Author Archives: Benjie Layug

Nascent Textile Fiber Innovation Hub (Benito Soliven, Isabela)

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Lampshades made with banana paper

On our third day in Isabela, we took a break from the Bamabanti Festival activities, travelling 30.2 kms (a 1-hour drive), to visit the municipality of Benito Soliven, a leader in the use of banana fiber for sustainable textile innovation. Here, the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) made waves in sustainable textile innovation with a groundbreaking initiative called FRONTIER or Fostering the Revitalization of Nascent Textile Fiber Innovation Hub (NTFIH).

Benito Soliven Municipal Hall

This General Appropriations Act (GAA)-funded project established, while working with the local government, a Natural Textile Fiber Innovation Hub (NTFIH) in the municipality, with banana fiber at the forefront of its efforts. Around 1,209 hectares in the town are planted with lakatan (Musa acuminata), damilig and saging ng unggoy (saba ti sunggu in Ilocano).

Banana stems being peeled

For the entire Region II, the municipality has been chosen as the pioneer recipient for banana fiber, marking a historic milestone for the local community and the region’s agricultural and textile industries.  The NTFIH aims to utilize the abundant natural resources of the municipality, particularly banana fiber, to drive sustainable economic growth, empower communities, and revolutionize the textile industry.

Banana fiber extraction

The peeled banana stems

Arriving at the municipal hall, we were first served a merienda of kakanin and coffee.  Afterwards, we walked a short distance to NTFIH hub where we were welcomed by Ms. Rodelyn Grace V. Lungan, municipal administrator of the town.  Here, we were shown how banana stalks, which are considered as agricultural waste (after the fruits are harvested), are made into banana paper, twine and yarn.

Banana fibers grounded to look like saw dust

First, the piths of collected banana stems (which contain more than 4% fiber which can be used to manufacture banana paper) are peeled and then fed into a splitting machine and then pressed into fibers. The fibers are then grounded until they appear similar to saw dust.

Banana fibers being dried

Dried banana fibers

Then, the fiber is washed to remove natural resins (which would decrease the strength and durability as well as take away from the integrity of the paper) to create agricultural fiber. The process of pulping produces pulp to be used to create post-consumer fiber (processed fiber) which is then combined with the stronger agricultural fiber.

Banana paper making

 

Lastly, the mixed fibers are molded together by a deckle (a tool used for handmade processes of molding fibers) to make banana paper.

Banana paper

The inner bark of the banana plant can also be used to make rope.  The extracted fibers, whose high tensile strength makes them ideal for heavy-duty tasks, are processed and spun into threads by a rope making machine.

Banana fiber being twined

The center also has a display area for finished products such as lampshades made with twine and banana paper.

Lampshades made with twine

Deer ornament made with banana twine

Municipal Hall: District 2, Benito Soliven, Isabela. Mobile number: (0935) 108-9999.  E-mail: lgubensol@yahoo.com. Website: www.benitosoliven-isabela.gov.ph.

Persada Johor International Convention Centre (Johor Bahru, Malaysia)

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The 23,003 sq. m., US$13 million Persada Johor International Convention Centre (Malay: Pusat Konvensyen Antarabangsa Persada Johor), site of the ASEAN Tourism Forum (January 15-20), is located within the 2.6679-ha. (6.592-acre) Persada Johor Convention Centre Complex.  Developed and owned by Johor Corporation Bhd (the investment arm of the Johor State Government), this prestigious convention center venue is where both international and local events are held.

Persada Johor International Convention Center

Situated in the very heart of Johor Bahru, the capital of Johor, the site on which it stands was the former Johor Military Force (JMF) camp, and it was also the site of early remnants of Johor Bahru city. Poetically, the Malay word persada means “a raised stage or building” or “a place which has steps for a royal member to sit and conduct official matters.”

Convention center lobby

The huge and well-planned Persada Johor International Convention Centre can accommodate 3,500 delegates theater-style of 2,160 people banquet-style.  With 16 function rooms and 758 carpark spaces, it was adopted to reflect historical elements of Johor as well as modern features with dominant qualities such as strength, integrity and functionality.  Its architecture, acknowledging Johor’s rich cultural heritage, features an exterior embellished with “Khat” Islamic writings.  Its unique roof is shaped after the Johor Sultanate state ruler’s official hat, a symbol of creativity, practicality and nobility.

