“My Family’s 2010 Mindanao Vacation"

I visited our Lady Mayor – Sadeka Garcia-Tomaneng. She is the daughter of my “igso” or “kinakapatid” in filipino. The purpose of my visit was to borrow a car that could take us to Gingo-og City. Gingo-og City is an old chartered City in Misamis Oriental, the next province of Agusan del Norte going to the direction of Cagayan de Oro City. It is where my sister Myrna lives. I am so thankful to Mayor Sadeka for being so kind to lend me her adventure for the second time. We used it to pick up my daughter Kira and her husband Martin at the airport. I will bear in mind her request: if I could make arrangements to invite either John Lloyd Cruz or Jericho Rosales to our guest during our town fiesta in July. I am more confident to talk to Jericho about the invitation since we are currently working together in Green Rose. I hope to make it a reality.

We left my hometown for Gingoog City at 9:00 am on 27 December. I t was my sister Myrna's 64th birthday. Gingo-og is 90 kilometers drive of concrete road and we made it in two hours. Upon our arrival, my sister assigned her son JD to help us get settled at the Dinah Beach Resort where she paid two rooms for us. Quickly, we returned to their home on Lugod St for lunch.

My brother-in-law – Gingo-og City Councilor Polkim Motoomull was very proud of the food preparation for the banquet. Mostly, according to Polkim are indian cuisine. You see, Polkim has indian ancestors who are related to the De Lara and Guingona families. In fact, I had a small talk to one relative who told me that Director Leo Rialp is also from Gingo-og City. His mother Betty is the sister of Mayor Ruth Guingona. Mayor Ruth is the wife of former Vice President Teofisto Guingona.

The food included lamb curry, kilawing kambing, beef kaldereta, grilled tuna, kare-kare and lechon to name a few. I enjoyed the food specially the native lechon!

My daughters enjoyed quality bonding time with their cousins. I showed the videos that I recorded during my niece Kanna's wedding and those recorded in Tubay and Surigao Sur. We had good night's rest at Dinah Beach Resort.

The next day, we left for Butuan City airport to end our 2010 Mindanao Vacation. It was only an hour drive from Gingo-og City. The PAL flight was very smooth and was on schedule. My daughter left our car in the parking area at the Ninoy Aguino International Airport Terminal III which charge an affordable parking fee of P50.00 per day.

A few days after we left Mindanao, we heard the news that the Caraga Region was badly hit by continuous heavy rains (Amihan or tail-end of the cold front) which lasted for three days. I saw photo in the Philippine Daily Inquirer showing the concrete highway in Agusan del Sur under water! Thanks God! You made us enjoy our stay in Mindanao with good weather while we were there!