RIZAL | The Wawa Dam of Rodriguez, on a Grand Scale

Saturday, April 09, 2011

Wawa Dam's Rushing Water

The din of rushing water was getting louder as we passed a metal bridge crossing a ravine. The sight of the mighty Wawa Dam was steadily rising through the huge boulders that dot the river below. It was a sunny day and everything looked good; this was going to be a fun shoot.

Metal Bridge to Wawa Dam

We immediately headed down a rough path that descended into the river to get an ant’s view of the dam. Navigating the rough trail was no easy task though and my old worn-down slippers were not making it easier. Carefully circling the boulders to get a good view of Wawa Dam, I had to take it very slow; one wrong move could easily have me sliding down the water. Even though it doesn’t look that deep, I worry about my cameras.


We spent about half an hour shooting the rampaging waters before going up the dam’s watchtower.

Wawa Dam used to be the only water source for Manila before the La Mesa–Ipo–Angat watershed was tapped as the city’s reservoir. It was said silt and pollution from the piggeries upstream was one of the main reason the dam was shut down. The water from the reservoir looks pretty clean to me though.

The Old Watchtower in Wawa Dam


Built by the Americans in 1909, the dam crosses a natural gorge that was said to have trapped Bernardo Carpio, a giant according to local legends, as he was being pursued by the Spaniards. His footprints can be found imprinted on one of the boulders along the river.

Grand legends or not, the Wawa Dam itself can hold its own in terms of majesty.

Viewed from the skeletal remains of the former watchtower (watch out for the holes on the floor by the way), the deep calm waters of the Wawa River transforms into a rushing whitewater as it crashes down the dam and into the gargantuan boulders downstream. And when I say gargantuan, I mean gargantuan in every sense of the word, I’d bet you’ve never seen rocks as humongous as those found here.

Everything at the Wawa Dam seemed to be on gigantic scale; its cliffs, boulders, waters, and even its legends.

Majestic Wawa Dam Wawa Dam from BelowWawa Dam Viewed from the River A Caretaker Fixing the Huts Below Wawa Dam Path to the Watchtower in Wawa Dam


Click to view Wawa Dam's location on Google Maps

Wawa Dam
Address: Rodriguez (formerly Montalban), Rizal, Calabarzon
Entrance Fee: None


  How to get to Wawa Dam via Public Transport
  Board an FX (Php45.00) at the Farmer’s Plaza Cubao (Terminal is in front of Jollibee)
  Alight at Eastwood, Rizal (Ask the driver to drop you where you can board a jeep to Wawa)
  Board a Wawa jeep (Php8.00) and alight at the terminal which is at Wawa Dam already.

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20 comments

  1. nice one tol. ganda ng photos mo. d pa ko nkapunta d2. btw, nakaND filter ka ba d2? :)

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  2. Vhincci
    Wow talaga sa Wawa! =)

    Teng
    Those long exposures were shot with a B+W ND106 =)

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  3. thanks for the details sir! great long expo shots! fan tlga ko ng mga gnyan. hehe! =D

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  4. Well, nice sana to go to Wawa dam but not during holy week talaga. Sobra dami tao and dami tindahan talaga. Sana lang ayusin ng local government ang site. Medyo madumi na ang paligid. We can develope this place and become a
    tourist spot. Another thing, on our way back home, dinaanan namin going to Quezon City. Since first time namin, we used that way. Noong papunta kasi kami ang way namin ay via marikina-san mateo road. Nagkataon lang kasi noong papauwi kami around 7- 7:30 pm,may sign na alternate route to Quezon City. Maayos naman sana kaya lang after we passed the Petron Gas Station, somebody threw a stone sa window ng sasakyan namin. We didn't stopped since baka mga holdupper or carjacker yon. We were nervous then, and we were looking for a police station to report the incident, but we didnt found one. Buti nga matibay tibay window sasakyan namin, ang nasira lang yong side visor and medyo yupi door, sa driver's side kasi tinamaan. Madilim kasi sa highway, madalang mga private vehicle, pero may mga jeep naman. So I suggest not to pass through that hiway esp. at night. I dont know the name of that road/hi-way, basta route din papunta dyan montalban via commonwealth. So ingat na lang and calling the attention of our Police in that area and local government.

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  5. my family just came from there yesterday..We stay there for a week since monday till black saturday..We rent a house there for 6 days..WE rent a floating house and Balsa also..I up to the mountain and See the tree house..Wow it is very nice..Not everybody know about the tree house.. and we really had a nice time. very nice view and fresh air. magnificent rock formations, awesome caves. a very welcome new sight for one whose weekends are often spent in malls.
    rentals for bamboo cottages and the “balsa” are P100 each. no entrance fee to the dam. there are variety stores along the way. there are also some stalls where fish and vegetables are being sold. commodities are relatively cheap compared to commercial resorts. there are cottages in the lower part but small portions of water for swimming. swimming is best in the upper part because there are no rock formations. “balsas” (bamboo rafts) can be rented if you want to paddle along the water.

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  6. my family just came from there yesterday..We stay there for a week since monday till black saturday..We rent a house there for 6 days..WE rent a floating house and Balsa also..I up to the mountain and See the tree house..Wow it is very nice..Not everybody know about the tree house..Only people who lives in Sabangan part in wawa river also..This is my 2nd trip to montalban,Rizal... and we really had a nice time. very nice view and fresh air. magnificent rock formations, awesome caves. a very welcome new sight for one whose weekends are often spent in malls.
    rentals for bamboo cottages and the “balsa” are P100 each. no entrance fee to the dam. there are variety stores along the way. there are also some stalls where fish and vegetables are being sold. commodities are relatively cheap compared to commercial resorts. there are cottages in the lower part but small portions of water for swimming. swimming is best in the upper part because there are no rock formations. “balsas” (bamboo rafts) can be rented if you want to paddle along the water.

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  7. Anonymous
    Thank you for sharing your experience with us, I'm it'll be a lot of help for those wanting to go to Wawa

    Mariah
    Glad you enjoyed the place! Hopefully I can also do a picnic there sometimes!

    Thanks for long comments guys!

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  8. ang ganda.. balak ko to puntahan soon :)

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  9. Batang Lakwatsero
    Thanks! Dali lang puntahan yan! =)

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  10. ang ganda ng mga kuha sir!!! ang galing.... gusto nmin pumunta jan... sto kami sa taguig... kaso like sana kung wla lang tlgang mga bata!!! ang hirap... yata baka mlalim ang tubig di din mkapag enjoy mga bata?? tama ba ko?? wla kase tlga akong idea????

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  11. Anonymous
    May mga parts po jan na mababaw, dun yun sa may mga kubo na pwede rentahan as day cottages. Pwedeng pwede po sa mga bata :)

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  12. Indeed a beautiful place. Unfortunately, it's full of people and thrashes. :(

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  13. amoy tae ng baboy

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  14. maganda pumunta pero hindi maganda mag swimming sa wawa. may alam akong namatay na dito.

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    Replies
    1. I think yung shallow part where the huts are is quite safe, siguro dun sa malalim na part near the dam ang delikado talaga

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  15. thanks kuya macoy for this...sana mapuntahan ko...ang gandang lugar...:D

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  16. gusto ko jan mag celebrate ng birthday ko wit my friends this coming March 18,2017 madame po ba tao dyan dat time please reply

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    Replies
    1. If that falls on a weekend, expect crowds at wawa dam :)

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