Aired (September 22, 2024): Join Biyahero Drew as he explores the charm of simple living amidst the beautiful nature of Oriental Mindoro with KaMangyan.
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00:00The air is fresh, the food is fresh.
00:10Admit it, Vieros, it's really fun when you go home to the province.
00:18I've been wanting to say this for a long time.
00:24I only hear this when there are reports.
00:27The water is rumanagasa.
00:30Here, life is simple and people are happy with simple things.
00:41On this trip, let's go home to the province and taste the simple life in Oriental Mindoro.
00:49In this peaceful neighborhood in the town of Socorro, silence is breaking out.
00:54I'll count to three and I'll forget you.
00:57Go, Kuya Boye! Go, Kuya Boye!
01:01Hi! Let's play!
01:05A girl known online as Kamangyan.
01:10Hi, Kamangyan!
01:12Her TikTok account has more than 7 million followers and 140 million likes.
01:21In her videos, she shows the simple life in the province.
01:31Sit there!
01:33Oh, it's moving!
01:35It's big!
01:40Her videos are popular online because of the fact that the girls are naughty.
01:45Ouch!
01:48Someone threw something at me.
01:49We're spraying now.
01:50So, we're Mati Spray.
01:52I went to school because I have a big ass.
01:55What is this? It looks like a library.
01:58Kamangyan, we're here again in Nyuganang Maynugan.
02:01Of course, we don't have a farm.
02:05I thought so, but I'm scared.
02:07What if I fall?
02:09I don't want to.
02:10After this, I will run here.
02:14I can already smell the real victory.
02:19What has changed since she became known on social media?
02:23What has changed?
02:24Of course, the first thing is that my father will have a farm.
02:28Yes.
02:29He doesn't have to borrow money anymore.
02:30Now, all of your debts are paid?
02:32All of them are paid.
02:34Just kidding.
02:35We're going to the farm to meet Kamangyan personally.
02:39They live a simple life.
02:42Kamangyan doesn't want to waste his energy.
02:45Falls in Bako's town seem to never run out.
02:49The water keeps flowing here.
02:51The number of falls is more than 10.
02:53That's a lot.
02:55Not only that, the water is clear and cold.
02:59And wherever you look, there's no garbage spotted.
03:02Wow.
03:03We have a property here of 24 hectares.
03:05Now, our property here has a little river.
03:08And then, I'll explore this up to the top.
03:11So, I climbed up.
03:12I looked at the source of the water.
03:14That's what's inside.
03:17At first, this place was called a private property.
03:19Until the owner's family thought of opening it to the public.
03:23Now, this is one of the famous destinations.
03:26Not only for tourists, but also for locals in Oriental Mindoro.
03:30By word of mouth, they saw it.
03:32It's beautiful.
03:34No need for renovation.
03:35Because of the natural beauty of the place,
03:38tourists are allowed to visit.
03:42The water keeps flowing.
03:45Their pool is still here in Bako's town.
03:48They don't have to save water.
03:51Where does it flow?
03:53The water of the pool comes from the river.
03:56Man, I'm telling you.
03:58This resort has an amazing pool area.
04:06It's not just that.
04:07They have a giant slide.
04:15I've been wanting to say this for a long time.
04:18I only hear this when there are reports.
04:21The water keeps flowing.
04:23Yes.
04:28The water keeps flowing.
04:30Mike, the water keeps flowing from the Lantuyan River.
04:36And that's Mount Halkon.
04:43Tony Halkon.
04:45Tony Halkon.
04:50It's my first time to see such a thing.
04:52Actually, I was like, what is that?
04:56I said, wow, from there, it goes there.
05:01That's probably more than a hundred meters.
05:05More than a hundred meters.
05:07More than two Olympic-sized pools.
05:10You slide from there.
05:16It goes to the bottom.
05:18Solid.
05:20I get the feeling.
05:22I've never been to the IJ.
05:25They're building a man-made pool area with cement.
05:28It's like you're losing your natural look.
05:32But their set-up is beautiful.
05:34Sure, you know, it's made by humans.
