My Libjo Dreaming

If I can afford one of these days I will be coming home to this place and I will build my home right to this beautiful warm clear blue water. One of these days I will just spend most of my time fishing, relaxing, strolling and throwing stones by the beach (sagaysay pila ka bugsay)...

Is it a promise? Yes it is. It is similar to the terminator's "I'll be back" or McArthur's "I shall return" promise. When will this be? No one knows for sure. It just depends on what’s written on my next fortune cookie.

Who's with me? Sharing your dream?

News: Dinagat Island Road Network

Dinagat Island Road Network is included in the P29.1 billion three-year budget for Mindanao infra project.

The government will need P29 billion to realize its ambitious super region concept in Mindanao for the next three years, according to Presidential Adviser for Mindanao Jesus Dureza.

Dureza said these infrastructure development projects would "propel the competitiveness of the island battered by decades-old secessionist problems."

"The super region strategy will play a key role in ensuring that despite the pervading issues and challenges, efforts to address Mindanao's development imperatives are accelerated," the presidential adviser said.

Full story here.

Name Day Celebration

How did you get your first name? (My school assignment)

Hello! My name is Shalamath. Shalamath is from the Filipino word "salamat" meaning thank you. I was misdiagnose in triple test when I was still on my moms tummy. I'm positive for Down syndrome. The doctors said to my dad I had an open skull.
My mom was very upset and was crying all weekend long when they learned that. And when they went back to the clinic Monday the next week to talk to the doctor the nurse just told them there have been a mistake on the laboratory work. And they were just sorry. My mommy really doesn’t want me taken out by the doctors. She loves me very much. Even if I will have an open skull. They want to keep me still.
The time I was born, my parents were really happy. I’m normal and healthy baby boy.
And that is why they call me Shalamath (thank you).
Both of my parents came from the Philippines. From an island called Dinagat and
town called Libjo. Both of them still speak Filipino I'm not. I was born in Atlanta Georgia. I came from the South and I'm a Filipino-American.

My brother is Allahmath and my dads name is Ahguimath we all have "math" in all our names. My dad told me, its because your grandfather loves mathematics.

That's my story. How about you? Can you tell me yours?

The Battle of Surigao Strait

Halsey was right in one respect; the battleship would have her day – or, perhaps, her night. For sailing eastwards towards Surigao Strait on the night of the 24th was Vice Admiral Shoji Nishimura, and the battleships Fuso and Yamashiro. Accompanying them would be the heavy cruiser Mogami, the destroyers Shigure, Michishio, Asagumo and Yamagumo. Following close behind would be a second force sailing from Japan under the command of Vice Admiral Kiyohide Shima. This second force would consist of two heavy cruisers, one light cruiser, and four destroyers. Unfortunately for Nishimura and Shima, the Americans would be perfectly deployed and anxiously waiting for all of the Japanese ships to sail into their trap.

Surigao Strait (24-25 October 1944). The old U.S. battleships Mississippi, West Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, California and Pennsylvania (all but the first veterans of Pearl Harbor), supported by numerous smaller warships, ambushed a Japanese force including the old battleships Fuso and Yamashiro, which were annihilated in an action so one-sided that Pennsylvania never got to fire. This was the last time battleships ever fired on each other.

Full story here. Please click on pictures to enlarge.

News: PACAP launches Gaas Inlet Project in Libjo

Surigao del Norte (Apr 26, 2006) - Another PACAP-funded development initiative dubbed as Gaas Inlet Coastal Resource Management Project (GICRMP) was launched just recently at Brgy. Llamera, Libjo, Surigao del Norte. Major stakeholders of GICRMP were at full attendance in a ceremonial turned-over by Philippine-Australian Community Assistance Project (PACAP) Program Director David Swete Kelly and other PACAP Officials together with the Provincial Planning Development Officer Arturo Cruje, members of the Dinagat Island Development Alliance (DISDEV) FOCAS Management Committee and representatives from BFAR, MGB, EMB, and DAR, Local Chief Executives of the three municipalities of Libjo, Cagdianao and Basilisa and members of the coastal communities.

