Alluring Antique and the Late Gov. Evelio Javier
Posted on Friday, 12 September 2014
Alluring
Antique
And
the late Gov. Evelio B. Javier
By Apolinario Villalobos
Antique is invariably likened in shape to a
seahorse and described by others as an oversized serrated hemline on the
western border of the three-cornered, scarf-like land mass that is Panay. It is
nestled between the bluish China Sea on the west and mountain ranges on the
east. With a length of 155 kilometers and a width of 33 kilometers at its
widest, Antique has a total land area of approximately 252,000 hectares. Long
mountain ranges separate it from the rest of the provinces of Panay Island. It
is bounded on the north and northeast by Aklan, on the east by Capiz, and on
the southeast by Iloilo. On the west is the Cuyo East Pass of the Sulu Sea,
part of the vast China Sea.
The province is rich in metallic, as well
as, non-metallic minerals. Metallic reserves include copper, chromite, gold and
silver, while the non-metallic include China clay, structural clay, pottery
clay, phosphate, coal and marble. A yet, undetermined volume of manganese,
nickel, gold and silver are believed to abound in the lowlands of Pandan and
Libertad. Coal is found on Semirara Island.
Other than rich geologic resources, Antique
is also endowed by nature with alluring attributes that are bound to enthrall
visitors, making them wonder how it could have stayed unnoticed for a long
time.
The Antiqueῆos, just like the
rest of the inhabitants of Panay Island are charming and hospitable. They are
ready with a smile that can make a stranger feel at home, the moment he steps
on the province’s threshold. There is a mingling tint of races in their
physical make up. While some show strong Malay features, the rest are of the
Ati and Spanish strains. Their Visayan dialect, called Karay-a may not sound
lilting due to its rolling accent, but the intonation is pleasant to the ear.
Antique’s own kind of January festival with
a religious undertone, though, with strong historic feature is called
“Binirayan Festival”. The “biray” refers to the sailboats used by the ten
Bornean datu who landed at Malandag, when they escaped the tyrannical rule of
their sultan, Makatunaw. Their landing site at Malandag is marked with an
austere structure. The celebration has caught up with the rest of the festivals
of provinces of Panay, such as Ati-Atihan of Kalibo (Aklan), Dinagyang of
Iloilo, and Halaran of Roxas (Capiz).
A visitor will never be bored in Antique
which is blessed by nature with mountains, waterfalls, profuse wildlife,
beaches and coral gardens, not to mention the historic landmarks in
practically, every town. At San Jose de Buenavista, the capital, snorkeling can
be enjoyed at Comun, where clusters of colorful reefs can be found. It has also
its share of beautiful beaches, such as the Madranga and Taringting, where
visitors usually rest after a day’s revelry during the Binirayan Festival, held
at its permanent site, the La Granja.
South of San Jose de Buenavista, a little
more than an hour away from downtown, is Anini-y, with its medicinal sulphuric
Sira-an hot spring, that gushes out of rocks, overlooking the Panay Gulf. The
town’s Hispanic past is punctuated by its centuries-old church made of white
corals. It also takes pride in its two islands, Nogas and Hurao-Hurao. The
former is ringed by coral gardens, while the latter can be reached by wading in
the water during low tide. There’s also the Cresta del Gallo which the locals
call Punta Nasog, so appropriately named because the cliffs look like a cock’s
comb, especially, when they are silhouetted against the darkening horizon late
in the afternoon.
A quarter of an hour’s drive from San Jose
is Hamtic, the site of the first Malay settlement in Panay. The site is
particularly located at Malandag, a progressive district where an austere
structure serves as the marker of the historic spot.
Going northeast on a forty-five minutes of
commute on a jeepney, one will reach San Remegio, a beautiful hillside town,
frequented by weekenders for its two scenic waterfalls, as well as, Bato Cueva,
a cave situated on a hill. From this perch, one can have a sweeping view of the
plains traversed by a river down below, and cloud-capped jade mountains.
