NATONIN. Mtn. Province – In the far flung barangay of Maducayan, this municipality, mystical historical sites abound.
This was disclosed by the Mountain Province Caves and Eco-Tour Guides Association (MPCETGA) members who went to the place to explore potential tourism sites last November 21, 2020.
Mayor Jose Agagon was the personal guide of the group.
A case in point is a cave within the territory of barangay Maducayan that was proudly cited by the community as historical. Four kilometers away, tt can be reached after a couple of hours hike ascending from the community.
Panarngon Cave, located at the northwest part of Maducayan was named as Aguinaldo Cave to the locals as this was supposedly used by Emilio Aguinaldo who was the country’s first President for at least 5 days when he was being pursued by American troops.
Apparently, Aguinaldo and his troops came from Ifugao and passed by Natonin proper in coming to Maducayan.
Mayor Agagon, with the explorers, visited the Aguinaldo Cave
His passing the community was well remembered. While resting in Sitio Samoki, Maducayan, the people collected palay and the women pounded rice for the food of the visitors.
There are two rooms in the cave which are spacious enough that Aguinaldo and his troops used. “The cave was partially destroyed by acts of nature over time”, according to Mayor Agagon.
After resting, he and his troops reportedly proceeded to Cagayan then Palanan, Isabela where he was captured by the Americans.
“The historical value is that the Panarngon Cave provided a hideout and shelter for the President of the first Republic of the Philippines”, cited one of the sources.
Another mystical confirmation was the Silent Mountain of Mount Vinaratan where chirps of birds and sounds of animals are not heard even now. However, it is not on the whole mountain but just at the peak.
Legend has it that Kavuniyen, a local term for the Igorot deity Kabunian, went hunting and while at the peak of the mountain he could not hear his dogs barking.
Due to the sounds and noise of the birds and insects, Kavuniyen shouted for the birds, insects, and animals to be quiet and, suddenly, there was silence on the mountain.
Until now, there is silence on the mountain, albeit only at the peak and not on the whole mountain of Vinaratan.
Waterfalls are many stressing the abundance of water in the place.
There are the 100 meter, more or less, Agamoyamoy Water Falls located in the northeast part of the barangay and the more than a hundred meters Torgak Water Falls on the northwestern side. Both are at a distance from the barangay and hiking is the way to reach them.
The mountaineering experts recommend the exploration of the mountain from the poblacion side up to Mount Lumang to make reaching Mount Vinaratan easier..
“This route might be better and easier than through barangay Maducayan”, said Jayr Guindalos, the president of MPCETGA and one of the recent explorers.** Roger Sacyaten
