WriteBrain

Published in: Expat Newspaper, March 2008

Photos by: Pranz Kaeno

The world’s first civilizations flourished near rivers, a body of water that astounds us with its bounties and humbles us with its occasional wrath.

Perhaps nowhere else the Philippines have there been such a symbiotic relationship between river and man than the Chico River in Northern Philippines and the communities that live near it. The Chico River is a major waterway in the province of Kalinga and has sustained its different tribal groups for generations.

Back in the 70s plans had been drawn up for an International Monetary Fund-World Bank funded hydroelectric dam to be built in the river. The project would’ve wiped out neighborhoods and submerged ancestral lands. The indigenous people fought, and fought hard against it and eventually won the right to preserve their precious river and their way of life along with it.

At present, Kalinga and its adjacent region known as Cagayan Valley composed of five provinces have found a marriage of commerce and conservation through ecotourism, featuring its array of natural wonders. The Chico River, for instance is famous as one of the very few whitewater-rafting spots in the country.

A trip to Manila to Cagayan by land will take approximately 12 hours. It doesn’t have to be as grueling as it sounds. Victory Liner, a bus line that has plied the northern route for 62 years and counting provides comfortable means of transportation. One can just board a bus at night in their QC terminal and wake up Cagayan.

Regular flights to Cagayan’s capital of Tuguegarao are also available for those unable to spare 12 hours on the road. However, there is something to be said about roadtrips going north. The drive takes you pass the provinces of Isabella, Nueva Vizcaya and Nueva Ecija, to name a few. Each has its own unique appeal and you can better your bottom dollar that roadtrippers will want to pullover many times along the way to partake of the amazing scenery. This is especially true for the Nueva Viscaya; its high altitude makes for a bitingly cold weather at certain times of the year.

Mystic River

From our hotel in the regional center of Tuguegarao City in Cagayan, we went on a scenic drive to Tabuk in Kalinga to take on the Chico River whitewater rafting challenge.

After a short briefing and preparations in our put-in point, we were ready to literally get our feet wet in Chico River’s ice-cold water. Having gone whitewater rafting once before in the other Cagayan or Cagayan de Oro in Mindanao, I fancied myself somewhat of an expert. An expert of not falling off the raft, that is. I’d inch closer to the center, hook my feet onto something and hold on to dear life while the skilled guides paddle through strong currents.

Actually, I was told that it was better to sit on the very edge and row hard. Paddling will not only give leverage but also create a tripod effect to maintain one’s balance. Personally, I prefer to hold on to something so as not to fall off while, reminiscent of a washing machine, the great, white rapids throw the raft around.

I had psyched myself up for the wild whitewater thrills and adrenaline rush of navigating through angry currents but I was unprepared for the ethereal beauty of the place with the large, smooth rocks that line the riverbed, the narrow limestone canyons that enclose the river and the vast expanse of the most magical landscape enveloped by a thick, eerily beautiful mist.

The guides are all more than capable and they knew the river like their own backyard. I was able to sit back and relax for most of our four-our river ride. The group in a separate boat wasn’t nearly as lucky. A few of them got thrown off several times. They say that taking a dunk is where the real thrill lies so maybe they were the lucky ones.

In a short course dubbed as the “swimmers’ rapids” because of the gentle torrents I took our guides’ advice and dove in. Except for that first minute when it felt like my whole body was being stabbed by millions of little needles, it was very relaxing. I lied on my back and let the vigorous ebb of the water carry me downstream.

Water level drops during summer months starting in March, which also means a break for the whitewater-rafting season. As destiny would have it, it rained in the area days before our trip, which granted us a chance to experience this adventure of a lifetime.