Save The Banaue Rice Terraces

By CECILIA S. ANGELES

Photo By Cecilia S. Angeles

MANILA, Philippines — Time travels so fast or so slowly that I personally think some traditions should not go with it in the same speed. We have observed the growth of living and non-living things. For example, some rice fields have been converted into residential areas. Man effects this change. Nature is also capable of bringing about change, and together with man sometimes change becomes advantageous.  At other times, disastrous.

Together with some Photo World Asia 2012 participants and Photography with a Difference (PWD) members led by John Chua, we recently toured Banaue in connection with a campaign to restore the 2,000-year-old rice terraces, particularly the damage in Batad brought about by landslides.

Some areas which used to be layered mountains covered with greenery now accommodate multi-story public and private buildings like schools, markets, apartments, stores, hotels and government offices. The original triangular roof homes of the ifugaos have become very few.  A stolen peep at its interior shows electronic gadgets like television, a screen, lap top, radio and other modern electronics.  Yes, I had no problem with my cell phones. Despite heavy drizzles, road construction by deep tangerine-clad construction workers continues everywhere.  So it was a matter of a leisure drive along smooth, concrete roads intercepted every now and then by sticky, muddy sections of the unfinished winding road construction.

Banaue goes with the current change in economic, social, physical or whatever development a particular place undergoes.  This is normal.  But to forget or wipe out or let go of a precious heritage like the 2,000-    year-old Banaue Rice Terraces, a declared UNESCO Heritage Site, is absurd.  It must be preserved.  It must be saved. Yes, nature simply does not cooperate . . . sometimes.  It hurls heavy rains, or breeds worms that loosen the soil which cause the destructive landslide.

In fact, our initial intention was to visit Batad on our second day of stay.  We toured nearer areas first, particularly Bangaan and Hungduan. We went to the various viewpoints in these places where every click of our shutter captured breathtaking compositions of the rice terraces. The trek down the steep terraces to reach the Ifugao towns was labored and dangerous, but to think of the very warm reception and program including the lunch the villagers prepared for us, the foot travel was very rewarding.  Climbing uphill was a tremendous effort. A one meter bamboo pole kept my balance.

Going back to our hotel, we received a text message that there was a landslide that blocked the road we just passed by, trapping the mayor and his group in another vehicle who accompanied us to the villages.  Because of this, our schedule to Batad did not materialize.  This does not stop our desire, our campaign, our hope to save the precious heritage of the Filipinos. It can be done with the love and collective efforts of the local and national government, the natives and the Filipinos with a concerned heart like John Chua who had initially transported construction tools for the natives to use in the massive repair
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Thrilling journeys, unforgettable experiences: a guide to Banaue and Sagada

Taking on the arduous trip to this mountain paradise, with its breath-taking vistas and challenging adventures, will be well-rewarded

Philippine Daily Inquirer

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How many long weekends have you passed up without taking a much-deserved vacation? Next time, take a few days off and make Sagada number one on your must-visit list.

Few places deserve to be labeled “breathtaking” as that quaint village in the Mountain Province. And yet for all the beauty and challenge of Sagada, the journey there is undoubtedly as unforgettable as the destination itself.

One route to explore would be via Ifugao, which offers a constant visual feast along the way. The trip can start from Quezon City at the Victory Liner bus terminal at the corner of East Avenue, where travelers can take the Tuguegarao-bound bus.

There is a choice of either the air-conditioned bus for P575, or the deluxe bus for P750. The deluxe bus of Victory Liner has add-ons—light snacks, an onboard toilet, and a roomy capacity of 29 seats (each fitted with footrest), ensuring extra elbow room and leg room to guarantee travel comfort.

The trip is seven hours ending in Solano, Nueva Vizcaya.

Another option is to book a 20-seat coaster with MM Fariñas Travel and Tours to shuttle your group from Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya to Banaue for P8,000, back and forth.

Upon reaching Solano, walk a few steps to the jeepney terminal and get on a jeep going to Ifugao at P105 per person for a two-hour ride without stops (the first trip leaves at 6 a.m.).

Eighth wonder of the world

Alight in Ibulao, Kiangan, in Ifugao and travel to Banaue, dine there and pose for souvenir photos, with the Eighth Wonder of the World as your backdrop. You might consider staying a while for a more immersive day trip to the awe-inspiring rice terraces, which is now 2,000 years old.

Dotting the scenery are images of rice gods that farmers make from fern while waiting to harvest rice.

In Ifugao, it is still a thrill to see the fog descending on the mountainscape, no matter how many times one has seen it happen in other places.

While there, we recommend staying at the Banaue Hotel at P2,000-P,3000 for twin-sharing. There are also other bed-and-breakfast inns that will suit various vacation budgets.

From Banaue, one can proceed to Sagada via Bontoc on a jeepney at P180 each. The path is winding, often rugged, and in some parts quite narrow that only a single vehicle can be accommodated at a time, but the road is safe. Through some stretches of the journey, be daring enough to travel “top load” (sitting atop the jeepney) for a more intense and orientation-shifting view of the grandeur below—that is, if if you’re not scared of heights or too cocky as to be careless.

Throughout the trip are reminders of the rich tradition and abundant nature in the Mountain Province: a stray bayawak on the highway, pine trees that act as sentinels of the mountains, cold and crystal clear water gushing forth from the highlands which travelers freely fill their water bottles with, and local people chewing betel nut or nganga.

