Iligan: Revisited

A month ago, I was blessed with the opportunity of a lifetime. Fifteen years after I left Iligan, I was offered a chance to revisit the land of waterfalls, one of my favorite places. I spent many memorable years in Iligan, having at various times been a teacher, a choreographer, a campaign strategist, taking any and all manner of occupations as I sought to eke out a decent living in the city. As a full-blooded Maranao I was born in Lumbatan, Lanao Del Sur but I was raised in Dadiangas, South Cotabato. I feel proud and privileged to have been raised in a Christian area, and educated by the Marist brothers of Notre Dame - but be that as it may, I will not hesitate to admit that there was always a part of me that seemed dormant… a side of me I have yet to discover. I was a Moslem, but it was though that part of me remained in a cocoon off - a whole culture left unexplored.

One-hour and 20 minutes of flight time from Manila gave me ample opportunity to anticipate what I would discover anew in this "promising" land. There were relatives and friends I’ve never met. There were sights, sounds and smells I’ve never experienced. There was a new culture to adapt to – especially for one of generation X – and new vernaculars to learn. Most Iliganons are multilingual, speaking Iligan Cebuano as well as Maranao dialect - my own relatives are based in Marawi but most of them are in Iligan. Marawi and Iligan tribes have their own unique aboriginal dialects and culture. To make things easier on my trip, I chose to first step foot in Iligan, reasoning that I would relate more comfortably with the culture there than in the somewhat more conservative environs of Marawi.

Darkness had already settled when we touched down at the quaint Cagayan de Oro Airport. I admit that at first I was dazed by the mass of people and the somewhat trite environment. No one was there to pick me up – unsurprising really, since I didn’t tipped off my relatives that I was going to Iligan. Instead, I took a taxicab and somehow managed to squeeze my luggage into the trunk. Traveling on the roads from Misamis Oriental to Iligan was an eye-popping experience for an unadjusted cosmopolitan boy.

As we arrived in the city proper, after two hours, I instructed the driver to bring me to a nearby coffee shop where I took the opportunity to ring up the most important person in the city, Lawrence Lluch Cruz, its dynamic, young mayor. From my brief phone stop I billeted first myself at Kingsway Inn. After I refreshed myself, off I went to the City Hall. There the young mayor and I had a rather fecund discussion on tourism. Mayor Cruz was passionate to position Iligan as another "Tourist Haven" for the country. In fact, he asked me to feel free and tour the city and see for itself its potential.

What the tour showed me was an Iligan that was rich in history, a thriving city with active cultural and art scenes and beautiful scenery characterized by numerous waterfalls that gave it its title, including the famous Maria Cristina falls ( 8.5 kms from the city proper), all elements proving that in no way should Iligan be left out of any self-respecting tourist map. "The city has not been getting the attention it deserves," Cruz said. "Information has to reach both domestic and the international markets. Tourists have to be updated with Iligan’s latest tourism offerings." To attest to the sincerity of his statement, the Mayor’s convivial staff showed me the awe-inspiring Timoga Falls and its beautifully designed contiguous pools, 20 in all (from the mere 5 previously), with an overflow of the fresh cold water that seemed seamless. Faced with such natural splendor, where every moment has to be pondered, I realized that we needed space to be able to truly appreciate the beauty of locale (space – and beauty – that was sadly lacking in much of modern Manila).

Across the Timoga Falls stands the Macaraeg-Macapagal Ancestral House - the edifice that boasts of being the only house in Mindanao where two eventual Philippine Presidents once resided: One being the father, Diosdado Macapagal, and the other, the daughter, her Excellency Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The Ancestral House now contains memorabilia of both Presidents. From there, we headed towards some of the region’s other falls - namely the Mimbalut falls, the most accessible of Iligan’s 23 falls. It is 10.5 kms away from the city proper and it is 90 feet high and 18 feet wide. The tour merely solidified my conviction that a tourist could look forward to a truly unique perspective on life here in Iligan, one not seen by the typical foreign visitor.

As my tour guide drove me back to the city, my inquiring mind found itself curious about other aspects of city life – some more familiar to me than waterfalls. After all, not all wonders are natural in nature, and I asked the dutiful driver to pass by some of those which were crafted by man - the best bars and restaurants in the city. Some of the standout places to quench your thirst for good food are Tatay’s Grill, Patio Alejandra, Café Hermoso, Darren’s, Sunburts, Teepoy’s and Lalai Garden.

After our gastronomic adventures, we embarked on one last errand which was to explore the serenity of Iligan during the night. The best way, we found, was to go to the city hall, as it has the benefit of being located on a hill. The hall has a scenic view of the city and now contains a spic and span, well-decorated park. (I remember vividly when the area had been trashed and unsafe – another welcome change) Coincidentally, there I bumped into with the parents of the Mayor - Francisco Cruz and Almita Lluch.

When I got back to the hotel I was understandably conked out. The following day, I jogged in the early morning and took a dip at Tinago falls. While I did take a side trip to a hash house where I ate quantities of cheap, yet fresh food, for the most part I merely walked around and pre-occupied myself with the city’s bucolic beauty, going to the market and bought fresh fruits and flowers.

My last errand was to hang out in MSU-IIT, one of the best universities in Mindanao, where I met Keith, Mohaymen, Josephus and JR, freshmen scholar students. We became friends instantly and they took it upon themselves to guide me to the nightlife in Iligan. We ate and drank, and with every bottle of beer, I felt more at ease. I learned it was polite to drink in unison, with someone making a toast, and everyone else raising their glasses to each other - not once in Iligan did I see anyone drink without raising a glass to others at the table. It was an overwhelming feeling I carried with me as I turned in that night. I was grateful for the songs of the tree frogs outside which lulled me to sleep.

First flight was at 1 p.m., and I found myself awake and alone on the front porch. I stood there, gazing at the mist-covered mountains, the sun so graciously illuminated for me. The steep mountainsides, green with palms and bamboo, cradled the aborigine village of Tibanga like a loving mother. I could sense the waterfalls and cold streams everywhere, pouring into the river that flowed through town. It was the most beautiful scenery I had ever seen in my travels across Mindanao… and that, was saying a lot.