Tinagong Dagat (Lambunao)

                                                 Access
      Tinagong Dagat is situated in the southwest of Lambunao, an interior town in the West-Central border of Iloilo province (Panay Island). Igpulakan, meaning “that which caved in”, the highest peak in Lambunao, is a barrier to access Tinagong Dagat from the nearest barangays accessible to transportation, namely Jayubo and Bagumbong.
      However, much of the barrier to Tinagong Dagat is the very trail to Tinagong Dagat itself. While some locals could cover it in 6 hours, outsiders could spend almost two days to reach Tinagong Dagat from either of the jump-off points.
Jayubo Jump-off
      Brgy Jayubo is about 30 minutes of ride (fare: Php 19.00) from the poblacion of Lambunao. Jayubo is better known as Inca, short for Iloilo National College of Agriculture, which was built in the barangay in 1951. (A school for agriculture and forestry, INCA is later renamed into WVSU or West Visayas State University.)
      The trail from Inca commences from the compound of WVSU (with 30 heads of White Spotted Dear in captivity). For those who arrive late in Inca, the compound of the WVSU could be used as a campsite provided proper permission is obtained from the authorities. Otherwise, the nearby edge of Montillano River could be considered although it provides inadequate tent ground.
      Much of the trek afterwards follows the ridge in Agdalusan, a sitio of Brgy Jayubo, and descends to the valley in the barangay proper of Cabatangan where a bivouac could be opted. The Jayubo-Cabatangan trek could be covered by some locals in 2.5 hours. Outsiders could take it in 4 to 6 hours. When the trail is muddy, the trek could be delayed by as much as 1 to 2 hours.
      The final leg of the trek is from Cabatangan to Tinagong Dagat. Some locals could cover it in 2 hours. Outsiders could make it in 3.5 to 5 hours.
Bagumbong Jump-off
      Bagumbong could be commuted through a 30-minute motorcycle ride, locally called single (not tricycle), from Inca for Php 10.00 per head. The Bagumbong trail is connected to the Agdalusan ridge-trail, cutting the period of hike to Cabatangan by as much as 1.5 hours for outsiders.

From Roxas City (Capiz) to Lambunao (Iloilo)
      The Ceres bus and some L-300 vans ply the Roxas-Iloilo route. Through this route, take a ride to Passi City (Iloilo). The fare is Php 34.00 on a Ceres bus and is much higher on an L-300 van. After dismounting near the market in the hi-way, take a ride to the terminal of jeeps plying the Passi-Calinog route. The fare for a 12-km ride to Calinog town is Php 9.00. From Calinog, take another jeep ride to Lambunao town. The fare is Php 8.00.

From Iloilo City (Iloilo) to Lambunao (Iloilo)
      In like manner, Passi City could be reached through the Ceres bus and some L-300 vans bound for Roxas City. Again, take the two jeep rides to Calinog, first, and to Lambunao, second. If by chance, one could take a ride on a bus of the Calinog Bus Lines that passes by Lambunao on its trip to Calinog from Iloilo City. Dismount in the junction of the hi-way and road to Jayubo for a fare of Php 25.00. Of course, there are direct jeep trips from Iloilo City to Lambunao and even to Inca itself. The latter trip is limited – very few and morning trips only.

Advisory
      Paying courtesy to the mayor for a trek to Lambunao is fitting. Besides, the mayor could update the trekkers of the peace-and-order situation of the place. The lowlanders in Lambunao and surrounding towns have an unfounded notion about the notoriety of people in Cabatangan. Truly, there were cases of criminal acts perpetrated in Cabatangan in previous years yet whether we like it or not crime could happen everywhere. At any rate, take a trustworthy guide or guides. (We recommend the people of Sitio Budyan – in particular, Felix Papilera, Norberto Papilera and Sammy Lavilla. They could be contacted by a radio call from the municipal hall to Cabatangan proper.) In truth, the people of Lambunao are at heart Ilonggos, known for their hospitality.
     At present, the mayor of Lambunao is the amiable Atty. Ignacio L. Ramirez, Jr.

