pagnapagna: LIANG LABAAN

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"This cave is similar with Church cave of Alilem (Ilocos Sur)

and Magew cave of Santol (La Union)"

-pagnapagna

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Please, let us practice the "LEAVE NO TRACE" (LNT) outdoor ethics.

Let us not vandalize, etch or write on its natural surfaces such as rocks and bark of trees.

Manage our waste products properly. Do not leave your garbage behind, bring it with you

when there is no proper disposal in the area. Do not litter!

Respect wildlife, "nature" and the local culture.

Minimize our impact!

Safety should be our priority!

-my pagnapagna-

November 10, 2018 a Saturday

From the San Gabriel Public Market (town proper), after having eaten breakfast, I rode a passenger motorbike going to the upland barangay of Lon-oy. It was around 30 minutes ride and I alighted near their Barangay Multi-purpose Hall where just behind it was the Lon-oy Elementary School (7:38 am).

I waited there for some few minutes but a woman told me that the Barangay Multi-purpose Hall will not open that day since it was a Saturday. I told her that I'll be visiting their "Liang Labaan". So, we went at her sari-sari store which was just across the road, waited and looked for someone to be my guide.

Most of the people have not been there since their childhood or many years passed. They said that there might be some trees fallen across the trail due to the previous typhoons. Nevertheless, the barangay kagawad who was there volunteered to be the guide.

The two of us went on our way going further down that concrete one lane road into the rice fields (8:12 am) and into the trail going up to the mountain. We passed by some few residential houses wherein at one of the houses, my companion-the guide-the kagawad looked for one of the resident who will help us find the trail farther up in the mountain as he is familiar of that area (9:07 am).

Then there was the three of us going farther up into the mountain trail. There was a section of the trail where they have to cut down some overgrowth and yes there were some few fallen trees along the trail.

Going farther up and we were at a clearing where there were ferns on the ground and few small trees with no leaves. The Poro Point (San Fernando City, La Union) can be seen from that area.

We went on further and since the trail from the western side of the "Liang Labaan" have been badly damaged, we went up (to an obvious trail but along a cliff) to get to the other side and enter the "Liang Labaan" from the eastern side.

Few minutes later and we were finally at the "Liang Labaan" (10:48 am).

Liang Labaan

It is a naturally formed cave located at a cliff side near the peak of a mountain in San Gabriel. If not for the growing trees fronting its mouth, it is overlooking the lower barangays of San Gabriel such as barangay Bayabas.

It must be some 50 meters deep (from mouth going inside) wherein the ground inside was generally flat.`

"Liang" is a local term for cave and the "Labaan" must be a person's name who must have lived in the cave or other else (needs verification).

Inside "Liang Labaan" with Barangay Tanod Benjamin (Center)
and Barangay Kagawad Edwin (seated at left)

We went inside and seen some linen which some people must have used it recently as resting place or a shelter. What caught my attention was what it seemed to be a very simple toy gun (ArmaLite rifle) fashioned from a twig of a bamboo.

A citrus tree had grown just at the middle of the entrance of the cave.

From inside the cave looking outside.
It is actually bright inside. This (photograph) is just how the camera
reacts against a very bright background.

After taking photographs and videos, we left the area (11:35 am).

Taking the same trail, we went down and arrived at the house of our companion (12:48 pm) where we had our lunch and a coffee afterwards.

Our lunch at Barangay Tanod's house.
Dinengdeng of "Pallang" (winged beans). I assume it was freshly taken from their vegetable garden.

Afterwards, we parted ways with him as we, together with the Barangay kagawad went further down the trail (1:30 pm). Along the way, my left knee hurts when descending (sign of old age ☺️). I had to slow down and sometimes go sideways.

We finally made it to barangay proper particularly at the sari-sari store (2:10 pm) where we had a snack while waiting for a ride.

Few minutes later , I left the area as I rode a passenger motorbike going back to downtown San Gabriel and from there, rode a jeep bound for Home Sweet Home.

-end of pagnapagna-

Very Special Thanks to:

Barangay kagawad EDWIN TILA

Barangay tanod BENJAMIN DAYAO

The store owner which I did not get her name

and the people i met along the way.

Other blog posts:
"Church Cave" of Alilem, Ilocos Sur

"Magew Burial Cave" of Santol, La Union

Liang Digo (Burial Cave)