WHEN the word Antique is mentioned, what do you think comes to people’s minds? Most likely, one of these will show on the list: Evelio Javier, Arturo Pacificador, a far-flung province languishing in obscurity, a place some people never even bother to visit.
People unfamiliar with the place would often associate the province with the definition of “antique” meaning “ancient” or “old-fashioned”. But for those who value ancient things, the word would mean precious, valuable and priceless.
You’ll probably even hear worse than that. But dig deeper and go beyond your outdated impression to find a fabulous destination.
The Datus
IF you are still at a loss, you may want to ask why the 10 Bornean datus (rulers) landed in Antique.
Datus Puti, Sumakwel, Dumangsil, Bangkaya, Paliburong and the rest of them must have been so enchanted they stayed awhile and eventually settled, right in the heart of the community, which would eventually become the capital town.
According to local folks, the Malay datus met the Ati chieftain Datu Marikudo and his wife Maniwantiwan and offered the chieftain a salakot (wide-brimmed hat believed to be made of pure gold), which included a golden necklace, earrings, bracelets and trinkets they wore when they fled Borneo.
Among other gifts were pearls and fine clothes as a display of respect and to buy the land from them to live. Datu Marikudo responded to the datus’ generosity by giving the Malays the lowlands. The Ati tribes moved to the mountains as they are sacred to them.
The island of Panay was then divided into three sakup: Hantik, Aklan and Irong-Irong. Aklan became the present-day Aklan and Capiz, Irong-Irong became Iloilo, and Hantik (also called Hamtik or Hamtic) became Antique. Hantik was named for the large black ants found on the island. Datu Sumakwel founded the town of Malandog, considered to be the first Malay settlement in the country.
Spanish rulers
DURING the Spanish colonial period, the coastal province was vulnerable to attacks by Moro raiders.
Under the direction of the Spanish friars, a series of watchtowers, like the Old Watchtower in Libertad and Estaca Hill in Bugasong, was built to guard Antique.
Fast forward, the province of Antique is a paradise province, teeming with fish from the Sulu Sea, bountiful with fruits and vegetables from its rich fertile lands. Here, livestock and poultry grow abundantly. It is endowed by nature with gold, copper, chromite, limestone deposits and gemstones. Recently, an indication of oil deposits has been found in one of its islands. Its waterfalls, rivers, caves, white sandy beaches and other natural attractions are just as spectacular as those in the most hyped of destinations in the Philippines.
But why is Antique still the most overlooked of all Panay island provinces?
For one, Antique is isolated from the rest because of its rugged mountain ranges. The geographical circumstance that also created a language and culture uniquely its own added to its distance from the mainstream, more pronounced neighbors.
Emerging Antique
SITUATED on the western part of the island, the nearest Antique town to bustling Iloilo City is approximately 90 km away. A trip to the capital town would take at least two hours by bus or a rented van.
Oftentimes called “the land where mountains meet the sea”, the description continues to pose a challenging reality to its inhabitants.
The province has a total land area of 252,200 hectares, about 73 percent of which is upland and 27 percent lowland. This explains why one has to pass through rugged terrain to reach it. The climate favors the growth of palay, making the province a major rice producer in the region.
Through the years, the province has not figured prominently on the tourism radar. It has always been Boracay, Iloilo, Bacolod and the province of Negros that get top-of-mind awareness and larger chunk of visitors.
Seemingly, Antique has been relegated to the background, like a younger sibling, a bit coy and scared to be introduced to the public. But the world actually is waiting, wanting to embrace a gem that is slowly coming out of its cocoon and is emerging.
Ruggedly beautiful
MY first time in Antique was in the late ’70s.
I was a freshman copywriter in advertising, working for a multinational advertising agency. We had to attend a regional raffle draw for a detergent brand promotion.
To get to the capital town, we boarded a plane to Bacolod, took a ferry to Iloilo (to coordinate with local radio stations) and then traveled many kilometers to a place I have long forgotten.
I still remember Antique’s rugged terrain, vast rice fields, ravines and its signature dish that I still like today called “KBL”. We did not stay in a hotel—there was none— but in a pension house fronting a school where we enjoyed watching a three-man volleyball game.
Antique has come a long way.
Today, the capital town is bustling with new businesses. Elsewhere in the province sprout infrastructure projects and businesses: resorts, hotels, bridges, concrete farm-to-market roads, renewable energy sources that aim to better the quality of life of Antiqueños.
All points
WHEN an international river kayaking competition was held in Antique in 1997, Antiqueños marched from all points of the province and gathered in Tigbiao town to fully support it. The event was nothing but festive.
Joy was written on the faces of everyone. People from all walks of life, young and old, from the government and private sectors, all headed north, up in the mountains where the sparkling waters of Tigbiao River were to delight them.
The atmosphere was reminiscent of the days when the province opened its hearts and homes to the 10 datus eons ago.
And like the datus they adopted as sons, Antiqueños are brave warriors. They are also people known to always show solidarity for the common good, a trait that dates back long before the Spaniards came to the Philippines. More than that, it is the hospitality that speaks well of them, gracious hosts, giving it all, even way beyond expectations.
