By Anthony A. Araos

The basic industry of Ifugao province has always been agriculture.
Beginning in the 1990s, the tourism industry has contributed to personal income in the province. Tourism activities in Ifugao were limited largely to significant tourist arrivals in Banaue where the world-famous rice terraces are situated.
All told, rice terraces in Mayoyao and Kiangan as well as other towns have enormous attractions for local and foreign tourists. Mind you, these terraces easily provide panoramic views of the Cordillera’s verdant forests.
But, inadequate protection of the environment and ecology brought forth serious problems to the terraces. Many were severely damaged.
Thus, the need to develop a cohesive, sound, long-term policy for the rehabilitation of these rice terraces is inevitable. So that it can contribute to the economic development of the province and improve the lives of the people.
With a good number of these rice terraces in very bad shape, the tourism industry also suffered. This was projected as inability to meet head-on the problems of rehabilitating these terraces. All others, of course, are affected. Generation of more jobs is hardly taking place, because there are no investors. With more investments, the more jobs could be created to curb poverty. Overall effort to save these rice terraces shall start with the vision to uplift the lives of the people in these marginalized upland communities.
Set in 2016. Executive Order No. 39 was issued on September 30. It was heralded as “Organizing the Ifugao Rice Terraces Rehabilitation and Development Council in the Province of Ifugao, Defining its Functions and for other Purposes.”
The Ifugao Rice Terraces Rehabilitation and Development Council has an initial budget of Php1 million.
Expectedly, Governor Pedro Mayam-o is the chairman. There is also a co-chairman, vice-chairman and members.
Curiously, among its members are the mayors of Aguinaldo, Asipulo, Banaue, Kiangan, Hingyon and Mayoyao towns.
I felt instinctively that something was awfully wronged. How about the mayor of Hungduan?
Hungduan accounts for about six or so rice terraces sites in its locality. These include Abatan, Bokiawan, Baang, Hapao, Nungulunan and Poblacion. Most or some of them are at sick bay and needs rehabilitation. Hungduan’s terraces are even listed as World Heritage Sites of the United Nation’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
If the list has been prepared by the Office of the Governor but Hungduan has not been included, then something must be wrong somewhere. What is a good explanation for this serious error? We have to have a basis for excluding Hungduan, so we can simply ignore this observation. If not, we can still make the necessary changes.
No one knows the rationale of excluding Hungduan when in fact its mayor, Hilario Bumangabang was even one of the speakers of the “Human Resources Development Program for Sustainable Development of the Giahs Designated Site “Ifugao Rice Terraces” in the Philippines” on March 25, 2015 at the Ifugao State University (IFSU)-Nayon in Lamut.
This factual basis clearly overturns the presumption of a simple clerical error or “I forgot it” on the part of the concerned party.
I’m also thinking of the “undue injury” caused to the Hungduan municipal government. It is clearly prejudicial to the municipality.
Hardest for the Hungduan municipal government to cope with were those individuals whose earnings are derived from these rice terraces. In effect, this means solving the problem now takes a longer and tedious route.
Although this view, voiced with a great concern for the endangered rice terraces, is understandable, a number of factors must be considered in order to set the process of rectifying the mistake with a somewhat broader perspective. First and foremost, what has been discussed here as having taken place in the high echelon of the officialdom is only one instance of a vast number of instances that might have been used to illustrate the need to really understand the problem.
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With the huge number of boxing fans in Ifugao, the Bantamweight Championship of Luzon Professional Boxing Association of the Philippines needed the spacious Banaue Gymnasium as its venue for this major event.
The slugfest, sanctioned by the Games and Amusement Board (GAB), also featured matches of upcoming amateur boxers.
It also showcased the talents of the province-grown boxers. Congratulations to boxing expert Adel Martin, all the winners, organizers, trainers and all other participants.
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JDT Inn in Lagawe, Ifugao is a strong partner of the provincial government in boosting the tourism industry. It is located at JDT Building, particularly in Inggiling Street. It is close to the boundary of Barangay Poblacion East. It is just a few steps from the public market.
After a day of touring the capital town or nearby Hingyon town, luxurious and comfortable accommodations await the local and foreign visitors. Each room is distinctly decorated and furnished.
JDT Inn- which has been accredited by the Department of Tourism (DOT)- will also serve young travelers and businessmen, allowing the town to benefit from the Philippines’ ever booming tourism prospects.
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Today, the Philippines is the anomaly of Asia. She is the first independent, democratic country of Asia, with a presidential form of government, yet she has really no independent foreign policy. Even elementary jobs creation policy has not uniformly prevailed.
When the American occupation ended, Filipinos continued to be unsure of themselves.
Now, they are renaming Benham Rise to Philippine Ridge.
How about Burnham Park? It was designed by American architect Daniel Burnham when he mapped out the development of Baguio City in 1905. So rename it to Baguio Park? Nonsense!
How about Session Road, Session Road, Harrison Road, Kennon Road, Ferguson Road, Melvin Jones Grandstand, Camp John Hay and so forth?
In the months ahead, President Duterte will no doubt assert his country more and more in foreign affairs and adopt an international stance more in keeping with her economic capabilities. It is therefore appropriate to begin with developing first the economy. The continued exodus of Filipinos to foreign countries in search of greener pastures illustrates the difficulties confronting the Filipinos as they reluctantly face the need to leave their loved ones for high-paying jobs abroad. This reveals that it is not so much particular foreign influence on names of places that trouble the Filipinos as the frustrating lack of decent-paying jobs provided by their local masters.
Hence, the need to go beyond renaming places, roads, sites and landmarks arises. More significant than the actions undertaken by some quarters, however, it deals with reversing policies on liberalization, privatization and deregulation.
Shall it take five more years for the president to realize that if he did not quickly and resolutely attend to the problems of joblessness and poverty, nothing would ever happen to (even with the best intentions) renaming all places- from American to Philippine. It remains to be seen how in the long run this will affect patterns of development in poverty-stricken areas of the Philippines.
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I am commending Hingyon Mayor Gerry Luglug and other municipal government officials for scrapping their town fiesta in order to attend to pressing problems on solid waste management. Funds allocated for the festivity were reportedly realigned for the purchase of garbage disposal equipment and facilities.
They prioritized health and environmental concerns over and above merry-making activities. It is my hope and prayer that such an act should be emulated and replicated by other towns in Ifugao.
Many are wondering why there is a need for extravagance and profligate spending during these fiestas since there seems to be pronounced underdevelopment in the province’s 11 towns. More importantly, Ifugao already had for many years its Gotad Ad Ifugao festivity. It would be more prudent to allocate these funds for the resolution of longstanding problems of Ifugao. Maybe, when Ifugao’s economic turnaround takes place, the holding of the fiesta should be considered.
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Treat family and friends to a weekend food bonanza with a pizza, Caesar salad, breaded pork chop in mushroom sauce, grilled-marinated squid, Java rice and leche flan. Make it extra special by preparing chilled guyabano juice or strawberry shake on the side.
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Life’s oddities: Only in the Philippines! The English word “Followed” seemingly has a new meaning here. Of course, it meant, to take the steps of someone else for a directional purpose.
Here’s why. Teacher: What is “Followed”? Student: It is an act of loading your cellphone if your balance is 0. Teacher: How come? Student: at a store, Miss, FOLLOWED nga po ng Php 10.
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Finally some thoughts for our readers: “Throughout the world, icons are very important.” Dr. Daniel Doyle, a professor of religious studies at the University of Dayton University in Ohio, U.S.A.
“The only thing we are not importing are our politicians, because that is what we have in abundance.” The late Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago
The Almighty has done great things for me.” Luke 1:49 **