By Anthony A. Araos
Mayoyao not only contains remains of old, unspoiled rice terraces but also many other interesting destinations.
I’m, of course, referring to the town’s farms. Mayoyao is chiefly a farming town. It is a stronghold of organic farming practitioners for several years. Small wonder, many of these practitioners or advocates hail from Mayoyao. One of them is former Board Member Samson Atluna of barangay Balangbang. He is the author of the Organic Farming Code of Ifugao, a landmark measure of the powerful and influential Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
Few people are aware that my esteemed friend Samson has a lot of invaluable contributions to organic farming, in particular, and the agriculture sector, in general, as well as nation building.
I met recently and consequently befriended still another popular practitioner of Mayoyao in the person of Carmen Haywood, who is married to an Australian. She has a standing invitation for me to visit her place and a host of wonderful sites in Mayoyao and I’m truly hard pressed to decline it.
She established an attractive site out there and it continued to attract a number of local and foreign tourists, including notable personages of the time.
So why visit Mayoyao’s farm sites? Surely, the town’s farms assure visitors a great experience of rural life accentuated by architectural forms of houses and buildings seemed to be virtually unaffected by modern-day technology. Once at these farms, it isn’t hard to say loudly that “I’m having fun each second of my stay in Mayoyao.”
Additionally, Mayoyao served as a gateway to a region of magnificent scenery. Through Mayoyao wonderful sites, the Filipino dream of transforming the Philippines as the next great destination hub of Asia is now within reach.
When it rains, it pours, so they say. I fully agree. Relatedly, I met and befriended Tourism Undersecretary for Ecotourism, Farm Tourism and Farm Tourism Advocacy Silvino Tejada at the Gawad Saka Awards Program (for Cordillera Administrative Region winners) at Hotel Supreme in Baguio City. He was the Keynote Speaker and Guest of Honor. I interviewed him briefly. Spoke with him and discussed at length the potentials of farm tourism in Mayoyao and other Ifugao towns. He vowed to fully support Mayoyao’s program on this score.
By the way, Mayoyao is accessible. There are two routes to this scenic town: one (shorter) from Banaue, and the other from Santiago City (in Isabela), passing through Alfonso Lista and Aguinaldo towns, both in Ifugao.
Efforts to transform Mayoyao as a major agricultural market and ecotourism town should be aggressively pursued by Mayor Ronnie Lumayna and Vice Mayor Jimmy Padchanan Jr. In other words, it is high time to tap the town’s huge farm tourism potentials.
I already sounded of my readiness and willingness to help the Mayoyao municipal government’s (through Vice Mayor Padchanan) in transforming the town as a major growth area not just in the second district but in the entire province itself for that matter thus, providing its residents the benefits of growth and development.
Transforming Mayoyao as a major trade and production center of organic fertilizers and other products is not far-fetched. But, it also needs learning institutions, commercial and business centers.
I’m so glad that there is such a very special place in Ifugao known as Mayoyao. Presently, it attracts visitors who want to see one of the few remaining pristine mountains of this upland Cordillera province, interact with a friendly and hospitable people, and experience their simple yet intriguing existence.
This is such an excellent day to make a practical plan for a vacation in Mayoyao by December of this year.
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I am told that Filipinos aren’t exactly the best losers in the world.
Many are complaining that the newly-crowned World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Jeff Horn of Australia actually won in Brisbane over Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao because of a hometown decision. The trouble is Pacquiao is not interested to fight in the Philippines, where only a few are willing to pay costly tickets for his bout.
That doesn’t end there. Pacquiao is paying a bulk of his taxes in the United States instead in the Philippines. Remember, most of his much-publicized bouts are in Las Vegas, Nevada. That’s a bad attitude to take, and the tax numbers reflect it.
Millions of lowly educated Filipinos continue to adore him without realizing that the taxes that should have been paid in the country by Mr. Pacquiao must have significantly contributed to the efficient delivery of basic services for them. Well, they call him the “Fighting Senator.” What is he fighting for in the first place? For the flag and country, I seriously doubt it. He declined the opportunity to represent the Philippines in the boxing event (as a wildcard entry) in the last Rio de Janeiro (in Brazil) and consequently brought home the country’s first gold medal in the Summer Olympics. Para sa Bayan? (For the nation?), I guess it’s obviously for the big purses. Small wonder, he is a multi-billionaire.
