Exploring South Cotabato’s Hidden Treasures (Full Episode) | Biyahe ni Drew
Aired (September 29, 2024): Join Biyahero Drew as he discovers the hidden gems of South Cotabato!
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00:00When people say South Cotabato, they immediately think of Magulo.
00:06Some people think that this place is not safe for travelers.
00:10But you're wrong, Rian Vieiros.
00:13It's really beautiful.
00:14It's beautiful when you wake up in the morning.
00:16It's so cold.
00:17It's so cold. It's so beautiful.
00:19You can think of beautiful things.
00:21Recharge.
00:23What most people don't know,
00:25this province is hashtag blessed.
00:27Here in Lake Olong, you can unwind.
00:30Reset your city life.
00:32To relieve stress.
00:33Nature at it's finest.
00:35This place is so beautiful.
00:36It's so tranquil.
00:37Blessed with a lot of fruits.
00:40Blessed with a beautiful view.
00:48And blessed with a chance to find love here.
00:54Next, we'll visit a province that is blessed with nature.
01:00South Cotabato.
01:06It's considered a feast for the farmers.
01:09Here in South Cotabato, it became an instant blessing for the people of Madla.
01:13It's delicious to eat.
01:14If you're hungry, you can eat.
01:15If you want to increase your income, you can pay with UPOM.
01:18Let's go to the locals here.
01:20What will they buy?
01:22Rice or glass?
01:24Sister, what will you buy?
01:26Rice or glass?
01:28Glass.
01:29Glass?
01:30Why glass?
01:31Because it's delicious.
01:32Brother, I'm sorry.
01:33It's up to you.
01:34Rice or glass?
01:36Glass.
01:37Glass?
01:38Why?
01:39He's used to it since he was a kid.
01:40He's still used to it.
01:41Are you curious about what's inside the glass?
01:44Here it is.
01:46Why do people choose glass
01:49and not rice?
01:53What's inside the glass?
01:55The glass is delicious.
01:58The glass.
01:59What do you call this?
02:00A pan.
02:01A pan.
02:02So you cook the glass?
02:05My mother.
02:06Your mother.
02:07How much is one glass?
02:0950 pesos per glass.
02:10So it's equivalent to...
02:13Yes.
02:15You heard that right, Vieros.
02:17The weight of a kilo of rice is equivalent to a glass of apan or tipaclong.
02:22Tipaclong again, huh?
02:25Catching apan is like treasure hunting.
02:28Wait for it to darken
02:30using the plastic glass and flashlight that's placed on the head.
02:34You need meticulous hands and sharp eyes.
02:38This is how you catch it.
02:40It's jumping.
02:42Then we'll put it in the container.
02:46It's a small pan.
02:48There's no...
02:50There's no lid.
02:52There are more apans when it rains.
02:55And the harder it is to catch,
02:57the harder it is to catch when the moon is round.
03:00The more apan you catch,
03:02the harder it is to catch.
03:04The harder it is to catch when the moon is round.
03:08So what happens when there's a moon?
03:11It flies, right?
03:14If I were you,
03:15I'd just buy it.
03:19So you catch it in the field.
03:22There's a catcher.
03:23There's a catcher.
03:24Then we sell it.
03:26Pesos per pan.
03:28It's empty.
03:29Is it dead or still alive?
03:31It's still alive.
03:32When I put it in the freezer,
03:34it's still sleeping.
03:36When the cold is gone...
03:38It's still alive?
03:39It's still alive.
03:40Oh, my God.
03:42Cryogenics.
03:44That's it.
03:45That's great.
03:46So this is where they sleep?
03:48Yes.
03:49In other places,
03:50chicharon or mani is what they eat on the trip.
03:52Here in Polomolok,
03:53fried apan is what chicha is made of.
03:57When you go to the pool,
03:58this is what you're used to.
04:00You're used to eating apan.
04:03How does it taste?
04:04It's good.
04:05It's like chicharron.
04:07It's like chicharron?
04:09Can I...
04:13You eat everything?
04:14Yes.
04:22It's just like chicharron.
04:25You forgot.
04:26There's chili.
04:27There's chili.
04:29I feel like I'm going to throw up.
04:32Are there different sizes of this apan?
04:35Is there a small one and a big one?
04:37It's a mix.
04:39Because there's a long one and a short one.
04:43It's good.
04:44The old curse for farmers
04:46has become a blessing
04:48because the locals are now able to earn from it.
04:52What else is helping you
04:54from the apan?
04:56To increase my income.
04:58Okay.
04:59To pay my debts.
05:01To pay your debts, okay.
05:02And to eat everyday.
05:04In 1998,
05:05the sale of apan in the area started.
05:07And Ate Beth
05:08was one of the first to see its potential.
05:10I said,
05:11let's bring it to the highway.
05:12Let's try to sell it there.
