The Lobó-Batangas City Road, Verde Island and Mindoro Island
After scaling the mountains of Lobó, we head our way back to Manila. However, instead of passing by the main road going there from Manila, we went on the road less traveled—the coastal road between the town of Lobó and Batangas City, right along the busy Verde Island Passage. As for us, it is retracing back memories of one particular barangay along the lonely road—Ilijan…
The route was more than a 40 kilometer sojourn from Lobó poblacion to Batangas City, about 10 kilometers longer than the main mountain pass road where most jeepneys and cars pass. The route traverses the rugged and isolated barangays of the two localities, notably Barangay Banalo of Lobó and Barangay Ilijan in Batangas City.
The Off-Road
The first few kilometers of the road within Lobó were asphalted. We had a smooth drive towards Batangas City. There are numerous beach resorts along the way, although not those powdery white sand beaches. By the time we reached the border of Batangas City, this is where the rugged trail starts.
Beating the heat while riding the bike at Batangas
It is surprising to know that the Department of Public Works and Highways has categorized this particular road as a “national road” yet it remained undeveloped. Rough as it seems with several concrete segments, the road may be pahirap or burdensome but the beautiful vista of Verde Island Passage, Verde Island, Mindoro and the ever popular Puerto Galera is a sight to behold in that afternoon.
Ilijan-KEPCO Power Plant in Batangas City
Verde Island Passage was peaceful and calm. Verde Island looming on the distance while Mindoro and her mountains are shy over the horizon.
I haven’t seen that much vehicles plying this route except for some occasional motorcycles and jeepneys.
One of the few jeepneys that serve beyond Ilijan, Batangas City
Where the road traverses, it is wedged between the green mountains and the blue placid sea. At times, it is narrow and sometimes turns into a spillway. Along the way, fishermen drop their products with fresh bounties from the sea, my mom wanted to buy one—kaso walang ice box. I bet its good cheap!
Verde Island Passage and Mindoro Island, Calapan City Port at the background
Isolation and the rustic beauty of this part of Batangas City were suddenly contrasted by the looming chimneys over the horizon. It’s KEPCO Power Plant. We are welcomed again to Barangay Ilijan.
KEPCO Power Plant
We have been here before, have stayed over the weekend and have liked it. My dad has a project there during the construction phase of the said power plant. It was a busy small barangay facing Verde Island and the sea. I remember when the locals told me about the 1994 tsunami that wrecked havoc in Mindoro and some areas of Batangas and the winds that they fondly call habagat. I can remember the beacon of light from Puerto Galera that guided the ships in every night and the morning when the king of Mindoro Mountains—Mount Halcon, stares its majestic prominence over the Verde Island with the warm sunrise of the east. Those days of simplicity come knocking back when we passed by Ilijan once more.
The Steep Road to Montemaria
With the power plant that supplies electricity for most of southern Luzon and Metro Manila, Ilijan became a community of importance. Back then, the road leading here was rough and made of dirt. Now, it is cement and asphalt all the way! Passing by Montemaria (see the article, click here), through the industrial sites of JG Summit and Shell. After the long arduous road, surprisingly we were back at civilization—surprisingly at SM City Batangas!
Batangas City--as viewed from Montemaria
One of the industrial sites at Batangas City
It’s more than 40 kilometers of journey, 40 kilometers of my family’s adventure and 40 kilometers of nature and industrial beauty. Contrasting images of rustic beauty and conquering urbanity.
View The Road Less Traveled-Lobo to Batangas City in a larger map
