Ternate: the other side of Cavite

Si no sabe mira donde a vine

No di yega donde quiere inda.

—Ternateño Chabacano Proverb—

And that's why we're back, and this time with the whole Alas caboodle!

The last time we were in Ternate was almost three years ago. But there were only three of us: me, Yeyette, and Krystal. Our main purpose during our first trip to Ternate was to document the town: its parish church, ancestral houses (we saw only one and it didn't even look that ancient), and its Chabacano-speaking populace (there were quite a lot of them!). But last February 16, all of us including our three boys journeyed to Ternate, this time for a beach escapade! It's because Yeyette's cough did not dissipate when we went to Manila Bay a week before. She was hoping that a gulp of fresh sea breeze would clear her lungs. But there was no breeze at all because of the unwanted easterlies. That's why she thought of visiting the sea once more. This time around, we really had to be in a beach somewhere near our home. We checked the map and decided to go to Puerto Azul. Yeyette had really wanted a cool gust of sea air (it has this "placebo effect" on her somehow), so me and the kids had no other choice but to comply. Not that we were complaining, hehehe! Life's a beach, lest you forget! Especially for kids! And to paraphrase Pinay Travel Junkie, it's summer when we say so. =)

We left San Pedro Tunasán very early, before 4 AM, because Yeyette was really after the early morning breeze from the sea. We were supposed to take a much shorter route, via General Mariano Álvarez and Dasmariñas (Caviteño towns that are just beside La Laguna). Unfortunately, there were still no jeepneys plying that route on that hour. So we had to drag our still sleepy selves all the way to Parañaque's Southwest Integrated Provincial Transport Terminal (in Uniwide Coastal Mall) for a bus ride going straight to Ternate.

Welcoming ourselves back to Ternate! The Chabacano message on the arch means "We welcome all of you wholeheartedly".

We arrived just a few minutes past six in the morning, dropping off at the junction of Calle Ventura (which leads to the town proper) and Governor's Drive beside a pasture . It was a freezing morning! The people were wearing sweaters and jackets when we got there. We asked around on how to get to Puerto Azul. We were dismayed to learn from the tricycle drivers stationed there that Puerto Azul's management does not allow them entry (why, Puerto Azul?). We just asked to be brought only to the entrance, and we'll take it from there. But they warned us that it's gonna be a long walk from the entrance to the beach proper. So they offered us another alternative: Marine Barracks Gregorio Lim, popularly known as Marine Base, in faraway Barrio Calumpang.

I'm familiar with the place, the Wikimapia aficionado that I am. Judging from the online satellite imagery, the white sands seemed enticing enough especially for beach lovers like Yeyette. However, I wasn't really sure if people are allowed to come in. But the tricycle drivers reassured us that they've been bringing tourists there all the time. When we finally agreed, they charged the six of us for ₱300, double that for a two-way trip. Yeyette was able to bargain for a ₱50-peso discount. Later on, we realized that the fare was fair: our destination was so far that for a brief moment during the trip, I wondered if we were still in Ternate.

Yeyette and the boys packed the trike's sidecar while me and Krystal were seated behind the driver. The trike ride sliced through a smooth paved road which zigzagged through steep and high ravines and swished through thick forests. We were rewarded with a breathtaking view of Cavite's rural sceneries as well as its last remaining forest cover (the long and winding road we trekked upon was actually at the foot of the Pálay-Pálay National Park where the famous Pico de Loro mountain is situated). The relaxing trip to the marine base was coupled with a chilly morning air that we've been craving for in Manila Bay. But it got too cold it already hurt our feet (me and Krystal were wearing only sandals). I guess we got more than what we've bargained for!

We love roads like this! This lovely  highway leads to the marine base and passes by the entrance to Puerto Azul. It ends at Caylabne Bay Resort (we heard that it's undergoing renovation). We have seen no other road like this even in our adopted home province of La Laguna because there are long stretches of it without any roadside houses nor stalls which are typical nowadays in many provincial roads.

At the entrance to the marine base. My boys are ready for battle... beach battle that is!

The fine white sands of Katungkulan Beach Resort, the formal name given by the marines to their Borácay-like sanctuary (if they consider it as such).

Juanito, Jefe, and Momay enjoying the shallow waters.

After swimming, we visited the newly opened Kaybiang Tunnel, a 300-meter underground tunnel which connects Ternate to Nasugbú, Batangas.

