Friday, May 27, 2011

Mindanao's Pineapples

Growing up in the province of Bukidnon, the up-large scale of farm produce was already a part of my eyes. Bananas, corn, rice, mango, sugar cane, local fruit trees and pineapples are a no wonder in heaps when the season of harvest comes in abundance. Davao, a three to four drive away from my home province prides itself for its famous durian fruit and all its delicacies combined. And, another three to four drive away from the city of Davao is Polomolok, South Cotabato where we just jostled in to build our new home nest. Lovingly, my husband chose this place to start building and making his name in his lawyering profession, I too have found Polomolok close-similar to the place where I came from. Though bulging trucks for equipments and transport are flocking almost all the road, the place still retained its pure mountain air, natural water (potable for drinking), the sweet taste of the vegetables sold in the market and the low cost of living. One of the biggest DOLE factory in Mindanao is found here in Polomolok overseeing hundreds of acres of land yielding fresh and the sweetest pineapples I ever tasted in my whole life! No sting, no acid bite on the tongue. Just pure sweetness!



Within the vicinity of South Cotabato stands the famous Mount Matutom, which can be seen in full view from the pineapple fields of DOLE. Usurping with pride and with a good looking stride from a distance, it's clearly one of the great masterpieces our Creator had made. With the humble people nesting in Polomolok, South Cotabato, mostly are Christians, speaking in Tagalog, Ilonggo and Visayan, it is now a place I consider like home; away from the rustling crowd of the city, away from too much civilization and technology; where pineapples are at their sweetest for me and my family.