Balangay Repertory Theater, a heritage-based community theater company in Butuan City that brings local history to life through original performances inspired by the city's archaeological and cultural heritage, was the biggest discovery of my recent trip to Butuan. To outsiders, Butuan is a place travelers pass through when flights to Siargao tip into the unreasonable rate, since its airport serves an alternative only two hours from Surigao Port, where one can hop on a ferry to the island. But for those traveling with deeper curiosity, Butuan reveals stories that held more significance.