                        SB Trek to Tinagong Dagat
                         (August 24-28, 2001)

                                    by Dennis S. Ella

            Although the Singarong Backpackers had a plan for a trek to Tinagong Dagat in Lambunao as early as 1999, the trip of the 3-member SB party there for August 24-28, 2001 was a spur of the moment decision. An alternative to the bungled 10-day Mt Guiting-Guiting Expedition, this expedition was hatched post-haste in Roxas City on the day that the original expedition was terminated. Dennis Ella, Ernina Defiño and Mariebelle Porras had spent three days in Masbate to find a trip to Sibuyan Island to no avail and when they found a schedule in Roxas City they had already run out of time.
          Like their Guiting-Guiting project, their Tinagong Dagat plan is very sketchy. The party had very little knowledge about the destination and had no contact person to speak of.
         August 24, 2001 (Friday): Upon arrival in Lambunao from Roxas City at past 2:00 p.m. , the party immediately went to the municipal hall to make a courtesy call to the mayor, Atty. Ignacio L. Ramirez, Jr. Very accommodating, the mayor went into great lengths to provide the party with all available knowledge about Tinagong Dagat. At one point, he summoned Inok, a barefooted employee who takes care of a small herd of White Spotted Dear and some other native animals in the plaza, who briefed them about the route. In addition, the mayor wrote a referral letter addressed to Cesar Leal who lives in Brgy Jayubo, the jump-off point of the trek.
          4:54 p.m.: The party arrived late in Brgy Jayubo, popularly known as Inca, and sought the help of Cesar Leal, who, it turned out, could not offer them a guide. At any rate, they received a few tips from him and proceeded to look for Montillano Falls for their campsite.
          6:50 p.m.: They found Montillano Falls with the help of three kids whom they met along the forest trail. Unable to find a flat ground in the steep hillside, they opted for a tarp-and-hammock shelter, instead of a tent.
          August 25, 2001 (Saturday): Since early dawn, many Agdalusan folks, all soiled in mud to the knees, had passed the campers. Almost all passers-by were eager to know the purpose of the strangers and, when they learned that the visitors were heading for Tinagong Dagat, all expressed alarm and disbelief. Even for the people of Agdalusan which is adjacent Cabatangan, the barangay where Tinagong Dagat is located, the lake is a faraway destination. Besides, Cabatangan for them is a place of wanted criminals.
          12:27 p.m.: Having experienced much of the muddy trail, they paused for lunch in the coffee orchard near the outskirts of Agdalusan. With them were Kuto and Sammy, who acceded earlier to carry the backpacks of Belle and Ernina. All the apprehension of Belle and Dennis had been wiped out upon getting to know these young men from Budyan, a sitio of Cabatangan. Trustworthy, these men betray the mistrust accorded them by the lowlanders and even by the inhabitants of nearby barangays. Carrying on their shoulders heavy amount of load, as much as 60kgs of jackfruit, banana or ‘uling’ to the comprador thrice a week over great distances, these people accept mountaineering as a way of life, not as a mere sports.
           4:10 p.m.: They finally arrived in Sammy’s house squatting below a ridge. His hut is subconsciously built low to stand the gust of wind. A short distance from it is a clearing in the open, the site of his former hut that had received much beating from the wind. Sammy had volunteered us free lodging. At twenty-two, he has already two sons and a pregnant wife. Actually, the couple was not married. In those parts, people are lucky to see a priest once a month.
          Later, at dusk, brothers Felix and Norberto Papilera called a visit in Sammy’s home. With them is a young man who, having heard of the visitors arrival, came all the way from the barangay-proper just to see them. Sammy, Felix and Norberto agreed to receive each 150 pesos per day to be their guides and porters in the trek to Tinagong Dagat. Norberto knew the way to Mt Baloy, one of the interests of the party in coming to Lumbunao. With the prospect of climbing Mt Baloy taking about six days from Sitio Budyan alone, the party decided to forego the Mt Baloy plan.
             August 26, 2001 (Sunday): At the end of the day, the visitors could finally see Tinagong Dagat. To their relief, they learned that Tinagong Dagat is not as forbidding as it seems for outsiders. In fact, a 65-strong party, organized by the Baptist, went to it in July 2001.
              8:40 a.m.: With Norberto, Sammy and Dennis carrying the backpacks, the party departed for Tinagong Dagat. Felix caught up with the rest later. Surrendering his mountaineer’s pride, Dennis gave up his backpack for Felix who must have felt worthless without any load to carry. Having a difficult time with the muddy trail, the women gladly accepted the services of porters. Although Ernina is used to go barefoot in mountains like Mt Madja-as and Talinis, she found out that the muddy trail in Lambunao is a different thing. Meanwhile, Belle had tried to go barefooted, caught several bruises and got relief her relief when she put on her Teva sandals.
             An hour later, they reached Cabatangan-proper where the newcomers elicited a few stares. One overbearing man, came forward to check whether the visitors had coordinated their activity with the barangay. In response, Ernina flatly told him that the trek had the blessing of the mayor.
             11:57 a.m.: Norberto, Dennis and Sammy arrived in swift-flowing Ilihan River in the last valley to be crossed before the final destination. The stragglers congregated a few minutes later. Fearing the rise of the water in the rain, the party first crossed the river before putting down their packs to prepare lunch. Very panicky, Belle had got the assistance of Dennis, Felix and Norberto in crossing the swift current.
            2:57 p.m.: Relieved, the trekkers saw Tinagong Dagat. Frankly, for these newcomers, the allure of Tinagong Dagat, with a ricefield and a few huts at the edge, falls flat when held in contrast to the pristine beauty of Nailig Lake in Talinis. Neither could it elicit the awe inspired by the view of the perennial lake that is Tinagong Dagat in Mt Mandalagan. Yet, their journey to Tinagong Dagat is surely a memorable one. For one, they weathered what could be one of the most demanding trails in their mountaineering experience. Foremost, they got to see a glimpse of the triumph of the human spirit in the face of difficult circumstances among the lives of mountain people in these parts.
            August 27, 2001 (Monday): Having one lashing of their tarp ripped by the wind, Belle and Dennis considered the cover of the ‘kahil’ orchard where they seek shelter a fortunate event. Not so fortunate, Ernina and the guides had a frightful night inside a hut that shook in the wind coming from all directions.
           8:54 a.m.: The party departed hastily to retrace their tracks. The rain was lashing hard and they feared the rise of river.
1:21 p.m.: Upon arrival in Sitio Budyan, they immediately took their lunch. When they bid goodbye to their hosts later, only Sammy was left to carry the backpacks of the two women and to guide them back to Agdalusan.
            4:30 p.m.: They arrived in the backyard of Maya, the aunt of Sammy. (Interestingly, the people of Cabatangan are interrelated. Felix and Norberto traced their roots to their ‘apoy’ or great-grandfather, one of the pioneers in Cabatangan.) In the easternmost border of the great expanse of Agdalusan, Maya’s backyard for a campsite offered them an advanced head-on for their trip back to Negros by the next day.
            August 28, 2001 (Tuesday): With a starry sky, the backyard camp afforded them a view of the glimmering lights of the surrounding towns – Lambunao, Calinog and Passi City.
             7:38 a.m.: They broke camp and headed for Bagumbong. Fortunately, Felix had showed up unexpectedly early in the morning and offered to carry the backpacks of Belle and Ernina.
             9:47 a.m.: They paused for a brief snack in the ‘tiangge’ near the Agdalusan-Bagumbong junction. Consisting of bananas and water, this snack supported their light breakfast – two packets of noodles.
             11:47 a.m.: With better footing and adequate footwear, Dennis arrived just a few minutes behind Felix in the motorcycle terminal in Bagumbong. The mud had turned a bit sticky from exposure to much sun. At any rate, Dennis is ahead by as much as 50 minutes over the two stragglers.
                                      Epilogue
             From Lambunao hi-way, they took a ride to Iloilo City on a bus plying the Calinog-Iloilo City route. In the city, they hired a taxi and drove to the pier where they chanced upon Royal Ferry 2 which was about to leave for Bacolod City. Victorias City, their home city is 34kms from the capital of Negros Occidental.

