Braving Basilan | Inside the Basilan Provincial Capitol

March 21, 2020July 25, 2021 Rex Lim Lim BASILAN, BLOG, landmarks, TRANSIT PINAS, TRAVEL GUIDE

Reading Time: 4 minutes

We flagged a tricycle to bring us to the provincial capitol of Basilan after we docked backed in Isabela City after a short but fulfilling visit at Malamawi Beach.

Uniformed personnel patrolled the city streets, some military trucks were zooming in and out of our sight as the locals tend to their daily errands along the busy sections of Isabela City.

A man from the gate of the capitol was looking at us closely as we alighted the tricycle and I try to avoid him by visiting the nearby parks of Rizal and Isabela which is just adjacent the capitol grounds. He kept on following us, scanning us from head to foot before beaming a really wide smile and hands being waved up in the air.

“Welcome! Sabi na nga ba turista kayo, itsura pa lang ehh” Kuya Amado stood right in front of us. He then shook our hands as he ushered us going to the capitol.

Socio-Political Centers

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The two adjoining plazas where we were standing is called the Rizal Park and the Plaza Isabela.

These plazas remained as an active socio-political centers of the province. Although Isabela City is a component city of the Zamboanga Peninsula.

Then from the other side is where the Sta. Isabel Cathedral stands sentinel. Basilan maybe composed majority of the Muslim population but contrary to that, 33% of the population is made up of Christians (mostly Roman Catholic).

The Most Resilient Jollibee Branch

Not far away from the busy thoroughfares of Isabela City, a Jolibee branch stands proud. In its usual red and white ensemble as it is adorned by the forever happy, Jollibee mascot. I don’t want to add insult to the injury but this branch has survived several bombings giving it the moniker “The most bombed Jollibee in the country”.

This 500th branch, experienced a grenade blast in 2008 by Abu Sayyaf militants where 2 got killed and 26 wounded. But if you are looking for a familiar atmosphere amidst covered faces and peculiar looking buildings, then this is the place to be.

Provincial Capitol

We were then escorted by Kuya Amado inside the Basilan Provincial Capitol. This is for a courtesy call to the Provincial Tourism Office whom we contacted prior to the trip. The structure is a statement in itself since the new building is a celebration of Muslim and Christian influences. These influences shaped modern-day Basilan.

It was built in the same location where Fort Isabela II/ Fort Isabella Segunda stood. It was bombed down during the World War II. Subsequently, Basilan City Hall was built on the same spot but was ravaged by fire by early 1990’s.

With Ms. Shaheenah of the Basilan Provincial Tourism Office

We met Ms. Shaheenah, the provincial tourism head. She is also our contact person who arranged for our transportation and guide before we arrived. They were more than welcoming and even thanked us for coming this far to their humble province.

And as I may put it after our short but meaningful conversation – there is more to the province than what the public deems the province to be. Terrorism is not Basilan, there are just lawless elements lurking in the corners of this side of the Philippines.

We then had pictures right outside the capitol, and to our surprise, a government vehicle was waiting for us to tour around. The only payment they were asking for is the gas for the car.

First stop, Bulingan Falls!….

Braving Basilan: This adventure series narrates what transpired during my day trip across the island of Basilan, as I set foot on my 55th province last August 20, 2018. The road not taken and an eluded paradise – this has been once home to a terrorist group and historically also the staging ground for Moro Raids in Zamboanga.

Giving it the notoriety as one the most dangerous provinces in the Philippines in the past. Follow me as I show you the other side of the beautiful province of Basilan!