PATAG ADVENTURES GUIDE

PATAG: NORTHERN NEGROS NATURAL PARK 

By Henry Libo-on, Blogger at Touristang Pobre

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Patag is a village in Silay City that is popularly known as the last stronghold of the Japanese Imperial Forces during the second world war. 

From Patag, the Japanese had a vantage point to see the Guimaras Strait and the lowlands.  Several vintage bombs, ammunition, weapons, and skeletal remains of the soldiers were discovered in Patag many years after the war.

Photos by Henry Libo-on

Other than this, Patag is also known as the pre-war site of a hospital for recuperating patients suffering from tuberculosis.  Instead of going to Manila during those times, Negrenses opted to stay at Patag.

Stories were also told that the Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon had visited Patag prior to his journey to Maricalum, Sipalay where the US submarine was waiting to take him to Australia.

Today, Patag is a major part of the Northern Negros Natural Park.

After the war, the hospital was not actively used for its purpose, leaving it to deteriorate.  Thanks to the efforts of the local government of Silay, the once-abandoned structures had been repaired and today it looked new.

Last May 24, a Sunday, my youngest daughter Tintin decided to join me in our adventure to Patag and see for herself the current developments there.  We were surprised to see the rise of several resorts in a once green and forest area of the village's main road.

Tintin enjoyed swimming in this very cool swimming pool in the company of students from Bacolod City.

There are several resorts now operated by the landowners themselves. Also, there is privately owned land with vacation houses.  

Things to do at Patag. 

The place is ideal for swimming and adventure. The adventure part can be a walk to the nearby falls or a longer walk to the hidden sea known locally as "Tinagong Dagat".  It takes about 30 minutes to reach the falls. The trek to the falls is an exciting experience. Just be careful when deciding to take a dip in the falls.  Many years ago, I swam there and tried to do a sunbathing on that piece of log. The rocks are beautifully carved on the sides of the falls and the water sprung from the smaller crevices around these rocks. Just awesome.

It takes about six hours walk to reach the "Tinagong Dagat" and you need a guide to reach it.  Since going there takes time, you have to pitch your tent for an overnight stay there.

Swimming is the most common activity at Patag.  I visited Ladlad Resort and Elena Mountain Resort during this visit.

Ladlad Resort

The Ladlad resort began as a homestead of the Panganiban family.  They are still paying land taxes for this homestead.  Before developing this land as a resort, the owner planted the area with different kinds of vegetables which they supply to the different hotels in Bacolod.

Then, the owner decided to convert a portion of the land into a resort.  They constructed the swimming pool and fill it with water from the nearby spring.  It is a continuously flowing swimming pool and the water is really cool. Next, they constructed about 12 cottages and 9 shed houses. 

They built two restrooms that also serve as shower rooms. On the upper portion of their land, there is a campground where visitors can pitch a tent.  Each tent is charged P100.00.  But if you do not have a tent, you can rent one from the owner and you also pay for the spot where you are going to pitch your tent. Total? P500.00.

Sounds too much? Well, one guy complained about this. I was planning to discuss this with Mrs. Rodelia P., but at the last minute, I decided not to.

The entrance fee is P20.00.  Be sure to pay the exact amount.  When we left that afternoon, the collector was no longer around in his post and so we were not able to get our loose change, so to speak.
There is a convenience store inside the resort which is being attended to by Rodelia, the wife of Eladio, Senior.

If you are asking yourself why the name of the resort is Ladlad?  It connotes something else to people who do not know the story.  Right?  Ladlad Resort is named after the son of the owner, Eladio "Ladlad" Panganiban, Junior. Now, you know it. OK.

For several years now, the Ladlad resort has been a favorite summer destination of Negrenses, not only from the City of Silay where Patag is a Barangay but also those residents from the nearby towns and cities.

Elena Mountain Resort

Photos below are taken from Elena Mountain Resort showing my travel companion my youngest daughter Tintin. 

This resort is a walking distance of Ladlad Resort.  It is also owned by one of the families in the village.  The facilities include a swimming pool, cottages for rent, shed houses, restrooms, and shower rooms.  Elena Resort has also a wide area for pitching your tent. There is a parking area for those who will bring their own cars.

The entrance fee is P10.00.

Patag Recreation Center

Located at the back of the old hospital is Patag Recreation Center.  I dropped by this area to see how it was going.  I was surprised to find many visitors in this part of Patag.  There were a few stores that sell soda and other drinks as well as "chicheria" or packed chips, biscuits, canned goods, and others.

How To Get There?

From Silay City, take a jeep from the Patag Jeepney Terminal.  Patag is two hours from Silay City.  The last time I was in Patag around 2018, the fare was P45.00 if you go down at the Patag Hospital but it is P60.00 if you go down at Ladlad Resort which is about a kilometer away from the old hospital. As of this update, April 14, 2021, I am not sure of the fare but if there is an increase it cannot reach a hundred pesos. 

