By Anthony A. Araos
Mayoyao truly offers a lot of sites for local and foreign tourists to see for their most exciting experience. From rice terraces to waterfalls, the more time the visitor stays here, the more fun and adventure awaits him or her.
So what else is there to visit in Mayoyao town? That is the question. Interest is really a matter of personal choice.
By merely going to Mayoyao is already the beginning of a trip influenced by an excellent choice.
For history students and tourists alike, now you can have the most thought-provoking trip of your life without waiting for all-souls, all saints day. I’m, of course, referring to a visit at barangays Bangan and Bonhal where “apfo-or” or tombs are found. These tombs were built specifically for a family. Small wonder, the town’s burial system is said to be kin-based.
For so long, many have considered how and why a mound of large rocks got neatly piled up in some places in Mayoyao.
Visiting these apfo-or tombs speaks of a journey into Ifugao’s past. Everything seems related to the practice of stonewalling and the construction of rice terraces with bare hands.
All told, a trip to these villages at the eastern portion of Mayoyao is a memorable adventure for anyone. It is certainly not difficult to see that some practices of rural upland indigenous people’s communities in this part of the nation are worth re-evaluating.
All said, these few remaining relics of the past are strangely situated in areas offering overlooking view of a picturesque municipality.
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While the unemployment rate in poverty-stricken Ifugao province is still high, there are those who are not giving up on these uncertain and hard times.
Take the story of a friend of mine, for instance, in Lagawe who is into operating a sari-sari store business.
Mrs. Daisy Cabiggat used to work at the Poblacion North Barangay Council. When it comes to cooking excellent meals or dishes, she’s one of the best. Take my word for it.
Mrs. Cabiggat, who also worked in Taiwan, has two grown up gems who are presently studying in Israel (as an exchange student) and in Dasmarinas, Cavite at the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA).
The government is duty-bound to provide appropriate support and assistance to individuals like her who are engaged in small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Got to protect them because what really matters most is the welfare of poor Filipinos. The government should not forget its responsibility to serve the people, most especially the poor and needy.
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It’s just a matter of time and it is already officially summer season. Watch out for the occurrence of heat stroke, a condition where the body overheats (usually above 40 degrees Celsius) from continued exposure to high temperatures. So drink a lot of water.
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There are still a couple of months remaining in 2017. It’s not yet too late in the day for Governor Pedro Mayam-o to start building up the tourism industry.
I simply cannot comprehend the conundrum of a province with a magnificent natural terrain like Ifugao, yet it is not visited by local and foreign tourists in big numbers. Governor Mayam-o should promote tourism with strategic planning so as not to put all the weight on Banaue to draw visitors.
Strategic planning only means bringing in intelligent men and women into the drawing board. Dismal record of tourist arrivals in Ifugao will hang like a deadweight albatross around any leader’s neck.
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The Philippine Daily Inquirer, the nation’s leading daily newspaper, came out recently with two interesting news stories. On February 11, it bannered the following story: “Plunder excluded from death penalty.”
In essence, it was reported that most of the members of the House of Representatives expressed their opinion against the move to include plunder offense in the proposed death penalty measure in Congress.
Of course, are the Congressmen about to do something stupid like signing their death sentence? Most Filipinos are reportedly expressed their criticism and dismay to the position taken by the members of the lower chamber of Congress.
I’m just wondering if a tricycle driver, fish vendor or a janitor is capable of committing the crime of plunder? Fact: three senators and several congressmen are presently facing plunder charges in connection with alleged misuse of their priority development assistance fund, or pork barrel, allocations intended to mitigate rural poverty.
While on February 15, the Inquirer news story “Death penalty bill to cover plunder anew” gained so much interest among its readers. In a change of heart, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said the proposed measure shall cover plunder cases.
All indicators, however, point to a direction that most Congressmen are likely to vote against any provision relative to the inclusion of plunder in the proposed death penalty bill. It is highly unlikely for them to enact a measure that is simply detrimental to their interest.
Still, most Filipinos continue to address their congressmen and senators as Honorable men and women. I’m glad even the President chose to drop the word “Honorable” when addressing him, while others insist on doing otherwise.
Efforts to mount a concerted action to block any move for the exclusion of plunder offense in the death penalty bill should now be started.
Henceforth, may I cite the observation of the late Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago on this matter: “The Supreme Court has declared the pork barrel as unconstitutional. But during the time when pork barrel was still a legitimate exercise of the power to reduce poverty, it became a widespread source of corruption from no less than the leaders of our country. I refer to those who are elected senators and representatives. This sordid case of plunder in our political history is evidence that corruption is caused by a top-down process.”
One of the most telling truths about the magnitude of the corruption problem in the country is the way that people around the world think or perceive about Filipinos. Fact: the most corrupt country in Asia is the Philippines in 2015, according to an article of the New York Times. In other words, the Philippines is rank Number One! What foreign analysts are saying, therefore, is that it is so difficult to expect the Philippines to attain progress if rampant corruption in government persists.
This is the time to be circumspect. May I, thus, interpose two queries in relation to analyzing the questionable position of the congressmen on this matter.
First, what do the congressmen, as supposed protectors of public welfare, stand to gain from exempting themselves from liability covered by the death penalty bill on the commission of plunder offense, now deemed self-serving?
Secondly, what are the human, social and political costs of shielding them and other politicians from the imposition of death sanction on plunder offense?
It is for this reason that the congressmen and senators have been a source of all sorts of jokes. Filipinos even started calling them “coingressmen,” “tongressmen” and “senatongs”. Are Filipinos really short of memories? Have they forgotten the infamous Janet Napoles? Need I say more?
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At the just-concluded CARAA Meet in Baguio City, where Ifugao placed second to the last, 159 “honorary officials” and delegation officials comprise the 391 men and women contingent of the province. That’s about 40 percent of the entire delegation.
Next time, it is prudent to send a lean but mean delegation. By 2018, why not just send 15 honorary officials. Why? Money to be saved should instead be allocated for the needs of the athletes. Vital funds should be used judiciously. Junket trips should altogether be discarded. Attention: Commission on Audit, you’ve got some job to do!
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Finally, some thoughts to our readers: “In the preparation of the national budget, government has the right to request and identify projects.” Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno
“The members of Congress are the people who will support the President when he is wrong.” Quoted from the late Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago.**
