The Sunken Cemetery in the town of Catarman, in the island of Camiguin, now marked by a cross standing in the middle of the sea. Out of the 7, 107 islands of the Philippines, Camiguin is the second smallest island of the country both in area and population, situated in Northern Mindanao Region. The island is surrounded with volcanoes, (four young volcanoes, “stratovolcanoes” overlying older volcanic structures). These include Mount. Hibok-hibok and Mt. Vulcan, and still considered active. When Mt. Vulcan started as a volcanic fissure in 1871, after weeks of earthquakes and non-stop discharge of lava, it left the town of Catarman submerged and pushed below the sea, including the capitol’s cemetery, leaving behind the ruins of an ancient Spanish San Roque church and its bell tower. The remnants and gravestones of the cemetery were still visible during low tide until 1948 when Mount Vulcan erupted again for the fourth time and sunken the area deeper, In 1982, a huge cross was built to mark its old gravesite. Come and discover the island of Camiguin, learn the history and story for yourself, and be mesmerized with its beauty and pristine beaches.
For more information about the province of Camiguin, visit the provincial website.
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