Pristine Sorsogon
Posted on Wednesday, 20 August 2014
Pristine
Sorsogon
By Apolinario Villalobos
Little, if ever has been known about
Sorsogon, but that was when bus trips from Manila all the way to Mindanao were
scarce. Some even forget that the Bulusan lake and volcano that they learned
from geography books in elementary are found in Sorsogon. I had the opportunity
to have a glimpse, though a quickie one, of this province, known in Philippine
legendary stories as Ibalong.
Two Agustinian friars, Juan Orta and Alonzo
Jimenez in the company of Captain Enrique de Guzman, set foot on Hibalong, a
village near the mouth or Ginangra River, where they erected the first chapel
ever built in Luzon. Later, the village became known as Ibalong to which the
whole region has been referred. The contingent continued their exploration of
the region until they reached Pilar and Camalig which is now part of Albay. A
little later, the Abucay-Catamlangan Mission was established.
The rest of the towns established by the
missionaries were Gibalon in 1570 (today, a sitio of Magallanes), Casiguran in
1600, Bulusan in 1631, Pilar in 1635, Donsol in 1668, Magallanes in 1860,
Sorsogon in 1866 and Irosin in 1880. The province was established in October
17, 1894 and named as Sorsogon which its namesake town, as its capital.
Sorsogon has metamorphosed into a highly
developed province, from the time I have made it a part of my adventure in
1980….
From Masbate, I took a two-decker ferry,
the M/V Matea early one morning. From the lodging house, I trudged the wet road
to the pier where I found the ferry outlined in the slowly fading darkness of
the horizon. Before I boarded the ferry, I dallied in a roadside stall for a
cup of coffee and hard-boiled egg. But just before I could even have a single
sip of the instant coffee, the heavily overcast sky let go of a steady drizzle
followed by a sudden downpour. I hurriedly boarded the ferry with my cup of
coffee and hard-boiled egg, the old woman vendor running after me as in my
haste, I forgot to pay her.
Passengers who came from far-off islands and
who spent their night on the ferry were just beginning to stretch when I took
the stair to the second deck and chose the most comfortable- looking canvas
lounging chair.
The rain prompted the boat hands to let
down the deck covers. In this part of the Philippines, the weather tends to be
very unpredictable so that a traveler has to be prepared at all times,
although, the locals say that their summer is punctuated by rains.
The morning I took the ferry to Bulan,
radio stations were blaring news reports that a typhoon was battering Manila
and the rest of northern Luzon. But what we experienced in Masbate was just a
sudden downpour that gave way to a steady drizzle. There was even a bit
sunshine when the ferry finally pulled away from the wharf. The sky opened up
when we were sailing out of the bay.
Following the southwestern trip of Ticao
island, we crossed the opposing currents. The eastern side of the island was a
delight to see. A great stretch of white beach greeted my eyes. It’s different
when it was viewed from a distance. I had another impression when I visited it
just the day before. All the way from Batuan to San Jacinto, the sandy shore
fringed by coconut trees looked like a paradise.
While feasting my eyes on the shoreline of
Ticao, a show-off stingray suddenly popped out of the calm sea and glided above
the waves to the delight of the passengers. A middle-aged man beside me said
that there were also times when a school of dophins would escort the ferry
halfway to Bulan. It’s what I was hoping would happen but which unfortunately
did not, until we reached the port.
Bulan, despite its strategic location was comparably slow in catching up with
its neighboring towns. It was
practically limited to its role as an “overnight town” for commuting passengers.
The word “Bulan” was derived from the “big
moon” which the natives experienced during the visit of a Spanish expedition
group. That time, the phenomenon excited the natives excited so that when asked
about it by the Spaniards, they pointed to the big moon while exclaiming
“Builan”. In the fields of Sta. Remedios, can be found a WWII relic, a Japanese
tunnel. Aside from the said historical landmark, Bulan’s other natural
attraction are the Ubo and Bayugin Falls.
The province of Sorsogon is surrounded with
straits and bays. Only a thin land bridge connects it to the Bicol peninsula
and entrenched in the southeastern bend facing the Sorsogon Bay is the capital
city. The province virtually encloses Sugot Bay which empties into Albay Gulf.
Separating the hook-like mass of land from Samar is San Bernardino Strait which
is also a link between Pacific Ocean on the east, Ticao and Burias Pass on the
west.
The topography of the province is hilly but
compared to that of other provinces of the region, it is less jagged. Mountain
ranges break its irregular surface and of its six major elevations, the highest
is Mt. Bulusan with an altitude of 5,114 feet above sea level. It is an active
volcano and the foremost scenic spot of the province. It has become the landmark
for travelers that can be seen even from a distance of about 96 kilometers.
The volcano looms over Bulusan lake which
is surrounded by a lush forest. The area measuring about 16.43 hectares and is
about 2,084 feet above sea level. Replete with various flora, the area is an
ideal place for botanical researches. It could be reached on a private vehicle
from Irosin which is about forty five minutes away. From the national highway,
it is about half an hour walk over a clean trail that winds through the forest.
The name of the town is derived from the word “bulus” (to flow). The
municipality prides in its Dancalan Beach Resort, Mt. Bulusan and its lake, as
well as, Masacrot Hot Spring.
