PROMDI is a Pinoy Lingo which means “From the Province” or “Probinsyano/Probinsyana”, any person from who lived and spent most of their lives in the province. Promdis are oftentimes the subject in a Philippine TV sitcom and movies. They always portray the character of a particular promdi who just arrived in the city with a very ignorant and amazed face. That Promdi is looking here and there, pointing at buildings and billboards and staring at the people that are so busy walking and crossing the streets. They are always wearing a traditional old fashioned clothings with old native bags and sometimes carrying chickens. What a reputation!
I myself is a promdi. I was born and spent my childhood years near the beach at the foot of a mountain. Compared to my city life now, it was one of my great years. Sometimes, I wish that I can turn back time and be a kid again climbing trees, riding a carabao, rock the beach and hike the mountains. The serenity you’ll find in the province is incomparable and such kind of life is just a history now for those who live in the city sorrounded with noise and air pollutions.
I grew up with lots of friends, the field and the sea was an extension of our playground. The photo above is an old picture of our barrio, Caranan. I am planning to visit my hometown before the year end and I promise to take some photos so I can share with you the beauty of that place. This little barrio where I came from is called Pasacao located at the province of Camarines Sur (Bicol Region), Southern part of the Philippines. It is just a tiny dot in our map but now it is already tagged as the Summer Capital of Camarines Sur. Recently, as I watched the TV, I learned that it is beginning to attract tourists because of the Dolphins. Many local and foreign tourists are starting to crowd the area for Dolphin watching. I never experienced it yet and I’m looking forward to watch it myself.My hometown is almost 10 hours drive from Manila. You can reach it by bus, train and airplaine (45mins). The fare from Manila is around 700 to 1000php depending on the Bus service. Aircon buses with CR and Snacks are much higher. It would take at least 8 to 12 hours drive depending on the traffic. Train is the cheapest, just around 450php but because of its poor services and maintenance, the government closed the Bicol Trip temporarily and promised to rehabilitate it.
Most of the Bus heading to Bicol region can be found at Pasay area, Alimall Cubao and along the EDSA. To name a few, Penafrancia Tours, Executive Carriers, Philtranco, Raymond, Amihan and many more.. You can book anytime or just walk in. But during peak season, especially on November (all saints day), Christmas season, New Year, Holy Week, Penafrancia Fiesta and school opening, I advise you to book your trip in advance.
I’ll tell you some of the famous landmark in my province in my future posts.
JBCPEN
Pinay Key Point 
Kabayan! Taga Pasacao man ako pero naka base na sa Australia. I’m looking forward to your latest pics 🙂
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🙂 Salamat ta na nag agui ka man sa blog ko… I’m not so sure pa kung nuarin ako makakapuli since I’m in the north now at bakung suba ang magbyahe ngunyan but I will really take pics pag nakapuli ako and surely I’ll share it in my blog. I’m really happy na nariparo pa man palan ako maski tagalog at English ang content kang blog ko. I’m really proud to say, I love my bikol dialect asin dae pa man ako lingaw sa tataramon ta
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Juliet,
Ano kumusta ako taga Pasacao man siguro bisto mo an apilyedo mi.Taga diyan man ako kaya lang bihira magpuli.How I miss my life diyan kaya lang naka base ako igdi sa Switzerland.
Kumusta na lang sa gabos na mga taga Pasacao ,sain ka nakaestar ngonian.
Tessie
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Hi Tessie, I’m glad to have you here as my visitor 🙂
Iyu familiar man saku ang apelyido mo, Bustinera ako kan daraga, teacher si nanay sa Caranan. Nasa Naga na sinda ngunian then ako, sa may Luisita Tarlac na naka estar.
Bareta ko magayon jan sa Switzerland, pag may panahon ka mag share ka man sakuya nin pic mo at ipopost ko igde 🙂 Balak ko maglaag ning Bikolano friend’s link sa blog ko 🙂
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hi,juliet! si anabel ini.kababata mo sa pasacao. naogma ako sabi ko bistado ko ini aki ni mrs. bustinera. kumusta na sya? dai ko na namalayan na naghali na kamo duman sa caranan. haloy ka na garung dai naka uli sato. ako ngunian taga malolos,bulacan pero nag uuli pa ako duman once in a while. sige,kumusta sa pamilya and God bless.
