Roads, What Roads?

So why is it that all the roads leading to and from Dumaguete are utterly destroyed and ripped up for simultaneous construction? In some cases, perfectly good road ripped up and replaced.

What logic is there in isolating Dumaguete from the outside world? Maybe it is to defend us from Terrorists, or maybe criminals, but wait, the criminals are already here, stuck in the city with us. That's not it.

Maybe there is a plan to this insanity, but i don't see it. The road to Sibulan and Tanjay has been ripped up in part for nearly 10 months. and they just rip up more before completing any of it. So now in stead of a 4 hour trip to Bacolod on a Ceres Liner it takes 7 or 8.

The other day I went to Sibulan and found two trucks head to head on a long one way stretch of unrepaired road. Lined up behind each was a several kilometer line of busses and cars. I had a motorcycle and was able to sqweeze through, but how did they fix that? and what happened to the flag men?

It seems that they find it easy to tear up miles of road without a thought as to logistics or sensibility. And the rate of repair lags months behind the initial destruction. As if to say: " see we are fixing the roads, but don't hold your breath until they are finished".

Dumaguete has become hell with 3500 tricycles and no traffic pattern. God help us. We may all perish in the fog of hydrocarbon emmissions and dust. Where is my Dumaguete? Maybe when Robinsons is open it will be all better...

Landing at Dumaguete Airport

Here is a You Tube clip of the West approach to Dumaguete airport. As you land from this direction the pilot will fly low over residential areas and below the summit of Mount Talinas which is out of view on the right side of the plane. Careful flying is required, but it offers a great view for passengers of the area around Dumaguete. Cebu Island is visible as the plane makes it's final descent. Both Cebu Pacific and Philippines Airlines make daily scheduled trips to dumaguete from Manila.

Getting around Dumaguete

Public transport in the Philippines is is a uniquely different experience. While there are in fact a few Taxi cabs in Dumaguete, you won’t see them driving around looking to pick up passengers. They are usually a private hire by pre arrangement. The substitute for cabs is the Tricycle or “pedi-cab” as it is known locally.

These cumbersome conveyances are a study in Filipino culture. They exemplify the way people think and regard as practical. Generally built around a 150cc motorcycle, these elaborate side cars can carry anything. If you think I exaggerate, I have seen these carrying the following
* Room full of household furniture.
* 15 people
* 5 people and two pigs
* 250 kilos of 20’ long rebar (steel rod)
* 15 30’ long bamboo poles
* one cow and one pig
* 5 sheets of 4x8 plywood and 5 bags cement
* any combination of the above
* anything else you can imagine

The streets of Dumaguete are literally choked with these “taxis”. There are over 2000 of these registered in the city. They ride like a truck, and if you are a 6’ tall foreigner, the seating is cramped. Everything here is built to accommodate 5’ tall people. That said, it is a great experience if you are here on a visit, and in fact the only way to traverse the city unless you walk.
The fare for in the city destinations is 7 Pesos, if you want to go a little further often you will have to pay double fare. Drivers will sometimes try to charge an obvious tourist 20 Pesos or more. It’s up to you to decide if you want to pay the “tourist” rate or negotiate the real price. Pedi cabs can be hired for long distances as well, for example to outlying towns. These fares are totally negotiated and it is up to you to find the price you can live with.
Locals just seem to know what distances command what price, and will not pay more. As a tourist there is no clue as to the actual fare. There are no meters and no published prices. When I first came to Dumaguete I often would simply ask the passenger next to me, or the person waiting with me along the road. The local folk are often very helpful and will even negotiate the price for you on occasion. Be aware that many drivers do not have a good command of English. Speak slowly and to the point. Others want to chat with you the whole trip, just be careful what information you divulge.

If you want to go to a neighboring town or travel to a distant part of the province there are Easyrides and Jeepneys.

Easy rides are basically a micro bus built on a Japanese Suzuki Chassis customized in the Philippines for carrying passengers. They cary 20 or more people crammed into a very small space, again long legs are a hindrance. Easyrides are a better choice than a Pedicab for long distances. To get an easyride there are specific “terminals” scattered around the city. Most are near the public market for obvious reasons. The word terminal is misleading, often no more than a spot on the street to park 4-5 little buses, you just have to ask someone where to get the easyride for a specific town. To a large extent the micro buses are color coded and have the destinations they serve painted on the side.

Jeepneys are the most recognizable Philippine vehicle. No matter where you go, these elaborate garish bus like vehicles are everywhere. Based loosely on the left over WW2 jeeps left by the U.S. Armed forces, they have blossomed into an art form. In Dumaguete they are lesser versions of what you can find in Manila. Over used and under maintained they make trips to towns near and far. Primarily used by the local population, they allow you to take anything you can pile on top. Smoke belching, noisy, and diesel powered they offer an economical alternative to the Ceres Liners.

V-hires are large 15-20 passenger vans converted to carry people from one city to the next. These are generally express runs, for example, going from Dumaguete to Bayawan which is a 100 plus kilometer drive. These vans drive extremely fast and sometimes dangerously, not for the faint of heart. Get the front seat if possible, there is more leg room.

