If
you visit villages in the countryside, you will see the animals which
are common in the normal life of all Filipinos and in the lives of most
Asian people: Dogs, chickens, cocks and the water buffalo (Carabao).
Though ordinary animals, they are in some respects interesting for
foreigners. For
instance the Carabao. Tourists are always interested
in the carabao. Taking a picture
of this animal, while it is working on the rice-field or while it is resting in a
place of water and mud, is a standard activity of tourists.
The Carabao, the "National
Animal"
The National Animal of the Philippines is the carabao, the Asian Water Buffalo!
If you travel through the
countryside, you sure will discover the carabao.
The
carabao (water buffalo) is still a very important draught-animal on the
rice-fields. The carabao
is also used for pulling activities in the forest. If not working, the water
buffalo can be seen while it is resting, many times in a place of water
and mud. That's a standard activity of the animal too!
The
farmers often use the "Paragos", a wooden apparatus, to flatten the
land
for farming.
By standing on it, the pressure is enough to flatten the land in a sufficient
way. Some farms have already machinery. This is especially in low lying
regions. Using tractors is more efficient, because it is a much faster way of
working. However, not so many farmers will financially be able to invest in
machinery. Most farmers are too poor for mechanization. At times, they rent
the tractors of those who have it.
The preference to use the carabao is still
common, especially in upland regions.
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