I’m no longer counting the number of times lunch was served rather very late at meetings and the like in Ifugao. When I say it is very late by 12:30 noon, actually it’s about 1:30 p.m. Four times, at 2:30 p.m. Troubling is the fact, there were even children and guests in attendance. Moderators have the penchant of telling the participants of “let’s just finish with this topic and have our lunch later.” Only to go beyond 2 p.m. and no one is complaining. Sadly, folks are timid and there is a “culture of subservience.” I don’t understand where this insecurity of the speaker- either a department head or a highly-placed provincial government official, towards the participants is coming from. Where do these “bigshots” have the wherewithal to put the participants in harm’s way as possible victims of ulcer?
Haven’t it crossed your mind that while you’re talking endlessly out there, no one is listening simply because they’re hungry. You’re not just an uncaring speaker. You’re a dumb and incredibly stupid speaker! Go back to your office!
Such longstanding practice in Ifugao is ridiculous and unconscionable. It contravenes the goal of promoting the people’s health enshrined in the Philippine Constitution.
There is surely a solution to the problem. I see a way out of this mess. It is up to the SP to enact a so-called “12 noon Lunchtime” ordinance to require serving lunch at about that time up until 1 p.m. and providing penalties for violationsthereof. I strongly believe it can make a big difference before Ifugao ends up as the “Ulcer Capital of the World.”
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I got a big surprise of my life recently when I saw one mid-Sunday morning an air-conditioned bus in Lagawe bound for Mayoyao town. It was indeed a pleasant sight. It doesn’t come each day of the week.
The improvement of the transport network in Mayoyao should be a refreshing development. It is a must-do priority for Mayor Jimmy Padchanan Jr. and the other municipal government officials if they want to upgrade the town’s tourism industry,
Appreciate the town’s wonders from a memorable stop at Barangay Mapahoy’s enchanting rice terraces. To get there from the capital town of Lagawe, local and foreign tourists first need to take better transportation vehicles. Low revenue base in the tourism industry has prevented Moyoyao from coming even close to Banaue in attaining the distinction of being the “next destination” in Ifugao.
High revenues translate to more jobs and better lives. Tourism is a job creator in the countryside. Board a brand new, air-conditioned bus on your way to Mayoyao. Feel free to hop on and off at various stops in Mayoyao to sight-see, eat, relax and learn.
I’m upbeat about the prospects of the tourism industry in Mayoyao this year and the coming ones with Mayor Padchanan at the helm. He has a clear and concrete program for leadership to make it happen and address the problem on widespread poverty in the barangay level. With Mayor Padchanan calling the shots, the long-term potential is surely there, which will also benefit future generations. This is also the goal of this columnist- to transform the lives of people. It is hoped that this exhortation will embolden Mayor Padchanan to double his efforts in developing the town. It is time for Mayor Padchanan to firm up competitiveness in Mayoyao’s tourism industry.
A long-term transport plan should be crafted by the Sangguniang Bayan to address this problem. Good foresight and planning, therefore, is needed.
For a tourist from Plano, Texas in the United States or Athens, Greece, Mayoyao is a place to forget the trolls and everything that is digital and electronic. Delve into the lives of farmers in upland, cool and terraced landscape. Be ready to spend a considerable time with them to understand their plight and take on what to see and do in this unique town.
Make plans about what you want to experience for this year’s Christmas vacation. It is not surprising, then, that Mayoyao is on top of your list. The foreign tourist should be able to find time here to marvel at the breathtaking vistas of Mapahoy Rice Terraces and go back home digitally transformed. Get to see Mayoyao’s beauty and cultural wealth in the raw before browsing these in the digital landscape.
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At a forum, held at the Don Bosco High School Gymnasium, in Lagawe, a department head of the provincial government vowed to provide assistance to farmers within three years. Coincidentally, that’s the time framework of the term of Governor Jerry Dalipog, who was in attendance at the activity billed as “Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) Forum II.” I told DTI Ifugao Director Valentin Baguidudol, who sat beside me, “it is a good move, if they are still around.” He laughed and nodded. Many are no longer into farming. The young ones see no future in farming. This is due to low productivity in Ifugao’s farms. There is little support from the provincial government. Ifugao’s agricultural lands would attract interest from the young if these can yield high financial harvests.
Sadly, some provincial government “bigwigs” are totally detached from reality. They should forgo conducting and attending long meetings at the SP Session Hall and instead visit and stay for a week or so at a farm site in a remote barangay (village) to see the conditions on the ground. Mind you, this is a life-changing experience for these “highly-paid bigwigs” who shall ultimately be able to help the government implement social safety nets and other development programs.
Those who think that first-hand experience doesn’t matter most should think again. What you know when you interact with farmers will play a key role on how you feel and who you are being in the situation of the impoverished soil tillers.
At this point, Ifugao farmers need access to vital services so they can get a better deal. The provincial government should provide them farm mechanization support and technical assistance required in rice production, harvesting, processing and marketing.
