Romblon: the Journey Around Sibuyan Island

Sibuyan Island is a picturesque and relatively unexplored island located in the province of Romblon in the Philippines. Known as the “Galapagos of Asia” due to its rich biodiversity and unique ecosystem, Sibuyan Island is a hidden gem for nature lovers and adventure seekers. But before we could get there, we had to take a ship from Manila to Romblon Island.

The sight of seaside communities dotting the coastal area of the pier with green mountains on the background greeted us upon our arrival in an early morning in Romblon. It seemed surreal as it looked like a European fishing village but there I was standing by the port of Romblon as we were headed to our ultimate destination — Sibuyan Island.

The name Romblon may be a bit confusing because it is the name of the province, the island, and the municipality. Romblon province is composed of three major islands – Romblon, Tablas and Sibuyan – and four smaller islands – Banton, Carabao, Maestro de Campo and Simara. Romblon Island has one municipality, which is Romblon.  Aside from being the marble capital of the Philippines, Romblon is also the heart of the archipelago, geographically speaking.

My first time in this province was part of the Journey to the Heart of the Philippines, which is a project of the Green Initiative movement under the Bantay Kalikasan program of the ABS-CBN Foundation. They launched a four-week journey to Romblon, aside from their Mindoro trips, as a way of raising awareness and support for its environmental and eco-tourism programs.

Our sunrise arrival in Romblon, Romblon might be a bit too early for many of us but as we proceeded to Tiamban Beach, the inviting clear water of the sea and the smooth white sand of the beach rejuvenated our still slumbering spirits. Without any other person in sight, we had Tiamban all to ourselves where we enjoyed some morning exercises, games and a dip in the water. But after stretching our muscles and filling our stomachs with a sumptuous breakfast, we had to move to where we would be spending the rest of the journey.

The main destination was Sibuyan Island, an island that is rich in natural resources and regarded by scientists as the “Galapagos of Asia” for its isolation from other islands, not ever been connected with any island in the Philippines since it was formed. Our journey to Sibuyan proved that the island is still remote from the rest of the world till this day. Getting there required a 14-hour travel by ship to Romblon, Romblon from Manila and another two hours by pump boat to Sibuyan’s Magdiwang municipality.

After braving the high noon waves of Sibuyan Sea, we docked at the mangrove-laden coast of Sibuyan Island. From afar, we could see the cloud-covered Mt. Guiting-Guiting, a local term for saw-toothed, which describes the rugged peaks of the mountain.

Our home for the next three days and two nights was the Sanctuary Garden Resort. The cottages by its hilly terrain provided us with a spectacular view of Mt. Guiting-Guiting and the relaxing sound of the nearby river.

Lambingan Falls in Sibuyan Island

Due to its mountains, hills, and dense forests, Sibuyan has several waterfalls and rivers. The first falls we visited was the Lambingan Falls. Lambingan is a local term to describe the sweetness between lovers. The place was called such because many couples frequented the area before. Well, there are a thousand and one reasons for lovers to choose this location. One of those is its proximity to Magdiwang’s main town, yet secluded enough to provide a bit of privacy. Not only that, the pool of water at the first level of the waterfalls is so inviting for a swim and some romantic interlude. Locals and visitors couldn’t help but take a dive from its high jumping point.

But before we could even walk the short trail to the waterfalls, we had to first enjoy the filling lunch of native delicacies prepared by the local community, which is a partner of the Green Initiative. One of its leaders, Beng, gave us a bit of informational background about the place. Our guide, Dodong, provided us with more details and insights about the plants endemic to Lambingan Falls.

Sibuyan Island’s Dagubdob Falls

Thunder. This is the translation of Dagubdob, the name of the second waterfalls we visited. Located in Cross Country, Brgy. España, San Fernando, Romblon, Dagubdob Falls is one of the many natural pride of Sibuyan Island.

Before we could even get to the waterfalls, we passed by some green grasslands that could rival the manicured golf courses in urbanized cities. Cows, carabaos and other animals grazing the plains were a beautiful sight with the mountain peaks at the backdrop. A large century-old Balete Tree served as our meeting point where we were briefed by community leader Bong about the place and its biodiversity.

We were also treated to some delicious local treats such as fried camote ques (sweet potato), combo (fried dessert of rice cake with coconut coated in sugar) and fresh coconut juice. The sweet potatoes were put together using a fern reed, called agsam, instead of the usual chopped bamboo sticks. We sipped the coconut juice through a bagacay, which is a small bamboo reed used as a drinking straw. It was amazing to use local products which do not contribute to the global environmental issues we face.

Talking about environmental issues, I learned from my discussions with locals and further readings that Sibuyan Island is also rich in various minerals. Several groups are mining these resources which pose a hazard not only to Sibuyan’s biodiversity but also to the health of the locals. Some miners are using mercury which they dump to rivers and streams that affect the residents, especially the children.

It was in Dagubdob Falls where we encountered so many local plants that are endemic in the area. Our guide, Emilyn, provided us with various information as we did a fun and educational scavenger hunt in Dagubdob.

The falls were several levels high but I opted to enjoy the refreshing pool of water at the second level.

Bila-Bila Falls of Sibuyan Island

The local community was abuzz as we arrived near the vicinity of Bila-Bila Falls where we tasted the delectable shrimp that thrive in the river of Bila-Bila. The name is a local term for butterflies, which are common in the area.

Our guide, Jun Anthony, told us that Bila-Bila Falls has a total of 11 levels but visitors trek until the fourth level only because the terrain becomes more challenging as they get to the upper levels. True enough, we hiked for several kilometers, walking through colorful shapes of boulders and rocks which glittered as the sun shone on them.

Several climbs after, we got to the first and second levels of the waterfalls. But we were encouraged to move on to the third and the fourth levels. I could have stopped at the third level and be content with its gorgeous scenery and inviting pool. Yet, we pursued till the fourth level where the pool was bigger and more commendable for swimming. The water there falls on a certain trajectory, which made it viable for people to slide through the current.

Magdiwang Beach and Ikaduha Fish Sanctuary

One of our companions said that Sibuyan Island has a good balance of fresh water and sea water attractions. From Magdiwang Beach, the fisher folks brought us to the middle of the sea where we were able to snorkel and be awed by the beauty of the fish sanctuary.

Some of the areas had been damaged by previous practices of dynamite fishing but now that the coral reefs are protected, you’ll find a variety of species and colors spanning the seabed. Colorful fishes are also aplenty as they swam in schools, oblivious of us snorkeling at the surface observing their ways.

To visit all these sites, we had to go through all three municipalities of Sibuyan Island – Cajidiocan, Magdiwang, and San Fernando. We also met some of the barangay captains, such as Ronald Montojo, Cleto Ramilo, and Bibo Porras, who graciously hosted us on our journey.

The Journey to the Heart of the Philippines opened my eyes to the many realities in Sibuyan Island. We circled the crescent-shaped island but some parts of the circumferential highway are still in need of development. The rich natural resources of Sibuyan have to be protected and any form of development on the island has to be sustainable that will not endanger the lives of the residents. Moreover, the limited access to the island has its pros and cons but it limits some opportunities for the island to thrive. Many thanks to various advocates and organizations, such as the ABS-CBN Foundation, for helping the communities of Sibuyan.

All photos are by the blog owner/author. More photos are found in http://facebook.com/firsttimetravel and mobile phone uploads in @firsttimetravel via Twitter.

For more information about the Journey to the Heart of the Philippines, visit the ABS-CBN Foundation website. Read a related post at CNN’s iReport.

Congratulations to the Red Team for being the Champions and making R-Romblon an E-Exciting D-Destination. 🙂