Take a virtual tour of the interesting cave town of Mabinay in Negros Oriental, Philippines, including its history and other general information
Mabinay
Cave Town of Negros Oriental
Mabinay is located in the interior part of the province of Negros Oriental surrounded by municipalities of Bayawan, Manjuyod, Bindoy, Ayugon and the city of Bais, Negros Oriental and the municipality of Kabangkalan, Negros Occidental.
With its prevalence of limestone rock and extensive karst phenomena [1], Mabinay is also known as “Cave Town of Negros Oriental,” referring to more than a hundred caves beneath the town,
Locals report over 100 caves in the area. Of
those identified, Odloman, at 8,870 meters, went on record as the second longest in the Philippines.
MABINAY AT A GLANCE:
Distance from Dumaguete City: 69.0 kms.
Land Area:
142.6 sq km
Population:
70,548 (2007)
Dialects:
Cebuano, Ilonggo
Products:
sugar cane, rice, corn, copra
Classification
5th class municipality of Negros Oriental
Fiesta & Patron Saint:
January 25 in honor of the Sto Niño
Tourist Attractions:
Mabinay Spring at Tadlong, Cayaso-Poblacion Cave and underground river, site of Negros Oriental Marketing Cooperative, Langob Festival (Jan25)
RELATED ARTICLES:
Basay
Bacong
Manjuyod
Pamplona
Sibulan
Zamboanguita
HOW TO GET TO MABINAY
Mabinay is about 1.5 hours drive from Dumaguete City. By bus, go to the Ceres Terminal (take a multicab to get there - less than Php10.00). Take a bus departing hourly for Bacolod City VIA MABINAY (not the one that goes to Bacolod via San Carlos), the cost is about Php60.00 and travel time is about 2 hours. At Mabinay, head straight for the municipal town hall and get tourist assistance from the friendly staff there.
THINGS TO DO
Spelunking, hiking, trekking, swimming
CAVE TOURS
Cave tours can be arranged at the Mabinay Municipal Hall at the Vice-Mayor’s Office. Entrance fee is just P50 per cave.
Visitor Attractions
in Mabinay, Negros Oriental
Pandalihan Cave
One of the hundred listed caves in Mabinay, it has huge caverns, where stalactites and stalagmites abound. The cave is accessible on foot and has an open ceiling at the opposite end.
Cayaso Cave
Features an underground river located just 1 km from the Poblacion Municipal Hall. The cave which is 3 kms. long and 6 feet wide, goes 20 feet down a winding stone pathway leading to an underground river of potable drinking water but without a visible outlet. Stalactites and stalagmites abound in different chambers.
Panligawan Cave
The most accessible of Mabinay’s caves, Panligawan is said to be where local swains of old would woo their sweethearts, it's name derived from the word ligaw which means "courtship."
Mabinay Spring
A poblacion spring-fed lakeamid a forested area, it is an ideal for picknickers and bathers. The spring is the town's main source of potable water.
Tirambulo Highland Resort
Set among scenic mountains with five man-made lakes teeming with fish, man-made waterfalls, cottages, and a restaurant amid beautifully landscaped lawns and shady forested areas
Langob Festival - January 25
Mabinay celebrates it uniqueness as a tourist destination in Negros Oriental Philippines with an annual festival that promotes these unique caves as tourism lures. Colorful field presentations and street dancing components reflect geographic features of the caves and the creatures of fact and legend that inhabit it.
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General Information
A BRIEF HISTORY OF MABINAY, NEGROS ORIENTAL
The municipality of Mabinay in the provice of Negros Oriental was created by virtue of Republic Act 2496. The bill was sponsored by former Congressman Lorenzo G. Teves and was approved June 21, 1959 and took effect January 1, 1960.
Upon its creation, its mother municipality, Bais ceded to her biggest barrio, Bagtic, which encompasses 15 sitios namely: Pal-iw, Lamdas, Laugao, Abis, Himocdongon, Bato, Luyang, Namangka, Tadlong, Lumbangan, Paniabonan, Tubod, Inapoy, Barras and Banban. Later on R.A. 4818 approved on January 24, 1966, enlarged the territory of Mabinay, adding the barrios of Pandanon, Dahili, Samac and Namangka from the Municipality of Manjuyod and the barrios Tara, Campanon-an, Pantao, Cansal-ing, Dagbasan, Bagtic, Mayaposi and Mambaja from the Municipality of Bais.
Its first Mayor was Renato Villanueva who nurtured Mabinay in its infancy and who shaped it into a real municipality.
TRADITIONAL FOLKLORE
The story goes this way: In an inland part of the province of Negros Oriental, there lived two powerful rival chieftains named Daru Ilog and Datu Namangyan. Datu Ilog had a very beautiful daughter named Binay whom he loved very much and Datu Namangyan has a brave and dauntless son Binto who loved to hunt wild animals.
One day while Binto was chasing a wild deer he inadvertently entered the territory of Datu Ilog accidentally and saw Binay taking a bath in the river. It was love at first sight for both of them and they started a love affair that had to be kept secret knowing that their fathers were enemies.
Secrets like smoke can't be kept from going out, especially with Binay's change in behavior, being in love. Datu Ilog, noticing the difference, decided to follow her one day and caught the lovers redhanded.
Binay pleaded with her father to spare Binto's life but an angry Datu Ilog would not be appeased knowing his daughter's lover, his hatred for Binto's father overriding all else. He struck Binto on the chest with a spear, killing him instantly. And just as instantly, a small pool of water sprung forth in the place where Binto died, and the people called it Banintohan.
Binay, full of grief for her beloved's death and her fearing her angry father, ran away, wild and without direction, she ran like mad.
Mother Earth took pity upon the ill-fated lovers and swallowed Binay up. And from this spot came forth a body of water, known now as Mabinay Spring.
Datu Ilog, in search of his daughter met Datu Namagyan along the way. Remorsefully, he admitted what he had done and Datu Namangyan, surprised to see his proud and brave enemy meek and repentant, instead of being angry for his son's death, joined with him in his grief and they both decided to merge forces.
Mother Earth, angry with the two Datus, swallowed them at the place where they met. This area is now marked by the joining of the two rivers, Ilog River and Namangyan River.
EARLY INHABITANTS
The early inhabitants of Mabinay before the migration of people from neighboring provinces and nearby municipalities, were Bukidnon (Maghats) from Negros Island and Negritos and Aetas from Island of Panay.
They now compose a minority group whose culture is being studied by the government and private sector entities like the Cultural Research Center of Silliman University.
Cayaso, at 2,222 meters and a subterranean river beneath its main chamber, was ranked ninth. Other notable caves for cave tours are the Crystal Cave, Panligawan Cave, Pandalihan Cave, Baliw Cave and the Mambajo Cave.
With a vast array of caves to choose from, visitors can enjoy themselves with little or no experience. Beginners can simply take a guided tour on foot while other caves provide a real challege for advanced spelunkers.
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