05:37But is it clean?
05:39Is it clean?
05:40It's clean and there are no people.
05:44It's 6 o'clock in the morning.
05:46It's the perfect timing.
05:47I'll take a bath in the bathroom.
05:51If it's in the bathroom, their slide is man-made.
05:55Here in Gloria, it's made in...
05:57Rocks?
06:02Gloria's house is in Oriental Mindoro.
06:04It's a man-made slide.
06:05That's why even their swings are made of rocks.
06:08Fasten your seatbelt for an exciting ride down the bamboo slide.
06:13We haven't featured a slide made of bamboo.
06:18How did it start?
06:19The president of the Malubay Ecotourism Association came up with the idea
06:25to have a unique activity here.
06:28Of course, this is new.
06:30And it's made of rocks.
06:32What about the durability?
06:34When we tried it, we consulted with experts
06:39to find out the safety level.
06:44From time to time, we have it checked.
06:47It's 180 meters long.
06:49And it only takes 10 seconds to reach the end.
06:52It's fast!
06:53But of course, this is my trip.
06:55So I'll try it for you first, Bejeros.
06:58In 3, 2, 1.
07:02Let's go!
07:13I guess, you're here to find out how I feel.
07:17Yes.
07:18Well, actually, it's okay to go down.
07:21You want to go faster.
07:23Faster and faster.
07:25You want it to be longer and longer.
07:27And then you'll have fun for a while.
07:29I feel like they're just in the first part.
07:32But this is going to be longer
07:34so that the beautiful and fun experience brought by Dioria will be longer.
07:41Who would have thought that a simple rock
07:43can be so thrilling?
07:45You won't find happiness in the province.
07:48Where else?
07:49Rocks are versatile.
07:51Aside from being a slide, do you know that you can also eat it?
07:55What is the part of the bamboo that you're going to make?
08:00How do you know?
08:02This one.
08:04It's still young.
08:06It's only one foot tall.
08:09And usually, how long does it take for you to harvest the bamboo?
08:14This one?
08:15Maybe, one week.
08:17Just one week?
08:18Yes.
08:19Just like that?
08:20As in, it grows that big?
08:21Yes.
08:22They're right.
08:24Bamboo grows really fast.
08:30Let's hurry up and make it.
08:32Before others make it,
08:34let's use bamboo shoots or labong.
08:37Locals of Dioria have made various dishes.
08:41There are dishes like labong relleno
08:43and labong french lumpia,
08:45a remnant side dish of labong kimchi
08:47and a snack of labong french fries.
08:49Maybe we can start with the labong french fries.
08:54There.
08:56See?
09:02Alright.
09:03I can't hold this,
09:06so I can use their bamboo utensil.
09:11Hey, sharp enough.
09:14Mmm.
09:18It's labong relleno.
09:19But this is steamed.
09:21And this is the bamboo itself,
09:23which apparently takes longer.
09:25But let's see what's the difference in taste.
09:29See, this is steamed.
09:37Mmm.
09:43Mmm.
09:45This tastes differently.
09:47I think for me,
09:49it's better because
09:51I want it to have a bit of texture.
09:54Steamed is fine, but
09:57between the two, I would prefer this.
10:00And of course, your classic lumpiang kubad.
10:04But this is also labong.
10:07Mmm.
10:12This has meat.
10:14Mmm.
10:16It's such a great base ingredient to any dish
10:20because it's healthy,
10:22it's easy to cook with,
10:24and it's yummy.
10:29A large part of the life of the people of Oriental Mindoro is bamboo.
10:33In fact, the Mangyans write here.
10:36Hmm, how?
10:38One of the people who still uses it is Bayi, or Aunty Eping.
10:43In the early days of the Mangyans,
10:47writing on bamboo was a process of documenting songs or poems.
10:58So that it won't be forgotten,
11:00they continue to teach it to the next generations of their tribe.
11:28The Mangyans are really resourceful.
11:31Aside from using bamboo to serve as paper,
11:34they also made their own version of the instrument they play.
11:39They call it git-git.