Going down to Silay City, Patag is about one hour and thirty minutes.  You must be asking why? The driver and I analyzed it this way.  The jeep is literally going down the hilly road.  Another reason could be that the passengers are Silay City-bound and the jeep makes a few stops whenever there are passengers to pick up.

Unlike going up when the jeep has to stop, again and again, to allow the passengers to disembark in many stop points.

Patag can be visited for a day.  You go there in the morning and go back to town in the afternoon.  The first trip to Silay is at 6:00 a.m. The last trip of the jeepney from Patag is 4:00 p.m.

Visitors are advised to bring their own food if they are planning to stay overnight.  There is no restaurant in these resorts that I visited.  We brought our food and we just bought soda or soft drinks from the convenience store.

My fourth time at Patag?

Yes. 

My first time was in the early 1970s with Edwin Gatia of the Provincial Department of Tourism Office. 

The second time was during an excursion with the City Planning and Development Office of our hometown in the early 1990s.

The third was during the Medical Mission conducted by the Blue and Gold Alumni Association of the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos in the mid-1990s. 

The fourth is the trip I made in 2018. 

What  I enjoyed most at Patag? Swimming and trekking to the falls. I have been to Patag many times in the past.  Today is my fourth time.  During the third time, I was with the Medical Mission of the Blue and Gold Alumni Association of ONI, UNO, and UNO-R.  I was once its president in the 1990s. There were several doctors, nurses, medical technologists, and volunteers with us. During that time, the most common ailment of the 300+ patients was the problem with their lungs.  Meaning, respiratory ailments. Barangay Captain Canete? helped facilitate our medical mission there.

Patag is really a cool place, especially at night time. Patag is still predominantly a forested area.  I hope the locals can sustain the ecological appeal of Patag's tourism initiatives, today and in the future.

For me, going to Patag is not a joke because you have to face your fear of a road accident, experience the rough roads that, I estimated to be about 4 to 5 kilometers spread on the long stretch of concrete road, and of course, you have to bear the summer heat.

Before going to Patag, my friends advised me to ride the jeepney going to Patag. Maybe because the drivers of Patag bound Jeepneys knew how to maneuver the roads and they knew where and when to manipulate the accelerator at the right time.  If your driver is a newbie on the road network to Patag, he has to be briefed on how to properly and safely drive the roads going there.

Finally, I did not swim because the water is like water from the refrigerator.  Instead, I went to the bathroom and took a shower.  That freshens me up but the water is still cold.

Travel Tips:

1.  If you wish to stay overnight, it is good to have your own food and drinks.  There are overnight facilities in several Resorts.  Just coordinate with the resort owner if you need help.

2.  Hiking is a good activity.  You can coordinate with the local Barangay Officials or Forest Rangers if you want to Hike around the forest areas of Patag.

3.  Study the historical sites like the Hospital for TB Patients, the War Relics, and others. The local Barangay Officials are knowledgeable about the history of Patag.

4.  There are several waterfalls around the Patag area.  The most accessible are Dumalabdab Waterfalls and Pulang Tubig Waterfalls. If you will go farther there are more waterfalls to discover.  It is good to have a local guide to go with you. The farthest that I went to, many years ago, was the Pulang Tubig Waterfalls. 

5.  Tinagong Dagat is a 2-kilometer wide Plateau and occasional Lagoon.  According to mountaineers, it requires 1 day Trek.  

Here's the sample time allotment to trek the TD, according to Gideon Lasco of Pinoy Mountaineer - pinoymountaineer.com 

Tinagong Dagat Dayhike
(private transport going up, public going down)

0600 Take the bus from Bacolod to Silay
0700 ETA Silay City. Take rented jeep to jumpoff
0815 ETA jumpoff.
0830 Start trekking
1100 ETA ‘Alimatok campsite’
1200 ETA Tinagong Dagat (1450m), lunch
1300 Start descent
1600 Back at jumpoff. Take jeep back to Silay
1730 ETA Silay City
1900 ETA Bacolod

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If you intend to do a Trek to Tinagong Dagat, Solfatara, (2 hours from Tinagong Dagat), and Marapara Peak, you need 4 - 6 days to make this connection Trek starting at Patag and descending at Talisay City's Campuestohan area. You need to coordinate this activity with the Northern Negros Natural Park Office with the assistance of the Mountaineering Society and an Expert Mountaineering Guide from Patag. According to Gideon Lasco of Pinoy Mountaineer dot com, here's an example of the timetable for this trek:

Tinagong Dagat, Solfatara & Marapara Peak (3D/2N)
(Traverse to Talisay: Note: Day 3 is based on secondary accounts and needs to be verified. It is best to consult with your guides if this is feasible given weather conditions. It is also theoretically possible to compress an MP-TD-ST in two days if you are able to start early on both days). MP - Marapara Peak, TD - Tinagok Dagat, ST - Solfotara Trek. 