Among the towns of the province, the most
fertile is Irosin. Its name is derived from “iros” which means, to cut a
portion. Elders allege that it came about as a result of the erosion of
riverbanks during the flood season, through which floodwaters “cut through” to
form outflows. Paddies greened or yellowed by rice depending on the season are
sights to behold from the elevated highway leading to Matnog. It is also famous
for its hot springs.
The town of Barcelona, named after the
famous city of Spain, is known for its centuries-old church constructed by the
Franciscan friars from coral stones, egg whites and “tuba” (coconut liquor). It
is reputed to be one of the oldest churches of the Bicol region.
The first Mission of the Agustinians in
Sorsogon is Casiguran which they established in 1600, that made it as the
center of all “Kabikulan”. The name was
derived from “kasi gurang” which was what the locals told the Spaniards when
the latter asked why there were no young among the old inhabitants. The
townsfolk were actually hiding the young women of the village, every time the
Spaniards came, for fear that they would be abused. The Spaniards thought that
the “kasi gurang” was what the place was called, so they began referring to it
by that name which later, was contracted to “Casiguran”. The town’s natural
attraction is Nagsipit Falls.
Gubat used to be a progressive barrio of
Bulusan, until it became independent as a municipality. Due to its popularity
even during the Hispanic time, it became a favorite settlemet of those coming
from the regions of Tagalog, Visayas and the neighboring Albay. The settlement
used to be located at Buri which has become Buenavista later on. Its first
municipal gobernadorcillo was Don Pedro Manook. The name was derived from
“guinobat” which means “raided”, due to the frequency of raids by Muslims from the
south. There’s a legend about the town’s having been saved by the Child Jesus
in the arms of St. Anthony of Padua who eventually, became its patron saint.
Its old church was built from the contributed “talaksan” (coral stones), by the
locals. Preparation for the building of the church took ten years, according to
the story, and finally started in 1778. A popular beach of Gubat is Rizal,
located 5 kilometers from the town center. It is close to the San Bernardino
Strait, the reason why surfers frequent it due to its big waves.
Magallanes was known during the Spanish
regime as Encomienda de Iguey with two sitios, Parina and Caditaan. The town was established in April 30, 1859
through the effort of a Spanish abaca trader, Don Manuel de Castro, who became
the first gobernadorcillo. It became an independent parish in December 11,
1863. According to the local history, the first Christian Mass in Luzon was
held in Magallanes, which was formerly referred to as Gibalong. The Ibalon or
Tierra de Gibalong that used to be reference of the whole region originated at
Magallanes.
Bagatao Island, a part of Magallanes, was
considered as the shipyard of the region where galleons were built and
repaired, which during the time was called Real Astillero de Bagatao. The
island’s name came from two words “bagang tawo”, which means, “looks like a
man” because the shape of the island looks like a man floating in the waters.
It is located at the mouth of Sorsogon Bay.
Another shipyard, considered to be
importance, too, is Panlatuan of Pilar.
Remains of kiln-like structures, thick stone walls that resemble those
of a fort that point to the settlement as an important shipyard and metal
factory at the same time. This is also the birthplace of the province’s
nationalistic sentiment against the Spaniards, which caused them to take arms
and kill the Spanish shipyard administrator and his four assistants in August
1898. From Panlatuan, the ardent feeling spread throughout the rest of the
province.
For the spelunkers, Prieto-Diaz offers Nagsurok
Cave, named as such, because one has to practically crawl on all fours to get
inside. “Surok” means, to crawl. Legend has it that, the cave was the home of
the “mampak bird”, that preyed on the people of Prieto-Diaz, Gubat, Barcelona,
Bulusan and Irosin. Another cave is called “Pinanaan” which means, “place
where arrows were shot”. It was here
where, according to the legend, the “mampak bird” was cornered by the people
and eventually killed it with arrows.
The hottest spot in the province today is
Donsol because of its marine visitors – the butandings, or whale sharks. Both
foreign and local tourists flock to this coastal town just to have a glimpse of
the sharks frolicking among the waves. Donsol which also means, “anvil”, has
been known for its metal products. Although, the coastal town has been visited
by the sharks frequently in the past, it was only in 1997 that the locals came
to fully understand the harmlessness of the sea creatures. With the whale shark
sightings, the town has become known worldwide among the nature lovers.
The gateway of Luzon to the Visayas and
Mindanao regions is Matnog. It is here where ferry transfers are made.
Island-hopping is the best activity in Matnog because of its alluring islets,
such as Tikling, Calintaan, Juag and Subic. Motorized bancas can be hired at
the Matnog Ferry Terminal for visits to these islets. The most intriguing among
them is Subic which is girded by fine pinkish sandy beach, just like the Sta.
Cruz Island of Zamboanga. It is also fondly referred to as “La Playa Rosa”. On
the other hand, Calintaan Islet features an underwater cave.
Several layers of lava resulting from
eruptions in the past, account to the fertility of the province’ soil in
general. Added to this is the helpful river system that practically
crisscrosses the 2,141 square kilometers area of the province. Of the six
principal rivers, longest is Donsol. The Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway is
the main commercial artery of the province.
Buses that ply the Philippine-Japan Friendship
Highway for Sorsogon towns and cities, as well as, those that go straight to
Cagayan de Oro and Davao cities in Mindanao, and some cities and towns in
Visayas, can be taken at Manila. The nearest airport to the province is located
at Legaspi City.
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