11:42It's literally the crowning glory of the Hanuno or Mangyans
11:46because it's played using the hair of humans and animals.
11:50It's like a violin, if you call it that.
11:55How did you start this?
11:57Is it true that the strings were not nylon before?
12:01You used the hair of humans or horses?
12:05Or dogs?
12:07Yes, that's right.
12:09But in the early days,
12:12the nylon strings were really used.
12:15Yes.
12:16What they use here,
12:19is the hair of horses in the early days.
12:22This is the horse's tail.
12:24Why?
12:25Is it because the horse's hair is thick and strong?
12:28First, it's strong.
12:31Second, when we use it,
12:34the sound is really different.
12:37It's like it's stronger.
12:40Stronger.
12:43In the early days,
12:45there were Mangyans who were grazing horses.
12:48Here, they used the hair of horses to make bowstrings
12:51to tie the strings.
12:53But as time went by,
12:54the number of horses in the tribe decreased.
12:57But it's like this.
12:58In the early days,
12:59it wasn't just the horse's tail.
13:01Even the hair of humans was used,
13:04if it was available.
13:06Because in the Mangyans,
13:07in the Hanuno or Mangyans,
13:08they don't cut their hair,
13:10even for men.
13:11Men and women,
13:12we both have long hair.
13:14Yes.
13:15For them,
13:16those who make bowstrings,
13:18it's easy for them to get their own hair.
13:21Hair.
13:22Because they are strong,
13:23they can't be saved by tradition.
13:25The bowstrings that dad doesn't use
13:27are used by women.
13:28It has been passed down for many generations.
13:30This is from my grandmother.
13:32Is that so?
13:33Yes.
13:34So, probably,
13:35if it's from your grandmother,
13:36it's been a hundred years.
13:38Maybe.
13:39Maybe not.
13:40So, you will play it.
13:42And if a woman wants to play it,
13:44she will also play it.
13:45What does that mean?
13:46If a woman says,
13:47can I borrow?
13:48I will play it.
13:49Does that mean
13:50that I'm your type?
13:52Maybe.
13:53Maybe.
13:55For men,
13:56it's like that, sir.
13:58But for us,
13:59women,
14:00we really learned this
14:01so that we can leave it.
14:04To make the sound of the bowstring more complete,
14:06there are ceremonies that they do.
14:08This is it.
14:09This is it.
14:10Let's hear the sound of the bowstring.
14:14♪♪♪
14:22We also feel nostalgic
14:24when we got to know the local,
14:26Hi-Mai.
14:27She was one of the first
14:28farmers in the town of Calapan.
14:31She has been here for a long time.
14:32She witnessed many changes here.
14:35From being a caretaker,
14:36Hi-Mai has already leveled up
14:38and is now an operations manager.
14:41Relax!
14:42You are the first person here
14:44Yes.
14:45How many years have you been here?
14:46We've been here for 20 years.
14:48Wow!
14:49So this farm started,
14:50what kind of farm is this?
14:53Just fruits.
14:55Just fruits.
14:56Bananas, neog.
14:58Now, this is also a livestock farm.
15:00They raise pigs,
15:01cows,
15:02and goats.
15:04In this farm,
15:05there is a care system.
15:08We take care of everything.
15:10We take care of your goats,
15:12we raise them,
15:13and we also buy the offering of the goats.
15:18That's perfect for those who want
15:19to start livestock farming.
15:21Because of the hard work of Hi-Mai
15:23and her husband,
15:24they were able to improve
15:25the condition of their family.
15:27When we came here to get married,
15:29our son was two years old.
15:31Now, he is a teacher.
15:35He's a teacher?
15:36Wow!
15:37Nice, nice.
15:38Simple life,
15:39it's possible that
15:40there will come a time
15:41when we will be far from home.
15:42That is also proven
15:43by the content creator,
15:44Kamangyan.
15:45It started with nothing,
15:46but now,
15:47it seems like
15:48there is no shortage of blessings.
15:49I say,
15:50the serve!
15:52So,
15:53what is your real name,
15:54Kamangyan?
15:55Mercedes Plaza.
