VALENCIA — Tropical storm Sendong gave this town a run for her money, so to speak.
Not exactly a pretty sight for a class A municipality, after being badly battered by nature’s fury. However, Valencia stood still, like a trooper, refusing to yield to its losses. Loss of lives and livelihood did not deter any Valencianon; instead, they fought back by helping their neighbors cope with their daily tasks, and maintain their temper without any pity parties or soap opera.
Still, Valencia remains the home of the most beautiful acacia trees, and other stunning wild plants, not to mention the most decadent fruit trees of lanzones and rambutan, delicious sweet yellow corn, organic vegetables, and simply divine natural resources of crystal clear rivers and water falls, and of course, unparallel crisp cool air.
Who wouldn’t live in that kind of environment, if given the chance? I do and I was…
I found Valencia a perfect place to live, precisely as described, and to top it all, simply amazing humble people — no fuss-no muss.
It took me over a year to decide whether to live here in the Philippines permanently. And when I decided to stay for good, I probably explored more than a hundred property lands looking for that perfect place to settle.
My journey started from the coastal scenic view of Dauin and Bacong, all the way to its mountaintop, then down towards Dumaguete and its enclave of various subdivisions and barangays, then up to Sibulan’s hilltop private oasis, up to San Jose’s properties overlooking Tanon Strait, even up to Amlan’s beachfront lands, but none of it seduced me more than Valencia.
And why is that? My answer is simple: I love living in Valencia because of its simplicity — nothing too complicated, no hypes to brag about, no colorful camouflage of decor to hide something, no frills, no schemes or hidden agenda to lure you, no aerosol deodorizer to intoxicate you other than its natural aroma.
In other words, no pretense — just a transparent work of nature you don’t have to seek out, it’s just there in front of you — to enjoy, to experience, and to absorb in the most tender way — not in your face to overwhelm you, but everywhere to soothe you.
Strong like an ox, Valencianons are the salt of the earth. They rebuild their lives once again. Thanks to the collective pouring of assistance and support overseas, nationally, and locally, that gave Valencia an overwhelming hope.
Like any true Valencianon would say, “Our soul is still intact, nothing’s changed. What you see is what you get.” That is the true spirit of what Valencia is.