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Hi Anabel, you surprised me 🙂 This is one of the benefit of blogging, finding old friends and relatives… you made me smile and think back.
Yes, I remember you, harani ang harong mo sa parada. I left Caranan at grade 4. Sa Naga na ako nag grade five and left Naga at 16. I never came back to live in Bicol since then. I worked in Manila, had training in Abroad and was assigned in Tarlac in 1991 at digdi na ako nag settle ta nabisto ko na si Hub ko 🙂
Si Manoy Bong pulis sya sa Naga. Sya ang chief kang armor and licensing division sa provincial headquarter. yung 2 eldest son nya pulis din, kaga graduate lang sa Phil National Police Academy (PNPA) Cavite this April. Sa Villa Corazon sinda naka estar with Nanay & Tatay.
I seldom go home kc harayo ang byahe pero last year sa Naga ako nag Christmas pero dae na talaga ako nakakaduman sa Caranan ta usually 2-3 days lang ako sa Bikol then I have to go back na uli. Siguro the last time na nagduman ako ay almost a decade na 🙂 but I plan to see the place next time na magpuli ako.
Maray man ta natisod mo ang bog ko 🙂 I’m happy to reconnect with my old friends lalo na si Jocelyn Castro, saen na daw sya, I made a post for her d2 and relate our experiences regarding injection 🙂 I am hoping to communicate with her too. How about you? may blog ka ba? If you don’t have, I suggest you to start one para ma add kita sa blogroll ko.
Thanks for dropping by, Hope to hear more from you… pwde ba mag request ng pics? 🙂
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hello,again! im glad na narumduman mo pa ako one year ahead ako kato saindo ni jocelyn castro. may agom naman garu ito pero mayo na sinda duman sa caranan ta baka dai mo pa nabaritaan nagadan na si mrs. castro at napakatraumatic talaga sa part ni jocelyn ta aksidente ang pagkamatay kan mama nya. dai pa akong blog.bayaan mo dai pa kaya ako masyadong magaling sa pc. may friendster account ako (Ana Bella Arante ang account name ko or anabellaarante@yahoo.com).yan na rin ang email add ko.gurang na akong maray hilingon! duwa naman ang aki ko pareho lalaki.
mahilig kaya akong mabrowse about pasacao kaya nahiling ko blog mo.naogma talaga akong nahiling ta ka. saka talagang successful ka both career and lovelife. ako duman talaga nag high school then sa naga bcat at ateneo pero dai ako nagtapos duman sa manila ta naging working student ako. connected ako dati sa securities and exchange commission kaya lang kan may aki na,nagresign na ta ataman nlang kan aki, kaya ini dakilang mother nlang.husband ko from angeles city nasa egypt sya ngunian nagwowork. pachat chat nalang kami everyday para dai sya mahomesick. si kuya bong mo,aba chief na pala sya. at talaga namang tulin kan panahon may aki ng pulis! parang kelan lang. cge, more kwento pa next time……di ako makapagconcentrate at nangugulo mga rascals dito. regards to your whole family!
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Hi Anabel, nice to have you back 🙂
The last time I saw Jocelyn was when I was in Grade 6, I was graduating then, I visited her when we had a family outing then after that I never hear anything from her again until Nanay wrote me a letter and told me that she met Jocelyn and she gave her my address. I was still single then. We wrote post mails then I was sent to Japan for company training. I was busy and once again, we lost our communication. When I have my first child in 1994, I went to Naga to visit nanay. Sbi nya she keep Jocelyn’s landline phone so I called her. Landline palan kang school yun where she was teaching. I set a place where we can meet personally. I was so eager to meet her then. As fas as I can remember sa Oyster restaurant yun pero naubos ko na baga so order ko she never appear. I waited for her for 2 hours but she never showed up. I was wondering why. I tried calling the landline but the staff said she’s gone home.
Since my ticket for Manila is due the next day, I left at 7am and never heard anything from her again. Sobrang sayang, decades has passed and I’m still waiting for the time to meet her again. I don’t know, maybe because she was part of my childhood…
I still hope to embrace some memories of that happy days maybe because I was cut from my childhood early. I had to left, relocate and leave my friends and from that time on, I was aloof and very picky pagdating sa friendship. I really hate hurting kasi when separation sets in.
