Article from:
Philippine Panorama
by Sarah Jane R. Hilomen
Culture Section
March 31,2002 edition

Wet…Oozing…Wild and Worth it - Pagsanjan!

Known for its majestic cascading waterfalls, Pagsanjan is considered as the tourism center of Laguna. In its continuous effort to further promote Pagsanjan to the rest of the country and of the world, the town recently concluded its grandest and exhilarating celebration of annual Bangkero festival held at the town's main tourist attraction, the majestic Pagsanjan Falls.

The five-day festival three weeks ago was all wet, oozing, wildand worth it with all the impressive line-up of events on water and land, which included the traditional boat race, colorful fluvial parade, and best float competition. The festival also boomed the streets of Pagsanjan with some thunderous street dancing, drum and lyre competition, choral fest, cultural night, trade fairs, and sports events (palarong bangkero). This year, the organizers of the festival added some delightful attractions to its tourists with its first ever search for Lakan at Binibining Pagsanjan featuring the town's loveliest women and good looking men.

This year's event was in its true grandiosity since the first Bangkero festival in May 1999. Through the concerted efforts of local officials of Pagsanjan and the initiative of then mayor Abner Afuang, the first-ever Pagsanjan River Festival was conceptualized to feature the best of Pagsanjan and its boatmen (bangkeros). These skillful bangkeros are those who expertly navigate the roaring rapids using a banca and let tourists smell the lush virginal tropical forest scent and experience the pristine scenery amidst the downpour of enchanting waterfalls. This year, under the active leadership of the energetic mayor of Pagsanjan, Emilio Ramon "ER" P. Ejercito III, the Pagsanjan Bangkero festival was a resounding success and has bigger and better.

Tracing the town's history, originally, Pagsanjan was a barrio of Lumban, Laguna. In 1668, eight Japanese and Chinese traders who were highly impressed by the strategic location of the barrio at the juncture of Balanac and Bumbungan rivers founded the town. They established a trading settlement and engaged in the betel nut industry. In due time, the barrio became the flourishing trading center of eastern Laguna and attracted native families from the surrounding communities of Cavinti, Pila, and Sta. Cruz. On December 12, 1678, then Governor General Juan Manuel dela Peña Bonifaz issued a gubernatorial decree elevating its status from barrio to a town. In 1688, Pagsanjan replaced Bay as the capital of the province. It remained as such until 1858 during which time it bloomed as the cultural commercial center of the province.

Located approximately 101 kilometers southeast of Manila, Pagsanjan in Laguna has been the province 's main tourist destination through its magnificent 70-foot tall Pagsanjan Falls which lured nature lovers and adventurers to navigate in its cascading sparkling falling water.

Pagsanjan was coined from the Tagalog phrase, "pinagsangahan ng dalawang ilog," which literary means a river which forks into two smaller tributaries. The Pagsanjan River is considered as the town's lifeline as this is where the townspeople get their food and water, and has long been their main source of livelihood. Actually, the real name of the stark waterfalls is Magdapio Falls located in the next town, Cavinti. However, it became popularly known as "Pagsanjan Falls" because the rip to the water falls referred to as "shooting rapids," starts from Pagsanjan, passes through a part of Lumban, then to Cavinti. The exciting boatride is as must-experience for tourists. Two or three passengers are treated to a thrilling boatride starting from the still headwaters of the river, then to the exhilarating rapids maneuvered upstream by two skilled boatmen against the growing current, who steer the banca downstream at breathtaking speed through the wild rapids, huge rocks, and strong current.

Not only does Pagsanjan offer the world-famous Pagsanjan Falls, the town also showcases the following: centuries-old Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Church, the "Puerto Real" or the town gate - a stone royal arch, standing like a lone sentinel at the western entrance to the old Hispanic pueblo; ancestral houses which include that of the Ejercito family, Don Porong and Doña Mary, and from whom former President Joseph Estrada is a descendant; traditional fine arts; music; customs; and fine cuisine.

According to Pagsanjan Mayor ER P. Ejercito III, "all these reveal the wealth of Pagsanjan's glorious and well-preserved past, an extra-ordinary culture of tourism, with lots of sun and warm, friendly people."

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