By By Angel R. Sablan For Pacific Daily News,Courtesy of Angel Sablan

Copyright guampdn

Last week, you didn’t see my usual Friday column because I was off island taking care of some medical/dental issues in Manila.

There I got to see others from Guam visiting the Philippines for different reasons. So I got to thinking, what is it that I enjoy in Manila that brought me there? After all, I was technically a tourist although I have been there many times before.

Before you start cracking jokes, no, I was not there to pick strawberries! But, seriously, what is in Manila that brings us there?

Of course, probably the top of the list is their great medical facilities. Something we also can have here if we would only agree on the “how” we get there.

Second would have to be the people. I have noticed in Manila that no matter what your status in life there, they are always hospitable and welcoming.

Of course, there are always those who give the place a bad name. No different here. Our island home has very hospitable and welcoming residents. I am sure our tourists enjoy that part of their visit here.

Of course, the next item on the list of why an islander from Guam would go visit the Philippines is the fact that there are so many things to do and see. There is never a boring day there and you wouldn’t be able to see everything in one visit.

This is something we need to work on here on our island. We have to make it enjoyable and fun so that our tourists can truly enjoy their three or four days here.

Some say you can see everything in one day on Guam. We know that is not true. If only we could take every village and make it into a place where our tourists can spend time in and enjoy the real village life that our villages have to offer, I am sure our tourists will have a most memorable time and would want to return.

Lastly, when you consider why you would come to the Philippines instead of the USA or even our neighboring islands, you would have to say airfare has a big part to do with it.

Many times during the month, both United Airlines and Philippine Airlines offer airfares that are cheaper than for us to fly from here to Saipan. But you know what folks, even with all these reasons why you would enjoy going to another place or another country…there is no place like home!

The Sånta Rita-Sumai Senior Center had a group of fun-loving seniors visit Manila the same time I was there. You can see the twinkle in their eyes and the energy they had that they were ready to roll! Roll they did…(if you know what I mean) and why not!

In the twilight of their years, they can get all the massage they want, they can play those tempting machines until they are peso’ed out…they can eat anything and everything that is not so readily available here, even if the bill seems excessively over-priced. I mean they were tourists right and they wouldn’t know.

Despite that, everything else about Manila was wonderful. I know because this group comes back every year. The only sad part is the Sånta Rita-Sumai group, which is so dear to me, has lost members over the years due to God’s calling. They just lost Millie Anderson days before the gathering in Manila.

While I am sure they miss her, as I do, they kept her spirit alive by doing what Millie would have wanted them to do…enjoy life. But after all is said and done, the group takes a flight home, not like Millie’s flight home, but to our beautiful island. I am sure we can all agree that no matter where we go outside of Guam…there is no place like home!

We sit in the lobby and we begin to wonder why us CHamorus and Guamanians love coming to the Philippines. Obviously, we have many families that have married into each other’s families although I know of quite a few Guam-born Filipinos that have never visited their motherland. Let me tell you, you should, because then you can see the resemblance of culture, traditions, faith, and hospitality that the Philippines and Guam have.

Former Hågat Mayor Carol Sablan Tayama and I even discovered a province in Benguet named Sablan. Hågat and Sablan became sister cities and they still are to this date. Sitting in the lobby and you know us CHamorus, we always compare between one thing or the other.

One thing we ask ourselves is why in the world with thousands of vehicles on Manila streets that we never see an accident? Here on Guam, even just one car on the road and sometimes they get into an accident!

We ask ourselves how come the Catholic churches in Manila are open 24 hours and there are always people in it. They always have a place to be at peace, to meditate and to talk to God. Try going to church here after the last Mass. You are locked out so you pray by yourself in some other quiet place. Many more things to wonder and compare but my space is limited.

But no matter what I say and share with you, and whether you yourselves have experienced it or not…it is always a precious time to be on a plane heading home because…there is no place like home!

Hu guaiya håmyu todus.