By the way, a brief backgrounder about Ternate and its linguistic heritage: just in case one says that the whole province of Cavite is purely a Tagalog-speaking region, he should rethink this. To the northeast of the province, there’s Ciudad de Cavite with its senior citizens speaking Cavitén (a Chabacano variant). And at the southwesternmost tip of Cavite province lies this quaint fishing town called Ternate. But this is no ordinary town; like Ciudad de Cavite up north, this place is frequented by linguists, polyglots, and Hispanists because of the townsfolk language: Chabacano. But the Chabacano spoken in Ternate is different from its Cavitén counterpart. According to Dr. Evangelino Nigoza, the town’s historian and foremost defender of the language, Ternateños call their native tongue “Bahra”. The linguistic structure of Bahra is “another world” of its own. And in my opinion, it is rather more difficult for a Spanish-speaker to understand because Bahra is somehow influenced by the Portuguese language aside from the fact that Ternateños tend to speak it so fast (they seem to tweedle when they do so).

But why Portuguese? It is because Ternateños are actually the descendants of Malays from Ternate Island in the Moluccas archipelago. These islands were formally possessions of Portugal. The first Ternateños were brought to the Philippines by the Spaniards in 1663. These Malay recruits were called Mardicas or “men of the sea”.

There were two reasons why the Mardicas chose to leave Ternate Island: the island was highly volcanic, and; to help defend Manila from Chinese pirate Koxinga. Fortunately for Governor-General Sabiniano Manrique de Lara (who ruled the Philippines during those panic-stricken times), Koxinga fell ill and died. But the Mardicas never returned to their native land due to the place’s severe volcanic activity. Instead, they were given a spot in Bagumbayan (now Rizal Park) in Ermita, Manila.

It is perhaps during their brief stay in Bagumbayan that their language was further developed, for the people surrounding their little barrio, the Ermiteños, spoke Chabacano Ermiteño, Spanish, and Tagalog. However, frequent squabbles with the Ermiteños forced the Spanish authorities to move the Mardicas people to another place. Bahra de Maragondón (now Maragondón) in Cavite was chosen for them since the place was frequently attacked by Moro pirates. Anyway, it was agreed earlier that they were to help fight Koxinga in Manila. But since that never materialized, it was decided that their military services should still be used, but somewhere else.

In Bahra de Maragondón, the Mardicas settled at the mouth of the Maragondón River. But it was a swampy area filled with mangrove trees. These were cleared through the years, prompting them to till the soil. So aside from fishing, the early Mardicas were also farmers. They also intermarried with the natives of neighboring villages. They also built a watchtower which they called Mira — maybe that’s how they call a watchtower because in Spanish, the word "mira" is the present indicative (third person) or present imperative (second person) of the verb mirar meaning “to watch”.

In due time, the spot where they cleared away mangrove trees became the foundation of present-day Ternate. Also, they renamed their new home: from Bahra de Maragondón to Ternate, in memory of their former home in the faraway archipelago of Moluccas.

During the Spanish times, Ternate was just a barrio of Maragondón. Many years later, it became a separate town. In 1904, however, during the American occupation, Ternate was attached to the town of Náic. It became a separate town again in 1914.

Iglesia del Santo Niño de Ternate. It no longer has its original features. Ask World War II why.

Peaceful coexistence. The parish church is just perpendicular to the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI). But I hope that the IFI will soon come home to the Catholic fold because we are no longer at war against Spain. That's the only reason why they separated from the Catholic Church to begin with. So now, there is really no more valid reason why they should remain "independent"... I'm sorry, I almost forgot that this is a travel blog.

Small world! That guy with the cap immediately recognized us upon our arrival. Turns out that he's the same candle vendor in front of Lumbán Church whom we saw last month (find his photo here)! Yeyette asked if the lady beside her is his mom. The lady politely replied that she's the wife! I promptly left after taking this photo.

It is said that Ternate survived various turmoils in the history of Cavite: the Tagalog rebellion of the Katipuneros as well as the invasion of both Yankee and Jap. But it barely survived the American retaking of the Philippines, and that was during the closing days of World War II. Only seven homes survived.

Oddly enough, the original Mardicas families who transferred from Ternate Island, Moluccas, Indonesia to the Philippines were also numbered seven. These families are:

1.) De la Cruz

2.) De León

3.) Estéibar

4.) Nigoza

5.) Niñofranco

6.) Pereira

7.) Ramos

Their descendants still live today. And surprisingly, they all know the history of their ancestors! Glad to know that the people here are history conscious.

Momay and Jefe at the entrance to Barrio San José (right beside the public market) where most Chabacano speakers of Ternate reside. But we did not go here anymore because Yeyette was already tired.

We did not tour the town proper anymore like we did the first time we were there. We just killed time in front of the public market before going home, chatting with some Chabacano ladies (using Spanish) while feasting on halo-haló. This, my friends, is the other side of Cavite. Beautifully strange.

Click here for more photos of our Ternate adventure!

♥L♥A♥F♥A♥M♥I♥L♥I♥A♥V♥I♥A♥J♥E♥R♥A♥

Up next: Ternate's humble beach paradise called "Borácay de Cavite"!