The Wawa River ( tl, Ilog Wawa; ceb, Suba sa Wawa) is a

river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of w ...

located in

Caraga Caraga, officially the Caraga Administrative Region (or simply known as Caraga Region) and designated as Region XIII, is an Regions of the Philippines, administrative region in the Philippines occupying the northeastern section of Mindanao. Th ...

, in northeastern

Mindanao Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...

, in the southern

Philippine The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

island. Its headwaters traverse the municipality of Sibagat,

Bayugan Bayugan, officially the City of Bayugan ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Bayugan; fil, Lungsod ng Bayugan), is a 5th class component city in the province of Agusan del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 109,499 people.. ...

, and

Esperanza Esperanza is the Spanish word for hope, and may refer to: Places Philippines * Esperanza, Agusan del Sur, a municipality * Esperanza, Masbate, a municipality * Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat, a municipality United States * Esperanza, Mississippi, ...

(all of the province of

Agusan del Sur Agusan del Sur, officially the Province of Agusan del Sur ( ceb, Habagatang Agusan; Butuanon: ''Probinsya hong Agusan del Sur''; tl, Timog Agusan), is a province in Caraga region, Mindanao, Philippines. Its capital is the municipality of Pros ...

). The Wawa River is a

tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drai ...

of the larger

Agusan River The Agusan River is third longest river in the Philippines, located in the north-eastern part of Mindanao island, draining majority of the Caraga region and some parts of Davao de Oro. It is the country's third largest river (after the Cagayan ...

Etymology

''Wawa'' came from the Dumagat term that means an "entrance" or "passage". The river was once used by early settlers as a means of transportation during the early years.

Geography

The river originates at the Diwata Mountain Range of the northeastern hinterlands of Sibagat in barangays Kolambugan and Padiay and streams traversing the riverbank barangays of Perez, Banagbanag, Santa Cruz, Magsaysay, San Isidro I, Villangit,

Poblacion ''Poblacion'' (literally "town" or "settlement" in Spanish; ) is the common term used for the administrative center, central, downtown, old town or central business district area of a Philippine city or municipality, which may take up the ...

, Tag-uyango, San Vicente, Ilihan (all in the municipality of Sibagat), and barangays Del Carmen (''formerly'' ''Wawa''), Mabuhay, Canayugan, San Agustin, Sagmone, Noli, Maygatasan, Verdu, Salvacion (all in the City of Bayugan) and Mahagkot, Crossing Luna, Dakutan, Bentahon, Piglawigan (all in the municipality of Esperanza) wherein its mouth joins with the larger

located in Barangay Poblacion,

Esperanza, Agusan del Sur Esperanza, officially the Municipality of Esperanza ( ceb, Lungsod sa Esperanza; tgl, Bayan ng Esperanza), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Agusan del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 59,353 p ...

Crossings

There are three permanent bridges that cross the Wawa River: * Wawa Bridge ''(1)'' – the longest steel bridge in the province located in Barangay San Vicente, Sibagat, Agusan del Sur along the Pan Philippine Highway

Butuan Butuan (pronounced ), officially the City of Butuan ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Butuan; Butuanon: ''Dakbayan hong Butuan''; fil, Lungsod ng Butuan), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the region of Caraga, Philippines. It is the ''de facto'' c ...

- Davao Road, connecting the road linking the Municipality of Sibagat and City of Bayugan * Wawa Bridge ''(2)'' – located in Barangay Padiay, Sibagat, along the

Tandag Tandag, officially the City of Tandag ( Tandaganon/ Surigaonon: ''Siyudad nan Tandag''; Cebuano: ''Dakbayan sa Tandag''; fil, Lungsod ng Tandag), is a 5th class component city and capital of the province of Surigao del Sur, Philippines. Accor ...

Road, connecting the road linking Brgy. Kolambugan and Brgy. Padiay in the town of Sibagat * Esperanza Bridge – the longest duck girder bridge in the province located in Barangay Poblacion,

connecting the road linking NRJ-

Road and

town proper

Tributaries

* Managong River – Barangay Padiay, Sibagat, Agusan del Sur * Palacio River – Barangay Perez, Sibagat, Agusan del Sur * Balangubang River – Barangay Sta. Cruz, Sibagat, Agusan del Sur * Boguko River – Barangay Magsaysay, Sibagat, Agusan del Sur * Ponhikon River – Barangay Villangit, Sibagat, Agusan del Sur * Sibagat River – Barangay Poblacion, Sibagat, Agusan del Sur * Andanan River – Barangay Maygatasan, Bayugan City

Covered areas

* Sibagat, Agusan del Sur * Bayugan City,

References