15:56Maria Mercedes.
15:57That's where it started
15:58because my father
15:59likes to watch...
16:00What?
16:01Taliya.
16:02Taliya?
16:03Wow!
16:04That's right, dad.
16:06Taliya is my father.
16:08How do you play this?
16:10Of course,
16:11I can see you there.
16:12I can see you
16:13to your mother,
16:14to your father.
16:15Ah, okay.
16:16Of course,
16:17we also like to cook.
16:18You should also like to cook.
16:19That's right.
16:20That's right.
16:21Most of the content
16:22is about their help
16:23in cooking
16:24the food
16:25that their family needs.
16:26Normally,
16:27the food that you cook
16:30you also get it
16:31from the people
16:32who are close to you.
16:33We are from a nearby town,
16:34in Pola.
16:35But when we don't have food,
16:36sometimes,
16:37we are really far from home.
16:39We are the only ones
16:40who get caught.
16:41Is that so?
16:42It's not a joke
16:43that they get caught,
16:44but...
16:45Ah, it's a big one!
16:46Ah!
16:47Hey, that's not...
16:48Don't be nervous.
16:49Don't be nervous,
16:50it's Judi.
16:51It's Judi Ricardo.
16:52Oh!
16:53All of them are like that.
16:54She's like a wife.
16:55But for her,
16:56hi to us now.
16:57Just this morning,
16:58her father
16:59left them.
17:00How did that vlog
17:01start?
17:02Me?
17:03I really like
17:04to watch vlogs.
17:05Aha.
17:06Hey!
17:07So,
17:08when did you start?
17:09So,
17:10your siblings
17:11joined you
17:12or
17:13you're together?
17:14My sibling
17:15was the one
17:16who told me that
17:17I have potential
17:18in vlogging.
17:19Aha.
17:20She's just handsome.
17:21The corn
17:22that we cooked
17:23in the field,
17:24it's not chicken.
17:25It's not chicken.
17:26But,
17:27it's really delicious
17:28when it's steamed.
17:29It's really good.
17:30I want to eat it already.
17:31I can't wait to go home.
17:32How was the transition?
17:33At first,
17:34it was just
17:35trip-trip
17:37when it came to
17:38making content.
17:39Okay.
17:40Until,
17:41a lot of people
17:42supported us.
17:43For more than 4 years,
17:44as a content creator,
17:45she didn't fully believe
17:46that
17:47by simply
17:48showing
17:49how they live
17:50in the field,
17:51it will change
17:52their lives.
17:53We videoed
17:54our life
17:55here in Mindoro.
17:57How do we
17:58live here?
17:59How simple
18:00is our life?
18:01We get
18:02bananas.
18:03We catch
18:04fish.
18:05Okay.
18:06Now,
18:07your life is not
18:08that simple anymore?
18:09Yes.
18:10I just laughed.
18:11You just laughed?
18:12Yes.
18:13That's okay.
18:14Of course,
18:15we're still
18:16there
18:17in Pinagmulan.
18:18Pinagmulan?
18:19It's the same.
18:20The peaceful province
18:21of Oriental Mindoro
18:22has a unique resident
18:23who also lives
18:24here.
18:25In Gloria's house,
18:26there's a species
18:27of bat
18:28that can only be found
18:29in the Philippines.
18:30This is the
18:31Philippine Pygmy
18:32Round Leaf Bat
18:33that lives
18:34in the Twin Fountain
18:35Cave.
18:38This can
18:39now be used
18:40by tourists.
18:41That's why
18:42it's being used
18:43now.
18:44And it's
18:45becoming
18:46known
18:47in different
18:48places
18:49in the Philippines.
18:50Before we
18:51meet and greet
18:52the bats,
18:53the bats
18:54that dance first
18:55welcomed us
18:56to the lake
18:57of the cave.
18:58And to get
18:59into the bats'
19:00nest,
19:01they need to
19:02duck walk
19:03for 5 minutes
19:04inside the cave.
19:05And their
19:06reminder
19:07to visitors
19:08is that
19:09those with
19:10wounds
19:11are not
19:12allowed to
19:13enter.
