Blood in Bohol

On our first day in Tagbilaran, Bohol, one of our first stops is the site of the blood compact between the Spanish king conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi and Filipino native of Bohol, Datu Sikatuna.

The blood compact between the two leaders happened in 1564 or 1565 (different dates based on which book one reads), when Spain dispatched more expeditions to set colonies in the Far East. Remember, the Spaniards were competing against the Portuguese.

One of the expeditions, led by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi reached the Philippines in the beginning of 1565, and established a Spanish settlement. He tried to land Cebu but was thwarted. To make the long historical story short… he met up two chiefs of Bohol, Datu Sikatuna of Bool and Datu Sigala of Loboc. He convinced (or misled) the leaders that they came in peace.


Termed in Spanish as “pacto de sangre,” a blood compact is an ancient custom or ritual where two people drink each other's blood to seal a friendship, a pact or treaty.

And on 16 March 1565 (or 25 March?) Legazpi and Sikatuna undertook the now famous blood compact. Today, this in Bohol every year as "One Blood" festival.

For me and Chief, our “blood compact” will last until all future becomes past. But no blood involved.

Tarsiers of Bohol

Friday morning brought us up close and personal to the tarsiers. Yes, those small “monkey-like” animals found in Bohol. I told Lenelle and Chief that I remember the government gave Prince Charles a tarsier a few years ago during his visit to the country. Lenelle validated this “donation” and said that the tarsier died.

“They are very territorial and will survive only in their natural habitat,” says Lenelle.


We saw their enormous eyes and their extremely elongated feet, which gives them the strength to jump to up to 2 to 3 meters. But they can’t walk. Their fingers are also elongated, a little scary site. The third finger is seen to be longer. They also have a slender tail which can reach up to 25 cm long.

Can you believe that the head can turn 180 degrees? One tarsier sampled to me that 180-degree turn and I could not believe it until I saw it.

Tarsiers have very soft, velvety fur, usually colored beige or ochre. Tourists are not allowed to touch these tarsiers and they could be squeezed and suffocated.

Lenelle says that they are also suicidal and have been known to knock their heads on walls to kill themselves. They are easily stressed when caged or in captivity. The males are territorial and pee on their territories. The females salivate on these territories to show that they are attracted to the males and then, the male search for the females and their relationship begins.

What is amazing about these animals are their vision? They have extra big eyes like owls, who also sleep at night. They seem extra lazy when we were at the sanctuary but are used to being photographed. All tarsier species are nocturnal in their habits.

They catch and insects by jumping at them. They prey on small vertebrates such as birds, snakes, lizards, and bats.

Lenelle says tarsiers give birth to single offspring and gestation takes about 6 months. They reach sexual maturity after one year.

Would you believe that they have been around since the Jurassic times? That’s more than 45 million years. And they could also be found in Borneo and Sumatra.

Thanks to the efforts of the Boholanos, people can continue to appreciate the presence of tarsiers!

Crowds at Chocolate Hills

Next to the beaches in Panglao Island, high on the list of must-see in Bohol is the Chocolate Hills. Our guide Lenelle Isabela shared many stories and insights about these natural wonders. She says there are around 1,268 perfectly cone-shaped hills. The hills has been declared the country's 3rd National Geological Monument and proposed for inclusion in the 7 Natural Wonders of the world, together with Mayon Volcano and Tubbattaha Reef in Palawan. The hills are basically found in the town of Carmen and other municipalities of Sagbayan, Batuan, Bilar, and others.

From the "Chocolate Hills Complex.", we could see different shapes and sizes of these hills, spread over an area of more than 50 square kilometers. They are covered in green grass that looks like the color of pandan says Lenelle.

They are not really man-made like the pyramids or great wall. The domes vary in sizes from 30 to 50 meters (98 to 160 ft) high with the largest being 120 meters (390 ft) in height. The lands, in between the hills, are cultivated to rice and other cash crops. Quarrying activities threatens some of the hills.

Lenelle says some local residents claim ownership of the hills besides their property but the local government has jurisdictions on these hills. No houses are allowed to be built on top of these hills. Dapat! These are wonders of natures not to be abused or used.

Our guide told us a few stories of how these hills came to be, from simple limestone formations to an ancient active volcano that self-destructed and spewed huge blocks of stone which were then covered with limestone.

Whatever the reason how these hills came to be, we are just glad to have been here! And hope to visit again really soon!