Big bang
THE big event that opened with a big bang and ended with the same magnitude in 1997 created bigger excitement ahead, a vehicle to spur more tourism activities in the dreary town.
But to the words of Flord Calawag, director of the 2018 Tigbiao River Festival, the next few years were “kaluluoy” (pitiful). The event was never sustained and almost died with nary a whimper in a matter of two years.
Aggravated by lack of planning, tourism was in limbo, a frustrating fact when numerous attractions abound and are just waiting to be discovered, developed and announced to the world.
All of that seems water under the bridge now. Antiqueños’ sad sentiments are beginning to recede from their collective consciousness. Today, one can feel the excitement once again. The province, which used to average only 36,000 visitors annually, registered 1.3 million domestic visitors last year, leapfrogging from the bottom to No. 2 ranking in the entire Western Visayas region.
No less than the energetic Gov. Rhodora Cadiao confirmed it with pride when she graced the opening of this year’s River Festival, which featured extreme river-tub rafting competition participated in by tourists and trained athletes from all over the Philippines.
Tibiao River
DUBBED as the eco-adventure capital of Panay Island, the town of Tibiao in Antique is a haven for thrill seekers and nature lovers. The town’s most popular attraction is Tibiao River, gentle at some point but menacing as it cascades among rocks and boulders.
The river snakes around the mountains of Antique and considered one of the best whitewater rivers in the country and a favorite venue for local and international rafters.
Located in Barangay Tuno and just a 15-minute ride from the highway of Barangay Importante, the river’s mouth sits on the slopes of Mount Madja-as, the highest point on Panay Island. Its waters then roar down magnificent hills and valleys, with a length of about 23 kilometers of navigable water.
The river has crystal-clear waters that make rafting and kayaking hard to resist.
Thus says Calawag, who, with his brother, owns and operates a mountain resort.
The eponymous resort offers visitors many recreational outdoor activities.
For those who prefer kayaking, the first course is Grade 1 or “basic kayaking”, which introduces first timers to paddling a kayak. Grade 2 is for those who want to experience higher levels of skills while navigating rapids and around boulders. Grades 3 and 4 are for professionals who want to navigate against strong currents, big boulders and learn difficult maneuvers.
Calawag, once a provincial tourism officer, said the river activities were designed to revive the festive atmosphere brought by the International River Kayaking Cup in 1997.
2018 Festival
CALAWAG’S resorts and others like the Blue Wave Travelers’ Inn, Kayak Inn and La Escapo Lodge are working in partnership with the Department of Tourism, the Department of Environment Natural Resources, the Provincial Government of Antique, the Local Government Unit of Tibiao and University of Antique Tario-Lim Memorial Campus.
These institutions joined hands to make the festival generate word-of-mouth awareness and create buzz nationwide.
According to Calawag, this year’s festival was aimed at training people in Barangay Tuno on water safety and rescue operations.
There’s also training on extreme river-tubing techniques, a showcase of the culinary, natural, cultural and historical heritage of Tibiao, as well as the promotion of the town for its huge tourism potentials.
The First Karay-a Food Cooking Challenge (open to all staff of resorts and restaurants in Tibiao) and tree-planting at the river bank of Tibiao were also held.
The First Tibiao National Extreme River Tubing Competition opened with four event categories: trained tubers, male tourists, female tourists and LGBT tourists.
Airport improvement
WHEN the upgraded San Jose airport is finished, visitors to Antique won’t have to pass by Iloilo and Caticlan airports to reach the town.
The renovation of the Evelio Javier Airport is undergoing, and resumption of commercial flights between Manila and Antique is expected within two years.
The project involves lengthening of the runway to accommodate bigger planes, expansion of passenger terminal buildings and installation of runway lights for evening flights. Commercial flights to Antique began in April 2003 but stopped on June 30, 2006. The airport temporarily opened when President Rodrigo Duterte opened the annual Palarong Pambansa on April 23, 2017.
Marketable destination
WESTERN Visayas Tourism Regional Director Helen Catalbas said Antique is young when it comes to being a preferred destination.
“Antique is for rugged travelers who want to experience extreme adventure like what Tibiao River offers,” Catalbas said. “It has rugged terrain fit for those who seek something different than the usual sun, sea and surf.”
She told the BusinessMirror Antique is a promising destination because it has successfully hosted the Palarong Pambansa, the National State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association meets and other national and international kayaking competitions.
Because of these successes, “we are positioning the province as a sports tourism destination.”
Catalbas added that in order to market well, people must experience their own backyard well, know its locale well, from the municipal down to barangay level.
“It must be marketable to its own residents, so to speak.”
According to Catalbas, infrastructure is the biggest challenge Antique faces today.
Other challenges include the Boracay sewage problem and planning congestion, as well as one city being referred to as the “most shabulized.”
“[But] We do not really worry about it. If we work hard, things will change and we will keep the industry afloat [despite the] name-calling,” she said. “The attractions of this region are not the politicians.”
Not stopping
CATALBAS, however, emphasized the government should not market destinations that are not ready.
