400 pesos worth of different canton noodles and half a kilo each of carrots and kalabasa enriched miki noodles at 40 pesos per pack for a total cheap price of 480 pesos! If you visit Abra, these delicious and nutritious noodles are a must buy!
Definitely a must buy for ‘pasalubong’ (homeward bound treats) seekers
Afternoon visit to the District Engineer’s Office of the DPWH in Bangued
We all had a late lunch at a local eatery near the DPWH’s District Engineer’s office. We decided to eat there so as not to be late for a scheduled observation of an opening of bids for a road maintenance project at the said office.
Intriguingly, the opening of bids didn’t push through due to a lack of quorum on the part of the concerned Bids and Awards Committee (BAC). It was tentatively reset for tomorrow without any strong assurance. A classic "don’t call us, we’ll call you" kind of response.
Children near the CCAGG office play war games
Respite beside the great Abra river
After a long, grueling, hot summer day of traveling and inspection, we were all looking forward to an evening of rest and relaxation.
When you’re in Bangued, you can enjoy this respite beside the cool waters of the Abra River. Only 5 kilometers away from Bangued’s town proper, we went to a nipa hut owned by Engr. Brasuela under the almost completed Calaba bridge.
Children enjoy the cool waters
The Abra River is the most popular as well as the biggest and longest river among the numerous waterways crisscrossing the valleys of the province. Said to be an ideal place for swimmers, it is also a favorite spot for fishing enthusiasts with its spacious and clear waters.
Dusk is almost upon us in this tranquil place
Fellowship with the CCAGG volunteers
What is your kind of drink?
Grilled tilapia and catfish with raw shrimps (Jumping salad) in vinegar served as the main ‘pulutan’
Viands of this evening’s dinner are equally enticing to the palate
One thing about rustic places like Abra, you get back to truly enjoying the simpler things in life. Fresh air, fish and vegetables, the tranquil flow of water in a river, the beauty of a sunset and other things we have taken for granted in the hustle and bustle of our busy world.
In a place like Abra, one can rediscover the uncomplicated joys in life.
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