The preferred Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (M.I.C.E) destination in Southern Malaysia, this state-of-the-art, huge and well-planned facility, inaugurated last October 2006, is also the first convention center in Malaysia to be a member of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC).

The convention complex, comprising two main levels and two intermediate floors, consists of convention halls, 10 meeting rooms of different sizes, a 2,016 sq. m. exhibition hall, a 90-seat auditorium and restaurant. The upper level houses the Convention Halls while at the lower level are the Exhibition Halls.

The author at the exhibition hall

The 3,078 sq. m. main Convention Hall, with its highly modular floor layout, can easily be converted into three smaller fully soundproofed convention halls – the 1,058 sq. m. Hall 301 (maximum capacity: 1,000 pax); the 902 sq. m. Hall 302 (maximum capacity: 900 pax); and the 903 sq.m. Hall 303 (maximum capacity: 900 pax). All the convention hall capacities stated are in theatre-style but fully convertible to reception, classroom and banquet arrangements.

The convention hall

The Exhibition Hall, which can be used for exhibitions, conventions, banquets, concerts, trade shows and sporting events, comprises two separate halls that can be combined to offer a total floor space of 3,070 sq. m. (33,051 sq. ft.).  The 1,931 sq. m. Exhibition Hall 101 can accommodate 100 booths of 3 m. x 3 m. stands with a ceiling height of 9 m., while the 1,140 sq. m. Exhibition Hall 102 can accommodate 50 booths with a limited ceiling height of 4.5 m.

Level 4 (Gallery Level) has one meeting room and an auditorium (401) with a non-flexible seating capacity of 84 persons. Level 3 (Convention Hall Level) has three meeting rooms (the 60-pax Room 304 and 305 and the 120-pac Room 306). All Meeting Room capacities stated are in theatre-style arrangement but fully convertible to reception, classroom and banquet arrangements.

Media briefing at an auditorium

The all-day dining Selesih Restaurant serves a range of upmarket, deliciously authentic Malay, Johorean and international cuisine, either from the a la carte menu or its tantalizing buffets.  Open daily from 7 AM to 10.30 PM.  Outside are a selection of mobile restaurants that serves fresh, hot and chilled food, as well as snack items and hot drinks. A bridge links the convention center with the nearby, 5-star Petri Pacific Hotel.

Persada Johor International Convention Centre: Jalan Abdullah Ibrahim, P.O. Box 293, 80730 Johor Bahru, Johor.  Tel: 07 219 8888 (general line).  Fax: 60 7-219-8889. E-mail: admin@persadajohor.com (general email).  Website: www.persadajohor.com.   Coordinates: 1.461833°N 103.761583°E.

How to Get There: The convention center is accessible by Muafakat Bus route P-101.

The Lighthouses of Batanes

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Naidi Lighthouse in Basco

From Vayang Rolling Hills, it was a longer, 2.7-km. (10-min.) drive to Naidi Hills, another good leisurely warm-up for a Batanes trek with a unique panoramic view of Baluarte Bay, Basco town, Mt. Iraya, the sunset and the rolling hills.

Check out “Vayang Rolling Hills”

L-R: the author, Gelyn, Des, Jandy, Grace, Lorraine and Jun

It also has a magnificent, 6-storey (66 ft. high), conical lighthouse, built in March 2003,  that stands on the same site of Basco’s first lighthouse and the American period telegraph facilities that connected Batanes with the central government until it was destroyed by the Japanese Imperial Army bombings at the start of World War II.

Historical Plaque

An Ivatan stone house, for the caretaker, constructed with stone or rubble masonry and essentially of vernacular architecture, ushers in visitors (a bed and breakfast service is an added amenity).  The round tower is painted white.

Grace climbing the stairs up to the view deck

As the lighthouse door was unlocked, Grace, Jandy and I climbed the 54 steps up to the fifth floor which has a gallery or view deck.