Of course, the highlight of the trip is reaching Sagada. Find a place to stay in once you reach the town. St. Joseph Resthouse near the bus stop is one of Sagada’s most easily accessed accommodations and, with its garden motif, is quite charming.

Occupancy ranges from dorm rooms (for two and four, starts at P500) to private cabins. Once settled in, register at the municipal hall so you can get a guide to accompany your group during spelunking and hiking. The tours and trails will push you to your limits, create a profound shared experience with your co-travelers and even with strangers, and give you a better understanding of why travelers who have been to Sagada keep returning.

Enlivening swim

The Bomo-od Falls offers an enlivening swim at the end of more than an hour’s worth of hiking through sloping pastures, which may not be as grand as the terraced fields in Banaue and Batad, but are still fascinating in their own right.

Before dawn breaks the next day, station your group at the peak of Kiltepan to welcome the chilly sunrise and see the world from just beneath the sky. Then navigate the crevices of Lumiang Burial Cave, a place you must treat with reverence, and if you’re fit and game enough to go on spelunking for more hours, continue to the underground labyrinth of Sumaging Cave, where the rock formations both challenge and awe.

Other places worth visiting are the Anglican Church, Yoghurt House, local bars for tasting Sagada wine, coffee, or tea, the Masferre museum, Sagada weaving shop, and restaurants that offer the local delicacy, pinikpikan, among others.

The heart of every dream destination is its people. In Banaue, the residents are warm and accommodating, while in Sagada, the locals are gracious and maintain a courteous distance. People there delight in living simply, and although they may have gotten used to the presence of tourists, visitors should always, always remain respectful and undisruptive to the culture and the people.

Sagada’s pabaon for the audacious, risk-taking traveler is the life-altering experience of reconnecting with oneself, with nature, and with the Divine. It will be hard to bid the mountain paradise goodbye, but know that you can always come back.

With a trip costing in the vicinity of P5,000 per person, one can have a dream Banaue and Sagada vacation. For the patient and passionate adventurer who can find joy in the eventful 12-hour trip from Manila to the hidden Eden that is Sagada, the reward is the journey itself.

Enduring beauty of Banaue, Sagada spurs package tours

March 1, 2011, 1:33am

www.wonderful-asia.blogspot.com

 MANILA, Philippines – Despite concerns about the threats to the pristine natural features of the Banaue rice terraces and the Sagada village in the Mountain Province, their enduring beauty remains a tourism allure, prodding travel firms to continue packaging special tours to these historical and world heritage sites at attractive rates.

Among such irresistible tourism packages is the one being offered for only R15,088 net per person based on twin-sharing hotel accommodations.

“This tour puts both the Banaue rice terraces and the Sagada in one package, all in a 4 days-3nights tour program that runs from Thursday to Sunday up to March 31,” said travel entrepreneur and event creator Angel Ramos Bognot.

“The package includes room accommodations at Banaue Hotel, daily breakfast, air-conditioned private transportation from Manila to Banaue and back, sightseeing tours to the viewpoint and the picturesque villages of Banga-an, Bontoc and the Sagada cave exploration, and the services of an English-speaking tour guide,” Bognot pointed out.

The excitement begins at 7 a.m. with a 10-hour trip from Manila to Banaue, passing by the landlocked evergreen provinces of Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya where breathtaking scenery unfolds all the way up to the Ifugao Province.

Tour participants arrive at 5:30 p.m. at the Banaue Hotel, itself immersed in the majestic splendor of the rice terraces pervading the view from the hotel’s rooms, making one feel nestled in the slopes of the mountain that appears like a gigantic stairway to heaven. Banaue Hotel is operated by the government’s new Tourism Infrastructure & Enterprise Zone Authority headed by former Pampanga Governor Mark Lapid as chief operating officer.

After breakfast at the hotel the following day, tourists depart onboard a jeepney for a tour of the rice terraces and its nearby villages, including Banga-an, where a 20-minute walk down a trail gives a closer look of the Ifugao community and the colorful and well-preserved native culture.

Lunch at a local restaurant energizes the tourists for a long and rugged trip to a 2,000-year-old mountain destination dubbed the “8th Wonder of the World,” depicting how the Ifugaos carved the terraces with their hands for 5,000 years.

The trip to the remote town of Sagada starts after breakfast on the third day, featuring an ancient cave with stalagmites and stalactites and other natural formations.  Along the way can be viewed mineral-rich water flowing from the mountains that usher in a cultural surprise – the hanging coffins.  From here, the tourists proceed to the Bontoc Museum for a glimpse of the natives’ history and their story of survival.

The Banaue-Sagada Tour was launched during the inauguration of the new corporate address of Afro Asian Travel & Tours last January 20, with Tourism Undersecretary for Planning and Promotions Daniel G. Corpuz, PAL president Jimmy Bautista, Laguna Rep. Timmy Chipeco, Tourism Assistant Secretary for Promotions Chicoy Enerio, and Latvia Consul Bobby Joseph as sponsors.

“This tour never ceases to unlock the mysteries of our tribal ancestors in the North, whose amazing work of art encompasses a whole mountain and showcases a cultural masterpiece that deserves the awe and admiration of the entire human race. Packaging this tour, therefore, constitutes a tribute to our predecessors and a gift to the current generation and the many generations to come,” Bognot said.

For reservations, interested parties may contact Afro Asian Travel (+632 5237501/5237504, or email afroasiantvl@yahoo.com), whose office is located at the 2nd Floor of the Z&N Apartelle (Hizon’s Bldg) 545 Arquiza St. corner Bocobo St., Ermita, Manila.