Diwalwal: Bundok ng Ginto

by Edgardo M. Reyes

Samahan nyo ko sa isang munting abentura. Tungkol dito sa kontrobersiyal na sityong minahan ng ginto sa Compostela Valley, dili iba`t ang Diwalwal. Niloloko tayo ng mga balita sa mula`t mula pa. Maraming inililihim at pinagtatakpan. Tayo naman ang tumingin, magsuri at maghayag ng totoo.

306 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Edgardo M. Reyes is a Filipino male novelist. His literature first appeared in the Tagalog magazine, Liwayway. His novels include Laro sa Baga, and Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag. He is also the one of the authors of the critically-acclaimed anthology.

Reviews

[K.D. Absolutely · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last month, the southern part of the Philippines was ravaged by Typhoon Pablo. The province that got the most recorded fatalities was Compostela Valley (Comval): 331 dead and hundreds missing.

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Many died because of landslides caused by rampaging water from the mountain during the height of the rainfall.

Compostela Valley is subdivided into 11 municipalities. One of these is the town of Monkayo, a 1st class municipality with a population of 103,362 people. It has 21 barangays, with Mt. Diwata, having the biggest population of 16, 965 people. Monkayo is an agricultural town, with vast tracks of land planted with rice and banana. The municipality is also host to the gold-rich barangay of Mt. Diwata, popularly known as "Diwalwal" (which in the local dialect means one's tongue is hanging out due to exhaustion), a 1,000-meter high range known worldwide for its rich gold ore deposit.

The landslides were caused by rampant illegal logging and mining (both small and large scales) in the mountain. Logging is being done for commercial purposes and also for the logs to serve as support to the tunnels that are so many already. Proof of this is that the tunnels are starting to intersect and that the mining crews from different companies are accidentally "meeting" when their tunnels accidentally cross each other.

This book, Diwalwal: Bundok na Ginto (Diwalwal: Golden Mountain) tells the story of a two male friends Dante and Anong/Emil both from the province of Basilan who come to Diwalwal for better lives. Anong comes there first and he serves as police head of a big mining company. When he comes to visit Basilan, he encourages Dante to join him. It takes a while before Dante finally decides to go there and when he does, he has already forgotten the name of the mining company where Anong works. So, Dante joins a small mining company. After sometime, they accidentally meet and Anong, now called Emil, invites his friend to be his assistant head of security for that big mining company. Prior to the two meeting each other, Dante has already met Ilay the most beautiful girl in Diwalwal who has been raised by a priest and the priest is now using Ilay to solicit church donations from the rich owners of the many mining companies in Diwalwal. Dante likes Ilay and Ilay seems to appreciate Dante's gift: a necklace that Ilay is eyeing one time at the store. However, their love for each other does not materialize because Ilay is kidnapped by the owner of the company where Anong and Dante work. What follows is a very interesting story of male friendship, heart stopping rescue operation, human compassion amidst the evil, treachery and greed brought about by money or in particular, gold.

This is my 8th book by Edgardo M. Reyes, one of the most-read authors in the Philippines. Having read this made me a completist of his works as far as his readily-available books are concerned. I like Reyes' prose: minimalist, exact and engaging. He does not use flowery old Tagalog words and phrases so his works always feel contemporary and fresh. Diwalwal is one of his finest works. One difference this has from others is that he used here a popular backdrop: the gold rush on Mount Diwata or Diwalwal sometime in 1982 to 1988 (the height of which was in 1986-1988).

Gold diggings that led to excavations in the mountain. Tunnels that have to be supported by logs. Logging that denuded the forest in the mountain. So, when the typhoon Pablo came last month, the forest could not hold the water and the almost empty mountain easily collapsed burying many, many poor people living alongside and at the foot of that gigantic mountain of gold.

Gold that led them to death.

[Richel Mae · Rating 5 out of 5]

i think this story is amazing because i am also a filipino

[Rise]

From a master novelist in Filipino, the reality-based story of a people living in a mining community in Monkayo, Compostella Valley, in Mindanao. The mountain area is infamous for the "open secret" illegal mining operations tolerated by inept national and local government. Diwalwal is a place where laws are blatantly violated and where big people (politicians, military soldiers, businessmen) blatantly get the best of small people (the poor, the disabled, women, children, the aged). Almost documentary in style in some parts, this novel is a true exposé. The characters are so alive, especially the two friends, one hero and one anti-hero, whose destinies define the complexity of human struggles in a lawless society.

[Billy Ibarra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Napakahusay talaga ni Edgardo M. Reyes sa pagdedetalye ng mga bagay-bagay. Akala ko, nakakanerbiyos na yung "Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag," mas lalo pala ito.

Maaksiyon ang kuwento; may mga ilang tauhan nga lang na sadya na lang talagang iniwan sa kuwento at matutuon na lang ulit sa pangunahing mga tauhan ang atensiyon mo. Makikita dito kung gaano kahirap ang trabaho ng isang nagtatrabaho sa minahan, at sa kabilang dako, kung gaano katindi ang sindikato/paninindikato sa Diwalwal. Mala-dokumentaryong nobela.

Well-researched na kuwento + EMR = Ginto

[Elijah · Rating 5 out of 5]

a

[Denise Punzalan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book ever!