⌛ Home of the Ivatans - Batanes

Batanes Islands in the northernmost part of the Philippine chain of islands is fast becoming a popular tourist destination. If Palawan to the south is dubbed the country’s last frontier, Batanes is a paradise waiting to be discovered.

Batanes—which consist of 3 major islands 7 islets—is located about 162 kilometers north of the Luzon. The largest islands are the Itabayat, Batan and Sabtang. Thrown out further into the sea are Siayan, Diogo, Y’ami, Mavudis and North Island. The other two islets—Ivuhos and Dequey—are located southwest of Sabtang. It is important to note at this point that from Y’ami, it is only 46 miles away from southern Taiwan.

The biggest of the islands is Batan where the province’s capital, Basco, is located. Upon arriving at Basco airport, you will be welcomed by the local folks’ hospitality and incomparable generosity as the Ivatans pride themselves as being the friendliest people in the country.

Basco gives face to the modern way of living of the local folks. Concrete houses with contemporary look are now erected where lowly sone cogon houses used to stand. Sadly, the last stone cogon house in Basco was destroyed years ago during one of the typhoons that hit the islands. They have cable television but only a few channels are received. Telephones are found in the town center.

For the most part though, Batanes is still dominated by its old charm. The Ivatans lead a very simple life though there are no poor among them. The concept of poverty in large urban cities like Manila is a stranger in this part of the country. Each family has its own livestock and a piece of land to till. They plant and harvest their crops only according to their daily subsistence, the same with going to sea to catch fish enough for their consumption. The Ivatans are so self-sufficient that there is no local market place found anywhere in the islands. So if you’re craving for succulent seafood dishes, you will have to ask a local to catch something for you.

The most common seafoods in Batanes are the tanigi (Spanish mackerel) dibang (flying fish), payi (spiny lobster), prawns, unot (helmet urchins), sea snails, and the tatus (coconut crab). The last one is very interesting. They are born in the sea but as they mature they migrate to the mountains where they are caught. Its large claws are strong enough to crack open a coconut, thus the name.

The Ivatans are a sturdy, self-sufficient people with a very strong sense of commuity. They are binded by kinship even with communities in other towns. They all know each other, trust each other, and they can leave their homes open with no fear of returning and finding themselves robbed. Yes, there are almost no crimes in Batanes!

Their physical features are almost comparable to the Polynesian race with their acquiline noses and big almond eyes. They trace their roots to pre-historic Formosan immigrants and latter-day Spanish conquistadores. These people are also well-educated (elementary and high school education are free) with a literacy rate of 95%. Aside from their local Austronesian and Ichbayaten dialects, the Ivatands also speak fluent Filipino and English.