Anyways its so madrama na, I can teach you the basic of blogging just tell me if you want to. I am holding online tutorials din kc in the past lalo na pag di gaanong busy 🙂
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it’s me again! oo nga its so refreshing remembering the childhood pala pag nasa age na kta arog kani. same with me,im so enthusiastic in finding old pals, classmates,playmates, schoolmates,ah basta taga caranan! ewan ko ba, parang akong ligaw na kuting dito sa malolos na pag may nakitang kakilala talagan nman, sumasaya ako! my parents are still there in bicol (caranan) also some of my siblings.ak0 lang dito sa bulacan.
dati, you were renting near our house,yung katabi nila mr.dasal.maliit ka pa nun.then nagkaron kayo ng bahay dun sa tapat nila alex razon,dba? kya di na kta masyadong nakita. when i was in grade one, pag absent si mrs. repaso napupunta kami sa room ng mama mo. bale merge ang dalawang section. napakabait ni mrs.bustinera, remarkable sakin pag sya ang nagbi beat sa flag ceremony,ung pacircle na kumpas ng kamay!
ano kayang nangyari kay jocelyn. tano ta ng nang indyan? siguro maraming iniisip that time. i remember her also,saling pusa sya samin nung grade one ako tapos nakikita ko nlang kayong magkaklase after. grade four yata ako nung nagsimulang pinakanta ni mrs.campo with mr. placedes as my guitarist. si carmen marbella naman kabatch mate nyo yun.naalala ko nung kasali sya sa SISA pati ung may panaklong sinasabi nya like “pabulong” ibig sabihin,sabihin nya ng pabulong ung line. hay! one of those funny memories from our elementary days.
caranan today is totally changed. di na sya ganun kaganda di tulad nun na you can recognize almost everybody ang dami ng dayuhan. ung daan papuntang sarimao, di ba the right side then was totally a wide vacant lot, you can see the whole fisheries school from there.ngayon, di na.parang may tumubong mga kabute dun.pinamahayan ng mga taong galing sa kung saan saan. wala na rin ung big rest house dun na natatanaw natin sa elementary.may mga beach resort na dun.kaya di ka na pwedeng maligo sa dagat for free, dun nlang sa tapat ng mga kabahayan.di tulad nun we are free to go there anywhere we want. dun ka nlang dadaan sa may mga harung, na you have to be very careful and vigilant to some land mines! slimy nd stinky!hehehehe…pinapatawa lang kta.
yes, all of us are bound to have trials.i read your from your other topic. maski ako ive been through and still fighting from the ups and downs of life lalo na sa finances. ay,talaga naman you dont need to have a tight diet para pumayat, talagang it shows. pero kahit ganun pa man thankful pa rin tayo dahil ayan nakakaraos pa rin. diba, mabait at masipag na asawa at mga magagandang anak! yan na ang bonus.
minsan nga talaga paturo ako sayo how to make a blog. all i know lang is to type and type. set tayo kung kelan convenient to both of us. pero how about the pf? baka mahal,ha? presyong kapatid,ha?! ilang gives?
juliet, salamat at maski busy ka you find time to read and answer my piece. till next time…. God bless!
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Yes Anabel, those memories were still vivid in my mind coz those were part of the most wonderful days of my childhood. We have a house infront of Alex Razon and Maricel Bermas. Yea, I remember Carmen Marbella, but she didn’t make it to the the top. I won that Sisa Declamation contest at nakarating ako ng Naga at naipanalo ko ang School natin hanggang Del Gallego. I remember that during the program nagkaroon pa ng encounter between the military and the rebels at nagtago kami lahat sa ilalim ng school. The teachers swiftly removed the wood floor at lahat kami sumilong dun haha! 🙂 Naalala ko pa na nagkatampuhan nun si nanay at Mrs. Campo kasi yung quiz bee gusto nya lahat ng mga major subject gusto nya sakin ibigay ang gusto ni nanay hatiin samin ni Jocelyn gusto daw niya kc yung sure na panalo e mahihirapan ako ireview lahat, science, math, english spelling, Filipino gusto ni nanay at least 3 subjects lang.
