Byahe Amorsola

♫

Ang Bayan ng Baras
ay bayan kong minamahal..
ang aking buhay, ang buo kong lakas
sa kaniya'y aking laan..
ang kanyang kapaligiran..
ay gandang kaloob ng Maykapal
mga bundok, ilog, lawa at bukirin
pang-aliw sa puso't damdamin....

Twenty four years ago...
I am used to sing this song either during our flag ceremony or flag retreat..that's what i cannot remember anymore, for I know that during flag retreats we sing the "Ang Pilipinas Kong Mahal".
So many years had past but I'm glad I still know the lyrics and how to sing it..well, I admit it I missed the last line of the song haha! Good that my Nanay is a government employee in our municipality so I asked her the missing word before "sa puso't damdamin".

Baras, Rizal - a small town in Rizal that consists 10 baranggays that follows:

1. Evangelista
-Covered Courts, Car Wash
2. Rizal
- National Road, Baras Bridge, Public Market, Police Station, Municipal Hall, Gasoline Station
Grocery Stores
3. San Jose
- Bakeries
4. San Salvador
5. Santiago
-Santiago Elementary School
-Private Resort
6. Concepcion
-Iglesia Ni Cristo Church, Baras Elementary School
7. San Juan
-Roman Catholic Church, St. Joseph Parish School Old Baras Rural Bank (closed)
8. San Miguel
9. Mabini
- Baras Hospital, Barber Shop
10. Pinugay
-Philippine Sattelite, Formost Farms, Inc.

Even it is a small town, we have numbers of private resorts that will cater your needs during summer.
They are the following:

1. Punta de Fabian
2. Wells Resort
3. D'One Resort and Restaurant - formerly known as Patadyang (the old training venue of Sikaran)
4. Palo Alto Leisure Farm and Resort
5. Vermas Resort - to check if still operating
6. Solemn Resort - to check if still operating

Aside from resorts, there are few private pools/venues offering their facilities and services. You just have to book or advise at least two (2) weeks before your event/gathering unless it's peak season.

Other means of living is thru farming and fishing. Others were businessmen and do office works in Manila, Makati, Quezon City, Marikina and other nearby towns.

Our town was also known as the Home of Sikaran. It was founded by Cipriano Geronimo, father of Former Mayor Meliton C. Geronimo Sr. who is currently supervising the management of his brother Chief Instructor Jaime C. Geronimo and later on transferred the management to Master Meliton's son, Meliton Geronimo, Jr.

I became fond of this sports when I was 19 years old. Maybe it runs in the blood as what they say... When I was younger, my father tell us stories about him and my grandfather playing Karate and Arnis. Then it made me decide to pursue this field. I am a big fan of Jackie Chan (so sad he doesn't have any movie this year) so I regularly attend the training sessions every night at Patadyang (todays D'One Resort) but I stopped when I got a job in Makati after college. I attended some sessions after that and took the test for promotion. After promotion, I stopped again due to busy work schedule but at least I am happy that I earned the rank in this sports that I really love. Being in a group of people under extreme sports, I may say that you really need to work hard on what you really want to become. Yes, "No Pain, No Gain" is true. I Love All Art so as with Martial Arts. Now, I'm planning to have a come back, feels like a movie star hahaha! But first thing, I really have to prepare my mind and body to move into the next level of my sports.

To share you the stuffs that reminds me of my dreams wherever I go...even years ago..here they are:

The Samurai Girl, I bought this book at National Bookstore Makati, still trying to look for the other books but I guess I'll be unfortunate to make it.

The Karate Kid Part II was bought from Book Sale.

The pocket book of Best of Martial Arts was given by a friend who is also into this field. I'm still locating my other book which shows different type of "katas".

Aside from these books, I bought a kamagong Arnis in Baguio but don't want to use it :)

To complete this stuffs, kindly see our official uniform in Sikaran.

White Camisa or Kimono
Red Patadyong
Belt according to your rank
-Plain White Belt
-First Class White Belt
-Plain Black Belt
-Black with Degree
-Red Belt

World Sikaran-Arnis Brotherhood of the Philippines

Here are some photos from the past up to the present members of the organization:

Tournaments are held every year in Baras, Rizal. In this photo, you will see two players that are being prepared for the fight. During the early years, the game was combative and has no protective gears, but due to requirements especially by schools, we are using head gears and body vest for a safer game.

These are the set of judges during the tournament.

Black belts and Instructors are responsible to attend regular training / meeting every Sunday to update

the "Kata" and Lessons to be taught to their students.

This is the Inauguration of our new Municipal Hall near our Gymnasium.

In this area, you can see The Sikaran Shrine.

