Words and Photos by Edgar Alan Zeta-Yap

Bulabog Puti-An National Park is home to more than 30 caves, wildlife species and native orchids

Covering an area of 854 hectares, the Bulabog Puti-an National Park in Dingle, Iloilo, Philippines is a nature reserve with limestone outcrops and 34 caves. It is home to monkeys, wild chickens, 18 bat species, endemic snails, and native orchids. Because of a strong, sudden downpour, I spent a night in this park en route to Roxas City. The forest ranger offered me to stay at one of the huts at the park entrance.

Phallic limestone formations in Tuko Cave

Early the next morning, we set out to visit some of the caves following an old mining trail flanked by century-old dao (New Guinea walnut) trees. Maestranza Cave is a historical site of revolutionary leader Don Francisco Jalandoni’s headquarters and ammunition factory during the turn-of-the-century Filipino-American War. Spanish graffiti, which my guide misattributed as Latin, were scribbled across the walls by Jalandoni and his men. One of them read: El que ama verdaderamente a su patria no mira su provecho propio (He who truly loves his country does not see his own advantage). Another patriotic message read: Los Republicanos Juran Morir Antes Que Entregarse (The Republicans Swear To Die Before Surrendering). Meanwhile, smallish Tuko Cave boasts of phallic formations (as every other spelunking guide in the Philippines will not fail to cheerily point out). Read the rest of this entry »

Words by Edgar Alan Zeta-Yap

“Filipinos were the original kings of bling!” I overheard an American visitor exclaim at the Ayala Museum in Makati City last weekend when he beheld over a thousand ancient artifacts made of 22 to 24 karat gold. They are from the 10th to 13th centuries, a time when the archipelago was ruled by many small kingdoms that flourished by establishing trade links with the Far East and Southeast Asia to as far away as India and Persia. I was well aware of the rich culture of pre-Hispanic Philippines, but I did not expect such exquisite and extensive proof to have survived to this day.

Gold image of a Kinnari: a half-woman, half-bird creature in Hindu-Buddhist mythology

Gold of the Ancestors, a priceless collection of pre-Spanish Era gold artifacts from around the Philippines, was truly the most breathtaking and enlightening exhibit at the museum, providing tangible proof of the breadth and richness of the Philippines’ cultural influences before Spanish colonization. More than their weight in gold, I was overwhelmed by the artistic and historical value of the collection, which is the most impressive archaeological exhibit in the country.
I first learned about the golden treasures of pre-Hispanic Philippines from history class back in college. I remember seeing illustrations from the Boxer Codex, a 16th century manuscript, depicting pre-colonial Filipinos heavily adorned with gold ornaments.

The 16th century Boxer Codex depicting Filipino noblemen decked in gold

A significant part of the collection belongs to the “Surigao Treasure” accidentally discovered in 1981 by a bulldozer operator working on an irrigation project in Surigao del Norte. There are also gold artifacts on display recovered from other excavations across the archipelago: Camarines Sur, Mindoro, Eastern Visayas and Agusan, to name a few. The most spectacular pieces on display were ear ornaments with garuda designs, identical to the ones I’ve seen as stone carvings at ancient temples in Indonesia; delicate burial masks from Butuan; the image of a kinnari, a deity that’s half-woman, half-bird; and a ceremonial cord (as illustrated in the Boxer Codex) made of woven gold wires that weighed almost four kilograms!

The piece de resistance: a ceremonial sash weighing almost four kilograms!

HOW TO GET THERE: Alight at the Ayala MRT Station, and take a 15 minute walk to Greenbelt Park. Ayala Museum is located at Makati Ave corner Dela Rosa St, Makati City. View location map here. Entrance for resident/non-resident of the Philippines (Ground to Fourth Level: PHP 225/425. One-year membership: PHP 500. For more information, visithttp://www.ayalamuseum.org

Photographs: Ayala Museum (Gold Artifacts) & Wikipedia (Boxer Codex)

Words and Photos by Edgar Alan Zeta-Yap

Cape Bolinao Lighthouse

Maybe it was the “supermoon”, a full moon that coincides with the closest approach to Earth. The cosmos seemed to conspire to make our excursion to Patar Beach, Bolinao in northern Pangasinan the best weekend getaway by far. All the elements seemed to perfectly fall in place: cloudless skies, long stretches of golden sand, cool waters, golden sunsets, good food, cheery locals and crazy, crazy company. Unlike Batangas or Mindoro, Bolinao makes for a more laid-back escape from Manila, especially for those after the simple pleasures of sun, sand and snooze.

Spectacular sunset view

Besides enjoying the beach, one can also drop by some picturesque historic spots. The sunsets from Cape Bolinao Lighthouse, an imposing structure built on a hill two kilometers south of Bing’s Beach Resort, were so spectacular, we could almost hear the African chant from The Lion King.

400-year old St. James Parish Church

And back in Bolinao town, there’s the impressive St. James Parish Church. A fascinating feature of this 400-year-old Spanish church are the Aztec-style altar sculptures of human faces with protruding tongues believed to have been brought to the archipelago from Mexico. The antique altar of hardwood is now housed in a side chapel at the left side upon entering the church. Aside from Filipino words rooted in the Aztec tongue of Nahuatl such as tiangge (Nahuatl: tianquiztli for ’seasonal markets’), pitaka (Nahuatl: petlacalli for ‘coin purse’) and kamote (Nahuatl: camotli for ’sweet potato’), this is clear evidence of the socio-economic and cultural connections between the Philippines and the New World brought about by the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade.

HOW TO GET HERE: Manila-Bolinao buses (PHP 437, 6 to 7 hours) leave from the Victory Liner – Cubao Terminal along EDSA. If you want to enjoy Bolinao for a weekend, hop on the last bus at 9:00 PM on Friday night. From the bus terminal in Bolinao town, 24/7 tricycles can take you to your resort at Patar Beach (PHP 200 negotiable, 1 to 4 pax, 40 minutes). Last bus back to Manila leaves at 3:00 PM.

WHERE TO STAY: For budget accommodation along Patar Beach, stay at Bing’s Beach Resort (For reservations, contact +63 9282477501). Staff and owners are very friendly and accommodating. Rooms start at PHP 1,000 for the beachfront fan cottage, 4 pax. They serve home-cooked meals. Menu changes everyday depending on available ingredients. For special meal requests, ask in advance. We had a huge serving of bulalo (beef marrow soup) for PHP 300, good for four.