Governor's Rapids in Maddela, Quirino

The Philippine province of Quirino is a landlocked province in the northern region of Cagayan Valley and its rolling terrain virtually hides it away from mainstream tourism. The province may not have tropical beaches but Quirino has other natural attractions that are equally beautiful.

Located in the town of Maddela is Governor's Rapids which form part of a tributary of the Cagayan River. It features crystal clear waters which earned it the award of being among the cleanest inland bodies of water   in the whole Cagayan Valley.

A dominating feature in the landscape is the towering limestone formation. Continuous erosion by the river formed a number of rock shelters where the Dumagat indigenous people would seek refuge during harsh weather.

Why is it called Governor's Rapids, you may ask. The tale goes back during World War II when the old province was under the administration of a Japanese governor. Road networks were not yet developed and rivers instead were used as the main thoroughfare in the valley. It has been told that the rapids claimed the life of the Japanese governor whose body was never found after the tragic accident. Since then, the river has been called Governor's Rapids.

Back to present day, visiting tourist would find the river suitable for swimming, kayaking and fishing. You may hire a boat and the fisherman will gladly give you a river cruising tour. Freshwater eels (igat) and other freshwater fishes grow in abundance in its clear waters providing livelihood to local fishermen. Governor's Rapids is also ideal for whitewater rafting during rainy season.

The provincial government is geared at developing Quirino as an adventure destination with Governor's Rapids as one of its main attractions. But more than the adventure, it is the natural beauty of the province that is virtually untouched and serene which sets Quirino apart from other tourism destinations in the country.

How to get to Governor's Rapids

Isabela province is the gateway to Quirino. Several bus lines serve daily trips to Cagayan Valley from Manila which will pass by the town of Cordon and Santiago City. Cebu Pacific serves flights to Cauayan City (still part of Isabela) every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Passengers may then take any bus bound for Manila which will pass by Santiago and Cordon. From Santiago or Cordon, there are jeepneys and vans bound for Maddela. From downtown Maddela, visitors can hire a tricycle which can take them to Governor's Rapids. For bigger groups, visitors can arrange a group tour with the provincial tourism office at (078) 692-5088/0917-416-5945.

Adobong Pato for Lunch in Cabarroguis, Quirino

Adobo is a popular Filipino dish, typically cooked with pork or chicken marinated and simmered in vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and black peppers. Adobo may also be cocked with vegetables, tofu or hard boiled eggs.

A restaurant in the town of Cabarroguis, Quirino Province is known for its specialty adobo dish. Palm Restaurant takes pride in its adobong pato, an adobo dish cooked with white duck meat. Unlike most duck dishes which duck meat is usually tough, the duck meat in Palm Restuarant's adobong pato is rather tender.

Fossilized Flower Production in Quirino Province

At first look, fossilized flowers look like dried flowers, but they are in fact not made of flowers but of alibangbang leaves that have been dried, bleached and dyed. The fossilized flower making industry in Quirino Province was a product of the initiative of the provincial government to create livelihood for its citizens and to create a product that would represent the province. Today, the industry is one of the biggest source of livelihood in Quirino, particularly in the town of Cabarroguis where fossilized flowers have been identified as its One Town One Product (OTOP).

Alibangbang Leaves

Many housewives in the province depend on the fossilized flower making industry as a source of additional income to support their domestic finances. According to Mrs. Ignacio, a resident of Barangay Gamis, in the town of Saguday, she has been making fossilized flowers since 1999 and the income she generated helped to finance the education of her children. During weekends and school breaks, her children also help out in making fossilized flowers.

Fossilized Flower Production

Mrs. Joyce Soriano, owner of Craft by Joyce, a commercial manufacturer of fossilized flowers in the town of Cabarroguis, receives regular orders from home decor stores and boutiques in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. She has around ten full time employees engaged in the production while a number of housewives also supplies her with raw materials. According to the Provincial Tourism Office, fossilized flowers are also being exported to countries like the United States and Japan.

Fossilized Flowers are a concrete testament to Filipino creativity to transform everyday materials into crafts and works of art. Through this industry, Filipinos manifest their unity and the uniquely Filipino trait of damayan. By empowering the people with skills, the province was able to develop a thriving business that fuels economic growth in its barrios and towns.

Craft by Joyce | Cabarroguis, Quirino Province

Visitors can proceed to the Pasalubong Center at the Quirino Capitol Complex where they can purchase fossilized flowers as souvenirs. Each stem of flower sells for P15.00 while bouquets cost around P250.00. Other locally made items and food products are also available at the Pasalubong Center.

For bigger volumes, you can contact Mrs. Joyce Soriano of Craft by Joyce at 0916-3401111 or 0905-4914888. You can also send her an e-mail at craftbyjoyce@yahoo.com.

One Town, One Product (OTOP) is a program of the Philippine Government through the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to encourage entrepreneurship aimed at providing livelihood and employment to Filipinos. It showcases products made of indigenous raw materials crafted by local workers, craftsmen and artists. The OTOP is also a key instrument in promoting tourism in the country. We at Pinas Muna advocate the OTOP program and through our blog, we aim to introduce you to the many Filipino-made products and urge you to support Filipino businesses.