The author, Jandy and Grace at the lighthouse view deck

The navigational lantern of the Naidi Lighthouse

Here, we had a  view of the whole of Batan Island from end to end, with Basco to the south, Mount Iraya to the north, and the West Philippine Sea to the west. On a clear day, one can also have a clear view of Sabtang Island in the south of Basco, Itbayat Island to the north, plus the islets beyond Itbayat.

View of Basco and Mt. Iraya

View of Basco Port

American-era bunkers

This is just one of the three lighthouses (the other two are the Sabtang Lighhouse in Sabtang and the Tayid Lighthouse in Mahatao) proposed by former Congressman Florencio “Butch” B. Abad of Batanes.  It was built, not only as a working lighthouses to guide seafarers across the perilous waters of the West Philippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean, but also possibly as tourist attractions. All three are capped with a red-painted, concrete lantern rooms with narrow storm panes.

Tayid Lighthouse seen from Racuh a Payaman

The much less accessible Tayid Lighthouse, built in 2000, can be seen from Racuh a Payaman and Diura Fishing Village.  It is hexagonal and faces the mischievous Pacific Ocean.  The Sabtang Lighthouse, perched on a cliff, is also round like the Naidi Lighthouse but its main tower is all made with rubble masonry all the way to the gallery deck.

Check out “Racuh a Payaman”

Sabtang Lighthouse

A fourth lighthouse, within Radiwan Port in Ivana, was activated on December 9, 2022.  It has a luminous range of 28 kms. (15 nautical miles) to sea.

Ivana Lighthouse

A fifth lighthouse (Busbusan Lighthouse), started in 2016, can be found right next to the Mahatao Boat Shelter Port.  A sixth lighthouse, at the Port of Valanga in Itbayat Island, is relatively new and rarely visited.  All six lighthouses are maintained by the Philippine Coast Guard, in partnership with the municipalities of Ivana, Sabtang, Mahatao and the Port of Valanga.

Check out “Mahatao Boat Shelter Port”

Busbusan Lighthouse

These were not the first lighthouses in Batanes as two Spanish-era lampposts or farolas, at the church courtyard and the elementary school grounds in Mahatao, were built in 1879 during the term of Dominican Fr. Crecencio Polo (1867 to 1887).

One of two Spanish-era farolas or range lights in Mahatao

These were used as guiding lights to guide fishermen and early mariners, using lighted oil lamps, safely to the anchorage just beyond the town’s seaport.

Farola historical plaque

Naidi Lighthouse: Naidi Hills, Sitio Diajang, Brgy. San Antonio, 3900 Basco.

Busbusan Lighthouse: National Rd., 3901 Mahatao.

Ivana Lighthouse: Radiwan Port, 3902 Ivana.

Sabtang Lighthouse: San Vicente Port, 3904 Sabtang.

How to Get There: Naidi Lighthouse is located northwest of Basco town proper, a few meters away from Radyo ng Bayan station, it can be easily reached by a 1.2-km. (3/4 mile) hike from the Port of Basco. The Sabtang Lighhouse is a short 10-min. walk from San Vicente Port.

Vayang Rolling Hills (Basco, Batanes)

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Vayang Rolling Hills

From Basco town proper, it was just a short 2.1-km. (5-min.) drive to our next destination – the famous Vayang Rolling Hills.  One of the most picturesque sights in the province, it is covered in verdant grass and patches of green trees.  These seemingly endless wave of hills, shaped by water and wind that gave them the undulating look they now have (as if they’re really “rolling”), are a perfect spot to relax and take in the province’s serene and laidback atmosphere.

The author, Grace and Jandy

Aside from the majestic sea of green grass, we also enjoy an unobstructed, beautiful and breathtaking view of the east and west side of Batan Island, with hedgerows (liveng) and Naidi Hills, on the one side, and of the Chadpidan boulder beach below, with waves crashing to the shore.

