The Voyage Of The Balangay Starts On June 24

Thousands of years ago, the ancestors of the Filipinos, the Austronesian speaking people traveled from the Asian mainland by land bridges across the continental shelf to the South East Asian archipelago. They then sailed onward to as far East as Polynesia, and as far West as Madagascar, aboard the ancient vessel: the Balangay

In celebration of the Asian Century, the Balangay, will be sailing again starting on June 24 and the voyage will visit ports in the Philippines as a start-up before They sail across the Pacific to the Atlantic.

This next epic voyage is yet another chance to inspire our countrymen and fellow Indo-Malays to believe in ourselves and in our oneness again and another way to honor the Filipino pioneering spirit, which we established during our ascent of Mt. Everest.

The inspiration for this project comes from the maritime achievements of our ancestors. Sailing along the South China Sea, the Gulf of Thailand and the Java Sea despite the presence of obstacles and dangers, our people considered the seas to be unifying rather than divisive. It is a means of transport and communication.

The project will showcase and challenge Filipino ingenuity and native survival skills in this modern age by using natural seafaring technology. It also aims to reorient the psyche of our people, that we are a maritime nation, and not land-based, as our colonizers had lead us to believe. Sailing around the country and visiting every major port will rekindle that maritime spirit in us.

The Balangay hopes to become the catalyst that will stir up historical consciousness among Filipinos today.

This Balangay whose design was copied from the original Balangay at the National Museum was built by Mr. Art Valdez with the help of Badjao’s for 40 days with . Some bloggers were priviledge to have a simulation of what a voyage inside a Balangay feels like yesterday while aboard it. We were hit by a squall except for the waves while inside the Balangay and we have to take cover inside the “cabin” which kept us dry that time. This boat is about 18 meters long and 1 meter wide.  We were also the first to dine in this boat and had beers too.

The core of the crew that will sail with the Balangay will be the Philippine Everest Team: Leo Oracion, Erwin “Pastour” Emata, Noelle Wenceslao,Carina Dayondon,Janet Belarmino-Sardena,Dr. Ted Esguerra, Fred Jamili and Dr. Voltaire Velasco.  This is a project of the Kaya ng Pinoy

Catch the Balangays voyage as it visits more than 60 ports around the country starting June 24.

1.Manila to Sangley, Cavite 5.3 nautical miles (nm)
2.Ternate, Cavite 17.4 nm
3.Nasugbu, Batangas 19.5 nm
4.Calatagan, Batangas 16.5 nm
5.Batangas City 29.0 nm
6.Puerta Galera, Or. Mindoro 14.2 nm
7.Calapan City, Or. Mindoro 16.0 nm
8.Pola Island 27.0 nm
9.Maestre de Ocampo Island 26 nm
10.Calatrava, Tablas 26.2 nm
11.Odiongan Island,Tablas 16.7 nm
12.Looc Tablas 30.0 nm
13.Boracay, Riomblon 20.7 nm
14.Kalibo, Aklan (Port Batan) 38.5 nm
15.Roxas City, Roxas (Port Capiz) 12.5 nm
16.Estancia, Iloilo 51.0 nm
17.Barotac Viejo, Iloilo 42.0 nm
18.Iloilo City, Iloilo 30.8 nm
19.Bacolod City,Negros Occ. 23.3 nm
20.Silay City, Neg Occ 7.5 nm
21.Sagay City, Neg Occ 23.3 nm
22.Bantayan Island, Cebu 40.o nm
23.Daan Bantayan, Cebu 23.4 nm
24.Bogo, Cebu 16.4 nm
25.Danao City, Cebu 35.2 nm
26.Cebu City, Cebu 10.7 nm
27.(Mactan Cebu Departure)
28.Argao, Cebu 27.0 nm
29.Dumaguete City, Negros Or. 38.5 nm
30.Siquijor (Port Canoan) 16.5 nm
31.Panglao, Duias Island, Bohol 28.7 nm
32.Jagna, Bohol 31.5 nm
33.Maasin,Leyte 43.0 nm
34.Limasawa,Leyte 16.6 nm
35.Cabadbaran, Agusan 56.3 nm
36.Butuan City, Agusan 6.3 nm
37.Gingo-og 25.7 nm
38.Camiguin Island (Mambajao ) 34.0 nm
39.Cagayan de Oro City 49.7 nm
40.Iligan City, Lanao 48.2 nm
41.Ozamis City 10.5 nm
42.Oroquita, Mis. Occ 29.5 nm
43.Dapitan, Dipolog 37.6 nm
44.Liloy, Mis Occ. 54.0 nm
45.Ciocon (Port Sta. Maria), 49.0 nm
46.Sibuco, Zamboanga 31.0 nm
47.Zamboanga City 34.8 nm
48.Panubigan Island 15.7 nm
49.Bangaan Island,Port Banga 24.2 nm
50.Bagalamatan 16.0 nm
51.Subanipa 29.5 nm
52.Limbug Cove 43.6 nm
53.Pagadian City 22.2 nm
54.Port Baras, Cotabato 35.0 nm
55.Cotabato City 25.0 nm
56.Linao Bay, Mati 40.0 nm
57.Port Lebak, Kalamansig 17.0 nm
58.Milbuk Harbor, Milbuk 35.3 nm
59.Kling , South of Cotabato 41.5 nm
60.Gen. Santos City 41.5 nm
61.Glan, Saranggane 16.0 nm
62.Butulan Cove, Butulan 36.0 nm
63.Jose Abad Santos (Caburan) 22.3 nm
64.Malita, Davao 33.2 nm
65.Digos, Davao Del Sur 25.0 nm
66. Davao City, Port of Sta. Ana 25.3 nm

There will be 10 more ports in the Sulu/Tawi-Tawi Area until Siluag the last port/stop in Southern Philippines before crossing the boundary to Sabah.