19:14If a tourist
19:15has a wound,
19:16we don't
19:17allow him
19:18to enter
19:19because there's
19:20a tendency
19:21that it
19:22can cause
19:23infection
19:24to their
19:25wounds.
19:26Before the
19:27bats became
19:28their home,
19:29this cave
19:30remained
19:31a hideout
19:32for the bats.
19:33The bats
19:34are sure
19:35that they're
19:36still here
19:37because their
19:38place is still
19:39safe and
19:40natural.
19:41For the bats,
19:42their simple
19:43online show
19:44of their
19:45safe life
19:46has attracted
19:47millions of
19:48visitors.
19:49But after
19:50being a content
19:51creator for
19:52years,
19:53what has
19:54changed
19:55in their
19:56life?
19:57What has
19:58changed?
19:59Of course,
20:00first of all,
20:01they're now
20:02able to pay their
20:03debts.
20:04Before,
20:05they had to
20:06pay their debts
20:07first.
20:08Then,
20:09they could
20:10earn money
20:11from their
20:12business.
20:13Then,
20:14they could
20:15pay their
20:16debts.
20:17Now,
20:18they're
20:19able to
20:20pay all
20:21of their
20:22debts.
20:23Now,
20:24they're
20:25able to
20:26pay
20:27all of
20:28their
20:29debts.
20:30And
20:31they've
20:32bought
20:33hectares of
20:34land.
20:35Can
20:36you see
20:37that?
20:38Can
20:39you see
20:40that?
20:41I can
20:42see it.
20:43It's
20:44beautiful.
20:45It's
20:46really
20:47beautiful.
20:48So what are
20:49your plans
20:50in the
20:51future?
20:52We want
20:53to have
20:54a farm.
20:55The whole
20:56family.
20:57We want
20:58to farm
20:59animals, so that's how we save money.
21:02So even if we say that your income is big, you're still in the farm?
21:07Yes.
21:08What happens in the farm?
21:09It's like it's chill.
21:10For example, if you don't have any social media, if you have a problem, you just look around,
21:15the colors are green, it's like it's chill.
21:18How do you look around?
21:20It's like that.
21:21Okay.
21:22You just chill there.
21:23Chill, chill.
21:24If you have a problem, you just look around.
21:27Because Kamangyan and I have a good story, I didn't know that Sopo and Alimango were already cooked.
21:33Yes, Piero, get your own plate and let's eat together.
21:37The food is delicious as long as the family is together.
21:42The 42 hectare Silonay Mangrove Conservation Area and Ecotourism is a vibrant and truly green place where the Mindo-Renos can take care of their area.
21:53We have 15 species of mangroves, 29 species of birds.
21:59This is the endemic or the rarest to be seen.
22:05To see the nearby mangroves, you can ride a kayak.
22:11Aluwin is one of the tour guides here who teaches tourists the importance of mangroves for their community.
22:18The mangroves help us a lot because when there's a storm, no one's house gets damaged.
22:26The mangroves are the ones we use to protect us from the strong winds and the strong waves.
22:31This is why the locals of Silonay take good care of the mangroves.
22:35Not only for their own well-being, but also for the well-being of the whole community.
22:41To all of you who are traveling around Makata,
22:44I will now present you with an amazing poem.
22:48I was forced to include Nanay Daing who is playing her git-git.
22:53Roses are red.
22:56Violets are blue.
22:59We are now here in Oriental Minduro.
23:04There's a huge cave.
23:07And a bamboo slide.
23:10There are natural falls that are so sweet.
23:14And a freshwater pool that's color blue.
23:18You can play git-git.
23:22And cook a huge alimangu.
23:27And if you're wondering,
23:31how did I get here from Manila?
23:35You can ride a canoe.
23:38Travelers, you need to travel to Oriental Minduro.
23:46In living in the province, we have learned a lesson.
23:49You don't need to ask for too much.
23:54Being content with simple things
23:56brings unparalleled joy to our lives.
24:01Approved!
24:07Oriental Minduro