Our second stop in Sabtang Island tour…
We only have essentially half-day for Sabtang Island as we will catch the last boat going back to Ivana in the afternoon.
After the registration process, we immediately began driving to Brgy Savidug to experience the wonderful Savidug Vernacular Houses. The road conditions were good, portions were concreted already.
Savidug is a small village with stone houses in a row. Cogon grasses are the distinctive roofing on each of the vernacular houses. It is said that the life of the cogon grass as a roof will take 30 years. Each house in the community has their own schedules as to when the replacement will happen. The village people will help each other for the roofing until such work in a house will be finished.
All labor is for free and everybody is doing the job as well, “Bayanihan”!
These houses are built decades ago or even a century without using any cement. Note that Batanes was frequented by typhoons yet their buildings can withstand this kind of weather they have. Villagers have their methods of building their homes. They are very indigenous to have used lime as their adhesive. They just have to cook the lime at their lime kiln in an open area near the village.
We roamed around the small community. It seems so peaceful; it’s so laid-back. You may notice some dried fish hanging on one corner of the house.
A Chapel in the village was a walking distance from the road. A vacant house beside the chapel is available for viewing so we went inside. Actually, it was still livable; they just have to upgrade some portions of the house. The walls are still intact and I believe it will remain intact not unless purposely demolished.
We took several pictures from the outside. We posed on the windows like we’re the owners of the house.
Been here: July 27, 2013
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