05:14In three hours,
05:15I was able to buy two baskets of mangoes
05:18for us to eat.
05:20Then,
05:21after three days,
05:24I said,
05:25let's try to cook
05:26and sell it here on the highway.
05:28Maybe,
05:29it'll be a hit.
05:30I cooked
05:31until a lot of apans were sold on the highway.
05:35After eating a lot of insects,
05:37we're now here at Unli Frutas.
05:39This highway is heaven for fruit lovers
05:41that can be found at the foot of Mount Matutum
05:44in the town of Tupi.
05:46How come
05:47there are so many fruit shops here?
05:49No wonder
05:50the town of Tupi
05:51is considered
05:52the fruit basket of South Cotabato.
05:54The cars
05:55just stop at the gate
05:56to buy.
05:57Drive-thru of Frutas Yarn.
06:00I think I can eat for 50 pesos.
06:10I think I can eat for 50 pesos.
06:13We have free taste.
06:15What?
06:16You have free taste?
06:19What does it mean?
06:24For sure,
06:25it's sweet.
06:26They have free taste here.
06:28What's the sweetest fruit?
06:32Sir,
06:33the season of our frutas
06:35is Laxoles.
06:40Sir, that's big.
06:49It's sweet.
06:51No, that's how I look,
06:52but it's really sweet.
06:54We'll eat at the next stall.
06:56Try this.
06:58At this stall,
06:59Mangosteen is very popular.
07:01It's in season in this area.
07:04You know what I haven't tried yet?
07:06In my life.
07:07What?
07:08I haven't tried Mangosteen.
07:09Ah, okay.
07:10Does it have free taste?
07:12They also have it here.
07:14So, 35 pesos per kilo?
07:16Yes.
07:17Okay.
07:18How do you open it?
07:19Like this.
07:21And this is what you eat?
07:22Yes.
07:25It's embarrassing to say
07:26that it's my first time eating Mangosteen.
07:29It has a sour taste.
07:32Sir, when it's freshly harvested.
07:34Can I taste something sweeter?
07:38Although,
07:39I feel like it's already sour and sweet.
07:42I don't have a base for comparison.
07:44Let's try this.
07:45Okay.
07:47Mmm.
07:48Mmm.
07:49Mmm.
07:50Mmm.
07:51Mmm.
07:52Mmm.
07:53Mmm.
07:57So, you eat the outside,
07:59then the seeds.
08:00You throw it away.
08:01There.
08:02I tasted the sweetness.
08:04Oh my God.
08:06This Mangosteen is good.
08:08Aside from Mangosteen,
08:09there are also many pineapples in South Cotabato.
08:11In fact,
08:12you can find one of the biggest pineapple plantations in the world here.
08:17Let's try it.
08:28It's sour.
08:38How much is your pineapple?
08:39We have four pieces.
08:42One hundred small size.
08:43Small size.
08:44We also have medium size.
08:46250 pesos.
08:47200 pesos.
08:48It depends on how lucky you are.
08:50Which one do you like the most?
08:52The top pineapple variant.
08:55The one you know is the sweetest.
08:57It's MG3.
08:58Oh, it's really MG3.
08:59Mmm.
09:15I woke up there.
09:18There are many pineapples here.
09:20It's basic to peel pineapples in the local area.
09:22They do it in just one minute.
09:26Just like AJ and Shane
09:28who have been selling fruits here in the fruit park for a long time.
09:31Today,
09:32we will challenge them to peel pineapples faster.
09:35Come on.
09:36Show me who you are.
09:37You know, Biharam,
09:38I heard
09:39that here
09:40in this part of South Cotabato,
09:44it's the fastest to peel pineapples.
09:46AJ and Shane will do it faster.
09:49Ready?
09:503, 2, 1, go.
09:59Wow.
10:05AJ has a good pacing.
10:09He's at the bottom first
10:10and then they chop it into smaller pieces.
10:18In the battle to peel pineapples faster,
10:20the winner is
10:22AJ, 39 seconds.
10:24Shane, 48 seconds.
10:26Yeah!
10:29Now, sir,
10:30we will challenge you to peel pineapples.
10:33Like that?
10:35Okay.
10:36I will be the one to peel the pineapples.
10:39All eyes on me.
10:57One minute and seven seconds.
11:14That's too long.
11:15One minute and seven seconds?
11:16I'm sorry,
11:17but I will explain.
11:20Sometimes,
11:21there are customers
11:22who want it big.
11:24Sometimes,
11:25there are customers
11:26who want it small
11:27so that they can see the...
11:32Sis,
11:33it looks like I'm going to eat a lot of pineapples.
11:36Aside from the free taste here,
11:38during festivals and special occasions,
11:41they have eat-all-you-can of fruits.
11:43And the exciting part,
11:45it's free.
11:46Mukbang is Mukbang.
