BONTOC, Mountain Province – The public-private partnership is at work even in simple ways!
This was known in the efforts of the Maligcong Tour Guides and Homestay Owners Association (MTGHOA) in Barangay Maligcong, Bontoc, this province that installed solar streetlights within the main street of Favuyan, a sitio where the homestays are located.
According to Joseph Peckley, an officer and member of the organization, 7 seven (7) solar street lights were installed and more will be coming.
“From the P30.00 being collected as environmental fee from each tourist, P5.00 is the share of the Association and the rest goes to the barangay”, he said.
The accumulated share of the Association was used to purchase the installed solar lights of 300 watts. As the environmental fee has been recently increased by a municipal ordinance, Peckley is asking that the share of the association will also be increased to facilitate more street lights to be installed.
Instead of the government taking care of the street lights, the Association is embracing the responsibility. Less worries for the government.
The cost of the solar lights is P1,600.00 per piece and were installed sometime in April 2022.
The guide fee is P500.00 for a group of 1-5 persons. Additional P100.00 is being collected per additional person.
The place boasts of the scenic Mount Kupapey which is very popular to tourists for early morning catching of seas of clouds, the Mount Fata known for sunset viewing, and the famous rice terraces.
Its share of tourists is visibly noted on weekends and holidays when the 7 homestays are usually full. Tourists are seen to line up to Mout Kupapaey during dawn for the early sunrise and sea of clouds.
Meanwhile, the Association is also moving for the improvements of the tourist attractions in the place. They are also planning to look for other spots to be opened like falls and caves to augment the tourism attractions aside from the fabled Maligcong Rice Terraces.**Roger Sacyaten
