The Preparation

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM BUTUAN GLOBAL FORUM, Nov. 5, 2009
Six (6) applicants for crew members of Butuan's "Balanghai" Boat have been chosen by the Boat-Building Project Committee to undergo tests and trials on board "Diwata ng Lahi". The six (6) candidates will depart for Cebu on November 11. There they will pick up their life vests, safety lines, aqua footwear and rash guards from Habagat Outdoor Equipment, a Cebu-based major sponsor of the Butuan Boat-Building Project. On November 12, they will proceed to Panglao Island in Bohol where they will report to the regular crew of "Diwata ng Lahi".

The Manila-built "Diwata ng Lahi" will be docked in Panglao Island from November 11 to 13. The boat is currently in Dumaguete City, having arrived there on November 4. After undertaking a series of community events at this port of call, the crew of "Diwata ng Lahi" will cross over to Siquijor Island on November 9, perform community service there for two days, and sail on to Bohol on November 11.

The six (6) crew candidates from Butuan will join the community activities in Panglao. They will thereafter sail with the crew of "Diwata ng Lahi" during this part of the Mactan to Butuan leg of the "Voyage of the Balangay". On the Manila-built balanghai boat, they will undergo "on-the-job" sailing training, team-building exercises, and performance evaluation. By the time they reach Butuan, the Balangay Team headed by Art Valdez will have chosen who among the six (6) Butuanon candidates will comprise the regular crew and reserve/alternate crew of Butuan's "Balanghai" Boat. It is possible that none of the Butuanon candidates will qualify. It is equally possible that all of them will be taken as regular crew.