Again, provincial government “bigwigs” should visit, stay and learn what life is in a very depressed and impoverished farm land. Go back to Lagawe and talk to the board members and tell them to incorporate legislative measures to really help the cash-starved farmers. Enough of so many plans. Provision of the abovementioned services should not be dependent on unrealistic and unsound plans. It is high time to provide farmers appropriate protection, treatment and support suitable to the needs and circumstances of the agriculture sector.
What then is the value f helping the agriculture sector? Being relentless in helping this sector is very important. It means provincial government “bigwigs” finally doing the right things. Effective and efficient actions mean modernizing agriculture. Providing strong support for processing agricultural products to increase their value and it simply means drawing up good planning papers. The agriculture sector is always a story of people and hardships passed from one generation to generation to another. Think through the people who fed the nation in the past up until today. Farmers, not professionals! Don’t expect the professionals to plant rice. Thus, don’t look for someone else. It wasn’t long before I began to realize that judicious, prudent and sound planning to improve the agriculture sector is realized way outside the SP Session Hall.
Most farmers are suffering from the difficult economic times. Suffering is certainly a terrible thing, and the provincial government has a clear duty to ease their suffering when it can.
At the end of the day, it is difficult to see provincial government officials turning a blind eye on them. Someone out there please move decisively and swiftly to end the problem. Fast-track road network construction, farm-to-market roads for example, and acquisition of farm machinery and equipment, as well as post-harvest facilities, is the call of the day. Poor farmers stand at the door of the SP and knock. Will a board member get up and offer them some kind of help?
The provincial government must ensure that farmers’ needs are provided for at all times to make the development agenda people oriented and sustainable. It must take action!
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Over the years, the common fear of Ifugao voters and elsewhere is that dead voters are still voting during elections. There’s good and bad news about it. The good news is that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is reportedly asking the public to report their dead relatives or friends who are registered voters. The bad news is that corrupt and wayward politicians are still around to make sure that this evil practice continues. It takes two to tango. Someone else is voting for a dead voter. It isn’t for free. He or she gets Php1,000 or more from the moneyed politician to do so. The presence of moneyed politicians during funeral wakes of the poor is indicative of something else other than expressing their condolences to the bereaved families. Many of them are not even their relatives. Truth to tell, they’re just on a “surveillance” mission. Hehehe!
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I didn’t need worry about my wish and prayer that in a not-so-distant future an investor opts to develop Mayoyao’s tourism industry by constructing a hilltop, mountainside hotel within the town. A hotel providing a panoramic view of the surrounding forested terrain is truly a big booster to the town’s tourism industry.
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This early, Board Member Perfecta Dulnuan will either be one of the best female member the SP ever had or one of the best female board members with a good shot of being the first woman representative (congressman) of the province. She will give the people a real choice in the future. Board Member Dulnuan is genuinely empathetic towards the poor and underprivileged sectors of society. I’m looking forward to discussing with her the ordinances and resolutions that she is presently pushing at the SP. Board Member Dulnuan is the chairperson of the Committee on Social Services, Senior Citizens and Concerns of Persons with Special Needs.
It is hoped that the presence of Board Members Dulnuan and Aezel Dumangeng may serve as impetus for everyone at the SP to exert greater efforts towards expanding women’s role in development of the province.
There is a social enterprise outlet that seeks to augment the income of women farmers in Barangay Ubaj in Banaue town. I’m referring to Knitting Expedition.
Candice Reyes-Alipio operates Knitting Expedition. May I commend Ms. Alipio for her entrepreneurial spirit and hard work.
Social enterprises as this one are important because these entities are contributing substantial impact to the poor and low-income earners of society. The provincial government should provide the enabling environment for entrepreneurship. It should provide all-out support for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) for them to develop and promote their involvement in mainstream business. It is high time for the provincial government to provide them with support services.
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Unlimited odd thoughts unloaded: Why does a pencil have an eraser? Because, no one is perfect!
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For our food delights corner: Your loved ones simply deserve a great meal of chicken tinola, a popular Philippine soup-based cuisine. Make sure there are papaya or sayote and some other essential ingredients at the kitchen when preparing the meal. It is best served at dinner or lunch with steamed rice, eggplant omelet and crab lumpia for another wonderful meal. Add cassava cake, bananas and chilled orange juice. Don’t forget to pray for more blessings from up above for the coming days. Enjoy this great meal like boxing icon Senator Manny Pacquaio because this is his favorite cuisine. It felt great to take side with him on this matter.
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Finally, some thoughts for our readers: “Sometimes, the best way to fight your battles is with silence.” Popular actress Susan Roces
“Satire is a powerful weapon against any dictatorship.” Howard K, an Australian comedian-impersonator
“My love is everlasting and my faithfulness extends to all generations.” Ps 100:5
“God’s close relationship is with the upright.” Proverbs 3:32. **
