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At 6 a.m. last Sunday in Banaue, a break in the dense fog revealed a mountain peak, soft morning light behind it.
In the valley below, the fog lifted languorously, like a sensuous dance, revealing the terraced rice paddies built into the slopes.
The last time I saw the majestic scenery in the province of Ifugao was nearly two decades ago. Back then the drive by tourist shuttle through a narrow stretch of the highway built on a mountain ridge made me queasy as I looked down into the steep ravine.
Today the deep drop is no longer visible on that narrow stretch. Small dwellings fashioned out of galvanized iron sheets and lumber are perched precariously over the cliff, blocking the view of the ravine, but also the breathtaking scenery that greets motorists at the approach to the main visitor area of the Banaue Rice Terraces.
Why is it impossible to impose zoning rules in this country? If people are going to be allowed to risk their necks living on those slopes and blocking the view, their houses can at least be made to blend with the Ifugao scenery.
The traditional Cordillera thatched wooden hut on stilts looks sturdier than those jerrybuilt GI sheet homes. If residents prefer modern materials, housing authorities can come up with traditionally inspired designs for low-cost housing in that area.
Enhancing the scenery can only be good for the main industry in Banaue: not rice production but tourism.
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That main industry can use a boost. Banaue, one of the country’s top tourist destinations, has suffered from the safety rating downgrade of the Philippines by the US Federal Aviation Administration. Among the effects of the FAA downgrade, apart from preventing Philippine carriers from flying to Europe and several destinations in the United States, is that Europeans cannot get travel insurance for trips within the Philippines.
As a consequence, Banaue Hotel – the biggest in the area – has seen a steady drop in European (including Israeli) arrivals, from 9,000 in 2008 to 6,000 in 2010 and a dismaying 4,000 last year.
Hotels naturally like group bookings for conventions. But the hotel, which is run by the Philippine Tourism Authority, has seen this drop and its business increasingly limited to “foreign individual clients” who don’t mind traveling at their own risk.
I was told that the hotel has tried to make up for the loss by drumming up interest among domestic travelers. In 2010, the hotel had 8,000 local guests; the number went up to 12,000 last year.
Still, it won’t hurt to attract more foreign clients. For one, bigger earnings will allow the hotel to renovate. It looks exactly the same as when I last visited in 1993, which isn’t a compliment. The hotel has the basic amenities that every traveler looks for: Internet access, clean toilets, hot running water in the shower. It’s clean and the staff is efficient and friendly as only Filipinos can be friendly.
But the hotel – already the best in Banaue, with a panoramic view of the terraced paddies – clearly has seen better days.
If we want to save the rice terraces, we should make living in Banaue viable for its people, most of whom depend on tourism for their livelihood. Better accommodations are a must if the government wants to attract more tourists to Banaue.
The rice farmers need help in marketing their wonderful mountain rice, plus assistance in creating more rice-based food and a distinctive Ifugao cuisine. They now sell rice wine, which can be marketed like its counterparts in Japan and China.
The residents’ talents in woodcarving and hand weaving can be tapped to create more expensive and marketable products. It’s a shame to waste such skills; they should get decent remuneration for their work.
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Banaue can take some lessons from Sagada, which seems to be better developed to accommodate visitors. It was a pleasant surprise for me to find out that the road linking Banaue to Bontoc and then Sagada is now paved (although some parts hit by landslides are currently under repair).
The winding mountain road offers spectacular scenery throughout, with terraced paddies dotted with scarecrows all the way to Bontoc, and then the limestone formations where ancient residents of Sagada entombed their dead.
It takes just two hours to drive to Bontoc from Banaue, and then another hour to Sagada.
One big tourism advantage for the people of the Cordilleras is their English proficiency – the type learned from native English speakers. In Sagada I had lunch at the Yogurt House, a favorite among tourists, where homemade thick yogurt (what else) is the main feature. The staff spoke not only excellent English but also a smattering of French words and probably a few other languages.
Bontoc has its own charm, although there are danger signs that it could go the way of Baguio, with slopes overrun by shanty dwellers and the city ruined by urban blight.
Even the long drive from Metro Manila to the Cordilleras – eight hours on the new highway and then through Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya – can be part of the fun.
In Barangay Piut, Carranglan, Nueva Ecija, the fun was diminished by extortion right along the main highway. Just a few meters from a police outpost, someone pulled up a string of buntings across the road to force motorists to stop, and then demanded a “contribution” of P20. I have a receipt for “Thanksgiving Day” on April 17, 18 and 19, 2012. Why is this allowed by the local government and police? It’s not only criminal but also dangerous.
The extortion was not enough to dampen the fun of my weekend break.
In Banaue at dusk the fog crept in, blotting out the valley, and darkness spread quickly. The silence was broken only by the sound of insects.
It was a rare, precious treat, one that reminded me of the days when I could still see fireflies and hear crickets in Manila.
Living amid such rich natural beauty is a blessing. The people of the Cordilleras need assistance. They should see their role as custodians of a national treasure not as a burden but a privilege.
It is the best way to save the Ifugao Rice Terraces.
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