The Story of Mt. Sawi (also known as Bigti)
Mt. Sawi Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija
It is said that one day a beautiful young Dumagat girl who once lived at the foot of the mountain by the river which is now known as Dupinga. The girl loves to play and she is often seen at the top of the mountain with a single large Baliti tree.
One day, a young hunter became disoriented and became entangled in the Baliti tree. He is frail and appears to have not eaten in a long time. When the Dumagat girl saw him in that state, she rushed to help him, give him something to eat, and take him to their house. The young man was captivated by the girl’s beauty and fell in love with her right away.
The young hunter said his goodbyes one day and returned to their hometown to inform his parents that he was alive and well. He promised to come back. The girl remained behind, hoping that the young man would return and they would be together forever. However, her waiting period continued, and she was still without his loved one.
One day, word got out that there would be a big feast in the other town. She inquired and discovered that it was his beloved young hunter’s wedding. It has long been planned to bring together a young woman from a prominent family. The girl is depressed and hurt, and all of her hopes have vanished.
The girl left early one day, and even though afternoon came and went, she did not return home. Until his parents decided to go on the hunt for her. They look everywhere and eventually find themselves at the top of the mountain. They saw the girl in the distance, but she was no longer alive; she was hanging above the Baliti tree.
But then the Baliti tree died soon after, and the mountain’s summit became a cattle pasture. Mt. Sawing Balite is another name for this mountain. People here claim to see a woman playing on the mountain’s crest on a regular basis, but she then vanishes.
