VOYAGE OF THE BALANGAY

By: Kaya ng Pinoy Foundation

Objectives
The Voyage of the Balangay aims to rebuild the ancient Filipino boat called the balanghai
and retrace the migration of our ancestors across the oceans. This national and international
undertaking aims to rekindle the maritime consciousness of our people and highlight the
important role of the Filipino seafarer in the world. (The Philippine National Museum
recommended the use of the term balangay in lieu of balanghai to correct the wrong
pronunciation of the original Butuanon word caused by Pigafettas spelling, and to stress the
meaning of community that the ancient boat has come to represent!
Boat Building
The first authentic balangay replica in modern times was built from April to June !""# by
master boat craftsmen from the "sland of #ibutu and #itang$ay in Tawi%tawi Their boat$building
skills had been handed down through generations. They employed the same boat building
techni%ues and used the same tools of construction as the balanghai of the &th '(th and '&th
century A.).* plank$ built lashed$lug edge and shell$first construction.
The first balangay boat named &iwata ng 'ahi not only showcases the capabilities of the
Filipinos as world$class boat builders but also pro+es to be an effecti+e way of instilling and
propagating the idea among the present Filipinos particularly the youth that Filipinos ha+e been
world$class boat builders e+en before the coming of the ,estern coloni-ers.
This historically +eritable construction took place at the ../ area in 0anila $ an informati+e and
interacti+e boat building showroom. A +iewing deck was constructed so that students academics
and the general public could en1oy the chance to actually see the progress of the building of the
first$e+er balanghai boat since the pre$2panish era..
The second balangay boat will be built in Butuan where the only remnants of ancient
Balanghai3s were disco+ered in the '#4"s. 5ne such relic mostly intact is now displayed in the
Balanghai "n #itu 0useum in Ambangan Butuan .ity. The balanghai has come to be known
as the Butuan Boat. 6t is only fitting and proper that the second boat will be built in Butuan.
,ood materials used in the old balanghai boats such as dungon, tanguile, lawaan, tugas and
ya$al will be used in the new Butuan balanghai boat.
The local Butuan community will be in+ol+ed in the pro1ect to build the Butuan balanghai
boat. There will be acti+e participation by students teachers employees businessmen and
housewi+es to ensure an in$depth understanding of the historical and cultural aspects of the
endea+or as well as a thorough appreciation of the significance of this undertaking to our
identity as a people with a glorious maritime history.
Sailing Route
These are the general destinations of the balangay +oyage under the pro1ected timetable*
!""# The /hilippines
!"'" 2outheast Asia
!"'' 0icronesia and 0adagascar
!"'! 2ail across the /acific onward to the Atlantic all the way around the world
!"'( Back home to the /hilippines
The Balanga Builde!" A!t Valde#
Art Valde- once had an impossible dream. But no order is too tall for the man who concei+ed
organi-ed and led the successful $hili%%ine &t' Eve!est E(%edition' 7+en with financial
difficulties and against almost insurmountable odds his team put the first (ilipinos on the
#ummit of Mt )*erest in !""8. 6n !""4 the team accomplished the (irst +oman Tra*erse of Mt
)*erest% a feat ne+er before done in world mountaineering history.
Art Valde-9s organi-ational e:pertise and management e:perience in leading the 0t. 7+erest
7:pedition can ser+e as the guiding light in the accomplishment of this pro1ect his new
;7+erest.; 6n Butuan <aya ng /inoy Foundation has designated Butuan =istorical > .ultural
Foundation ?B=.F@ as its partner$AB5 in the Voyage of the Balangay pro1ect which was
initiated and carried out by the pri+ate sector with go+ernment support. 6n turn B=.F has made
arrangements with the local go+ernment through the .ity Tourism .ouncil to manage and
handle all the acti+ities during the four$day stop$o+er in Butuan of )iwata ng Cahi. 6n the
send$off the Butuan balanghai boat will 1oin )iwata ng Cahi in its onward +oyage to
southern /hilippines then to the Asian mainland.
The building of the second boat will be super+ised by the Butuan =istorical > .ultural
Foundation as lead AB5 with funding raised by Butuan Blobal Forum 6nc. B=.F3s e%ual co$
partner in this boat$building enterprise. 5ther Butuanon organi-ations will be participating in this
historic undertaking the building of the Butuan balanghai boat with support from national
go+ernment agencies and local go+ernment units.
6f Filipino mountaineers could succeed in planting the /hilippine flag on 0t. 7+erest with no
prior e:perience in hiking on snowy slopes ha+ing climbed the world3s highest mountain then
there is no reason to doubt that the team will not succeed in con%uering the seas sailing the
ancient boat balanghai with the same sea$faring spirit that has been in the Filipino blood in
true 0alay tradition for thousands of years.
The )!e*
The core of the crew will be the /hilippine 7+erest Team*
Leo Oracion Erwin "Pastour" Emata Dr. Ted Esguerra Dr. Votaire Veasco
Fred !amii "oee #encesao $arina Dayondon !anet Bearmino%&ardina
The rest of the crew is composed of master sailors academics and scientists whose selection
were based on the Three .9s*
)A$AB+L+TY to accomplish the task at the hand
)O&&+T&ENT to the team and its undertaking
)O&$AT+B+L+TY to the team9s core +alues
Values
The celebration of the Asian .entury is also a time to honor the Filipino pioneering spirit which
we established during our ascent of 0t. 7+erest. This ne:t epic +oyage is yet another chance to
inspire our countrymen and fellow 0alays to belie+e in oursel+es and in our oneness again.
The inspiration for this pro1ect comes from the maritime achie+ements of our ancestors. They
were considered the masters of the seas sailing along the 2outh .hina 2ea the Bulf of Thailand
and the Ja+a 2ea. )espite the presence of obstacles and dangers our people considered the seas
to be unifying rather than di+isi+e. The balanghai was a means of transportation and
communication.
The pro1ect will showcase and challenge Filipino ingenuity and nati+e sur+i+al skills in this
modern age by using ancient sea$faring technology. 6t also aims to reorient the psyche of our
people that we are a maritime nation and not land$based as our coloni-ers had led us to belie+e.
2ailing around the country and +isiting e+ery ma1or port will rekindle that maritime spirit in us.
The balangay will become the catalyst to stir up historical consciousness among Filipinos today
transporting our people to our cherished goals. ,ithout that keen knowledge of history our
people will continue to suffer from a lack of national identity that unifies a people. As our
national hero )r. Jose /. Di-al so aptly described ;,ng taong hindi lumilingon sa
pinanggalingan ay hindi ma$a$arating sa patutunguhan.;