Mt. Iraya

Beyond is the majestic Mt. Iraya, Sabtang Island, Itbayat Island, and the deep blue West Philippine Sea. We also saw a number of healthy cows freely grazing on the grass in the hills and gentle slopes as many parts of Vayang are farmland (it is also called Vayang Ranch). Truly like Scotland in a tropical setting.

Cows grazing at the slopes

It is suggested that you visit this scenic viewpoint at around 5 PM, when the sun begins to set, as you could see the sky turn a warm shade of orange over the hills and islands.  The concrete road that crosses the site leads to Valugan Boulder Beach, another famous tourist spot on Batan Island.

Check out “Valugan Boulder Beach”

Hedgerows (liveng)

It was so windy that day that we were literally, as well as figuratively, blown away, making it hard to take decent pictures with hair flying all over the place.  Aside from being a favorite tourist destination, Vayang Rolling Hills is also a great place for pre-nuptial photo shoots. 

The West Philippine Sea seen beyond the hills

Vayang Rolling Hills: Songsong-Iraya Rd., Brgy. San Antonio, 3900 Batanes.

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Basco, Batanes)

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Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

Just 110 m. from the Casa Real is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.  Also called the Basco Cathedral or the Church of St. Dominic Guzman, this church is the oldest in the province.

Check out “Casa Real“

Established in 1783, it is dedicated to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Patroness of Batanes Prelature, and was first built, with cogon and wood, in 1783, by Father Baltazar Calderon and Father Bartolome Artiguez.  It was later destroyed by a typhoon. In 1795, the church was rebuilt in stone by Father Francisco de Paula Esteban.

National Historical Institute (NHI) plaque

The present church was built in 1812 by the Father Nicolas Castaño who shortened the nave.  It 1860, the church was burned and, in 1863, it was reconstructed by Father Antonio Vicente.  In 1891, its roof was replaced with galvanized iron by Father Mariano Gomez.

The cathedral interior

In 1950, the church was refurbished by Bishop Peregrin de la Fuente.  In 2002, it was elevated into a cathedral.  During the July 16, 2000 magnitude 7 earthquake, its façade fell to the ground but, under Bishop Jose Salazar, OP, the cathedral was rebuilt, in its original form, by Father Henry Romero, and completed in 2011.

Altar retablo

The church was built in the espadaña style, with two round arches for its two bells on the upper portion of the façade.  Massive pilasters buttress the church walls from foundation to top.

It incorporates the original front and north walls while the rear and south walls are inside the original ruins.  The church is one of the first limestone buildings to be built under the Spanish regime.  The 2-storey convent, beside the church, was built in 1814 by Father Nicolas Castaño.

The 2-storey convent

Mounted in a monument, on the cathedral’s left, is the 1783 Mission Bell, a gift of King Charles III of Spain which was brought by pioneering Dominican friars Baltazar Calderon and Bartolome Artiguez, on board the packet boat Nuestra Senoña de Carmen, which arrived in Batanes on June 4, 1783 and was first rung, during the first Holy Mass celebrated on the plains of Basco, on June 8 and, later, on June 26, during the formal establishment of the Basco Mission.

Mission Bell of Basco – 1783

On March 2018, it was removed, from the belfry, and replaced by new bells from Holland. The 1783 bell was installed, in a monument funded by the Hermanidad de Sto. Domingo de Basco, and blessed on August 15, 2020.

Church of St. Dominic de Guzman: National Road, Basco, 3900 Batanes.  Mobile number: (0947) 209-6510. Feast of St. Dominic de Guzman: August 8.

How to Get There: Philippine Airlines has one hour and 45 minute flights from Manila to Basco.

Casa Real (Basco, Batanes)

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Casa Real (now the Provincial Capitol Building)

After our tour of the Valugan Boulder Beach, we again boarded our van for the short 3-km. (10-min.) drive to the 2-storey Provincial Capitol Building.  Formerly the Casa Real, it was originally built from wood, during the term (1783-1785) of Don José Huelva y Megarejo, the province’s first governor.

Check out “Valugan Boulder Beach”

The building was renovated during the term (1794-1798) of governor Felimon Zenoreta who introduced masonry in Batanes. On December 15, 1856, the Casa Real burned down and it was reconstructed, in stone, in 1872 during the term (1872-1885) of Governor Jose Serra.

