You know the stories.
They say you wouldn’t get out of the place alive.
The ‘aswangs’ will eat your internal organs.
And if you’re a virgin, you will be offered in one of their rituals.
These are the things playing in my mind as I pack my things for my Siquior trip. I was both excited and, yeah, a bit scared.
And then, a question. Are they for real?
Growing up, I was not really that kid who feared ‘aswangs’. I heard a lot of stories about them, most were told by my late Lolo Polo and Lola Bemven. I watched a lot of films about them, too. Shake, Rattle and Roll? I’ve seen all of the installments. But none of them gave me a fright. Maybe because I really didn’t believe in one. And more than the lousy horror effects and musical scoring, the part I enjoyed the most is the protagonists’ struggle to kill the vicious monster. Oh how I laughed at their scared faces.
On my way to the island, I wondered, what if in my stay in Siquijor, I’d be one of those poor guys in these horror films? The thought of my flesh being torn into pieces and the aswang’s long, knife-like fingernails piercing my chest to get my pounding heart made me vomit a little.
Morbid? Yeah. And a little frightening. Who wouldn’t be scared of the things you hear about this place? Would you want to be stuck in an island inhabited by living vampires? How will I survive? My friends actually brought a plastic of rock salt for the trip, just to be sure they say. Funny, but you won’t lose anything if you try to be safe, right? And me? I forgot to bring the garlic potion mom prepared to keep them maneaters away. I just told myself, well good luck, OJ. I hope you make it back to Manila in one piece.
After a day trip and an overnight stay, I was convinced that despite these stories, Siquijor is not so bad at all. It’s a quiet place where life is simple and the people are friendly.
Scary? No. At least not with what I have experienced.
Lovely? With these places I have seen? I’d say definetely.
Isla del Fuego
Cambugahay Falls
Siquijor Port
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