Ceres Liners ply the National highway north and south. This is a very easy and economical way to travel up and down the province. They stop almost anywhewre to pick up passengers and the fares are regulated. There is a Ceres Terminal in Dumaguete south on Perdices Street. From there you can get a bus to anywhere in Negros and even a bus to Cebu City. This bus boards a ferry at Amlan and crosses to Cebu.

Habal Habal means literally sex-sex. It is said that people riding one look like they are having sex with one another. What is this conveyance? The most unbelievable way to get up to the mountain regions of Negros, Habal Habals are 150cc motorcycles with seating for up to 6 or 7 passengers! Often there is a metal grill over the gas tank for extra seating, and then the rear seat is extended to double the normal length. I have seen these guys carrying 6 people plus bags of rice, chickens, and baskets of produce, all at once. The kicker is that these intrepid drivers travel up steep mountain trails with washouts, large boulders and dangerous drop offs. It defies logic and sense, but in the Philippines it is a necessity because of the local economics. It is the only choice for many.

These are your basic choices for public transport in Dumaguete. Have fun, and enjoy the unique flavor and Philippine style of public transportation.

Ceres Liners

Denizens of the roads from north to South, bright yellow Ceres Liners are an iconic means of public transportation in the Philippines. The parent company Vallacar Transit Company Inc. is the largest bus company in Negros. It has over 1700 units traveling in Negros, Mindanao, Cebu, and Luzon.
There are many smaller bus companies in the Provinces; most own a few tattered coaches with more body filler than sheet metal. These lumbering local run busses often stop every kilometer to pick up passengers, a slow way to get anywhere. A few operators offer modern but small coaches that look more like space ships than public transport. These small hot rod busses for lack of a better term often are rolling music venues, with huge subwoofers blaring the latest disco or hip hop mix. Bounding down the highway with reckless abandon, this is truly a multi sensory experience. This variant is not so prevalent in Negros Oriental. They do ply the routes from Cebu City south to Car Car and beyond.

Ceres liners are a class above these lower echelon rides. Well maintained coaches (by Philippine standards), some are air-conditioned and feature onboard movies. The size of the bus often will depend on the route. Sometimes their will be a small express run for students and commuters between neighboring towns such as Dumaguete and Siaton timed for local school and work schedules.
Ceres liners operate both from proprietary terminals and public ones. They also make unscheduled stops along the way, depending on whether they are an express or local run. If you are a foreigner and 6 feet tall, you will quickly realize that in the Philippines everything is downsized for the average Filipino. A Diminutive people, the average man stands about 5”4”, and the average female about 5’. The bus seats reflect this as well as the legroom. Combine this with the Philippine tendency to get as much as possible from a revenue standpoint, and you will quickly discover that the buses while large are cramped.

There is little regulation concerning public safety in the Philippines. In some ways this is a refreshing change from highly regulated and litigious societies in the West. As a traveler you have to accept the fact that you are in a foreign country and it is their rules and culture. I have never had a problem riding any public transportation here, but one needs to responsible and keep a watchful eye.

The buses have no seat belts, and the conductor will fill the seats first, and then fill the isle with passengers sitting on plastic stools. After that if there is any standing room that is used as well. Not all trips are so crowded, but if you are claustrophobic, be aware of the possibility. Ceres does not at this time sell tickets in advance. The protocol is to get to the terminal early and sit in the waiting area. There are no announcements, you will watch for your bus to arrive. In larger terminals like Cebu if you are an obvious foreigner, there will be many “volunteers” looking to help you. Be careful; never give your bags to anyone. If you have more bags that you can carry, make sure you see the porter put your bag in the lower compartment and close the door.

Once the bus arrives at the terminal, everyone just gets up and boards taking any available seat. Normally there is no problem. However, if this might be the last trip of the day on a busy run, be prepared for bumping and jostling to get a seat. On rare occasions people will storm the door before the passengers on board are even off the bus. Join the fray. No one seems to get angry, pushing your way on is normal in these instances.
After the bus is on the way the conductor will first come down the aisle and give you your ticket after asking your destination. The ticket has several columns with numbers. Some numbers will be punched. Read the ticket from left to right to determine your fare in Pesos. The conductors in my experience are honest, but in the Philippines education is inconsistent, so simple arithmetic skills vary, learn to read the ticket and count your change. That said, the money as compared to Western currency is so low, you can’t lose the bank.
Money is not collected when the ticket is issued. In typical Philippine efficiency, the conductor makes two trips up and down the aisle. If he does not have change for you right away, don’t despair, he will return later with your change.
I have met some very interesting people, and made some friends riding the Ceres Liners. As a rule you will find fellow passengers friendly and very willing to help you if you don’t understand something. The worst thing that you can do is get angry and aggressive over some issue. While this behavior is tolerated in the West, it is considered rude and insulting in the Philippines. Go with the flow, and be patient, everything here runs on “Filipino time”.

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