Looking for the Bisdak

Saturday, August 04, 2007
Sun Star Weekend

Karen D. Nacario Ask a propesional gadabout for five ways appreciate our hometown

"IPAAGI LANG OG lakbay-lakbay patid labay-labay sa lata nga gamay…" goes the popular Bisrock song Suroy-Suroy by Missing Filemon. About wanderlust, the song enumerates the different places Cebuanos frequent, like Carbon market, Jones Avenue, and Colon Street.
Cebuano is a term for someone residing in Cebu, but that's not all. Being a Cebuano means knowing every little thing that Cebu gives to its dwellers.
Balbino "Ka Bino" Guerrero, an accredited tour guide for five years, lists his five personal favorites, places that will make even jaded Cebuanos blink and see in a new light this place they call home:
Museums: "Ang dili mulingi sa gigikanan, dili kaabot sa padulngan," Ka Bino restates the classic wisdom that chides Filipinos that don't look back at their past. He lists Casa Gorordo, a museum showing the lifestyle of colonial Cebu; the Cathedral Museum for exhibiting ecclesiastical artifacts attesting to the religiosity of Cebuano Christians; the University of San Carlos Museum for displaying ethnographic and archaeological remnants of Cebu's grand past. "Our museums show our roots. These are repositories of what we are, who we were and why we are like this," explains Ka Bino.
Transcentral Highway: Less than 20 minutes from Cebu City is this communion with nature. Ka Bino says you can take deep lungfuls of the unspoilt breeze while climbing past flower, vegetable and fruit farms. "How many of us know that we have a strawberry farm here?" Ka Bino refers to the Barangay Magsaysay landmark. "To get away from the troubles of the city, a drive on this highway will help us recharge and refresh by enjoying the view of the mountains." And who would forget the delicious sweet corn along the road?
Sumilon Island: To get even more disconnected from all the heaviness of daily life in the city, Sumilon Island is in the to-go-list of Ka Bino. "Every visit is unique!" he said. He explains that a visit to the island is never the same because its sand bar changes according to the tides and winds. "For serenity, just disconnect, even for a day or two," he cajoles.
Pescador Island: Discover the beauty of Cebu's sea bed! "Tourists spend a lot just to visit Pescador Island, why don't we?" asks Ka Bino. The island corals alone are an unforgettable undersea experience.
Mirror: Visiting the mentioned places will surely give relaxation and enjoyment, as well as run up expenses.Ka Bino urges Cebuanos to see themselves in the mirror. "How many of us ask ourselves who we really are?" He says media has brought a lot of Western influences hiding our real Bisdak identity. To reveal the hidden beauty of Cebu, Cebuanos only have to face the mirror and re-examine Cebuanos' uniqueness. "Mahal man ang upat (the first four may be costly); for sure this fifth one will be very convenient for Cebuanos to see the real beauty of Cebu exhibited in their faces," he adds.