Friday, November 30, 2007
By Jojie AlcantaraWiterary
IT WAS a silent calling for me to come back in a place that once took my breath away. The first time I went there my old digital camera got busted. I wasn't able to record anything except to interview the old caretaker and former barangay captain, Francisco Jabagatan (Mang Isko). He regaled me with fascinating tales of the Hinatuan River, which is, to local folks, known to be enchanted. One of 18 municipalities in the province of Surigao del Sur, Hinatuan is known among neighboring towns for its fine white sand beaches, picturesque coastal villages, rich fishing grounds, forested areas, century-old church, and islands for the adventurous. But what draws people to this little known town is the stunning blue lagoon nestled within a mountainside and protectively covered by a forest. In the 90s, my friends Christy and Jenny had the adventure of their lives.
They went to Hinatuan River and immediately set camp where no one would dare set foot nor even sleep at night! When Christy showed me the photos, I thought they were swimming in the sea. She told me they knew nothing of its history when they saw it, just that they were just lured by its magical sight. In 2003, I had my first taste of its cold waters and swam at the edge, while interviewing Mang Isko who related how he was a guerilla during World War I and had fought against the Japanese in this area. He said President Garcia and VP Osmena Sr. came in 1925, and that a certain Francisco Rivera created a song entitled "Enchanted River" to describe the place. I was told many times of how a foreign diver tried the depths but never reached bottom. In my old article I wrote how it is known to be so deep, that explorers have not yet determined where the current flows to meet the ocean underneath. Amazingly, locals cannot figure why, to this day and in such clear waters they can see the vast wealth of big marine fishes, yet not one can ever be caught by hand, net, or spear fishing.
Some had even dared dynamite fishing. Mang Isko had told me nobody swims in the river alone by 6 p.m. because it was said to be watched over by enchanted spirits (hooray for the unsuspecting Christy and Jenny). In 1935, sightings of two strange women with long blonde hair and a man dressed in green walked on the waters and disappeared. They were said to appear before strangers or unwary locals. Mang Isko himself saw a man in green in March 2003, but did not go into details. I bit my tongue to hold off jokes in my mind. Could it be the marsh man from the lagoon? Why are all white ladies blonde? For Mang Isko and the locals, though, this place holds a magical enchantment that no amount of explanation holds. It was better left that way. Today, I went back to Hinatuan River again with Rhonson and Raquel. This time I was armed with my camera, excited to see if it still holds the same spell over me. After a short meeting with its amiable mayor, (Atty.) Candelario Viola, and being escorted by the Municipal Planning and Development coordinator, Ferdinand Barrios, we were off to the familiar long and narrow trail through a thick forest in Barangay Cambatong, Hinatuan. The road was still rough, but more accessible now. Soon, the mountain wall and a clearing drew up.
The same kind of hushed awe fell upon us as we approached the blue tinged river quietly nestled within a mountain crevice. This time, no kids were running around, recklessly diving from the cliffs. No boats were floating, offering tourists a ride through a long scenic passage of mangroves from the mouth of the river and into the Pacific sea. The lagoon just sparkled silently, reflecting a dizzying gradation from aquamarine to a deep, dark blue (I call it "aniel blue") in the middle where a hole was naturally formed deep down to where the Pacific Ocean may have seeped through. At the edge of the mountain wall lies a low cavern where an opening is yet to be explored deeper. Some brave souls tried cave diving but they ran out of 3 tanks each after swimming through 150 meters of a tunnel fit for one man and a tank. In quiet afternoons without visitors, big fishes come out and one can quietly throw bread crumbs to feed them. Originally, the town's name was said to be divided by the words "Hato" and "Hatu-an". "Hato" in the native dialect means "a method of preserving fish," while "Hato-an" denotes a place of preserving fish.
Noted for its rich marine diversity of fish and animals (there are regular sightings of sea turtles and dugongs), Hinatuan is located only a few nautical miles off the Philippine deep and fishing is the main source of livelihood (crabs sold in Davao come from this part of town). With only a few kids who willingly posed for pictures, it didn't take Rhonson and our driver Jun much prodding to dive into the river. They were even reluctant to get out. Raquel and I happily clicked away. Coming back here was therapeutic in my life as a photographer. God amazingly comes up with breathtaking creations, and this is one of them. I hope it is well preserved for generations to see and experience. I hope that this magic and enchantment never fades for the locals and visitors. Hinatuan can be reached by land from Davao in about 7 hours or via Bislig City in less than 2 hours. Buses ply the routes, too. We thank Surigao del Sur's Provincial Administrator Johnny Pimentel and wife Liles for the invitation again, Provincial Tourism Officer Lala Ambray and staff for the marvelous accommodation, and our tour guide/designated driver Jun Tumbokon for the amazing road trip we had over Surigao del Sur's coastal areas and magnificent places. (React to witty@info.com.ph, or browse website www.witerary.com.)
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