Saturday, August 04, 2007

Pu' Daku in Silago


Recently, the shortcut road going to Silago, S. Leyte has been opened to the public. It cut the travel time to just forty minutes from the three hour drive before. Silago which is facing the Pacific is the last town in Southern Leyte but sits just next to Abuyog. However, before, in order to reach Silago, one had to travel first to the west of Leyte passing through Mahaplag, Sogod, Libagon and Liloan and then through the pacific towns of St. Bernard, San Juan (formerly and popularly known as Cabalian), Hinundayan and Hinunangan before reaching Silago. In other times when the road in Agas-agas, that earthquake fault between Mahaplag and Sogod would be unpassable, one had to cross all the way to the west to Baybay and from there take the long trip through the western towns of Inopacan, Hindang, Hilongos, Bato and connect to Sogod. This last trip would have taken about five hours since the road then was not yet cemented. But now the newly opened Abuyog - Silago road is only 43 kilometers long. One also gets some spectacular views of virgin forests along the way.

We were excited to have our discovery trip to Silago and to savor the sights that the town could give us. When we visited Silago, it so happened to be the vesperas of their town fiesta. With the parish priest, Fr. Carlo Caracut, a very good friend and a former student of mine in Theology we were sure that we will have a good time there. That early morning before we took that leisure trip, I also ask Fr. Caloy if there is a good beach that we could go we would be very happy indeed. We were not disappointed. After a very hearty lunch of fresh seafoods including some very good sized 'banagan' (lobsters) which is common to the place, we were brought to a rocky island called Pu' Daku which is short for Pulong daku (big rock island). There was no beach front on this rock island but only a small portion of flat stone where one can get off from the boat. If the waves were strong it would have been difficult if not impossible to moor. As the island just seem to jut off from the sea, there was no shallow portion of water to speak of. It was ideal for snorkeling and for fishing using the 'pana'. There were lots of fishes on one side of the island which had calm waters.


The rock island was also the nesting place for seagulls. We saw some eggs lying around at the top of the rocks. It was no wonder then that some of the birds were trying to nosedive near us making threatening sounds at once. Another interesting feature of the island was the presence of sea snakes. In the crevices of the rocks we saw snakes curling inside trying to hide away from the heat.




Posing by Kilometer 1000 which was 35 kilometers away from Abuyog and 12 kilometers away from Silago with Fr. Lito Conejos, (right) and Marlon, our sacristan. About a kilometer and a half further away one reaches the highest elevation of the road. The parish church of Silago.
With Fr. Caloy, the parish priest (middle) and the Vice Mayor of Silago (right).


A recent look of the church and convent of Silago (March 2009)

Large acacia trees line through the perimeter of the parish property.
Silago is famous for its Banagan

The skeleton of a whale that was beached a few years back in Silago is kept near the Municipal Hall

Whale skeleton


The beach in Silago is made of fine brown sand. We helped put out the boat to sea. The small island of Pu' Daku is seen just above my head (left).


The rock island of Pu' Daku. Some would nickname the island as iceberg as it just protrudes out of the sea.



A sea snake could be seen resting in one of the crevices of the rocks. No one has been heard being bitten by these snakes.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello there Father,

I originally saw your photos on google earth when looking at Biliran Island. I did a search today for Leyte on the Panoramio site and found all your nice church photos there. Probably the only pictures on the internet of many of these churches.

I'm an American, my wife is from Calubian, Leyte. I took some photos around Leyte last time I was there and put them online, but I wasn't really into photography yet. I'll spend January there in Biliran/Leyte and plan to take a lot of photos :) I hope to cover most barangays on the island, but having problems finding detailed maps. Maybe I can find them there in person.

Anonymous said...

Hi there friends,
Wow, great photos and a great comment on Silago - very informative!

Last year I travelled with my wife and 2 month old baby in our beat up old multicab to silago. We slept in our tent on the beach and loved it until it started raining!

We currently live in Biliran but I am so disapointed with the crime rate there that I hope to become part of the Silago community.

I hope we can purchae land or rent a house there. I'm not a rich foreigner and would never travel to places like Boracay! I would much rather camp in a tent near the beach eating rice and bullinow! hehehe!

I cant wait to return to Silago soon (july/aug 08) to meet the father and the kind people there.

If anyone can help me with people to meet there or any information on Silago we would greatly appreciate it!

thankyou all and GOD BLESS!

philby@felglow.com.au

ljprintz said...

hi, this is levi from silago... i think u really appreciate our humble town.

please be free to ask about how is silago today.

thanks for the visit.

levi
lee_steath@yahoo.com
tomoleviugmar@gmail.com

ljprintz said...

hi, this is levi from silago... i think u really appreciate our humble town.

please be free to ask about how is silago today.

thanks for the visit.

levi
lee_steath@yahoo.com
tomoleviugmar079@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Hi Mons, this is Jay. I am happy to discover your site. It is so nice. I am now in Japan for mission and looking at your pictures in silago makes me remember the times I went there with bishop cantillas by small boat. gutiaw na baruto. I was the one paddling and back to the main land and it took us 4 hours to get back because of the big waves and wind. It a lot of fun and adventure.
More power to you Mons!

Anonymous said...

hi! i'm a native of sitio odjong, silago so. leyte but i'm residing manila for almost 17 years. i was there last summer but i was not able to visit all the beautiful places... it's so surprising..! lots of improvement...lots of beautiful places...

fe mate isip said...

hi! i'm a native of sitio odjong, silago so. leyte but i'm residing manila for almost 17 years. i was there last summer but i was not able to visit all the beautiful places... it's so surprising..! lots of improvement...lots of beautiful places...

Anonymous said...

hi im dana from dist.2 but now n mnla 4 25 yrs..go..go silago nice place kn pla di ko akalain maging gnon TO..I HOPE N PRAY ILL BE DER ..in his time.GOD BLESS

Anonymous said...

Hi i am Jun Segador from Sitio Kawayan in Brgy. Mercedes its been more than 20 yrs. that i never visited in this place a lot of improvement not like before na walang matinong daan nagyon concrete na ...More power to the govt. officials..

Unknown said...

Joel Burila..
Theres no place like home,thats my SILAGO,im local Silagonhon,but now im away with this Paradise,someday ill be back again to my home sweet home,called SILAGO.to injoy all beautifull natural resources...

Anonymous said...

Hi! I'm wondering if "Banagan" available all year round in their wet market? hope to hear from you soon!