The main industry in Toledo City is mining since it is home to the biggest copper mine in the Philippines. Long before the mine opened in the city, it was once called Pueblo Hinulawan. It was renamed Toledo, after a province in Spain, when it was established as a town during the Spanish era. It was converted into a district of the Cebu Province during the time of President Emilio Aguinaldo.
Biga Pit – image source: atlasmining.com.ph
Toledo became a full-fledged town when Act. No. 119 was signed by Governor Francis Burton Harrison on December 19, 1919. When the mine started operating in 1955, the town experienced a boom of sorts as the facility gave residents a chance to earn a good living by working at the mine.
Biga Pit – image source: atlasmining.com.ph
Biga Pit
According to the website of Carmen Copper Corporation (formerly Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corporation), the Biga Pit is the tailings storage facility where mine tailings are stored. The same website also indicated that the pH level of the water in the Biga Pit is at 7.5 to 8 and some fish species, such as tilapia, thrive in it. While the Biga Pit may not be a good place to take a dip, it does offer a breathtaking view to visitors of the facility.
According to the website of Carmen Copper Corporation (formerly Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corporation), the Biga Pit is the tailings storage facility where mine tailings are stored. The same website also indicated that the pH level of the water in the Biga Pit is at 7.5 to 8 and some fish species, such as tilapia, thrive in it. While the Biga Pit may not be a good place to take a dip, it does offer a breathtaking view to visitors of the facility.
Biga Pit – image source: atlasmining.com.ph
Entry to the facility is only allowed for educational purposes and should not be a recreational or adventure destination. It was also the site where the Cebu City Police Office detonated twenty-five World War 2 era bombs that were recovered from Kawit Island in 2012. The best view of the Biga Pit is on the top and you may not be allowed to go down to the pit itself.
Biga Pit – image source: ph.geobiew.info
Getting to the Biga Pit
You can reach the Biga Pit by getting on a bus bound for Toledo City at the Cebu South Bus Terminal. Once you reach the Toledo fish market, you can hop on a motorcycle for hire to the entrance of Carmen Copper Corporation. There will be some motorcycles for hire close to the entrance that can bring you to the Biga Pit.
You can reach the Biga Pit by getting on a bus bound for Toledo City at the Cebu South Bus Terminal. Once you reach the Toledo fish market, you can hop on a motorcycle for hire to the entrance of Carmen Copper Corporation. There will be some motorcycles for hire close to the entrance that can bring you to the Biga Pit.
Biga Pit – image source: panoramio.com
While the Biga Pit is not your usual tourist spot in the island, it can serve as one of the stops in an educational tour of Toledo City. If you are planning to visit the Biga Pit, it is highly recommended to ask permission first to avoid any issues during your visit.
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