
[ Last 2004, I went for a vacation in Rosario, Agusan del Sur in Mindanao. I stayed in my aunt's house. At first, I didn't see the beauty of the place because of the thick fog that covered the place almost everyday. One day, I woke up with the sun shining so bright. While I was looking afar, I saw a mountain that looked like a pregnant woman lying in bed. I was already staying there for 3 weeks but that was my first time to see the mountain. So, I asked my cousin why the mountain didn't exist everyday ( a silly question)? She laughed and told me that it's the fog which made the mountain unseen in most days. Moreover, she told me the name of the mountain, Mt. Diwata, and its legend.]
Legend: Diwata was a woman living in a remote place. She was very pretty but poor. The king loved and married her. She was very braved that she helped fight the place against enemies. She fought even she was pregnant; unfortunately, she was killed. Because the king loved her so much, he named the place ' Diwata'. Years later, the villagers noticed that the place became mountainous and it resembled a pregnant woman; so, from Diwata they changed it to Mount Diwata.
....{ When I got to see it, it really looked like a pregnant woman. And, what adds to its beauty is the waterfalls in its feet? In fact, a swimming pool, a garden and kiosks are made near the waterfalls for the people to enjoy and relax while visiting the mountain...So, if you wanna witness the beauty of the mountain, you better go there also}.
MT. DIWATA " 'diwata' , the tagalog word for 'fairy'" covers the provinces of Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur. It serves as a major watershed for the CARAGA region and the provinces of Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur. Substantial areas of its lowland forest is threatened by logging and land conversion.
Threatened endemic species in Mt. Diwata:
-Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi)
-Mindanao Bleeding-heart (Gallicolumba criniger)
-Philippine Kingfisher (Ceyxme lanurus)
-Blue-capped Kingfisher (Actenoides hombroni)
-Wattled Broadbill (Eurylaimus steeri)
-Philippine Leaf Bird (Chloropsis flavipensis)
-White Lauan (Shorea contorta)
-Red Lauan (Shorea negronensis)
-Mangkono (Xanthostemon verdugonianus)
-Yakal (Shorea astylosa)
-Bagtikan (Parashorea plicata)
-Tangili (Shorea polysperma)

