KABAYAN, BENGUET – Every year, on All Saints’ Day, a unique ritual unfolds at the Opdas Cave in Kabayan, Benguet.
Discovered in 1971 by Baban Berong, a revered elder of the Ibaloy tribe, the mass grave has since been a curious local site visited by both tourists and researchers.
Studies conducted by Tokyo University of Japan through carbon dating and anthropological analysis have confirmed that the skeletal remains are approximately 500 to 1,000 years old and suggest belongs to Asian cultures, including Filipino, Chinese, and Japanese.
The Berong family, caretakers of Opdas Cave, have long honored the ancient bones with prayer and respect.
During All Saints’ Day, they pay special tribute to the departed souls by offering prayers and making offerings at the cave site. Dave Leprozo Jr.