11:49The province is famous for its fruits,
11:52Guayabano is used as a sour spice in Sinigang.
11:56Have you tried Sinigang na Pompano in Guayabano?
11:59It's very natural.
12:01There's no chemical in it.
12:03It's ripe, sour, and sweet.
12:05The blending of the taste is delicious.
12:07And Guayabano is very healthy.
12:10Because of Mount Matutom's eruption in 1911,
12:13volcanic rocks and ash were used
12:15to build a volcano
12:16so that the soil would be thick.
12:18This is one of the reasons
12:20why Mt. Matutom is famous for its fruits.
12:22This is a protected area of Mt. Matutom.
12:24The elevation is high.
12:26So Guayabano is beautiful here.
12:28It's cold.
12:29Because Mt. Matutom is a protected area,
12:31you can't go here anymore.
12:33But you can still see the volcano
12:35from the flying B-car of this farm.
12:41If you want a more adventurous ride
12:43while still being able to see the volcano,
12:45you can also try their giant swing.
12:48It's not allowed to ride here.
12:50It's bad for your heart.
12:52It weakens your mind.
12:54You need to be strong and brave.
13:00South Cotabato has a lot of facilities
13:02for those who love adventure.
13:04A lake in the middle of the volcano?
13:06You can take a bath here.
13:12This is Lake Holon,
13:14a crater lake in the middle of Mount Melibiengoy.
13:17In the town of Tiboli, South Cotabato.
13:20It's called the Crown Jewel of the South.
13:22Not only because of its beautiful and clear water,
13:24but also because of the literal shape of a crown
13:26if you look at it from above.
13:29But to get here,
13:30you need a lot of patience.
13:36Oh, it looks like we're going to fight here.
13:40So we're here in Barangay Salacafi.
13:42This is the parking area
13:44of our destination,
13:46which is Lake Holon.
13:48We need to walk around
13:50for 15 to 20 minutes
13:52to get to the receiving area,
13:54where we'll register.
13:56I'm sure the briefing is already there.
14:00Great weather.
14:02You can see that we're in an elevated area.
14:04We're 1,000 meters above sea level.
14:06That's why people are wearing jackets.
14:08It's windy.
14:10The climate is nice.
14:12That's why I'm wearing a jacket.
14:16It's hard to get here
14:18because the road is bumpy and steep.
14:20Thank you, sir.
14:22I don't think I'll ever see you again.
14:24That's why I'm wearing a jacket.
14:38After a few minutes,
14:40we finally reached
14:42the receiving area.
14:44This is the jump-off point
14:46to Lake Holon.
14:48Since it's a long walk,
14:50if two people can't make it,
14:52they'll need help.
14:54Because of the number of people
14:56going to Lake Holon,
14:58locals came up with a way
15:00to make a personalised
15:02and designed Tungkod.
15:06These Tungkod are beautiful.
15:08This is the first time I've seen
15:10a personalised,
15:12customised Tungkod with a design.
15:14Do you make these?
15:16Yes.
15:18What kind of wood do you use?
15:20Madeleine.
15:22There are a lot of madeleines here.
15:24Yes, there are.
15:26There are a lot of madeleines
15:28that need a Tungkod.
15:30Like this one.
15:32It says, Lake Holon.
15:34Then,
15:36you take it off so you can hold it.
15:38Yes.
15:40How much is it?
15:4250 pesos.
15:44For 50 pesos,
15:46you can customise
15:48and put a name on your Tungkod.
16:00Nice!
16:02The roof.
16:04Nice!
16:06Since I'm competitive,
16:08of course,
16:10we can compete.
16:12I'll try this one.
16:14That's enough.
16:16This is too much.
16:18Oh, it's the other way around.
16:20This one.
16:22I really can't do this.
16:24I'll just do B and D.
16:26B and D.
16:28There.
16:30This is how you do it.
16:32It's the other way around.
16:38I'm the one who's controlling it.
16:40I'm the one who's controlling it.
16:42I can even close it.
16:44Okay.
16:46I'll do the letter D.
16:48I'll try this one.
16:50I'll do it.
16:52Oh!
17:06It's okay, sir.
17:08It's okay.
17:10It's the other way around.
17:14Oh, my goodness!
17:18And for the big reveal,
17:22B,
17:24B and O,
17:26Boys' Night Out,
17:28B and D, B and D.
17:32For the safety of the travelers
17:34who want to go to Lake Holon
17:36of South Cotabato,
17:38there's a ritual that the tribes do.
17:42When you go to Lake Holon,
17:44there's a special ritual
17:46that the travelers in South Cotabato do.
17:48Whoever comes back here
17:50will be alive.
17:52For the singles out there,
17:54this might be your chance.
18:00Okay.
18:02Just kidding.
18:04We're lucky
18:06because we thought
18:08we'd hike for two hours.
