In relation to a house measure filed at the House of Representatives declaring Barlig, Mountain Province as a Tourism Development Area, Department of Tourism Undersecretary for Legislative Matters, Atty. Falconi V. Millar, visited the municipality and conducted an ocular inspection on some of the municipality’s popular tourist destinations last May 18-19, 2017.
Authored by Congressman Maximo B. Dalog, House Bill 0283 seeks to declare Barlig’s barangays that are endowed with natural beauty, rivers, lakes, hot springs, waterfalls, rice terraces and mountain resources as tourism development areas. The measure was already approved in the committee level at the lower house and is awaiting approval on second and third reading on plenary.
On May 18, Usec. Millar first dropped by Poblacion, Barlig and was welcomed by Mayor Genesis Changilan, Vice Mayor David Osborn Fomocod and members of the town’s Sangguniang Bayan. From the Municipal Hall, he was able to view some of Barlig’s Rice Terraces of Gawana, Fiangtin and Macalana.
Usec. Millar proceeded to the village of Kadaclan, dubbed as the ‘’Shangrila on the Edge,’’ where he was welcomed by Mr. Dionie Chungalan, a retired Education Supervisor who is currently managing Kadaclan Home Stay. Native food, rice wine and “basi” were served the visitors.
The next day, May 19, the undersecretary’s group, including local officials and the community climbed the steep mountains of Barangays Kaleo and Ogo-og hiking for one hour and thirty minutes while enjoying the scenic views of various rice terraces along the way until finally reaching their destination, the beautiful Amitayoc Falls.
Undersecretary Millar is supposed to continue his visit of other known tourist destinations of Barlig but due to time constraints, he had to cut his itinerary at Lake Tufob, Chatol and promised to come back after he was invited as guest speaker of the town’s Fortan Festival on June 19, 2017. He is looking forward to seeing other spots like the famous Mount Amuyao, Lias Rice Terraces, Challos Falls, various hot springs, the wonderful rock formations, and many other caves and falls.
Congressman Dalog said that if this edict is passed into law, the Tourism Development Plan of Barlig shall be incorporated in the Department of Tourism’s Overall National Development Plan (NTDP). The DOT, in coordination with the Tourism Infrastructure and Development Authority (TIEZA) and other concerned agencies of the government, shall delineate well defined geographic areas within the TDA and coordinate the integrated development of these areas.**Erlindo Agwilang, Jr.