At Culasi, one will surely be impressed by
the mountain ranges that serve as the boundary between the neighboring
provinces of Capiz and Aklan, with Mt. Madia-as as the highest peak.
Approaching the mountain from town, its awe-inspiring “hundred waterfalls” can
make one gasp in admiration.
Seen from the shores of Culasi is Mararison
Island which could be reached on a pumpboat in thirty minutes. During the ‘80s,
we had a rare opportunity to pitch tent on it shore after our memorable climb of
Mt. Madia-as. While approaching the island, we were impressed by the coral
gardens below the calm waters, so that, as soon as we have pitched our tents,
we raced to them. Practically, the whole island is ringed by the coral colonies
with varying depths. A surprise was the freshwater spring whose gushes can only
be enjoyed during the low tide, as it gets submerged during high tide. Not far
from Mararison Island is Batbatan islet with its equally inviting coral reefs.
Culasi, particularly, Lipata point is historically
significant, for having been made as a temporary port for the submarines of the
Allied Forces during the WWII.
Practically, the whole length of the
province’s coast from Anini-y to Libertad is dotted with beaches and historical
landmarks, such as the watch towers at Bugasong and Libertad, and beaches,
foremost of which are those of Taguimtim, Cadiao, Hatay-Hatay, Manglamon, and
Barbaza, Piῆa.
The sturdy churches built by the Spanish
friars in major towns of the province have survived years of natural calamities
and still are the center of the people’s activities. Virtually, every major
town has one.
Other inland attractions are the Pula
waterfalls and Lake Danao of San Remigio
which is already known for its Bato Cueva; Macalbag waterfalls of
Barbaza; Bugang River of Pandan; Tiguis cave of Tibiao which also boasts of a
swift river ideal for kayaking; Sebaste’s waterfalls; and, guano-filled
Maanghit Cave of Libertad. A less explored group of islands are those that
compose the municipality of Caluya, which aside from the island town, are
Bogtongan and Semirara, known for their
white beaches, and with the latter enjoying a protection as bird sanctuary.
Near the Aklan boundary in the north is
Pandan, a town famous for its Malumpati Beach and Hot Springs. It is much
nearer Kalibo, though, as the travel time on a pumpboat is a little more than
an hour. The late governor Evelio Javier brought me to this place for a
pumpboat ride to Boracay when this internationally-renowned island was just in
its virginal state. He guided me around the famous island, whose powdery white
beaches at the time were just dotted with quaint fishermen’s lean-to cottages.
During his lifetime, the brisk development of the island was perhaps far from
his mind, because of its almost inaccessibility. He was an advocate of ecology
and what I will never forget while we were tracing our steps back to the
waiting pumpboat, was when he told me, “I hope this island will not be damaged
by the tourism industry…” He was proud of Boracay, as though, it was within the
scope of Antique, for geographically and politically, the island is part of the
neighboring Aklan province. By God’s design, perhaps, he did not live long to
be saddened at how Boracay looks like now. He was mercilessly assassinated on
February 11, 1986. To commemorate his staunch leadership as a young governor of
the province, the EBJ Freedom Park was built in his name.
While in Antique, one can always find
something to do, as it is replete with varying natural endowments – from nature
tripping to culture research, and religious exploration. It is this variation that made its youthful
governor, the late, Evelio B. Javier advocate ecology-based tourism so that
both the man-made and natural legacies can be preserved and shared by the
Antiqueῆos with the world - in their unspoiled state. He must have felt the
fear for the onslaught of the uncontrolled tourism industry to happen years
beyond his lifetime, hence, his heartfelt advocacy. Unfortunately, his fear has
become a reality….
Today, every time Antique is mentioned,
what comes to my mind is the face of the late “manong Belio”, as how I called
him then. He was the first governor I met who did not have any single bodyguard
when moving around. He always had time to be with his people, even driving to
as far as Valderrama, an inland town, to play basketball with the young
farmers. Most especially, he was proud of his culture, and his Karay-a dialect
that he uses without qualm, every time he had an opportunity. I just hope that
his spirit will guide the Antiqueῆos so that his advocacy will live on.
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