Habitat degradation in the inlet coupled with the community’s desire to combat poverty prompted the LGUs of Basilisa, Cagdianao and Libjo to form an alliance whose governance shall lead the full development and management of the inlet’s coastal resources. Furthermore, this 3-year project aims to unify efforts to regain the inlet’s sustainable levels of productivity while empowering the LGUs, coastal communities and organized groups in the effective and efficient management of the inlet thru institutional development and partnership-building, rehabilitation and protection of the coastal environment, and livelihood support packages for the coastal communities.

Just about ten months after the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between the Provincial Government of Surigao del Norte and PACAP, numerous project proposals were already funded. PACAP is a bilateral program for the support of community-initiated, economically sustainable, ecologically sound, and gender sensitive development efforts. (Fryan E. Abkilan, PIA Surigao del Norte)

Dive Information Detail in Libjo Dinagat Island

Deepest Experience: 35 m.
General Remarks: Fabulous beautiful place on the west goast of Dinagat Island. Mushroom rocks coming out of the sea, great channels between in.

Type of Bottom: Lots of coral growth, especially inside the bays. Outside in violent currents bare rock with sparse corals.
Marinelife: Inside the bays poor in small life, good for fishes mainly but not large fishes: all fished.
Visibility: Very clear water, 25 m +
Currents: Outside sheltered area very violent. Washing machine.
Level: Inside the bays for beginners and recreational diving very perfect, especially when no currents at all. Outside the bays only for professional divers. Drift dive experience needed.

http://www.poppe-images.com/expedition/search_results.php?diveid=539&max=22

Province of Dinagat Island

Here's some of my hightlights from H. No. 884
You can download a copy of the charter Here

AN ACT CREATING THE PROVINCE OF DINAGAT ISLAND
Charter of the Province of Dinagat Island.”

Province of Dinagat Island consisting of the municipalities of Basilisa, Cagdianao,
Dinagat, Libjo (Albor), Loreto, San Jose and Tubajon with the following
boundaries:

Bounded on the North, starting from the desolation po 1 int is Surigao Strait;
on the East by the Philippine Sea; on the South-East by Dinagat sound; on the
South by Gaboc Channel and Nonoc Island; on the South-West by Awasan Bay,
Hanigad Island and Hikdop Island; and on the West by Surigao Strait.

Capital Town and Seat of Government. – The capital town and
seat of government of the new Province of Dinagat Island shall be the Municipality
of San Jose.

Residence and Office. – During the incumbency of the governor,
he shall have his official residence and office in the designated capital of the
province. All elective and appointive provincial officials shall hold office in the
provincial capital: Provided, That upon the resolution of the sangguniang
panlalawigan, elective and appointive provincial officials may hold office in any
component city or municipality within the province for a period of not more than
seven days for any given month.

Disqualifications. – The following persons are not qualified from
running for any elective position in the province:
-Those with dual citizenship;
-Permanent residents in a foreign country or those who have acquired
the right to reside abroad and continue to avail of the same right after the effectivity
of the Local Government Code of 1991

Continued discussion at Creation of the New Province?

Libjo seaport code - PHLIB

Libjo Bay and Libjo port in particular is listed as one of seaport for United Nations. UN/LOCODE otherwise called as United Nations Code for Trade and Transport Locations. Libjo was assigned code of PHLIB. It is also posted at IATA port code - International Air Transport Association. http://www.photius.com/seaports

Libjo's Pig-ot Hideaway

One of our destination and pride is Libjo's Pig-ot Hideaway.

Included in one of Surigao del Norte tourism attraction it was describe as...
A cluster of islets connected by wooden boardwalks. The clear blue water hold nature’s gifts for the adventurous traveler to unravel. A paradise hidden from the turmoil of urban living. Simply heaven on earth.

Aside from rates that are considered expensive and unaffordable for local guests now this facility also need some reconstruction.
Melvin Llamera a Libjo native and a former US Navy Officer founded pig-ot Hideaway.