By Anthony A. Araos
An enterprising business owner in Lagawe, Ifugao wants to build her medium-rise hotel and tourism multi-complex facility.
Christine Martin, owner of CBM Tea Hut and Farm Restaurant, successfully planned a medium-scale tourist facility nestled at a far-away rural setting. It is located at Purok Buyyucan in Barangay Tungngod.
Most of modern-day rest and recreational facilities in the country’s 81 provinces are situated at the main barangay Poblacion area. This holds true in the upland province of Ifugao.
This time, Ms. Martin wants to put up a not-so-large scale version of a resort destination that can attract local and foreign tourists.
So you want serenity and enjoy the site of lush scenery? The place to visit is CBM Tea Hut and Farm Restaurant.
It is certainly a wise investment to boost farm tourism (or agritourism) in the Philippines. Among others, farm tourism is most helpful in boosting the income of poor agricultural families.
Indeed, a farm restaurant as this one is a perfect place to understand and appreciate the merits of farm tourism.
For one, CBM Tea Hut and Farm Restaurant offers a tempting cup of lemon grass tea and sumptuous dishes prepared and enriched with freshly-harvested vegetables. Fruits are also in abundance. You name it- you’ll have it, such as coconut, mango, avocado, pineapple, jackfruit and banana. Needless to say, juices and shakes are aplenty. Eating here is really a refreshing experience. The restaurant boosts of four kitchens. At this must-visit destination is a panoramic view of the majestic Ibulao river along-side verdant mountains. The owner is planning to continue developing the sprawling place whose main draw soon is a swimming pool. A tennis court is also being considered.
To my mind, CBM Tea Hut and Farm Restaurant is a fast-emerging tranquil place to nourish and recharge tired and exhausted bodies.
Bring your family closer together. There is no other place to choose than CBM Tea Hut and Farm Restaurant, where you can easily spend more time with them.
Fascinating! Invigorating! Relaxing! Fulfilling! This is in a nutshell is what CBM Tea Hut and Farm Restaurant is all about.
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To ensure an increase in tourist arrivals in Ifugao, the provincial and national government should prioritize the construction of roads leading to tourist sites. For instance, the road going to Bahawit Resort (in barangay Poblacion South of Lagawe) is unmistakably terrible. This shall discourage local and foreign visitors from considering the place in their travel itinerary
The resort can serve as a venue for various social events such as birthdays and weddings. But how come, only a handful is coming to the place? Actually, I went to the place recently for the first time and found it remarkably good. It so happen that it is the only wholesome resort found in Lagawe.
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Former foreign secretary Perfecto Yasay isn’t perfect after all.
He was rejected (meaning his confirmation) by the Commission on Disappointments, rather Appointments on the citizenship issue. Well, in a country where mediocrity has prevailed over any other positive factor in considering an appointed position at the national level, that always happen.
Most of the time to some quarters, the issue of serving the people is no longer important. It should just take the back seat. Silly! Just because a Filipino acquires a US citizenship does it make a person less a Filipino? A number of Filipinos left the country during the dangerous and turbulent years of the martial law regime of strongman Ferdinand Marcos. They returned home and still have the burning passion to serve the people. Without a doubt, Perfecto Yasay is one of them.
Adding insult to injury, issuance of his passport was reportedly held in abeyance by the Department of Foreign Affairs. This shows utter lack of gratitude from someone whose invaluable contributions to the nation is hard to dispute.
My professor at the University of the Philippines, Perfecto Yasay really doesn’t need the job. Now, he just needs a haircut, according to a report of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
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Ifugao’s pregnant women, many of them young, attended recently a program at the provincial capitol building in Lagawe in what was billed as a caring initiative for “buntis” (pregnant) individuals.
Nothing wrong to focus the attention on them at a time the nation is celebrating the Women’s Month. But it doesn’t end there. How about looking into their plight at a time the province’s poverty incidence rate is still high? Many of them are poor thus, are vulnerable to high maternal death rate. This is particularly true in remote barangays of Ifugao. In Lagawe, the absence of a hospital is easily a source of grave concern. The policy on merely relying on midwives is simply outdated, unrealistic and unreliable. Nothing against these overworked but underpaid midwives. Did it not ever cross your mind that hospitals are better equipped with appropriate medicines, equipment and manned by nurses and doctors?
I’m even wondering why there is no discussion at all on the plan to extend the maternity leave of working pregnant women to 120 days from 60 days. By doing so, the assurance of helping ensure their babies’ nutrition is greatly enhanced.
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Ifugao is truly fortunate to have a dedicated and hardworking TESDA (Technical Education and Skill Development Authority) provincial director in the person of Genaro Ronald Ibay.
I found him to be a person who knew what the problems of youthful Filipinos who want to obtain vocational education, thus, providing them an access to it.
Today, TESDA plays a key role in the nation’s continuing quest to attain growth and development. It is for this reason why TESDA is in a very good position to undercut the problem on the high poverty incidence in several provinces such as Ifugao. Sadly, in Ifugao’s 11 municipalities, many are poor and jobless.
For one, it is tasked to train highly-skilled workers who are largely ending up being hired abroad. These workers, such as welders, are receiving high salaries in foreign countries. TESDA graduates have the reputation for high motivation in study and work attitude.
Mr. Ibay is easily a towering figure in Ifugao whom many idolized and admired for many years. God bless and keep up the excellent work!
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There are programs scheduled in Ifugao to coincide with the annual Women’s Month celebration this month. One of them was conducted recently in Kiangan.
But you know what is really happening in Ifugao? If indeed women are being held in high esteem and respect in the province, why are female officials just but a few?
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan is an all-male legislative body. The province’s 11 mayors and 11 vice mayors are all male. Lagawe has only one female councilor. Of the 20 punong barangays in this capital town, there is only one female village chieftain. I am referring to Punong Barangay Norma Abuan of Poblacion North. Truth to tell, the women are underrepresented in the decision-making process.
Fact: the Vice President of the Philippines is a woman. No less than Maria Leonora “Leni” Robredo. The Philippines has produced two women presidents, namely the late Corazon “Cory” Aquino and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Presently there are four women senators. They are Senators Riza Hontiveros, Loren Legarda, Leila de Lima and Cynthia Villar. And the Honorable Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes A. Sereno is a woman.
In Ifugao, 60 percent of the voters are women. And you’re saying you cannot elect women to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Sangguniang Bayan and Sangguniang Barangay?
Nonesense!
One explanation advanced on this matter is that the political system is patriarchal in nature. Well, may I add that it simply revolves around the principle of male chauvinism.
Gender-role stereotyping is absolutely disgusting. Addressing the need to end the invisibility of women in public affairs is the order of the day in Ifugao. No ifs and buts!
Wake up women, stand up and be counted. Let your voices be finally heard. Repeat: you have the numbers.
The Ifugao women should realize that they have a key role in elevating and transforming the province into a developed place from a poverty-stricken one. Stop deluding yourselves that only men can lead. Stop thinking that women are only useful in a parade during Women’s Month celebration. If you want change, you should aspire for change now!
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Finally some thoughts for our readers: “Power tends to corrupt, absolute power corrupts absolutely.” This is quoted from Lord Action. **