18:10But apparently, we found out
18:12that from the parking area,
18:14it took us
18:16probably a 20-30-minute
18:18trek to get here.
18:20That's about one kilometer.
18:22And this is where we went.
18:24This is also called
18:26Kissing Stone.
18:28Now, this is one of the major
18:30tourist attractions here in the area
18:32because
18:34those who are looking for
18:36those who are looking for
18:38a lover,
18:40they will kiss the rock
18:42and it will become a rock.
18:44They will become a rock.
18:46That's what they're looking for.
18:48Raymart, who lives far away in Paghibig,
18:50just came back to Kissing Stone.
18:52He's been looking for her forever.
18:54I walked her.
18:56Then we chatted.
18:58How long did your chat last?
19:00It was quite long.
19:02Your chat with me,
19:04thank you for accepting.
19:06Our conversation
19:08continued.
19:10What were you talking about?
19:12We were talking about how beautiful she is.
19:14She kissed me.
19:16She kissed you.
19:18She kissed you.
19:20She kissed you.
19:22How did you feel when she said that?
19:24I got used to it.
19:26Wow, that's great.
19:28How many months
19:30did it take
19:32until you saw each other
19:34in person?
19:36About three months.
19:38Shezani is a true Sultan.
19:40Raymart is from South Cotabato.
19:42Long distance,
19:44it wasn't a problem for them.
19:46Do you have a goal?
19:48Do you have an objective?
19:50That's why you chose Likulon?
19:52Because of Kissing Stone?
19:54Yes.
19:56She knows about it.
19:58She's been looking for her for a long time.
20:00She hasn't answered me yet.
20:02She saw me.
20:04What did you do?
20:06I went back to Kissing Stone.
20:08I kissed her.
20:10But suddenly,
20:12my wish came true.
20:14Because?
20:16She kissed me.
20:20What happened?
20:22Nothing.
20:26Raymart's kiss
20:28in Kissing Stone
20:30went back to Kiss the Bride.
20:32They've been married for more than a year
20:34and they have a child.
20:36Do you think
20:38Kissing Stone is a big part
20:40of your love story?
20:42Yes.
20:44It's a big part.
20:48But not only those who want to have a love life
20:50come back here,
20:52other wishes will also come true.
20:54I'll let you know
20:56when the trip is wish-granted.
20:58From Kissing Stone,
21:00there are two more hours of walking
21:02and riding a boat to Likulon.
21:04But in this trip,
21:06this is what we call worth it.
21:18The name Lawa came from
21:20the Kiboli word, Kulon,
21:22which means deep water.
21:24In this deep valley,
21:26even the locals can't reach
21:28the bottom of the lake.
21:30It's our first time in Kulon and Kupoy.
21:32It's really beautiful.
21:34When you wake up in the morning,
21:36it's really cold and beautiful.
21:38You can think of
21:40beautiful things.
21:42You can recharge.
21:46Not only the beauty
21:48of Lake Kulon,
21:50but also
21:52Lake Kulon gives us
21:54a job as a local tour guide,
21:56porters,
21:58horseback riding,
22:00and of course,
22:02our spot.
22:08If you're visiting Lake Kulon,
22:10it's better to stay overnight
22:12so it's worth it.
22:14There's no electricity
22:16or generator here,
22:18so the only thing that lights up at night
22:20is bonfire.
22:22Traditional food of the Kiboli
22:24of South Cotabato.
22:26The cooking method is also traditional.
22:28Nice to meet you.
22:30What are you preparing
22:32for us today?
22:34What we're preparing
22:36is called Onuk Nelut.
22:38Onuk Nelut?
22:40Yes.
22:42It's a native chicken from here.
22:44This is what we're offering today.
22:46What kind of dish is it?
22:48Tinola sa Kawayan.
22:50This is the
22:52Onuk Nelut,
22:54the celebratory dish of the Kiboli.
22:56It's prepared for celebrations and visits.
22:58You just pull it
23:00and it will come out.
23:02It's still hot.
23:04You don't add
23:06water or ginger?
23:08Yes.
23:10And the leaves.
23:12Do you also cook this
23:14when there are tourists coming here?
23:16Yes, sir.
23:18It depends, sir.
23:20If our guests request
23:22to cook this,
23:24this is our specialty
23:26from other tribes.
23:32I can taste
23:34the ginger.
23:36It's a big deal.
23:38It's because of the leaves.
23:40Oh, the leaves.
23:42That's the
23:44real
23:46dish of the natives.
23:48What a way
23:50to end our South Cotabato Escapade.
23:52To a rapid change of weather.
23:54Sometimes,
23:56we don't want to leave.
23:58But South Cotabato is different.
24:00Because of this,
24:02life remains simple.
24:04And people's importance
24:06is high.
24:08To the blessings
24:10given by nature and nature.