Sitio Wawa, Barangay San Rafael, Rodriguez Rizal

History and Culture

I. History
SITIO Wawa in Rodriguez (formerly Montalban) in Rizal, lies in between the 426-meter high
Mount Pamitinan and 424-meter high Mount Binacayan.

The two mountains form a scenic view that appears like a portal to the sky, hence the name
wawa, the Dumagat term for “entrance.”

Wawa Gorge is also the place to be for the relatively new, adrenaline-pumping and extreme
sport of rock climbing. The gorge’s 400-meter high cliffs provide different levels of difficulty
for rock climbers.

Historically, the site was used as a hide out by the revolutionary leader Andres Bonifacio,
who made one of Pamitinan’s caves as the Katipunan’s secret headquarters.
Here, Bonifacio and eight of his men entered the cave on Palm Sunday and came out on
Good Friday. Inside, they declared independence from Spain on April 12, 1895, over a year
before the Revolution started, by inscribing on the cavern wall, in what looks like charcoal
(possibly soot from a torch), the words “Viva la Independencia.”

During the Japanese period

During a three-month-long battle in 1945, the cave was turned into a Japanese armory.
Many Japanese died here from American fire.

In 1977 a concrete marker commemorating them was fixed on the cliff wall over the cave’s
mouth. Treasure hunters are also said to be attracted by rumors of gold buried in the caves.

In 1985 the cave was declared a National Geological Monument. In 1996 the area was
declared a Protected Landscape managed by the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources and the Department of Tourism.
Legend in Sitio Wawa

Legend has it that, in olden times, folk hero Bernardo Carpio, a demigod and giant of
extraordinary strength (our version of Hercules or Atlas), was said to hold the two
mountains apart with his mighty hands, to prevent them from colliding. His enemy, the
enchanted king of the mountains of San Mateo (whom Bernardo defeated by in a wrestling
match) had his revenge when he enticed Bernardo to enter Pamitinan Cave.

The king blocked the entrance with two gigantic boulders of rocks, and trapped him inside
forever, thus shackling him to prolonged bondage. When an earthquake occurs every 100
years, it is said to be Bernardo breaking one of his chains.
II. Culture
Sitio Wawa has a tourism culture.
Wawa dam, located right by the border of Metro Manila and Rizal province, is home to a
community of a couple hundred people. Many of its residents have day jobs within Metro
Manila while some of them cater to tourists for a living.

After sunrise, especially on weekends and holidays, the areas surrounding the dam becomes
colorful and lively because of the addition of the tourists to their population. Families from
nearby towns visit the dam and rent cottages to spend the day right by the relaxing view of
the water and the surrounding mountains.

The historical significance and being rich in biodiversity the whole place is an ideal for group
recreation, educational and tour/field trip, sightseeing as well as photography.
Sources:

Layug, B. (n.d.). Legend, history and adventure converge in Wawa. Retrieved May 24, 2019, from
BusinessMirror website: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2018/09/13/legend-history-and-adventure-
converge-in-wawa/

Wawa Dam, Sitio Wawa, Barangay San Rafael, Rodriguez Rizal. (n.d.). Retrieved May 24, 2019, from
Albert The Backpacker website: http://www.albertthebackpacker.com/wawa-dam-sitio-wawa-barangay-
san-rafael-rodriguez-rizal/

Valenzuela, N. (2017, January 5). Wawa Dam: Culture Before Sunrise. Retrieved May 24, 2019, from
Nicco Valenzuela website: https://medium.com/@niccovalenzuela/wawa-dam-culture-before-sunrise-
ce8b1ddbbd56