Isn’t it high time for Senator Pacquiao to concentrate his time and energy as a legislator? Even his closest buddy, American trainer Roach, advised him to finally hang his gloves. For short, retire! To my mind, there is nothing more for him to accomplish inside the ring. Don’t get me wrong, I once idolized him. But, he carelessly puts his health in jeopardy. Not unless boxers are allowed to use helmets, unless you are willing to risk having a damaged brain?
“Pacman: I won by 4-5 rounds,” the Philippine Daily Inquirer bannered a sports story on its July 4, 2017 issue. So what happened in the seven other rounds? Unless a round ended in a draw or tie, the numbers still speak for themselves. Unfortunately, the unthinking fans are hard up on their arithmetic.
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Loud voices and concrete actions of officials in the provincial, municipal and barangay levels shall set into motion any meaningful action in ensuring that local government units (LGUs) are given their correct shares in internal revenue allotments (IRA). Sadly, there is none.
Ifugao, a poor province, is not receiving its fair share of the IRA. Over the years, Ifugao is getting its IRA in amounts that are much, much, much less than what the law provides.
The Ifugao provincial government is a partner in the realization of the nation’s progress and development. As such, the Constitution has provided it with a broadened taxing power and a just share in the national taxes. In as much as national taxes are paid by residents and corporate taxpayers, who made their living in Ifugao’s 11 towns, thereby making it as a source of the national taxes.
On this note and for all the various reasons which make the Ifugao provincial government an important government unit in the country, I earnestly enjoin Governor Pedro Mayam-o, Vice Governor Jose Jordan Gullitiw and the ten board members to speak out on the matter of compelling government agencies to pay LGUs an additional Php 233.1 billion from 2009 to 2011. Currently, the Supreme Court has yet to render a decision on a pending IRA petition. But, if President Duterte exercises his political will there is a corrective measure in answer to this grievous act of shortchanging the LGUs- and I refer, of course, to the 80 other provinces, 145 cities, 1,489 municipalities and 42,036 villages (barangays).
To Governor Mayam-o: When there’s a will, there’s way. Appraise Ifugao’s IRA now! See the big difference!
Haven’t it crossed your mind that in every Php 1,000 taxes paid to the national government, only Php 1 goes back to Ifugao. Ridiculous, but true! What’s the clear-cut solution to this problem? Federalism!
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Punong Barangay Alfonso Dominong and members of the Poblacion East Barangay Council (in Lagawe, Ifugao) were awarded recently a Certification of Commendation for their participation in the just-concluded Gotad ad Ifugao. It was given by Chief of Police PS1 Peter Cawitan.
Aside from assisting the provincial government on this aspect, the Poblacion East Barangay Council would also be investing heavily in improving the conditions of its residents in the coming months.
To all the hardworking and dedicated men and women of the Poblacion East Barangay Council: Congratulations and Mabuhay!
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I have nothing against the conduct of ethnic games in the Gotad ad Ifugao and at the Indigenous Games. But in the last CARAA Meet in Baguio City, Ifugao placed second to the last. Good wisdom tell us to focus time, energy and resources on events in the medal tally board. Unfortunately, kadang-kadang is the sole ethnic event of sort in the CARAA competition. The same is true in the Batang Pinoy, Palarong Pambansa (National Games), Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games and the Olympics. For practical purposes, why not concentrate on events where Ifugao competitors excel? Common sense tells us that wrestling and weightlifting are medal-rich events well suited for Ifugao athletes.
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For our food delights corner: It’s time to have breaded fish fillet with herbs gravy sauce, coupled with fried rice.
The secret of this great dish is that it goes well with the plate of grilled mussels.
Call it a standard set: so serve this wonderful meal by dinner time with chilled Mangosteen juice and black forest cake.
If however, the black forest cake is not available, you can try the fruta de la crema.
Few years back, I personally served a salad bowl of lettuce, cucumber, pineapple chunks, chopped onions, eggs and bacon bits and flavored with the thousand-island dressing. This is sure to be a hit, a memorable dinner with your family, loved ones or friends.
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Finally, some thoughts for our readers: “There are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise and in this righteousness is to dwell.” 2 Peter 3:13
“We wanted to bring SM’s brand of shopping experience nearer to the consumer and nearer to the neighborhoods. We can only do that if we put up standalone stores. This is part of SM’s calling to go to areas where you can serve better.” Savemore president Jose Tagbo
“I make the human heart beat with passion or tenderness. I stir the pulse of nations, and make brave men do braver deeds, and soldiers die.” Robert Davis who wrote the poem entitled “I am the Printing Press.”
“Most people live and learn. Politicians just live.” A quote from the late Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago **
