The way to go

In the 18 months that I have been in this barrio, I thought I've ridden it all. This barrio being an upland municipality with 2 big bodies of water in it, Amburayan and Bakun River, it's pretty easy to believe that I have tried almost every possible land or water vehicle here.

Yes, name it. I have tried the amphibian-like custom made jeepneys, jeepneys that are fully stuffed inside and out, garbage truck, the barely breathing ambulances of the RHU or on lucky days, the magarang 4-wheel drive vehicles of the politicians.

But I thought wrong. In the first week of May, before I went to Manila for a 2-week long CME, we went to the last Barangay on our list for the Garantisadong Pambata. Normally, we either cross a bamboo-made bridge or ride a banca to cross the wide Amburayan River. That day was going to be different. We were gonna try another way of getting to the other side.

That, for your information, is a balsa. A make-shift boat consisting of bamboos tied together with a string.

I asked the manong who was steering it, "Manong, pano po ako sasakay jan?"

"Ikaw doktor, pwede nakatayo or nakaupo."

What? Sit where? If I stand up, where will I hold on to? But that was only in my mind or else, manong will definitely laugh at me if I blurt that out. I opted to stand because the odds of me falling, with my height, is far greater than me keeping my ground. Besides, I'd rather get wet than fall off in that big river with those wild currents.

That's our Rural Health Midwife Manang Gladys. Watch your butt Manang.

Now, who said that the ambulance is the only way to see a patient? It could be as crazy, and as fun, as this.