Try Toledo

CEBU, Philippines - Heigh-ho! This wonderland conjures up a picture of yodeling miners geared with axes and shovels. Its stately mountains, calming seas and breathtaking waterfalls reflect sheer beauty. Those that have been there want to come back. And for those who have not, Toledo is really worth a try.

Toledo is a third class city which lies at about 50 kilometers from Cebu City, with 38 barangays. Situated on the central western coasts, it is bounded by the coastal towns of Pinamungajan on the south and Balamban on the north.

Visitors may get there via public transport buses at the South Bus Terminal or via v-hires at the terminal near the Compania Maritima building in Barangay Ermita, Cebu City. The trip of less than two hours usually passes by Naga City, traversing the Naga-Uling Road and on to the scenic mountains to Toledo City. The brave souls may opt to take the alternate Manipis Road. Those from Negros Island may take a ferry that plies the San Carlos (Negros Occidental)-Toledo route. One-way fare per person costs P60, P100 and P80 for the bus, v-hire and ferry, respectively.

The city was formerly called Pueblo Hinulawan, after the Hinulawan River that runs across the place. When it was later re-established as a new town, it was given the name of a province in Spain – Toledo – and then became a chartered city in 1960.

Dubbed as “The Copper City with a Heart of Gold,” Toledo City is the bastion of the Philippines’ largest copper mining company, the former Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corporation, now Carmen Copper Corporation’s Toledo Mine. Recently, another 300-megawatt thermal power plant of the AboitizPower and Vivant Corp., which is set to operate in 2018, is being constructed.

Sophisticated travelers who have had too much of the usual tourist spots will find Toledo to be something else. This growing industrial tourism destination offers tour packages touting its industrial base, like a mine tour at the Carmen Copper Corporation.  Various natural attractions also abound. And the warmth of the local people, though common in most local destinations, adds another dimension to the Toledo experience for visitors.

Aside from mining, the city’s primary sources of livelihood include fishing, farming and trading. During the harvest season, Toledo’s small seaport teems with local entrepreneurs, the seaport effectively serving as an inter-island trading point. Traders from the neighboring San Carlos City, in Negros, come by to do business. The encounter also often results in Toledo folks going to Negros and work in the vast sugar fields there.

Thursday is a busy day in Toledo. People from all corners of the city flock to the city’s public market for the weekly “tabò.” Local delicacies like “puto lancho” are available the entire day. “Puto Lancho” is a suman variety that is made from ground sticky rice mixed with coconut milk and sugar.

Another way of enjoying Toledo is by taking the lake cruise at the Malubog Dam, an artificial lake in Barangay General Climaco built in the 1970s to provide a fresh water source for the mining operations of Atlas Mining. At the same time, the Manguyakuya Falls in Barangay Tungka attracts both local visitors and foreign tourists to have a good time together in its cool waters.

The several mountain resorts in Toledo also offer exciting natural escapades for adventure-seekers – trekking, rappelling and rock climbing, particularly in Barangay Cantabaco. Children and adults alike may also take a great family time together at a resort in Barangay Bato that offers horse back riding, zip line, trampoline, swimming and visits to a botanical garden, aviary, horse ranch, bee farm, among others.

Heritage-lovers may also visit the Church of St. John of Sahagun and Capilla Santa Ana Museum in Barangay Poblacion, for an experience of rustic European artistry with religious icons, relics and artworks on display. Toledo’s fiesta on June 12 features the annual Hinulawan Festival, showcasing the different historical and cultural treasures of the city. The term “hinulawan” is a contraction of two Cebuano words: “hinaguan,” meaning “hard-earned,”and “bulawan,” meaning “gold.” Hence, “hinulawan” means “hard-earned gold,” the reason being that the city’s Hinulawan River used to teem with people panning for gold.

Toledo is very much a budget destination. Accommodation at the several hotels, resorts and pension houses vary; P3, 000 for an overnight stay in a local resort being the average on the higher end of the options. The pension houses would naturally be cheaper.

A nice way to cap the Toledo sojourn would be a night stroll along the Espinosa Boulevard in Barangay Poblacion.  The smooth view of the Tañon Strait becomes majestic with a cup of coffee at hand. Truly, Cebu’s Toledo City is a treasure – beneath and above.  (FREEMAN)