The Chronicle’s Mark Bellune traveled to Cebu, Philippines, recently to see a friend. He learned much of the history and culture of the nation of islands in the Pacific — living with locals for 2 weeks, not as a tourist. This is the 3rd in a series.

I need to correct two things from my last article.

Cebu, if you could fly direct from Columbia, is nearly 9,000 miles away, not 6,000. Also, the minimum wage is about 19 cents an hour, not $1.

The Philippines is steeped in history which I will get into later. But first a simple lesson on current politics.

It is dominated by one man — President Rodrigo Duterte.

He is waging a war against drugs and Islamic terrorists, some linked to Al qaeda and the Islamic State.

He crushes opposition with intimidation and threat of arrest.

If he reads this, I will probably be declared persona non grata.

He has extremely high approval ratings from his people.

His police and military have free hands to execute drug dealers without need of the courts.

Even Thomas, my friend from Lexington who lives there, likes him. People feel safer now, he said to me.

Cebu is the second to last large island in the south of the nation of islands. The last, Min danao, is the home base for sev eral Islamic groups battling the government and each other.

Many Islamic State fighters escaping from Iraq and Syria are joining forces against the government on Mindanao with the most violent and notorious Islamic terrorist group called Abu sayyaf.

“Terrorist Wanted” signs are seen sporadically around Cebu. Armed guards check bags at the local mall.

On the Mountain

I joined my new friends with Thomas on top of the small mountain where his wife’s extended family lives.

They gather on most Sundays to eat and play cards.

Some drink beer.

Several generations of relatives live up there. They all care for each other and raise goats and chickens and roosters for cock fighting.

Cock fighting is a big sport in the Philippines. While illegal in the United States, it is legal here and the government collects fees.

Two of the teens showed me how the roosters fight without razor spurs attached to the cocks’ legs so they don’t kill each other.

They promised to take me on Sunday to the local cock fights where the winner gets a chicken dinner and lots of betting takes place.

Thomas’ father-in-law guarded a huge water tank on top of the mountain with his sons. It provides potable water for the surrounding community.

We then went back to Edwin and Lianne’s place in Eastland Estates and took the kids swimming to cool off.

After that we went grocery shopping at a large store at the local mall, the only real super market in town we would recognize in the Midlands. They prepared a dinner of chicken, rice, fresh mangos and oranges.

Thomas hooked up his Karaoke machine and they all welcomed me with songs and dancing. We partied late into the night.

Next: Filipinos love basketball