​The northern town of Sogod is one of the places where you can see the beauty of nature at its best. The town features amazing cold and hot springs, excellent beaches, and waterfalls. These natural wonders are among the tourist drawers of the town, which is one of the towns visitors pass through while going to the northern tip of the island. While many visitors may think the town is uninteresting, it may surprise them if they stop and stay at the town for a while. One of the places tourists can visit is the Bagatayam Falls.

The Bagatayam Falls is one of the natural tourist attractions of the town. While it is not as impressive as other waterfalls in the island, it does offer something fresh for anyone willing to explore it. The Bagatayam Falls is located close to the main road, which makes it quite accessible. In fact, it is only around 50 meters away from one of the major roads in the town. This means your hike to see the falls will last a minute or two, unless you walk as fast as a snail.

The Bagatayam Falls also serves another purpose for the residents of the town. It serves as the main source of water for Sogod through the Sogod Waterworks System. It also serves as a place for the residents of the barangay where the falls is located to do their laundry. It is not uncommon for you to see some locals washing their clothes close to the falls. This is a scene typical in the rural areas where people in the community would come together and share stories over a pile of laundry instead of coffee.

Getting to the Bagatayam Falls

You can get on a bus headed north at the Cebu North Bus Terminal. Make sure to tell the driver or conductor to drop you off at the Bagatayam Bridge, which is located close to the falls. There is no entrance fee to the falls for the moment, which means it is one of the affordable places in the island for you to visit.

​The Bagatayam Falls is just one of the places to see when you drop by the northern town of Sogod. Aside from being a place where people can have some fun for free, the falls also serves a bigger purpose for the people of the barangay and the town as a whole.

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Festivals or fiestas are part of the culture of Filipinos. Each year, residents in different towns in the country stop for a while and hold festivals in honor of their patron saint. These festivals are also a way for residents of these towns to give thanks for the bountiful blessings they receive each year. The towns in Cebu also celebrate their own festivals. One of these festivals is the Panagsogod Festival in the town of Sogod.

Panagsogod Festival

The Panagsogod Festival of the town is celebrated every July 25 and is held in honor of the patron saint of the town, St. James the Apostle. It is also a way of giving thanks by the residents of the town for the blessings they receive each year. The term “panagsogod” means the beginning in Cebuano.

Street Dancing

The festival opens with a street dancing competition held along the main roads of the town. Different contingents wear colorful costumes and compete with each other to earn the distinction of being the best in the festival. The competition culminates at the Sports Plaza Grounds of the town where a ritual showdown is held among the participating contingents.

​Aside from competing to become the best in street dancing, the contingents also compete for the honor of having the best costume during the festival. A Panagsogod Festival Queen is also selected from the main dancers of each contingent.

The festival showcases the rich cultural heritage of the town as well as the natural wonders it can offer to residents and visitors alike. During the festival, the residents of Sogod work with each other to ensure the event is successful. It celebrates the qualities and attitude of all residents of the town of Sogod.

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