By MA. GLAIZA LEE
Puning Hot Spring
MANILA, Philippines — "Boarding! Boarding! Boarding!” shouted the man in charge of our tour while we, the eager adventurers, animatedly scurried to hop on the Victory bus which would be our home for the next nine days of Lakbay Norte 3, a media tour of the Northern Philippines co-organized by North Philippines Visitors Bureau and Manila North Tollways Corporation.
That call signaled the beginning of an adventurous journey to the unexplored territories of Region 3, one of the four regions in the Philippines that we would be visiting. Armed with our reliable backpacks and undying passion for adventure, we headed to our first destination – the Pinagrealan Cave in Norzagaray, Bulacan.
Just like the other popular caves in Bulacan, Pinagrealan Cave is known for its significant contribution during the Spanish Revolution. Its geographical location, surrounded by hills, fulfilled a major consideration for the Katipuneros to choose it as their hideout during the Spanish war in 1896, and again during the Filipino-American War in 1898. It also served as the hiding place of General Emilio Aguinaldo as well as a sanctuary of the Japanese Imperial Army when the Philippines was liberated by the American forces.
Only limited types of species thrive on the hills surrounding the cave. Shrubs, vines, cogon and other plants that can grow on limestone with very thin soil substrate live on them because 85 percent of the whole cave is made up of limestone. With some luck, one can see a few unidentified birds flying over the loose canopies of thickets.
A subterranean network of caverns extending more than a kilometer deep, the cave measures about four meters by 2.5 meters in height and width. Inside the cave is a crystal-clear stream; in some parts, it rises to just up the ankle, but there are other parts that extend up to 200 meters where spelunkers have to swim to penetrate it. If one takes a look closer in the water, he can see several organisms such as shrimps, biya and bivalves. Only a few nocturnal bats live here.
To see the innermost wonders of the cave, one has to wiggle, waggle, waddle, squirm, push and pull amidst the numerous stalactites and stalagmites. One needs to pass several circular sinkholes, columns, domes and flowstones. One even has to climb up the uneven vertical fractures and rock formations that are embedded in the slippery sand-stones.
Bulacan, the province where the cave is located, is one of the seven provinces (other provinces are Aurora, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales) that comprise Region 3, or the Central Luzon Region. It is the first province off Manila when heading towards the North; hence, the province, as well as the whole region, is considered as the gateway to the Northern Luzon regions. One has to pass through the seven provinces to reach the Ilocos and Cagayan Regions.
With a total land area of 21,470 square kilometers, the region contains the largest plain of the Philippines and produces most of the country's rice supply; hence, it is known as the “Granary of the Philippines.”
THE GRANARY OF ANGLERS
Of the seven provinces, Nueva Ecija has the most rice production. Based on the Philippine Rice Research Institute’s 2007 Rice Figures in the Philippines report, Nueva Ecija has an average production of 1.13 million metric tons since 2002; followed by Isabela, 1.006 MT; Pangasinan, 832,114 MT; Iloilo, 763,893 MT; Cagayan, 548,369 MT; and Tarlac, 469,316 MT. Aside from rice, the province is also the leading producer of onions in South East Asia.
While looking at the verdant rice fields and the industrious farmers harvesting their crops allows us to gather our refreshed senses, we came to the province to explore the reason why farmers can still plant rice despite the hot weather – the Pantabangan Dam.
Built in 1974, the 1.61 kilometer long dam supplies irrigation waters to farmlands in Nueva Ecija and adjoining provinces. Originally, it was built along Pampanaga River to serve as reinforcement against flood. Now, it doesn’t only provide irrigation, it also supplies additional electricity to the Luzon power grid.
But nowadays, the dam serves a different purpose. It is fast-becoming the newest bass fishing hotspot in Asia. Local and international anglers flock here to experience the thrill of catching fish that weigh from an average of one kilo to the heaviest at seven kilos. They wait patiently for largemouth bass to take the bait.
The lake of the dam is quite conducive to raise American largemouth bass because of its ideal depth, remoteness and right quality of the substrate. The local government supports this sporting activity in the dam, but they enforce bass fishing regulation to protect the balance in the ecosystem.
From the jump-off point, one can bask in the tranquil water surrounded by the lush verdant rolling slopes of the Sierra Madre Mountain Ranges, enveloped by the serene blue sky and the cool mountain breeze. The place offers a scenic sunset view, painting the sky with red and orange hue contrasting with the water’s blue palette.
