AS a traveler, I often find myself doing unusual things to visit a place. My recent adventure brought me to the southern tip of Negros Oriental to explore a very colorful market that only happens on Wednesdays. To get there, I had to leave my hostel in Dumaguete very early in the morning to catch the bus going to Bayawan, which passes through Zamboanguita.

Zamboanguita is a municipality of around 30,000 people. Its name comes from the term 'Sab-ongan ug coguita,' referring to the practice of hanging octopuses on trees to dry, according to local stories. It is a municipality of 10 barangay, with an economy largely based on fishing and agriculture. Its rich fishing grounds provide sustenance and livelihood opportunities to the people of Zamboanguita, while its thriving agricultural sector produces a range of crops that support trade within the region.