Just want to share this short clip from last Saturday (11/25/’23) – a descent from Marahan-Balite-Lumondao-Malamba. My friend Davey joined me on this day tour cycling trip.
Intriguingly, this experience wove through historical threads. In the prelude to the US-Japan conflict in Mindanao, Mintal-Calinan-Marilog stood as a Japanese settlement, which the Imin thought would be a good place to establish businesses for economic prosperity.
“In 1905, Oshiro, Kozo brought from his native Okinawa a total of more or less 170 laborers for the abaca plantation of Ohta Kogyo Inc. In 1906 and onwards, he continuously recruited more laborers every time he went back to Okinawa. He also had his own abaca plantation that was a subsidiary of the Ohta Kogyo, Inc… The place where his plantation was located still bears his name to this day, the Barangay Bago Oshiro in Tugbok District.” (IMIN Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai School of Calinan)
When the war sparked in Mindanao, Buda Bukidnon Hwy, or Marilog (the route featured in this video), served as the Japanese imin’s crucial escape route as they were being pursued by the Americans, according to Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai School of Calinan.
This ride wasn’t only about pedals and gears; it was a narrative etched in the scenic landscape of the surroundings, except, of course, for the tragic VA at lower Marahan Rd.
Soli Deo Gloria!