Sunset view at Purok Cinco Pantalan (or Purok Cinco Harbor)

Ever heard of a small town in Lanao del Norte named Bacolod? Whenever someone heard of "Bacolod" the first thing that comes up to people's minds is the city on the northwest coast of Negros Island, Philippines. Yet, what I'm talking about now is my hometown, the province of Lanao del Norte. The southern part of the Philippines.

BACOLOD LANAO DEL NORTE is the 4th municipality in the province of Lanao del Norte. It is just a small town with a number of 23,034 people on the 2015 census according to Wikipedia, and it consists of 16 barangays. It has a small market (which is still continuously renovating until now due to the tragic fire last Sept. 2018) near the park and town hall.

What's special in my hometown?

The people living in town has two major religions, Roman Catholic and Islam. Despite the contradictory beliefs people live harmoniously.

Poblacion

Poblacion or Población is a Spanish word that means town in English. It is a common term used for the central, downtown, old town, or central business district area of a Philippine city or municipality.

Poblacion Bacolod Lanao del Norte has three (3) cold springs namely "Tubig Dako" (Big Water), "Tubig Gamay" (Small Water), and "Balok-Balok". The cold springs are used by the public to bathe and wash their clothes for free. It has also two harbors called as "Pantalan" or Pier (in English) namely Purok Cinco and Purok Seis (Cinco and Seis are Spanish words meaning Five and Six), and people love to swim or catch fish in there.

The second spring - "Tubig Gamay"

The supply of the water from the spring is low due to the El Niño. (May 2019)

However, on normal days, it's a bit strong. People also get water here for drinking.

Just like the other places in the Philippines, Bacolod also has a patron saint, and it's Sr. Santo Niño. Its feast day is usually celebrated every 18th of January before yet was changed by the new parish priest to every 3rd Sunday of January just like in Cebu. However, some people still choose to celebrate the old date as they were accustomed to it.

Furthermore, farming and fishing is the main source of living for the locals. Coconut is the most produced crop, so the buy and sell of copra is common in the area.

My hometown is not that huge, and no much special things. However, it is the memories of the place and the people who're part of it that makes it extraordinary. Well, as what people say, home is where the heart is.

“Home is where one starts from.” –T.S. Eliot

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Note: The difference between Dock, Pier, and Harbor: A dock is a place where a ship enters where there's a gate closed behind it, and the water is pumped out. A pier is a structure where vessels "moor" by tying up with lines. Harbors are defined areas of water along a coastline that offers shelter to ship and watercraft from the effects of the large swells of the ocean. Harbors contain piers, docks, floating dry docks, and quays, which are walls built along the waterfront to support cargo loading warehouses and equipment and to which ships may also moor.