Maria Cristina Falls, how powerful can you be?

I have known Maria Cristina Falls since my elementary days, specifically Grade 2. One time, my Sibika at Kultura (Civics and Culture) teacher gave us a project where we had to collect post cards of the tourist spots in the Philippines and pasted it on a short bond paper. I can recall that I had Maria Cristina Falls (along with Mayon Volcano, Pagsanjan Falls, Chocolate Hills etc) on that project.

I used to buy a post card that cost PhP2.00 (I think right now it cost PhP 5.00 per postcard) that looks similar to this picture just to complete my Sibika at Kultura project.

Way back then, I did not appreciate why our teacher had to make us such project. I mean, what was the point? As a grade 2 pupil then, I had no idea what those places are.So now that I have grown up (I am growing up lol), I can really say that those pictures truly made me proud as a Filipino. You know what I mean? hehe

My recent visit to Maria Cristina Falls was really self rewarding. Before I could only see the waterfall on post cards but right at that moment, I was able to see it live, right from my naked eyes.

Maria Cristina Falls is located in the boundaries of barangays of Maria Cristina, Ditucalan and Buru-an, Iligan City. It is also known as the “Twin Falls” because the waterfall is separated by a large rock at the brink of the waterfall. The waterfall is also considered as the “Mother of Industry” since it supplies about/more than 70% electricity of the whole Mindanao.

NPC Nature’s Park entrance.

The 320 ft. high waterfalls is maintained by National Power Corporation (NPC) and is one of the main highlights of NPC’s Nature’s Park. Entrance to the park is PhP 35.00 per head. Before we went to the waterfall, we visited their Botanical and Zoological Garden where it housed some wild animals like crocodiles, ostrich, monkeys, ducks etc.

Wave X posed for a moment near the entrance of Botanical and Zoological Gardens

The animal that lays the largest egg on the planet and one of the fastest runner in the world. Yeah, it is an ostrich. This was my first time to see an actual ostrich.

Ducks present in the garden.

The garden.

The waters of Agus River that came out from the dam.

Walls are covered with nets to protect the passers by from sudden landslides.

After we visited their garden, we went ahead to Maria Cristina Falls. We were all excited to see the beauty of Maria Cristina Falls. Sometimes NPC will just open one waterfall or sometimes, they will close it. We were so lucky since NPC opened the twin falls the time we got there.

Wave X excited to see the waterfalls.

The plunge of the waterfalls basically creates a strong current of Agus River before it reaches to a dam. It is not safe to swim on the river.

Maria Cristina Falls, a Kinabuhi.net postcard. hehe

The waters move fast towards the dam as seen from the viewing deck.

Closer look of Maria Cristina Falls.

The rain forest and the waterfalls.

Agus VI Hydroelectric Plant

Iligan City is indeed the “City of Majestic Waterfalls.” After Ma. Christina Falls, we went to the city proper and bought some souvenirs in Gaisano Iligan.

Iligan City. Gaisano Iligan

Kalesa / Kartanella in Palao, Iligan City

So that was it! Thank you for reading!