By Anthony A. Araos
Apart from the popular Open Air Museum at barangay Nagacadan in Kiangan and the soon-to-open Museum and Kiangan Cultural Heritage Center are must-see sites for local and foreign tourists by early next year.
The museum and the cultural center are both located at the Gabaldon House, well within the Kiangan Central School. In turn, the school, of course, is known as the site where the late General Tomoyuki Yamashita, Supreme Commander of the invading Japanese Imperial Army surrendered to the Allied Forces on September 2, 1945, ending World War II hostilities.
The museum is a depository of artifacts and antiques. It should be visited by students of all levels as part of their History subject.
I’m sure tourists will be visiting the Cultural Heritage Center as soon as it opens. Get to learn more about the province’s weaving industry here. Kiangan weavers- most of them old folks, are creative individuals who produce great items that speak well of Ifugao’s distinct culture and rich history.
How else would one appreciate the distinctiveness of the province’s cultural heritage expressed in the weaving industry that the men and women presently in charge of this endeavor spanned on this well-designed place?
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In the pursuit of the goal to boost Kiangan’s tourism industry, the demand for a full-time, independent Tourism Office- not just a Tourist Information Center, under the Office of the Mayor, should be heard. As such, it is greatly hoped that personnel manning the main Tourism Body (or the Tourism Office for that matter) be employed as regular personnel not merely on job-order basis. The people need it. Kiangan needs it to make it more competitive in Ifugao’s tourism industry landscape.
A staunch advocate of growth and development, Mayor Joselito Guyguyon’s public service work involved many pro-poor projects in the grassroots level, which enhances participation and progress of the impoverished and their communities.
May I therefore, appeal to Mayor Guyguyon and the Sangguniang Bayan- led by Vice Mayor Francisco Dulnuan, to give the proposal a chance to become a reality for it is the municipal government’s primordial concern to upgrade the tourism industry. After all, its realization shall make Kiangan an attractive destination for local and foreign visitors.
With much fire in my heart, this appeal it is hoped, will make a big difference.
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Land and water are precious gifts entrusted to man by God. Thus, the people must take reasonable care at all times, taking into account the benefits derived from them for the common good.
Sadly, the conditions of farmers (as well as fisher folk) in Ifugao are appalling due to low productivity outputs for so many years.
Given the complex world we live in, it is self-evident that a strong push for the mechanization of agriculture in the province is the greatest challenge of the Mayam-o administration.
Currently, farmers and fisher folk have nobody to turn to but loan sharks. There is a pressing need to look for banks whose lending rates are not sky-high.
Likewise, improvement of farm productivity lies in changing farmer’s old, backward practices. What was solely a “secret” at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) at the University of the Philippines College in Los Baòos, Laguna until the South Vietnamese (and other Asians) studied there in the 1960s and 1970s. Today, with mechanization, direct seeding and valuable lessons at IRRI, Vietnam was able to cut the costs of rice production. It is now even exporting rice to the Philippines.
The task of lawmakers is to promote the well-being of poor farmers, especially those in remote barangays and even more particularly those in depressed or marginalized villages. This is where the need to subsidize the farmers’ needs like fertilizers and seeds, should come into the picture.
Even the question related to losses in agriculture due to the drought or dry spell brought about by the El Nino phenomenon and typhoons is closely related to understanding the plight of the farmers. It is therefore, in this context that discussion of the provision of seeds and fertilizers altogether, would illuminate on the foregoing factors as vital elements in overcoming the long standing problems in the agriculture sector.
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At the IPRA Thanksgiving Day and Gong Festival I attended recently at the Baguio Convention Center, members of the Ifugao Student Organization presented the Dinnuyya dance. Others in the province’s contingent also performed an Ifugao dance number. Congratulations for your splendid performances!
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The Provincial Males’ Congress was held recently in Lagawe. Organized by the Provincial Social Welfare Development Office (PSWDO), the two-day activity was a resounding success.
It is my firm belief that the PSWDO will greatly help the participants gain a better perspective of vital concerns with the end view of uplifting their lives.
The PSWDO and the Mayam-o administration should take the cudgels in stressing intervention care mechanisms for men for confronting societal ills such as addiction to drugs and other vices.
A lot of problems persist. But, the PSWDO- under the stewardship of Josefine Niwane, is exerting its utmost to pursue programs, projects and activities aimed at protecting and fulfilling the rights of men at the socio-cultural, economic and political spheres. The above cited project is most helpful in advancing the over-all development goals of the provincial government.
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Life’s oddities. Only in the Philippines!
At a press conference just before a world boxing championship in the United States,
American challenger: “I will beat you black and white and grab the crown.”
The other contender from the Philippines: “I will beat you red, white and blue and land
grab the crown.”
American boxer: “I am going for a knock out.”
Filipino boxer: “No way for that to happen, I am going for a brownout.”
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Finally, some thoughts for our readers: “The Peace of Christ is not handed to us on a silver platter- it is sought.” A Biblical thought.
“Acceptance of one’s weakness strengthens self-confidence.” A thought from my high school teacher.
“Democracy is a wonderful system. It provides you to vote for a politician, and then to watch on TV as he is tried for plunder and graft.” As quoted from the late Miriam Defensor-Santiago.**
