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Tajao Pinamungajan, Cebu - a province where I grew up and holds a special place in my heart, filled with memories that have shaped who I am today. It is 2-3 hours away from the City and located at the Southern part of Cebu. It is a place where time moves and life is simpler. Though I have since moved on to new places, returning to this province always fills me with a sense of belonging and nostalgia, reminding me of the roots that continue to anchor me no matter where I go. Every time I visit the place, it makes me feel more excited, even though sometimes I can’t feel to visit anymore, because the person who I wanted to visit is longer to be found physically.
In this blog, I want to share with you what I call my half of my life, the place where I grew up, the place I always come back to, and the different spots I visit every time I'm there.
Aside from my relatives and cousins, the reason I always go back to this place is the view of the mountains and the fishpond, as well as the sunset at the beach, which is near our house. The fishpond is one of the main sources of income in our province, where they raise bangus (milkfish) and tilapia. In our fishpond, you can also find various types of shells, such as talaba (oysters) and tuway (clams). Additionally, mud crabs and fresh crabs can be found in the pond. That's why some of my cousins, when there is no food at home, will simply head to the fishpond to gather food, ensuring they won't go hungry.
A 5-minute walk from our house will lead you to the beautiful scenery of Bugsay Beach, a public beach resort for the people of Tajao. If you visit, I highly recommend going to Campolabo Island, where you can experience Maldives-like white sand in the middle of the sea. However, in my case, I wasn’t able to go to Campolabo because of a tight budget, and I didn’t want to go alone. It would have felt lonely without my relatives and cousins to share the experience with.
Allow me to share with you my relatives and cousins on my mother’s side. They are the ones who are always with me every time I visit Tajao, and they act as my tour guides whenever I want to explore new places. In fact, we are a large extended family, and most of my cousins are still young. I am always amazed when I see them eating, finding food, and observing how they live their lives in the province. Their way of life is so different from mine, and it's always fascinating to see how they adapt to their environment.
One time, I saw one of my cousins eating. We had a viand at that time, but he chose to put milo on his rice instead so he could eat. When I asked my Nanay if he always did that, she told me that he always preferred it that way. He didn’t want to eat other food, only milo mixed it with his rice. I was truly shocked when I learned that. See? Their way of life is so different from mine. They don't always have access to healthier food, and sometimes they can't afford canned or frozen goods, yet they are still full. My cousins are so brave to continue their life. I always reminded them to sacrifice and when they graduated they will have the best life they wanted. All I can say I am proud of them and my heart always belongs to them.
The highlight of every visit to Tajao is going to my grandmothers' graves. I have my Nanay Lilia, my mom’s mother, and my Lola Mamay, who is my mom’s father's sister. Both of them played a huge role in shaping who I am today. Aside from my parents, they were the ones who took care of me since the day I was born. They were the ones who disciplined me. My Lola Mamay was even my chaperone from kindergarten all the way through high school. They were my best friends and my guiding figures in life. Every time they visited Tajao, they always brought me along since no one else could take care of me. All my childhood memories are tied to Tajao because of them.
The scariest part of my life was when God decided to make them my angels. My Nanay Lilia passed away when I was in Grade 12, just before my graduation. My Lola Mamay passed away on her birthday, a month after the lockdown began. It shattered me into pieces, I was weak, I was depressed and even I was dull. I wanted that time to end my life just to be with them, but no. I stood for myself to be independent so that they will be proud of me from above. At that moment, I continued my life and lived for it.
This was my first time visiting Tajao with the love of my life. I had promised myself that if I ever visited Tajao again, I would introduce my boyfriend to my family so they could get to know him. And when the day came, I introduced him to them, and I felt so happy. Even though Nanay Lilia and Lola Mamay never had the chance to meet him, my cousins and relatives were very welcoming and happy to embrace him as part of our lives. This is indeed a remarkable day, as it is also the first time I’ve brought someone who is close to my heart to the place that has had such a huge impact on who I am today.
It feels like I am home, a home within myself and a home in this place full of memories and experiences. If the time comes when I have to choose between my city life and my provincial life, I would choose the provincial life. Why? Because life in the province is simple, quiet, and peaceful. It's good for my mental health, and it heals me in ways that go beyond childhood.
A provincial life wouldn't be complete without these traditional dishes. Every time my family visits Tajao, they always prepare tinabal, afritadang kambing, and adobong atay. One of my favorites is the tinabal since I don’t eat goat or any exotic dish. Tinabal is milkfish seasoned with a lot of salt, washed with water, and then dried under the sun. In short, it's like dried fish, but prepared in a slightly different way. They also prepared tinolang bangus and pritong tilapia which are my favorites too. I always forget my diet every time I visit Tajao.
When I think back on my childhood in the province, I see how much it influenced who I am now. I get grounded by the simplicity of regional life. It is a quiet, serene life that is closely linked to nature and proceeds at its own speed. I gained an appreciation for community, hard working, and the beauty of the little things while growing up here. My region was always a place of comfort and belonging, whether it was waking up to the sound of roosters crowing, strolling barefoot over dirt roads, or taking in the sunset over the sea and mountains. But my regional life is defined by more than simply the slower pace and the natural beauty. It's the people, the way my neighbors, cousins, and relatives get together, always willing to lend a hand, share a meal, or just say "hello." I find it difficult to understand the lessons my grandparents in particular taught me: how to love without expecting anything in return, how to be resilient, and how to appreciate the small things in life. Despite their physical absence, their impact continues to shape my decisions to this day.
In the province, you feel a strong bond with the people who share your environment, as well as with the land and its seasons. I have a hard time finding a connection like that anywhere. The tug of my roots is still strong even though I've relocated to the city and experienced life outside of my hometown. It's where I feel most like myself, where I find calm, and where I can always go to refuel. Even if provincial life is more straightforward, it gives a depth that is difficult to find in the hectic, disjointed world of the metropolis. Here, surrounded by rice fields, mountains, and the sea, I am reminded of my identity and origins.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and connect with my thoughts today. I’m excited to continue sharing my journey with you, and I hope you found something here that resonated or sparked an idea. This blog is a space for growth, inspiration, and conversation, and I’d love to hear your thoughts, feedback, or experiences in the comments. Feel free to share if something stood out to you. Here’s to many more stories, lessons, and moments of connection ahead! See you in the next post!