‘Artwork of God’ becomes tourist site in N. Cotabato
RESIDENTS describe these mounds of earth that formed in a village in Mlang town, North Cotabato province, as an “artwork of God.” WILLIAMOR MAGBANUA/INQUIRER MINDANAO
MLANG, North Cotabato—A land formation in Barangay New Rizal here, which residents had previously ignored, has been drawing visitors since early this year.
The curved crevices and holes in the 2.1-meter high mound that stretches 50 meters long were formed by erosion due to rainwater and wind, according to Harold Santillan, a local tourism officer.
“It is a beautiful artwork of God,” a villager said.
Santillan said that despite being nearly stripped of trees or grass, the hill, which is made of loose sand and gravel, had also drawn attention because of various bird species and bats that make it home.
He said the transformation of the mound across New Rizal Elementary School started in 2012 when rainwater washed away soil and wind, helping form the crevices. He said villagers did not really pay serious attention to it.
Only children came to play on it during their break time, he said.
“It was just an ordinary sight among villagers before. In fact, only a few people noticed its beauty in the previous years,” he said.
Santillan said motorists passing by New Rizal on their way to either Davao City or Sultan Kudarat province started taking notice of the mound early this year.
“It was only this year that its beauty really amazed even the local tourists,” Santillan said.
He said what made the mound more prominent was the series of heavy downpour in recent months that eroded more of its sides.
“This has now become the favorite place for prenuptial photo shoots and the backdrop for some beauty pageants,” he said.
Recently, the mound was visited by public school students in the town studying various land formations under their earth and science subject.
“The local government unit wants to preserve the site as a tourism destination in our town and in North Cotabato,” he said.
A proposed resolution would be submitted to the council to declare the site as an official tourist destination, he added.
He said visiting the mound was free but that visitors should help preserve and not vandalize it.
“Just take photos and nothing else,” Santillan said. Williamor A. Magbanua, Inquirer Mindanao