Day 1
0730 Take the bus from Bacolod to Silay
0830 ETA Silay City
0900 Take the first trip to H
1000 ETA Hospital; start trek
1200 ETA Alimatok campsite; Lunch
1430 Arrival at Tinagong Dagat.
1700 ETA Solfatara. Set up camp.
1800 Dinner / socials

Day 2
0500 Wake up call
0600 Breakfast/break camp
0700 Head back to Tinagong Dagat
1000 ETA Tinagong Dagat
1030 Proceed to Marapara Peak
1200 Lunch along the way
1500 ETA Marapara Peak; Set up camp
1800 Dinner / socials

Day 3
0500 Wake up call
0600 Breakfast/break camp
0700 Proceed to Brgy., Talisay City
1000 ETA Sulfur Gamay
1400 ETA Sitio Campuestohan,
1430 Head to Talisay proper
1530 ETA Talisay
1600 Take jeep to Bacolod

1700 ETA Bacolod 

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Here's the link regarding Mount Mandalagan - Tinagong Dagat - Marapara Peak and Solfatara Trek:  http://www.pinoymountaineer.com/2012/08/mt-mandalagantinagong-dagat-marapara.html

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So, if you wish to visit Patag, this blog is for you. I hope I have given you a few tips.

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How about if I want to "own" a piece of land in the Patag area? 

Actually, I do not know. But let me share with you some information about this subject of owning a piece of land in Patag and the neighboring areas. 

1.  Most landowners have a CLOA.

CLOA (Certificate of Land Ownership Award) by the way is a document or we can call it the end-product of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) under the auspices of RA 6657 otherwise known as The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law being implemented by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). 

(Source: www.philippinestoday.com)

A CLOA “is a document evidencing ownership of the land granted or awarded to the beneficiary by the [Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)], and contains the restrictions and conditions provided for in the [Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL)] and other applicable laws,” the decision read. (Source:askinglot.com)

Under the law, a CLOA beneficiary is prohibited to sell, transfer or convey the right to use the land he or she acquired. Lands acquired by beneficiaries may only be sold, transferred, or conveyed to their children, the government, the Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank), or other qualified beneficiaries for 10 years. (Source: askinglot.com)

2. Can the land be sold?

One may also ask, can emancipation patent title be sold? Under the land reform law, farmer-beneficiaries can only sell the land after 10 years and only after the original owner has been compensated. The DAR has to issue a CLOA (Certificate of Land Ownership Award) or EP (Emancipation Patent) before a person can claim ownership of agricultural land. (Source: askinglot.com)

3. Can CLOA, land title be canceled? 

As a rule, after the issuance of the certificate of title covering a parcel of land, the title can no longer be altered, modified, or canceled except in a direct proceeding in accordance with law (Sec. 48, Presidential Decree [P.D.] No. 1529).

4. Can CLOA land be mortgaged?

Accept CLOA as collateral, (President) Duterte directs LandBank. The LandBank of the Philippines has to accept certificates of land ownership award (CLOA) as collateral for a mortgage so that farmers could borrow money, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday. (Source: askinglot.com) 

5.  Can I buy a piece of land that is covered by a CLOA?  

Actually, I am not sure. In this regard, I think you need a Lawyer. 

But in my simple way of understanding, it is possible provided you have to follow the processes and wait for a long period of time to achieve this goal.  

According to the website called - askinglot.com. "Under the land reform law, farmer-beneficiaries can only sell the land after 10 years and only after the original owner has been compensated. The DAR has to issue a CLOA (Certificate of Land Ownership Award) or EP (Emancipation Patent) before a person can claim ownership of agricultural land." 

(Source: askinglot.com)

My comment regarding this issue.  This sounds bloody, so to speak. If some good fellows can do it, I mean "own" the land which is covered by a CLOA,  maybe you can too. The best thing you have to do is, I guess, let the Lawyer help you do this. Why? This is what most prospective buyers did. Right?

"Bili tayo ng lupa at magpa gawa ng "Kapehan Ni Touristang Pobre", haha. 

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All photos by Henry Libo-on of Touristang Pobre. 

Updated on June 6, 2018

Updated on May 12, 2019.
Reviewed on July 22, 2020.

Reviewed on April 14, 2021. 

Reviewed on October 23, 2022. 

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Writer's note:

Henry L. is the face behind Touristang Pobre.  He had been a travel writer for What's On in the Visayas and Mindanao, based in Cebu in the '90s. As a former columnist of the Negros Daily Bulletin, based in his hometown of Bacolod, in the Philippines, he tackled major issues on environment protection and conservation, travel, and community development, among others. 

In this travel adventure to Patag, Henry's travel buddy is her daughter Tintin.