                                           Mt Baloy Prospect

       When the SB climbing party members arrived in Lambunao, they had all the intention to climb Mt Baloy through Tinagong Dagat. Later, in their discussion with Felix Papilera, a native of Sitio Budyan, they were disappointed to learn that this prospect could exceed the number of days they could spare – five days. About one week is needed to climb Mt Baloy from Sitio Budyan, excluding the two days needed to leave the sitio and to travel back home to Negros.
      Actually, Mt Baloy (7,049 ft) is situated in the border of Antique and Aklan provinces. Baranagay Karatagan in Calinog, the adjoining town of Lambunao, is the nearest Iloilo soil from which Mt Baloy could be approached. From Sitio Budyan, about six hours is needed to reach Brgy Karatagan. Brgy Supanga in Calinog is the last barangay accessible to transportation, from which a reasonable hike to Karatagan could be made. Today, the fare for a jeepney ride to Supanga from the poblacion of Calinog is Php90.00 and this route is closed during the rainy season.
      Difficulty of access makes Mt Baloy a least frequented destination for mountaineers. Even the eastern approach, in Valderrama in Antique, is not an easy prospect. From the jump-off, two days is needed to reach the summit and water-shortage, in the absence of a water-source along the way, makes this climb a difficult proposition. Allegedly, two attempts through the Valderrama trail by the Antique Mountaineering Society failed because of water-shortage.
      The Karatagan climb approaches are dramatic endeavors. According to Elsie Kabaydi of Karatagan, about four Americans tried to climb Mt Baloy in seven days to no avail. The ‘men from Jaro’ (likely the Iloilo Mountaineering Club with Fred Tayo and Bambie), according to the former barangay captain of Karatagan, spent two attempts to finally climb it. This successful climb, for one, confirmed the presence of a small lagoon on the summit.