World Sikaran is not only local, as the name suggests it is also known in different parts of the country as well as overseas. We have chapters in GMA Cavite, Riyadh, Albay and etc.

My only remembrance photo with my batchmates...

So faaaarrr, so good :) This was taken at Roxas Boulevard, Manila after a break from our

Exhibition Performance in Intramuros for the Wow Philippines Campaign

During the Annual Sikaran Festival, government employees participates in the event thru parades and other arrangements for the said event.

The event takes place at the Baras Gymnasium

Arnis Exhibition with her instructor

Chillin' before the serious game starts

For interested individuals, you may also contact our municipality thru the Tourism Office to get full information about World Sikaran.

Aside from this sports, our town is also known as the First Organic Town of the Philippines.

Being a member and daughter of one of the active officers, we are planting vegetable thru organic farming system. This is to promote the organic farming not only to our nearby towns but especially to our own town people. We have the following vegetables which are organically grown:

For inquiries, photos, comments and suggestions about sikaran, organic farming or orders of vegetables, you can simply post your comment or send me a message so as to attend to your needs/requirements.

Thank you for reading this article :)

On August 19, 2013, Monday, it will be Quezon City and Quezon Province Day. So I guess, I must be thinking of where to go during the holiday. Since it will be a long off from work, I grabbed the opportunity of the long weekend to attend my friend’s house blessing in Padre Burgos, Quezon.

Coming from Rizal province, specifically from the town of Baras, it will be a long travel if I will consider commuting from Baras to Crossing-EDSA, then take a bus from the terminals either in Pasay City or Cubao. Since Rizal is a nearby province of Laguna and Quezon, I decided to take the road less travelled. It is the route of Baras-Tanay, Tanay-Siniloan, Siniloan-Sta.Cruz (Pagsanjan), then

Sta. Cruz-Lucena Grand Terminal to Padre Burgos, Quezon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padre_Burgos,_Quezon). More towns to pass by but I know I will learn what these towns have even just at a glance.

We all know that travelling without any map or guide is quite uneasy but exciting especially when you will do rerouting. Usual travel through commute is expected to be precise and travel time can be estimated easily. To help our dear travellers, kindly see list terminals and fares for your reference:

From To Transportation Terminal Fare

Left Baras,Rizal at 9:00am
Baras, Rizal Tanay Jeepney jeepneys-on-the-road Php 8.00
Tanay, Rizal Mabitac/Siniloan Jeepney Tanay Public Market Php 44.00
Siniloan Sta.Cruz-Pagsanjan Jeepney Siniloan Terminal Php 30.00
Sta.Cruz Lucena GT Flat Nose Jumbo Jeep Sta. Cruz Php 60.00
Lucena GT Unisan/P.Burgos Van Lucena GT Php 60.00
Reached Padre Burgos, Quezon at 2:00 in the afternoon

From Baras to Tanay, travel thru jeepneys will only take 10-15 minutes, but upon reaching the terminal in Tanay Public Market, you have to wait for other passengers to load the jeepney and be ready for your trip. For the meantime, I am unable to advise their time of first trip from Tanay to Siniloan, but if you are going to take the same route going back to Rizal, the last trip from Siniloan to Tanay is at 6pm - 7pm, but taking 6pm is highly recommended.

During our travel, I have enjoyed the scenery starting from Pililla, Rizal up to the towns of Laguna. The scenery and fresh air is very appealing and best compared to my previous Manila-Quezon travel route.

You will see fruit stands along the way which sells fresh picked fruits direct from their plantations. For traveller's or either commuters, our friend told us that you may ask the driver to make a short stop-over for you to buy some fruits or pasalubong.

During our travel along Mabitac to Siniloan, I have seen a Volkswagen Beetle, one of my favorite rides, mine is a White Beetle named Nikee.

See the following landmarks/photos that may turn out to be your guide during your travel:

Church in Paete, Laguna

Upon reaching Sta.Cruz/Pagsanjan Terminal, the only means of transportation going to Lucban and Lucena (Lucena Grand Terminal) is the so called Flat Nose Jumbo Jeep.

My Adventure Partner...My Brother (a.k.a. Diko)

You will also pass by the Southern Luzon State University, then you already have a hint that Lucban,Quezon is already near...

From Lucena Grand Terminal, you will take a van route UNISAN to reach Padre Burgos. Usual travel time is around 45mins-1hour depending on the weather.

Below is a part of the Private Resort named The Tamarind Tree. To get there, drop off point is at P.Burgos Arc or at the known White House along the road. It is just a 5-10minute walk to get into The Tamarind Tree. If you want to ride on a tricycle, just advise them to send you to Tagalog area (The Area of the newly blessed house near a Chapel).