Lost Horizon In The South (Part Une)
There’s a group of islands lying at the southwest of Leyte and northeast of Cebu City. It is very apparent from here in the Ormoc Bay. I have came across this for many years now but never have known of it. Luckily, the old family housekeeper lives in one of these islands. I was lucky enough to venture an eleventh hour trip to these mysterious islands of the Camotes Sea, just three days before the New Year celebration.
Camotes Islands. Coined as "The Lost Horizon In The
South". Four islands comprise the Camotes group: Pacijan, Poro, Ponson and Tulang...In prehistoric Philippines, the coastal settlements in these islands were at the
crossroads of civilization: vibrant trading communities and important ports of call for artists and artisans. Southeast Asians
and Chinese merchants have come to do business with local traders, mostly fishermen and farmers, as evidenced by a whole pre-Hispanic
village excavated in Poro town in the 70s...... In 1521, a few days after Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan discovered
the Philippines for Spain, history dawned over Camotes islands. After the historic Mass in Limasawa Leyte, the expedition’s
official chronicler Pigafetta wrote on his journal that the flotilla of five ships dropped anchor on the coast of Poro, near
Ponson and Pacijan islands, to wait for Kolambu, the chieftain of Limasawa. The group then proceeded to Cebu where Magellan
erected a wooden Cross to symbolize Spain’s Christianization in the Far East. In short, this was a pitstop of the Spaniards before they proceeded
to Cebu to Christianize and colonize the whole archipelago.
Seafare. The sun was up ahead. I went to the busy wet market of Ormoc along with the trusty housekeeper as the
guide and the folks and hopped in this medium-built outrigger. Soon, the engine started to sound and the boat launched. The
little silhouette of land that I always see from the city plaza now starts to become clear as we exited the OrmocBay. You
can see rocky edges of each islands. Small houses and some resorts resting on some beaches and cliffs. And it was clear how
the shores was just pure paradise with its white sands and crystal blue waters. It was a slow trek of about three hours but
it was all worth it because of the view that I was taking in from the boat. The boat had a few stops to load and unload in
each corner of the first island which is the Ponson Island (the island that is visible from OrmocCity and Merida). The boat
proceeded to cross the Kawit Strait until the boat reached the Tudela Port of the Poro Island where we got off.
Poro Island. The one thing that is very prominent when you reach Tudela was the three mountains that welcome you. It is renowned as Mount Three Peaks. They stand as guards of the
island. The town itself was a quite and thriving town. A multicab was waiting to carry us around the two islands (Poro and
Pacijan). We rode all the way to the east of Poro Island to the barrio of Mac Arthur. It was an uphill climb of the vehicle. The terrain was rugged. It was rough with lots
of sea rocks and different variety of vegetation and foliage surrounding our way. The houses were clearly
reminiscent of the olden times (60’s, 50’s and way back to the Japanese invasion and the Spanish Era) where there
were classic simple architecture of middle-class Filipino houses back in the day (not necessarily nipa huts). Some made in
a sturdy panel of woven bamboo slats in fancy geometric designs called “amakan”. Bamboo weaving is a common industry
in the area. (Especially in the town of San Francisco)
125 McArthur.We had a quick lunch at our housekeeper’s house. It was my first time to actually visit and see
our housekeeper’s home. --(She has been with us even before my parents were married. My father then was still in
high school and she was my grandma’s company.) The house was simple, no electricity with only a gas lamp as the
light during nights which I can imagine that it would be so dark and lonely, water was difficult in which you have to collect
in a pumping hose away from the house. The only technology near was the battery powered small radio with a photo of a local
celebrity. Hehe. The house had lots of unique shrubs and trees. There was the tasty Pomelo Tree and few vegetables. It felt
home. The house reminds me of the life before as a kid. I have sensed this way of life from my lola’s house before which
are just remnants of some memories in my mind now.
.
Bukilat Cave. Just a few minutes away was this locally
famous cave. There were steps leading below the earth. As i descended, there was fear in my mind. It was new territory for
me. But all was well as i saw the dark and mysterious beauty it had deep inside. Stalactites, stalagmites, huge rock formations
and some blank dark passageways leading to nowhere. It was a mixture of fear and awe but all perfectly making good sensations.
The skylights breaking through the holes from above illuminated the whole room. The water was in a low tide that time but
it was cool and refreshing. Just across was this huge dark exit. Few have attempted to uncover it. It was the source of the
seawater in the cave. They say it would lead to the very ocean and on some occasion, strong currents would flow through it
so it is best to take caution. Later, i found out a little history of the cave. It was named after it's founder Bukilat. The
cave was used as a hiding ground from the Japanese during the Second World War. Some had rumored that treasures were hidden
in this area
Path To Pacijan. Next in the
itinerary was to go east to another island- The Pacijan Island. Going there, we had to cruise along the few quite towns lying
just at the banks of the south of Poro island. Riding along the coast, you can see the grand details of the edge of the island
that meets the sea. The weather was gloomy with some light rain at that time.
It was cold to the skin but was still beautiful as the waves crash into huge rock formations off the coast. There were cliffs
where you could get a bird’s eye view of the lonely blank sea. Still, everything
at this time was good stuff as I had to take every sensation that was new to me that time. I noticed, when the cab passes
the inlands, huge forests of tall bamboos were growing.
