How Hard Is It To Find Someone in the Philippines?

While we were in Akaroa, near Christchurch, in New Zealand, we visited the French Farm Winery and met Janet Due. Janet was our host at the vineyard, telling us about the wines and talking to us while we sampled. As often happens for us, as folks know we are travelers, they find out we are on holiday, that we are traveling for a year, and they want to know all the places we have been and where we are going. Well, when we mentioned the Philippines, Janet told us that she is from Luzon, the main island. And we talked for quite a while after that, and Janet began to write down places she recommended to travel, or not travel, and tips for being safe in the city.

Near the end of our conversation, just before another couple of wine-tasters ventured inside, Janet seemed to come to a decision and wrote down further information, including a note for her family. The note asked her mother to let us stay in Janet's house in Batangas, it was a very good house, and no one lives there now. Her mother, Florencia, lives in Batangas, as well as her brother, Mario C. Due. She wrote down a phone number for Florencia. She wrote that Mario is the Barangay Chairman of Banaba South (an area of Batangas City). Finally, even leaving the other visitors waiting, she rushed to her home up the way and brought back pictures for us to give to her mother. One frame photo each of Janet's children.

That was a month ago.

We don't have phones that work as phones, so once we arrived in Manila, step one was to call Florencia. That search proved fruitless. We asked around for a payphone, looked inside malls and bus stations, and finally asked the desk attendant at our hotel if we could use her personal phone and we would pay her for her use of minutes. She tried the number, but received a recording saying the line was not connected. She tried a few more times for us, with the same results.

After Manila we traveled to Santa Rosa, in Laguna, about 45 km south of Maila, to visit Craig and MIchelle Logan. We met Michelle's sister Kevin in Nicaragua in September, and Kevin was kind enough to connect us with the Logans, who have welcomed us into their home. Craig and Michelle have even offered us the use of their van while we are in the Philippines. We had just arrived in Santa Rosa on Friday (January 9), and Craig tried calling Florencia's phone number again. Same recording.

On Saturday, Alan and I set off for Batangas, now knowing that a Barangay Chairmain is an elected official, like city councilman. So the plan was to start asking around for a Barangay Chairman, even though it was Saturday. We drove south for approximately 65 km on the expressway, and upon arriving at our first roundabout in Bantagas, saw a Barangay Hall (or office). So we justed pulled in there. Well, the office was closed for Saturdasy, but I could see that people were around the back. They saw us too, and came to see what we needed. We explained our wild goose chase to a younger man (who knew English fairly well) and and older man (who turned out to be the Barangay Chairman of whatever area we were in). They called the phone number for Florencia again, still no answer. They were telling us that we need to go to Banaba South, and we said yes, and where is that? And they said go back to the roundabout and go left.

So Alan and I were getting back in the Logan's van to continue the search, when the two gentlemen came around to the front as well, saying they would like to show us to Banaba South. So we began a car chase in Philippines traffic, not knowing what to expect.

There is a very small sign on the tree in the picture below. "M. Due Farm". There is little chance we would have spotted that on our own.

A few more turns, and we were at the Barangay Hall. Our new friend was introducing us to Mario. Then Mario was hopping on his motorbike to take us around the corner to meet his sister and her family and Florencia.  They welcomed us in, served us coffee and pastries, talked to us about our travels and had the family English tutor show us around Batangas for the afternoon. Janet's brother-in-law called his brother on the spot to show us around Baguio once we go north.

So, there you have it. How long does it take to find someone in the Philippines? Once we were in Batangas-- less than 15 minutes!