Historical plaque installed by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) in 2013

On September 18, 1898, Governor Julian Fortea, the last Spanish governor of Batanes, was killed here when revolutionaries stormed the building.  After World War II, under the Philippine Rehabilitation Act of 1946, the capital was restored including the façade.  The stairs was rebuilt to provide a grand entrance.

The Capitol was expanded, during the administration (1989-1998) of Governor Telesforo F. Castillejos, with the construction of the three annex buildings from August 1989 to January 1993 and, on March 18, 1993, the capitol was inaugurated by President Fidel V. Ramos.

During the term (1998-2007) of Governor Vicente Gato, the buildings in the capital building complex were expanded and renovated to address the need for provincial government’s offices. It was inaugurated on March 24, 2007.

Statue of Aman Dangat

To the left of the building is the Statue of Aman Dagat. Also known as Kenan, this mangpus (tribal leader) of Malakdang led about 150 Isabtangs who rose in revolt one moonless night in September 1791 and crossed the treacherous sea to attack the Spanish mission house on Batan Island, killing seven non-Ivatan agents of the Spanish government who poached fruits and timber from Sabtang without payment.

Historical plaque installed by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) in 2014

Aman Dagat was later hanged and the natives of Sabtang were exiled to the districts of San Felix and San Vicente in Ivana for the next 50 years (1791-1841).

Memorial to Veterans of the Philippine Revolution and World War II

Behind this statue is the Memorial to the Veterans of the Philippine Revolution and World War II which was unveiled on June 25, 1993, the 210th founding anniversary of Batanes,

Kilometer Zero Marker

In front of the Casa Real is the Kilometer Zero Marker and the Bantayog-Wika. The former is the reference point where all distances on Batan Island are measured from.  It is one of three such in the province, the other being in Sabtang Island  (along the National Road, near the port and the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer) and the other in Itbayat  (within the Municipal Grandstand and park).

Check out “Church of St. Vincent Ferrer”

Bantayog-Wika

The Bantayog-Wika (Language Marker), a project of Sen. Loren Legarda, the local government and the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino (KWF) recognizing the Ivatan language, was unveiled on April 8, 2019 (Basco Day).  This marker, the 14th installed in the country, seeks to identify areas where the country’s 130 languages originated.  Created by installation artist Luis “Junyee” Yee, Jr. in stainless steel, is inscribed (using laser technology), in baybayin letters, with several lines of Andres Bonifacio’s poem Pag-Ibig sa Tinubuang Bayan which was published in the first issue of Kalayaan, the Katipunan newsletter, in 1896.

Provincial Capitol Building: National Rd., 3900 Basco.  Mobile number: (0917) 326-3744.  E-mail: batanesinformation@gmail.com.

How to Get There: from Basco Airport, take the Diversion Road and turn left into National Road. The Provincial Capitol of Batanes is on the right side.

Valugan Boulder Beach (Basco, Batanes)

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Valugan Boulder Beach

After our tour of the Dipnaysuhuan Japanese Tunnel, we gain boarded our van for the 8.3-km. (20-min.) drive to the 3-km. long, scenic Valugan Boulder Beach.

Check out “Dipnaysuhuan Japanese Tunnel”

Known to the locals as Chanpan, this beach is located along the eastern (valugan means “east” in Ivatan) coast of Batan Island is, as its name suggests, made up of medium to big size boulders, of different colors, that help create an incredible landscape framed by almost vertical cliffs and rolling hills. Smaller pebbles and shingles litter the southern end.

The author (left) with Grace and Jandy

The boulders here were said to have been coughed out around the northern half of Batan during a series of volcanic explosions, from 325 B.C. and 286 to 505 A.D., of Mt. Iraya, a nearby active stratovolcano, which also contributed to the formation of the impressive cliffs and rolling hills framing the beach.

Mt. Iraya seen at the end of the beach

These rough andesite rocks were then slowly polished, over time, by the tides and the mighty wind (which also help shaped the striking basalt cliffs) pushing the restless waves of the Pacific Ocean to lap the rough rocks.