San Francisco Town. There is a long stretch of road-bridge
before entering the San Francisco town of the Pacijan Island. It was crossing through mangrove territory. The cab took a short
stop at the wet market of San Francisco. Fresh fish was abundant and were laid in tables here. Locals say that Sundays are
the best time to buy for seafood. White sand is the ground in the market... It is here in San Francisco that had the feel
that is close to modern civilization and vital amenities because the other towns still had barriers in terms of communication,
technology and supplies. There was more concentrations of people and vehicles but it was not crowded. I believe that this
was the town proper of the island... We moved deep into
the heart of the island thru the one main highway in the area. The inlands were rugged. Most were still unspoiled by man. There were some part that had lots of grazing oxen. At some time, we passed another
attraction in the area which was the LakeDanao. But I only saw the huge natural body of water from a distance.
Rock Resort. We reached to the very southwest of the
island where we took shelter at a cozy cabin of the resort (Mangodlong Beach Resort)... My sister and I checked out the beach
that afternoon. It was out of the ordinary. The whole panorama was unbelievable. The setting sky!, The feel of the white sand!
the cool light blue sea. This great land! It is just one instance how our Maker had this grandiose and ingenious idea and
it was all materializing right in front of my very own eyes. Wow... i could not imagine how just this morning, I was in bed
and dozing off and at the end of the day, i was put in this very spot on Earth. There is no place I would want to be at the
moment but right here right now... And that moment, i witnessed a beautiful shift of the afternoon sky to nightfall.
.
Lone Rock. In front of the resort was a rock islet where huts were erected. To go there, one has to cross the raging
sea which is just a short distance but you get doubts at first before you go there now that it is already dusk and the isolated
rock seems like a shadow of a sleeping giant. But my sister and I crossed and reached the rock’s inner side which was
desolate and lonely. To its farther end was a view of the mysterious and roaring Camotes Sea. It was dark and it felt very
lonely. It was a vast empty space of the angry and cold ocean.
Open Space. The rest of the night, I enjoyed my time there at the beach. Thinking. Hoping for a good start this
year. And just laying it all in God’s time and not hurry things. Not hurrying to grow up and just set adrift to that
wide open space that felt like eternity... The whole panorama was out from that scene in Contact (1996)—when Jodi Foster
reached that moment in space where she reached a dreamy paradise. It was like that as I could describe it. Fireflies thrive
in the area which I haven’t seen for a very long time. They blink from a distant area in the island. The weather was
a little harsh when I was there but was still beautiful. There was a time when the sky cleared up and an oblique moon was
up above and the Big Dipper and the rest of the constellations were very clear at this part of the world... Just across the
horizon were mercury lights glowing from a distant island-Cebu.
Light Signals. Later in the evening, my sister and I were playing around with the flashlight. We flashed it towards
the ocean... To our wonder, there was a blink of light that flashed back at us. The next minute, it was dancing. At first,
I thought it was a firefly. But it was not. I flashed back. Even signaling an SOS. Then it answered back with slow flashes.
Then came two in another side of the ocean, then three in another. Then five of them were blinking, signaling each other!
It was strange. Soon, the light seemed to be coming nearer and nearer. Coming close towards where we were. It was like this
scene from ‘Lost’. We got scared... We speculated it to be pirates out at sea, or even aliens!!!... Later, the
sky became hostile as a large dark nimbus cloud covered the whole seascape and blew cold wind and rain...
The Next Day. Still it was raining. I checked back to that small islet of rock. There, you could get a good view
of the whole coastline and the whole ocean... Later, I said goodbye to the beach as we prepared to go home.
Tudela Town. We moved back to our tracks and back to Tudela where we waited for three hours for the boat. It was
the only means to go back to civilization. While in Tudela, I still had much downtime, so I scouted around this small town
and feel the place and the people... There is this area which I was curious to have a closer look. It was this rock formation
that had my attention when I was still in the boat, right before it docked a day before...going there, I passed by small residence
shafts and resting fishing boats. Just beside was this hill and there stands this big antenna which I believe is for mobile
communication. I went towards the shore, towards this rock formation. There I saw puddles of water that had creatures which
I think are from a starfish family... And just beside were these great rock formations standing and rising above the sea.
Island Life. The town had a slow island life and lives a simple existence. There’s a small wet market that usually is teeming
with activity but it was quiet today. I was looking for their public toilet, because I had this great urge to withdraw.hehe.
I borrowed a woman’s bucket at some nearby house, collected water at this pumping faucet and did my business; it was
just a nasty time because the toilet was not your 5-star hotel toilet... While there, I could see that inside this woman’s
house, packs of people were there and played some cards and just passing time for the cold weather. In another house, there
were people who were outside, some singing and strumming guitar. Kids playing basketball in the rain. It was just easy living.
I noticed how they had this accent... A cross between Waray and Cebuano. It was fast and some words you can’t understand.
It was their very distinct dialect that was still flourishing since the time of the Spaniards and the island was isolated
due to storms and rare access to other islands.
Goodbye Camotes. The small port was swarmed by people which came from different corner.
And the folks got into that same outrigger. I gave a last good look at that mysterious island before I left. Still wrapped
in so much mystery. Fog wraps the hills and rain still pouring the whole time. I was so cold. It was a feeling that gives
you a kind of excitement. It felt like you had just conquered something.
New Horizon. Spending the last minutes and days right here in Camotes is enough. It was all
worthwhile. It seemed that everything that I had done, experienced (the good, the bad) the whole year was all culminating
right at this very second. And it was all good. I just met the unknown. And I survived... and as the boat cruised back to
that cold dreamy and lonely Camotes Sea, and myself all drenched in cold rain for 4 hours, I had to ponder. Still unsure of
the things to come. What would be in store in 2007?... And at that time, a familiar horizon was just up ahead. It was home.
Back to Ormoc City. Back to reality. And I took it from here. The End