Sunset in Barangay San Isidro, Nabunturan, Compostela Valley

I always get asked with the question, why?. And I would racked up my brain and come up with a constructed answer. But little did I know that that question was vital. Important in such way, it framed an idea on how I live a part of my life.

There are certain things at the moment that have been stretching my mind, it is restructuring ideas and views of certain aspects that I have been battling with since I made myself a point that my own definition of success is: contributing in nation building.



To go or not to go, is another phrase that have been bothering me since then. It was a reaction to certain details that have been happening in the journey. It is never a question of happiness, I am contented, but to see things that has been veering away from the structured views I am seeing made the walls, that I made and have been protecting me since day one, to slowly crumble.


I love the journey. I love who's in charge, and I love the dedication that everyone is putting in. But what made the whole journey so bumpy, is the inability of who is in front to see the bumps that must be hurdled, slowly. The passengers could see other bumps but is afraid to say to slow down, that it may cause them something so dear in their heart. There is chaos. A violent one. And to pacify it may cause brokenness. And to pick up the pieces means bleeding oneself. As much I would like to speak but it may only hurdle.



I want to come out whole. Battered may be, but in one piece. I see beauty in a structure, and if that structure is slowly falling down, I look up in the sky and ask the same question that have been asked to me, why.

And the whole Simballay celebration ended in a high note. There were issues raised and there were bashing and you know people who couldn’t even see the bright side of things. Anyway, the thing about photographing light-filled areas is your camera settings; you have to put it into a night mode.

I like how this year’s Simballay Festival went, with the umbrella walkways, and the Balay-balay is in their original place.

But what I really like about this year’s celebration is that I had my students wrote about their experience of this year’s fete, and I will be sharing some it below:

Joshua, a proud resident of Barangay Magsaysay enjoyed seeing different crops that made the barangays in the municipality stand out. Venus shared that she did not expect that Simbalay festival would left a mark in her heart.

Victor is looking forward for next year's Simballay Festival. While Cris, not from Nabunturan shared that though he is not a Nabunturanon, he can feel the happiness there is in a proud Nabunturanon individual.

Ella is overwhelmed and afraid that the streets would explode because of its content. "Thankfully, it didn't.", she wrote.

Sheryl felt connected seeing with the booths ingeniously featuring the locals' way of living, original crafts and arts, and tourist spots. Bea and Therese enjoyed the fete.

For Ruben, it’s all about the lights, it has always been the lights, and how they shimmer and stretch, grow and recede, strive and shrink. One moment the light was a singular thing, a path to heaven. The next moment, it was a collection of many, an army made of light marching everywhere.

While for Justine, Simballay Festival is for the hearts of every Nabunturanons.

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Image from Turismo Nabunturan Facebook Account

1. Teddy O. Co, Film Committee Chair
2. Elvert C. Banares, CineKasimanwa Film Festival Director
3. Bordie Carillo, Lantawan Socksargen Film Festival Director
4. Hobart Savior, Cinemagis Festival Director
5. Tito G. Valiente, Film Critic, Committee Member
6. Patrick F. Campos, Cinema Committee Member
7. Edward Cabagnot, Film Educator
8. Laila Ulao, Best Actress 40th Gawad Urian
9. Archi Adamos, Cinema Committee Member
10. Ryan C. Cuatrona, Hinulid Team member
11. Eilyn Nidea, Hinulid Team member
12. Ryanne Murcia, Director of Entre Medio Del Fin
13. Juliet Cuizon, Lutas Film Festival
14. Brian Michael Dolatre "Biboy Ramirez", Ned’s Project
15. Madelyn Garcia, Peikultura
16. Blaine Joseph Johnson, Open Air Cinema
17. Ed Lejano, QCinema Film Fest
18. Ronaldo Tan, Sinulog Film Fest
19. Bianca Balbuena, Speaker, Masters Class
20. Bradley Choong Khuen Liew
21. Raymond Martin A. Lee "Moira Lang", Speaker, Masters Class
22. Miguel Rapatan, Quo Vadis Speaker
23. Alexandra Marie de Leon Poblete, Guest, DAKILA Cinema Rehiyon 10 Host
24. Maria Christine Onate, Guest, DAKILA Cinema Rehiyon 10 Host
25. Ferdinand Isleta, Head, NCCA Art Section
26. Monique Pilapil, Cinema Committee Secretariat
27. Bernadette David, NCCA Project Monitor
28. Jerome Dulin, Cinema Padday Festival Director
29. Dr. Noel Volante, Naga City
30. Esther Maguigad, Naga City
31. Jo Andrew Torlao, FDCP Manila
32. Rudolph Ian Alama, Mindanao Film Fest