The different size boulders along the beach

From the beach, only the loud whistling of the wind and constant rumbling of the Pacific Ocean can be heard as the waves come slapping the shore. While it is a beach, swimming is not allowed here due to the area’s rough terrain and the strong and unpredictable waves. Bringing home any stones from the beach is also prohibited.

The concrete viewing deck with benches

On the rightmost area of the beach are small, intentionally segregated Zen stones piled on top of each other.  Surprisingly, this surreal and breathtaking landscape makes for a relaxing setting especially for photographers who come here to catch the sunrise.

Stairs leading down to the beach

The waters off the coast are considered as a sacred fishing area of Ivatan fishermen (especially those from Brgy. San Joaquin) and the faypatawen, a traditional fishing season, is observed from March to the end of May. 

Grotto of the Blessed Virgin Mary

A tataya (a small, traditional Ivatan fishing boat)

Valugan Boulder Beach: Contra Costa Rd., 3900 Basco. 

How to Get There: Located 3 kms. from Basco town proper, this beach is just a short tricycle ride away. You can hire a tricycle to take you around North Batan, which includes Valugan Boulder Beach.

Dipnaysuhuan Japanese Tunnel (Basco, Batanes)

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Dipnaysuhuan Japanese Tunnel

After our tour of the PAGASA Radar Station, we again boarded our van for the short drive to the Dipnaysuhuan Japanese Tunnel, making a short stopover to see the Basco idjang.  This was my second visit to both.

Check out “PAGASA Radar Station” and the “Idjangs of Batanes”

 

The author at second lower level tunnel entrance

This abandoned 250-m. long interconnected network of six 8-ft. high and 6-ft. wide bat-filled tunnels running deep in the Tukon Hills, carved by local Ivatans out of volcanic rocks and plastered with cement, served as a shelter and lookout for Japanese soldiers during World War II (1941 to 1945).

Water-logged and muddy interior of first lower level tunnel entrance

Moss-coated, water-logged and muddy inter of second lower level tunnel entrance

It has a series of chambers, bunkers, a water reservoir and five openings; three on the upper level (serving as observation points overlooking Baluarte Bay) and the remaining two are on the lower levels.  A concrete bunker on top of the network served as a machinegun nest.

L-R: our guide Harvey Gutierrez, Jandy and Grace

We were able to see the two openings on the lower level along the road but didn’t bother to enter the tunnels as it muddy and water logged inside both openings.

Breadfruit (Tipuho)

Lining the road are a number of breadfruit trees, arius (Podocarpus costalis) trees and angel,s trumpet (katuvang).  The very popular breadfruit, sometimes called abaya or bread leaves, is used to wrap cooked food with (much like the usual banana leaf), giving it a mild aroma and flavor. 

Angel,s Trumpet (Katuvang)

The endemic arius, an excellent ornamental tree, bears edible berries (comparable to that of the duhat) during the months of July to October.

Arius (Podocarpus costalis)

Dipnaysujuan JapaneseTunnels: Tukon Hills, Sitio Tukon, Brgy. Chanarian, 3900 Basco.  Open daily, 8 AM to 4 PM. Admission is free.

How to Get There: Located on Mt. Iraya, below the idjang of Basco, it is along the route from Radar Tukon weather station to Valuga Boulder Beach and is accessible via the Vajangshin Road.   The quickest route is via tricycle, from Basco town, to Dipnaysupuan Japanese Tunnel. For a more convenient trip, join a Batanes guided tour that includes this tourist spot.  Bring a reliable guide and a lamp. From Basco town, head north toward Contra Costa Rd., continue to La Fuenta St., and turn left to National Rd. Continue straight. Japanese Tunnel is on the left side.

The Idjangs of Batanes

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Thousands of years before Spanish colonization, about a thousand pre-Hispanic Ivatans utilized the strategic high ground, living in villages on fortified cliffs and hilltops scattered across today’s Uyugan. These fortified settlements near rocky natural fortresses were called idjangs, derived from the Ivatan word idi or idian, which means “home” or “hometown.” Much of what is known now about idjangs, only initiated in the 1990s, comes from the oral tradition of Ivatans.  These were compiled by native Ivatan Dr. Florentino Hornedo of UST, leading historian on anything relating to Batanes.

