Siquijor: The Island of Fire

By BRAHMA FOZ

The guardian of Siquijor town

Legend has it that Siquijor rose from the sea amid thunder and lightning. As if giving credence to this folk tale, fossils of clams and other sea creatures have been found on the hillsides and interior highlands.

The island's native name was Katugasan derived from “tugas” — molave trees that covered the hills. Siquijor was earlier known to the Spaniards as “Isla del Fuego” (Island of Fire) because of the swarm of fireflies that lit the dark nights.

While some claim that Siquijor’s name came from its legendary ruler of old, Sultan Kihod, the popularly accepted version says that Siquijor came from the native term “Siquipjod”, meaning “the tide is ebbing”. Spanish euphony later dropped the “d” for “r”.

From 1683 to the end of the Spanish occupation, Siquijor was under the ecclesiastical authorities in Cebu, and for some time, was administered politically by Bohol. In 1901, the island became a sub-province of Negros Oriental and remained as such until September 17, 1971 when it became a separate province.

Larena, the ecclesiastical and trading center, was the capital of the island until 1972, when a national proclamation transferred the capital to the town of Siquijor.

I arrived on the island a little after 7 A.M. via Dumaguete City, about 45 minutes away by fast craft. Once my feet were dry, my first order of business was to find transportation, but I was distracted at once by the beauty and the tranquility of the island. Struggling with my three-day pack, I fished out my camera and started snapping photos.

The ubiquitous tricycle is the main mode of conveyance in Siquijor. I had no idea what the protocol was over here when hiring a ride, so I approached the one with a ready and welcoming smile.

Joam, he said his name was, and for PhP900, he can tour me around the island for the day. Not waiting for a response, Joam started prattling away — enumerating the various points of interest on the island. I learned from him that there are two tour packages offered in Siquijor: the coastal tour and the mountain tour. Although geared for a long trek, I decided against the mountain tour — weather was a bit iffy since I left the Port of Dumaguete, and shivering in the cold rain on a mountain camp was not my idea of fun. Not that day, anyway.

Closing the deal, I hopped on his tricycle, but before we drove off to our first destination, he took me to a quaint shop and told me that I need to buy a “pangontra”, reiterating that whether I believe in witchcraft or not, it was still “better safe, than sorry”. No harm in following local beliefs; as they say, when in Rome, do as the Romans do… and for PhP30 a bottle (of what looked like coconut oil with a variety of herbs and sticks inside), not bad. He told me to just keep it in my pocket. Good.

Thus began my journey, an exploration of an island famous (or notorious) for its mysticism — a land of witchery, of spells and chants.

When in Cebu City, please visit http://www.gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs. Avail of the opportunity to own a condominium unit in Cebu City together with your own parking space at the low amount of only P12,000.00+ and House and Lot @ P 7,306.81/month only. Hurry while supply of units still last. Just call the Tel. Nos. shown herein: (053)555-84-64/09164422611/09173373687.

In search of a perfect hideaway

ART OBJECT

By Carlomar A. Daoana

March 1, 2011, 3:15pm

A typical room at Coco Grove

MANILA, Philippines – It is not just in our homes where we seek comfort and privacy but also in hotels, resorts, and various lodgings where we stay from a weekend getaway to weeks-long sabbatical. 

In fact, since we are paying guests, we expect more than fluffy pillows and hot water: we want the service to be impeccable, the staff cordial and our overall experience relaxed and hassle-free.

 Having traveled for hours, the last thing we want to have is an attack of frazzled nerves over a grudgingly long registration in the guest counter, a room priced way too high than what it should actually fetch and a staff who thinks you owe it to them for staying in their spectacular, fit-for-a-king hotel.

Such is actually my litany of complaints when I stayed in a resort in Bohol for an ocular. Despite it having a low rating from Tripadvisor.com (a site where guests can rant and rave about the places where they stayed), I still held on to a previous image the last time I visited the place: an expansive shore dotted with quaint villas.

 Priced at P4,100, the “Superior” room I booked should at least be big enough to accommodate a queen-size bed. Or so I thought. After a laborious check in, I descended a flight of meandering steps that led to my room.

 As soon as I opened the door, a small space squeaked, crammed with two beds, each the size of a coffin. The comfort room was as wide as a torture chamber. The furniture pieces were a paltry excuse for planed wood. The Amish have probably more style.

I should have been warned by the sight of the newly completed, multi-story hotel that has become an addition to the resort. In a mad rush to cash into the tourist boon of the province, the resort seems to have abandoned notions of service and value-for-money. 

They’re probably thinking that since the guests are after the beach anyway, the rooms could be mediocre. Expansions have actually moved beach-wise, compromising the lovely, immaculate shore that I had seen six years ago.

Fortunately, a family “adopted” me so I wouldn’t have to spend the night there (believe it or not, I almost wasn’t able to check out since the girl in the counter didn’t know where the receipt was). 

Just to clarify, Bohol has some of the best resorts this country has to offer (as what my ocular in Panglao proved and my recent stay at Peacock Garden in Baclayon attested) and I was just unlucky that I ended up with a disappointing one.

I had more luck, however, in Siquijor. Usually shunned by local tourists for the superstitious (and I may add ridiculous) claims of witchcraft and aswang-infestation, the province boasts of sprawling resorts, various natural wonders (caves, waterfalls and such) and a true laidback, hideaway of feel that is lost in commercially-driven destinations. 

I stayed at Coral Cay where I paid less than P2,000 for a room that has two big beds, a respectable comfort room, and a deck that opens into a gorgeous view of sand, sea and sunset. Another good resort is Coco Grove that seems wrapped in tropical jungle and features villas that have a distinct Mexican feel.

In looking for that perfect hideaway, it pays to do a little research (such as a visit to Tripadvisor.com and other related sites), manage your expectations but never downgrade them and be adventurous enough to check out off-the-beaten-path destinations where you may find the peace and quiet you are looking for, kissed by the glow of a slowly descending sun.

Source: Manila Bulletin