MANILA, Philippines - Three balangay vessels, built to resemble the ancient wooden vessels used by Filipino ancestors, were warmly welcomed last week in Brunei.

Tony Alabastro, a Filipino journalist in Brunei, noted that Brunei is the balangay's 86th stop and the second foreign country visited after touring 80 places in the Philippines.

He said a Bruneian archeologist set foot in Sama Tawi-Tawi, a replica of a 1,600-year-old sailboat dug up in the Philippines, and appreciated its historical value.

Citing voyage leader Arturo Valdez of Kaya ng Pinoy Foundation, Alabastro reported that Brunei Tourism director Sheikh Jamaluddin welcomed the 3 balangay and joined the tour of the state's soon-to-open Maritime Museum.

"We gained weight here in Brunei from the food given to us by Edel Bartholomew (Filipino Association in Brunei president) and the Philippine Embassy. We did not expect a grand welcome by the Brunei Tourism Director," he said, quoting Valdez.

The 3 wooden balangay -- Sama Tawi-Tawi, Masawa Hong Butuan and Diwata ng Lahi -- sailed off from different parts of the Philippines in July. Together, the 3 boats are off to voyage around Southeast Asia and China.

After stopping by Brunei, Valdez' group sailed to Malaysia. He said they are set to "cross the 560-kilometer Indonesian waters from Pemangkat, Kalimantan to Bentan island before Singapore."