These castle-like structures, on elevated rock formations, resemble the gusuku castles of Okinawa (Japan) and some stone-terraced formations in Taiwan.   Pre-Hispanic Ivatans lived in communities of small clans.  During tribal wars for possessions or territory, the clans would climb the idjangs when attacked and throw stones down upon their attackers.

The idjang of Basco

There are 17 of these remnants of stone fortresses on large stone outcrops.  They are located at Brgy. Savidug (Sabtang), Itbayat, Ivana, Mahatao, Brgy. Itbud and Chapidan in Uyugan, Basco and Ivuhos Island (Chuhangin) and Adekey Island off Sabtang.  Artifacts found here include stone tools and implements, earthenware beads, pottery, glass, Chinese ceramics, and human and animal bones. boat-shaped burial markers.

Geologists surmise that the idjang in Basco is molten magma from Mt.  Iraya that cooled off to form a plug for an extinct volcanic crater.  The idjang in Brgy. Itbud (Uyugan) is located at a promontory at the southern end of a beach.

Mt. Iraya

Ancient limestone columns, with holes drilled at one end, are found littered on the idjang slopes.  They may have served as king posts for dwellings or may have once held down cogon dwellings against strong, battering winds.  Some have been recycled as posts for stone houses on Batan Island.  A wall at the idjang’s base (where a creek forks), was made with stones piled on top of each other.  Instead of mortar, they are just held together by pressure from the adjacent stones.

The Chuhangin idjang, in Ivuhos Island (Sabtang), is located on a ledge overlooking the sea and the island’s famed burial grounds.  This idjang is the only one whose sides were built by the ancient Ivatans with stones placed on top of the other without the use of mortar. The Nahini Votox idjang of Itbayat Island has a spectacular view of Dinem and the island’s eastern coast.

The idjang of Brgy. Savidug in Sabtang

The picturesque Savidug idjang, considered to be the most beautiful and perfectly shaped among the idjangs, appears to have been terraced by human hands to assume a castle-like formation. It is distinctly different from all the others in the province because its sides were carved to make entry more difficult.

Here, archaeologists have recovered, from different levels of the site, various earthenware shards, remains of wild boar and deer teeth, glass beads, shell, coral and bone fragments and some 12th century Sung type greenware.

Savidug Idjang: Brgy. Savidug, 3904 Sabtang.

PAGASA Radar Station (Basco, Batanes)

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PAGASA Radar Station

After our tour of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Chapel, we again boarded our van for short drive, uphill, to the PAGASA Radar Station, also known as Radar Tukon.  This radar station, located on a hilltop about 300 m. above sea level, is the northernmost weather station of PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration).

Check out “Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Chapel”

Formerly a site of a lighthouse and an abandoned pre-war hilltop U.S. weather station, it monitors typhoons that enter and leave the country’s area of responsibility.  However, its huge satellite disk was ripped off by gale-force winds during September 13, 2016 super typhoon Ferdie (international name: Meranti) even before it was put to effective use.

 

From its top, we had a magnificent and breathtaking 360-degree view of Batan Island, the West Philippine Sea, the boulder-lined cliffs, Mt. Iraya, rolling hills and the magnificent pastoral beauty of labyrinth-like hedgerows (liveng) and fields on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other side.

Mt. Iraya

Hedgerows (liveng)

On a clear day, you can see Dinem Island in the distance and, behind it, the faint silhouette of Itbayat Island,

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Chapel (Tukon Chapel)

Ukuy’s Place, in the foreground, and Fundacion Pacita, in the background

PAGASA Radar Station: Sitio Tukon, Brgy. Chanarian, 3900 Basco.

How to Get There: From Basco it’s a a 2.75-km. (1.5-hour) hike, a tough 30-minute bike ride or an easy tricycle jaunt up to the Radar Station.  It is also a short 5-min. walk to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Chapel (Tukon Chapel)