Cano Gwapo

The local media had been talking and writing about Cano Gwapo so that when Ricardo “Cano” Tan invited me and my family to join his classmates for a trip there, I did not hesitate. I was not disappointed even as I was keeping my opinion during the short trip to the resort as Cano was describing what to see or expect. I asked about some facts though to put me in the right perspective to develop an idea.

 The resort is officially named Campuestohan Highland Resort but is popularly known even in the vicinity as Cano Gwapo. Ask any child or person along the way and they can tell you where Cano Gwapo is but maybe not the Highland Resort.

Moreover, a big rock formation (or is it concrete?) had been chiseled with the name Cano Gwapo in big letters. One cannot miss it as it strides at the steps towards the log cabin.

This resort has the most fantastic and awesome panoramic view of a large swath of Western Negros I have ever seen.  On a clear day, one can see Manapla to the north and as far as one can see to the south. Barangay Balaring of Silay City and E.B.Magalona protrude to the sea, towards the east coast of Panay which is also clearly visible, while Pulupandan juts out to Inampulugan and to Guimaras whose entire east board is sharply etched on the horizon with the Crocodile Island showing its profile.

We were fortunate to arrive at a clear morning so that we witnessed the great panorama of God’s gift of a beautiful creation to behold and admire. So mesmerizing was the view that we spent the first half hour or so just watching the Negros west coast, identifying prominent structures and evidently enjoying this unique sight.

I don’t think, and Cano confirmed this with statements from tourist officials, that there is any resort in Negros that can compare with that majestic view from their log cabin.

The resort has five hectares of land on a promontory behind which is the lush forest reserves and Mt. Silay then slightly to the north is the beginning of this mountain range that ends in Sagay. One can thus see the Guimaras Strait to the west and then the forest to the east from where the sun rises late in the morning as it passes over the mountain top.

The center of the resort is the log cabin perched on a hill though further back the land of Cano Gwapo is back-dropped by the thick forest that one sees only trees. The log cabin has the Scandinavian and Eastern Europe style of architecture that when the fog came in early in the afternoon and enveloped it till we left at five, the place looked like it is in Switzerland or Finland, Norway and Sweden.

Although we came in from Bácolod through Alangilan, Cano Gwapo is actually in the jurisdiction of Talisay City. The place is at the end of the cone of the Bácolod land map and goes beyond it to what is known as Campuestohan, a sitio of Barangay Cabatangan, Talisay City.

However, the terminus of the Bácolod road is only 300 meters to the resort thus most of the trip traverses the Bácolod road.

Cano Tan is still developing the area, but already available for use are the swimming pool, the Children’s Park and the log cabin which has several rooms that, due to the cold weather, have no air conditioning. The natural coolness of the place is more than sufficient to keep one under the blanket or wrapped in a jacket.

The Children’s Park has multi-colored imported rides and slides that are not seen anywhere here yet. Cano is putting rubber matting around the area for the children’s safety.

He is also constructing a 300-seater pavilion which he hopes would be ready by September. It will have a restaurant reminiscent of his popular Sinugba Restaurant which featured grilled chicken and sea foods. It will be open for seminars and conferences with lodging at the cabin and the cluster of igloo-like Bonita Huts that have unique features, like one platform, that serves as a large bed for four. It is wonderful for family bonding. It has a terrace for outside eating and lounging.

There are other amenities but I liked best the free-flowing water that comes from a spring inside the forest. Cano constructed a plume that brings the water to the resort and into the swimming pool but this has to be filtered because it has rich organic elements. The current is so strong that Cano said several foreigners are interested to harness it for a 25-kw hydroelectric plant.

The water naturally flows through a series of canals and feeding into a grotto.*

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