HOW THE HISTORIC BUGABUGA HILL STARTED TO BECOME A FAVORITE OUTDOOR TRIP

DESTINATION BY THE LOCAL YOUNG PEOPLE

by Venchito Orbiso Arnado

Located at Brgy. Bugabuga, Villaba, Leyte, Bugabuga Hill is about 2 kilometers away from the
Villaba - Ormoc national highway. Contrary to what is stated in some reading materials this historic
elevated location known as Bugabuga is not a mountain but just a hill having an elevation of only
790. 68 feet above the Bugabuga creek which is the common level of the adjacent hills.

After the second world war foreign tourists mostly Americans and Japanese were the only people
who used to visit Bugabuga Hill. The local quacks, however, used to visit the place also to gather
roots of trees and bushes which they use in treating human illness. The place is visited by foreign
tourists because of its historical value. Bugabuga Hill is the stronghold and the last stand of the
Japanese troops under the command of General Zusuki where thousands of Americans and
Japanese soldiers died during the second world war.

In the early 1960s remnants of the war abound around Bugabuga Hill and Brgy. Bugabuga proper
which is just about 50 meters away from the Bugabuga creek, the common level of Bugabuga Hill
and its adjacent hills. These things include metal helmets, bayonets, aluminum canteen for carrying
water, a somewhat flattened cube-like aluminum kettle, Springfield and Japanese rifle which the
locals called "tekbong", bullets, table spoons and blankets marked or printed with: "U.S. and U.S.
Army, respectively, Philippine paper money marked or printed with: "The Japanese Government",
casings of artillery projectile, fox holes, knapsack marked or printed with: "U.S. Army", and human
bones. Human bones such as turso, limbs, and skulls were common sights in the vacant lots, farms,
grassy areas and woodlands in Bugabuga Hill and vicinity.

In 1967 a truckload of human bones believed to belong to the Japanese soldiers who died during the
war were gathered by the Japanese tourists from Bugabuga Hill and vicinity and temporarily piled in
front of the residence of the then Villaba Municipal Mayor Hon. Sofronio Ramirez near the gate of
the Villaba Central Community School. Many of the Bugabuga people do not know where the bones
were brought later. From that time up to the present Japanese tourists have been visiting Bugabuga
Hill bringing gifts such as used clothing and school supplies to the people of Brgy. Bugabuga.
During my high school days at the Leyte National Agricultural College (LNAC) now Visayas State
University - Villaba Campus (VSU - VC) my classmate Conchita Estomata (now Conchita Estomata -
Perez) and her younger sister Lilia Estomata (now Lilia Estomata - Singson) who lived near the foot
of Bugabuga Hill invited me, our classmates and other students, and the former Ms. Conchita
Astrologo, Home Economics Instructor (now Dr. Conchita Astrologo - Ito) who became the Dean of
VSU - Villaba Campus few decades later, to go on an outdoor trip to Bugabuga Hill. That was in
1973. 

The route we took when we started the hike was not so easy. Although in those years the ground of
Bugabuga Hill was not grassy due to the presence of numerous century - old trees that shaded the
area, we could not walk fast because the slope of the terrain was quite steep. If one will not watch
carefully while walking his or her head would touch the buttock of the person walking ahead of him
or her. We also had to watch for stones that rolled down after our companions ahead of us had
accidentally stepped into them.

During the course of our hike we saw along the way species of wild orchids with white and violet
flowers, huge rock formations and some caves. We entered a cave and saw numerous stalactites a
little more than a meter in length hanging from its roof. In a few meters away we saw another cave
the entrance of which looks like a well. It was a vertically positioned hole sunk into the ground that
made it impossible for us to get inside the said cave. We passed by another cave and saw a
thousand bats flying out of the cave. Near the top of Bugabuga Hill stood two huge rocks each
having the height of a four - storey building and each of their front side is wider than a wall of a
Roman Catholic Church found in cities.

Upon reaching the hilltop we were speechless due to our surprise and amazement. We admired the
stunningly beautiful unbroken view of the entire surrounding area while on top of the hill. On the
north and west we saw the blue seas that cannot be seen while on the foot of the hill, on the east the
areas that belong to the municipalities of Kananga and Capoocan, and on the south we saw the
areas that belong to Matag-ob and Ormoc. We saw the tiny houses and light blue mountains in the
far distance as far as the eyes can see. We had an unobstructed view of the area in every direction.
Because of the narrow hilltop and our fear of heights some of us found it difficult to be in standing
position while enjoying the scenery.

One thing I cannot forget during that time while on top of Bugabuga Hill was the low flying clouds
that seemed to be as low as a bird flying just a little above a coconut tree. Another thing is that the
temperature at 12:00 high noon at the hilltop seemed to be lower than the temperature in the
common ground below.

For 42 years now since our group did the pioneering outdoor trip to Bugabuga Hill, young people
keep coming back to the place especially during Good Fridays to enjoy the breathtaking panorama
while on top of the most unique, most beautiful natural creation, one of a kind hill that seemed to be
a dwelling place of gods and goddesses, the historic Bugabuga Hill.

I’ll keep coming back to this place that offers the most unique, beautiful natural creation that