Between Shores: Boatmen's Everyday Trips
- Jonell Gregorio
- Jan 5
- 5 min read
By: Ally Zeus Valencia, Christine Cezar, John Alfred Licerio, & Kenth Luces
From the skilled boatmen maneuvering through Pagsanjan rapids to the Pambot operators in Boracay, Aklan, the boatmen have been the pillar of Philippine tourism and culture. However, their importance grew far beyond the grasp of any travel brochures.
In the noisy exchanges in New Washington Market, the role of a boatmen is grounded in essential daily commerce. Here, amidst the movement and daily runs of the market, they serve as a link for the community.
They are the navigators of local survival, responsible for transporting both the goods and the residents from another island traveling to the town center.
Between the shores of the Pinamuk-an island and Poblacion, the semi- enclosed lagoon called Tinagong Dagat serves as the corridor for loud, chugging motorized transport.
Tinagong dagat is full of fishing gear like bakoe and old tires that are being used to catch fresh seafood.
As lifelong residents of Pinamuk-an, Bill and Rolly work as dedicated bangkeros, providing the essential transport needed for moving products and local commuters.
Bill, 43, a 15-year veteran, and Rolly, 51, with one month of experience as a bangkero.
CYCLES OF DAILY SAILS
Like every market that usually starts busy at 5:00 am, they start their shifts around 4:00 am to ensure the community reaches their destination in time. This includes teachers bound for Pinamuk-an Island, students heading to their class, workers commuting to the neighboring municipalities, and residents traveling to the market for their daily needs.
But aside from those, they also deliver the essential products and supplies that are needed to run the market.
According to them, every boatman has been given the fair chance to take their turn on the route. On a good day, they can manage to take eight to ten round trips between the dock and their destinations. However, if the queue of the boats is long, they are often limited to just six trips a day.
After that constant back and forth between two shores, their long day of transporting usually end around 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
FUELING LIVELIHOOD
To Bill and Rolly, being a bangkero is not particularly expensive.
On a regular day of operations, their engines consume only 2 liters of fuel (P120), which they also regularly refill.
However, if someone wanted to rent their boat, they usually prepared 200 to 300 pesos' worth of fuel so they were fully prepared for their trips.
The real financial burden only happens when there are damages to the boat and to the engine itself.
RATES AND RENOVATION
There are also significant changes in the boat fares over the years.
According to Bill, when he was 20, the fare started at 3 pesos, eventually rising to 7, then settling at 15 pesos.
However, with the changes in the said fares, the wait for the passengers became much longer than what they expected.
To accommodate more passengers and to ensure their steady flow in the dock, they eventually decided to lower the fare to 8 pesos.
Beyond the fare changes, the dock was renovated by the former Mayor Jessica Panumba, who's also involved in the initiatives in promoting the local seafood industry.
The renovation of the dock brought new life and energy to the local boatmen. For Bill, its improvement now serves as an efficient hub for the rotations of the pump boats.
PRECAUTION DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER
During the periods of bad weather or approaching typhoons, they are always visited by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in their area to assess if the waves and swells are safe to travel.
In those rough conditions, they are always advised to allow accommodation for only 4-5 passengers at a time.
Although, Rolly and Bill admit that they have the skill to navigate during bad weather conditions, but they emphasize that it's always better to follow safety protocol from the coast guard.
"Kaya mat'a kunta purdahil bukon mabaskog ro humbak, eh hay kinahangean nga sundon ro Coast Guard."
("We could've sailed across since the swell aren't strong, but we have to follow the Coast Guard.")
Even during those kinds of situations, they have been fortunate enough to avoid any major casualties and are still hoping that everyday life will keep them from experiencing danger.
HARDSHIPS AND DIFFERENCES
Every journey is subject to a chance and the "daeagan", which is how they describe their situations.
Although they work with the same level of grit and effort, there's a difference that remains between them whenever they come home at the end of their work.
Despite the continuous trips in the sea, Rolly finds that his earnings are not often enough to cover the expenses for his family.
“Kueang ta ron. Da ta ka-tustos sa isang adlaw nga byahe. Bukon abi sarili do bangka eh; gagamit malang.”
(It’s not enough. A single day’s trip can’t cover all our needs. It’s just I don’t own this boat; I’m only renting it.)
In a day when he has the chance to sail, he earns around 200 to 250 pesos in those trips, which still depends entirely on the flow of the passengers arriving at the dock.
Bill, however, holds a different perspective on his daily income.
With his daily income of 500 pesos, he is confident that his earning is sufficient to feed his family.
“Sakto man, maskin magpanaw hay may kita man gapun ako. 3 malang kami sa baeay”
(It’s enough. Even on regular days, I still manage to earn something. Besides, there are only three of us at home)
As the prices of the basic goods continue to rise, they view their daily work on the water as their primary way to rise above the hardships of life.
ANCHORED IN HARMONY
Operating their boats and sharing the company with their fellow boatmen became their way of passing time throughout the day.
They fill the dock with laughter that resonates with the passengers and even vendors near the area. Interactions keep them occupied, making the atmosphere fun and light.
“Wa mata kami gainaway; magkasundo man kami iya tanan”
(We don’t argue; we all get along here.)
To them this work is not just a job but a tradition that is being sustained by the local community of Pinamuk-an.
POSITIVITY AND PERSEVERANCE
Maintaining a positive spirit and staying persevering matters the most for Bill and Rolly.
Rolly and Bill believe that finding joy in their work helps them get through the day.
For them, every sunrise will be a fresh start. The strong winds and even swells are just challenges they have learned to master.
They know that even though they can't control what the weather will give or sudden malfunctions they experience, they still have control over the boat and the kindness they'll offer to those who will step onto their deck.
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