And naging Miss Bote Queen pa ko nun haha! Tatay gathered all the bottle in town, isang truck ata 🙂 hay naku those were the days
Anyways, regarding the turorials, 3k ang regular charge ko pero yun ay from zero knowledge, meaning I will begin teaching from fundamentals, hardware, software, toolbars, OS at microsoft office programs… but since you already have the basics sa internet na agad tau. We will cover the internet, websites, emails, blogging and other related topics. we can do that 2 hours per session via skype. I am using skype ha, not yahoo messenger. so half na lang nun kc di ka naman talo. that will be 10 hours so 5 sessions tayo pero usually sobra pa yung oras bonus na yun. you can send the payment via gcash. be sure din na me audio ka kc we will be discussing via VOIP service. Just tell me when to begin and what is your most convenient time so I can adjust my schedules anyway I am in control of my time since wala naman akong boss. usually I work at night so I’m free in the morning but if you prefer at night time mas okay sakin yun.
Just get back to me kng kelan mo gusto mag start 🙂
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cge. ayusin ko munang to pc ko. pang beginner lang kc to pa upgrade ko muna to at medyo napag iiwanan na. at ang schedule ko nman magulo pa.pag ok na gabi siguro at pag araw ay naku,bionic woman ako dito.dalawa lang ang anak ko pero parehong hyper mga to di ka pwedeng relax.
nakakatuwa nung elementary,ah.kaw pala nanalo nun! di ko na kasi ma recall kung natapos ko bang panuurin un at si carmen talaga ang naaala ko tuwang tuwang ako sa kanya. si buboy prades din ata nun sumali rin sa mr.bote. that building kung saan ginawa ung bilangan, ung may stage wala na un. napalitan na. pero ung pinag grade one nan natin buhay pa. sarap maalala mga araw na wala pang mga problemang gaano kundi maglaro. maski mahirap buhay, simple lang ang buhay noon di tulad ngayon.
ok,salamat na maray hanggang sa susunod. God bless!
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Yep, si Buboy Prades ang King ko nun at ang service namin sa parade say mo Kalabaw na me mga decoration at me mga pintura baga so sungay at kilay nyahaha, that was an awesome experience. I will post those pictures here sa mga future posts ko.
Grabe ang childhood life ko, I won’t forget those happy moments, lagi baga akong napapakol pag nagpaparigos ako sa dagat ta nakakaabot baga ako sa lawod. Then pag saturday natukad sa badang with matching sakay sa kalabaw. nahulog pa baga ako sa sapa at napuno ako ng laboy nyehehehe. Tapos pag Flores de mayo kng saen saen nakakasurabag sa paghanap ng burak. Very remarkable din yung pag me announcement ang mga baranggay official ay sinasabi nilang “Bandilyo , bandilyo, ang mga manok ta tabi bantayan ta may parabon pag banggi” haha! Then during recognition day, dahil sobrang playful ako, inaapod na daw ako sa stage para kabitan ng ribbon, pigparahanap ako ni nanay, nahiling nya su sapatos ko sa tungod ng kahoy at naka gown pa baga ako pero nasa taas ako kang kahoy ta nagkukua baga ning bunga nyahaha!
Compared sa ugma ko kang pagduman ko sa Tokyo disneyland, mas makunswelo talaga so mga experience ko sa Caranan 🙂
I’m glad I am able to reminisce those moments with you. at least nakaka relate ka pa din sa childhood ko although we don’t grew up in the same bracket but just the same, we grew from the same neighborhood.
Hay naku, time flies so fast, dalaga na ang panganay ko and he never grew up like I did, wlang bukid, walang kalabaw, wlang dagat puro city life at malls. Pero like me very energetic din sya at nag e-excel sa school. Officer sya ng student council at mga school clubs kaya happy din ako. At least thru blogging those memories will stay kahit tumanda na tau 🙂
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hi saendong duwa…
hehhee..maray na aga poh…
musta poh????
heheheh..
taga pasacao man poh ini..
napaagi lang poh…nagreresearch kaya..
hehehe…research for my thesis…hehehe
pero ok naman poh..
musta????
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Hi Ryan,
Thanks for coming by at pinaykeypoint blog. I’m glad to meet my fellow kababaryo in the web. I left Pasacao after finishing my 4th grade in elementary and spent the rest of my childhood in Naga.
I knew that your relatives knew my parents as my mom used to teach in elementary school, Mrs. Cleofe Bustinera and Aureo Bustinera. This is indeed a very small world ant thanks to the cyberworld, we are able to connect with our old and long lost friends. Regards to you and your family 🙂
Juliet
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