Batanes

This is the House of Dakay, oldest house in Batan, Batanes which was built in the 1870s. It is already included in the list of UNESCO Heritage sites. The occupant is an Ivatan lady already in her 90s.

Batanes..part of the Philippines but seems separated from the whole country because it is farther and harder to reach by many. It is nearer to Taiwan than the main Philippine island of Luzon. The place lies in the typhoon path and that is why their houses were usually made of 50 tons of limestone, reed and cogon to protect its occupants inside. One house is usually done by the whole community’s cooperation which is locally called “payuhman”.

Ivatan is the name of the people from Batanes. I consider them as good example of what a Pinoy is for their strength and endurance in facing whatever situation there is and however tough the times are. Because of the place being mountainous, the Ivatans learned to strive and persevere, nurture and cultivate whatever they have and their surroundings. In Batanes, you can still see people helping each other (bayanihan) each time there is a house to build, and their sharing of the communal pastureland called “payaman” or more popularly known by tourists as “Marlboro Country”.

For me, we should be proud and should love Batanes and the Ivatans for they have not lost the embodiment of the real Pinoy.

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