“We do not want disappointed visitors,” she said. “We should do our own product development first, and that refers to accessibility and accommodation.”
Nevertheless, Catalbas is optimistic that Western Visayas would reach its tourist arrival target of 6.1 million this year despite the challenges the region is facing.
She said it is achievable as individual provinces are not stopping their own promotion efforts.
Catalbas noted these goals could also be achieved as Cadiao’s program is much aligned with that of the Department of Tourism’s implementation and comprehensive plan.
The province is starting on the right foot, according to her.
She describes the governor as “the only rose among the thorns: very unlike some governors who do their own way because of their own interests.”
“[And] as chairman of Western Visayas Regional Development Council, I could say that she has a better grasp of the picture,” she added.
Catalbas said the concepts of “farm and faith” have significant roles in making tourism in general grow big in Western Visayas.
“Agriculture tourism, for instance, does not mean flowers and vegetables alone,” she said. “It means feeding tourists with our own produce, food grown and harvested locally, not imported from abroad or other regions.”
As has been written in many articles and blogs, Antique province is quite special because of its natural beauty and diversity.
Wonder of Visayas
ANTIQUE is not Iloilo. Antique is not Boracay. Nor is it a combination of what Western Visayas has to offer.
Antique is Antique and it is unique.
One reason Antique should be on your bucket list this summer is the Binirayan Festival, which has the permanent theme: “Retracing Roots, Celebrating Culture and Greatness”. Binirayan is a 29-day festival when all towns in the province compete in the capital to commemorate the arrival of the 10 Bornean datus.
Another reason to go to Antique is the Mararison Sandbar, in Culasi.
If you hate crowded beaches, Mararison is the reason for you to come to Antique. Here you can experience a peaceful island life and be amazed by an abundance of pitcher plant gardens in the town, easily accessible, either from Iloilo or Boracay.
One of the Philippines’ most beautiful sandbars, a must-visit spot in Antique, is Seco Island, Tibiao.
Start your trip at break of dawn. Out in the sea, you might be able to spot dolphins that frequently follow boats headed to this stunningly beautiful beach paradise.
There are no sophisticated resorts in this remote sandbar, but you can look forward to an expansive white-sand beach and turquoise waters.
More sites
ANOTHER reason to go to Antique is the Bugtong Bato Falls. A multitiered waterfalls, Bugtong Bato flows directly to Tibiao River. It has a natural pool formed by cascading waters, a favorite place for locals who love river-rafting adventure and chasing the rapids.
Also in Tibiao is the Kawa Hot Bath and Fish Spa. After swimming in Tibiao River’s invigorating waters, take a relaxing hot bath in a giant wok. The water is heated by fire underneath and is often infused with various herbal aromatics.
Although one would feel like being cooked alive in a giant kawa (caldron), soaking in the bath and spa is one of the most relaxing and enjoyable activities worth checking out in Antique. These are located right beside the riverbank; the gentle stream lulls a person into relaxation. After that, there’s Kayak Inn where you can find basic rooms and huts alongside with these giant baths.
The Antique Rice Terraces, San Remegio, offer a competition to Benguet. Antique’s rice terraces are a 600-hectare wonder located in the remote barangay of General Fullon, San Remigio. Getting there takes at least 3 to 5 hours on foot from the nearest village.
Churches, gems
THERE are a number of Spanish colonial heritage sites in San Remigio that are worth visiting. These include the old municipal hall, the Patnongon Church and convent ruins.
San Remigio also has Rafflesia, the world’s biggest flower. It only goes to show that Borneo, Indonesia and Malaysia are not the only places where you can find this extraordinary plant. It also thrives in Antique and Iloilo.
The Rafflesia blooming site in Barangay Aningalan is very easy to reach, thanks to recently paved roads. The hike from the road takes less than five minutes.
Also located in San Remigio is the Igbaclag Cave and Stone Castle.
The town is known as the “summer capital of Antique” because the weather is cool all-year round. San Remigio has a lot of potentials to be Panay’s next big thing in tourism. You can also find gem stores in San Remigio and Sibalom that sell gemstone crafts.
And more sites
OTHER reasons to have Antique as a destination this summer include the Igpasungaw Falls, Sebaste.
The trek to this multilevel curtain falls takes around 30 minutes to 1 hour along an easy trail. Keep an eye out for the rare Amorphophallus, a carnivorous plant known for having the tallest flower bloom in the world.
There’s also Bugang River, a haven for those who love nature. This site has been awarded numerous times as the greenest and cleanest river in the Philippines where the Naranjo Water Park is located.
The latter offers a new dining and adventure destination if you are on your way to Malumpati Spring.
Another gastronomic adventure goal is the Mamammia Italian and Filipino Restaurant. Unpretentious, this seaside joint is where you can enjoy one of the best pizza and pasta dishes in Antique.
For souvenirs, there is the Bagtason Weavers, Bugasong. High-quality products, vibrant multicolored shawls and scarves are among the items handwoven here. The weavers sell beautiful textiles made in traditional patadyong fashion.
With Antique’s amazing rugged beauty and DOT’s all-out support to promote its attractions to the world, the country hopes to achieve its tourist arrival target this year.