ARMED AND READY
Not all travels are like the tranquil Pantabangan expedition. Sometimes when traveling, a traveler is put in a situation – like no decent accommodation available in sight, or worst, being trapped in the wilderness – he doesn’t expect and is beyond his control. So, why not head to Subic and give yourself a short course on survival taught by the same indigenous people who helped train the US Navy Seals and Special Forces Units on how to survive in the jungle?
The Aetas of Zambales teach skills in basic mountaineering, fire-building, wildlife identification and other survival techniques. Using the available materials in the jungle, one can make his stay in the wilderness a little bit comfortable. With a bolo and some bamboo, one can make spoons, cups and what have you. Our Aeta guide also taught us how to cook rice and viands using bamboo. For the highlight of the basic survival guide course, a guide creates a full campfire using dried bamboo, without the aid of matches or lighters.
After the lecture, the guide led us into the jungle of Subic, along the Pamulaklakin Trail. There, he showed us what plants can be used as insect repellant and medicinal provisions.
LIFE ON THE FAST LANE
After learning the basics of survival, we went to test our other skills – our driving skill, that is. I was a little nervous, having second thoughts on whether I should try go-karting, an open-wheel motorsport with small, four-wheeled vehicles that race on scaled-down circuits, at the Kart City in Tarlac (another province of Region 3) because I don’t know how to drive. But sometimes, a girl has to do what she has to do.
“There’s the gas, and there’s the break. Step on the gas to accelerate. Break if you must, especially on deep curve. Avoid the engine on your right because it will burn you. Now, let’s try,” said the attendant.
Slowly, I put some pressure on the gas pedal. The engine slowly came to life. Little by little, I set the momentum: should I go faster? What if I lose control? What if – skid, baaaam! I slammed into the walls of tires; luckily the management put them on the sidelines for safety. Thank goodness for the helmet I was wearing. I raised both my arms, indicating that I crashed.
But if you think that crash stopped me from doing another lap, you’re wrong. Karting, for me, is all about the adrenaline rush as the driver maneuvers on the race track with quick reflexes, précise control and clever decisions. I even joined the endurance race. For 30 minutes, we would try to make as many laps as we could to beat the other teams. In this type of race, consistency, reliability and good pit strategy are very important more than all out speed.
A SECRET BEAUTY
When Mt. Pinatubo erupted in 1991, all we could see were the death it exacted (an estimated 800 people killed), the disruption in the economy, and the damaged properties costing almost half a billion dollars.
Little did we know that the cataclysmic eruption would create a hidden picturesque wonder. In Sitio Puning, in Porac, Pampanga (via Sitio Target, Sapangbato, Angeles City) lies Puning Hot Spring and Spa, a thermal spring along the Sacobia River. This newest tourist destination in Pampanga has three stations: Station 1 which is the base camp with a garden restaurant, Station 2 which is the spa and massage area, and Station 3 is the hot spring itself.
The travel from Sapangbato to the hot spring is an adventure in itself. Riding a 4x 4 vehicle, we crossed the Sacobia River, passing through slopes and gorges into the lahar canyons and across a desert of sand and ashes. The canyons, well, were surreal. It is as if a master sculptor had carved and shaped them into beautiful work of arts and beauty.
When we arrived at the hot spring, billows of steams greeted us. A magnificent steaming waterfall came into view. Gushes of hot water flow into various pools surrounding the falls. Each pool has a different temperature, ranging from 40 to 70 degrees Celsius.
After dipping into the hot spring, we headed to Station 2, where we had our sand steam and mud spa. There was a whole heap of ceremony involving the “burial” process. First, we changed into robes, with only our underwear on.
Then, we headed into a sand pit where an Aeta lady was holding a shovel. Expect to see many indigenous people working here because the area where the hot spring is located is an ancestral domain of the Aetas. The owners have an agreement with the local government when they got their license and business permit that they shouldn’t displace the people living in the area, and instead would give them job opportunities.
In an open-air shed, several disembodied heads were poking up at regular intervals. The lady attendant signaled us to proceed to the vacant lot. After some shoveling, she motioned for us to lie down with our heads on the white cloth. She proceeded to shovel hot sand onto my body. As the weight of the sand became heavier and heavier, the body muscles became more and more relaxed and sweat began forming on my forehead.
After 15 minutes, I stood up and simply brushed the bulk of the sand off my body. A lady attendant helped me with that using a brush. She then motioned for me to proceed to the mud spa area, where another attendant lathered mud mixture, made from spring water and volcanic ash, on my body. The mixture was cool to the skin, and after some time, began to harden. After 10 minutes, we were allowed to wash off all the mud. It left a smooth and clean feeling.
Land travel in these areas has never been easy. But like what they always say, they are worth the arduous trip if only to experience and see the wonders of Central Luzon
.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment