Ifugao & Nueva Vizcaya: Banaue mornings and a stopover in Dupax

Imagine waking up to the cool Banaue morning with a view of the rice terraces and tree-covered mountains just outside your window. That's what I experienced at the Banaue Hotel for the past few days, with rooms, function rooms and a restaurant that provides panoramic views of the rice terraces. That's one cluster of terraces in the Banaue poblacion which is still free from eyesores and other unsightly structures.

It was our last day in Banaue and I'll definitely miss the cool mountain air and the great views. Before leaving for Manila, we listened to Ifugao Governor Teddy Baguilat talk about the challenges they have been facing in the preservation of the rice terraces and possible solutions to these problems. It's indeed very difficult to push for the preservation of these terraces when almost every young Ifugao dreams of making it big in the city, when G.I. sheets and hollow blocks become a status symbol. But there is definitely hope since the community realizes now that they are custodians of a legacy to the world.

On our way back to Manila (I was asleep again for most of the trip), we made one last stopover at Dupax del Sur to check out the San Vicente Ferrer Church which is a National Cultural Treasure. We had lunch there too. Anyway, it's back to school for me.

How to get to Banaue, Ifugao
Florida Bus has a regular trip from Manila direct to Banaue. It leaves Sampaloc, Manila (Lacson St. cor. S. H. Loyola St.) at 10:45 p.m. Or you can take any bus that goes to Cagayan Valley and get off at Solano, Nueva Vizcaya where you can catch regular trips to Banaue and other towns in Ifugao. From Baguio, KMS Bus Lines and Ohayami Trans leave for Banaue at least twice daily.

Protecting endangered traditional landscapes

International heritage luminaries are meeting in the Philippines for the first time from 2-8 December 2007. They are members of ICOMOS (International Council of Monuments and Sites), the official international organization of architects, landscape architects, urban planners, archaeologists, anthropologists, historians, tourism professionals, lawyers, and other professionals involved in the heritage conservation profession who are recognized as international leaders in the field.

Headquartered in Paris, ICOMOS is the international organization that regulates the worldwide conservation profession and is the only NGO accredited to advise the UNESCO World Heritage Committee on cultural heritage matters. Its Philippine members are prominently involved in conservation projects for the government or private sectors and are also members of the academe.

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Ifugao: Rice terraces in Hapao and Hungduan

Today was a fantastic day! I finally visited one of the UNESCO-inscribed terraces, the Hapao and Poblacion clusters in Hungduan. There are five all in Ifugao and the cluster in Banaue poblacion is not one of them! These five are Hungduan, Mayoyao, Nagacadan in Kiangan, and Batad & Bangaan in Banaue.

It was a one and a half hour jeepney ride from the Banaue town proper to the Hapao Rice Terraces in Hungduan. Then from there, we motored to the Hungduan Rice Terraces in the Poblacion. We were welcomed by the mayor and other city officials. Lunch was served in front of the municipal hall. Around the area were examples of traditional Ifugao dwellings.

Before proceeding back to the hotel, we then passed by Lagud Village Learning Inn, a community-based tourism project where tourists can opt to stay in traditional Ifugao dwellings. In fact, there have been five Japanese exchange student living there for several mounths now, immersing with the community. We also donated P200 for kids to a plant tree in our name, part of reforestation and fund-raising efforts for the education of the young Ifugaos.

We finally got back at 4 p.m. and I decided to take a power nap before our next appointment. Dinner was at a campsite in Banaue. Kudos to the Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement (SITMo) for organizing this great tour and for taking the lead in the preservation of the rice terraces.

How to get to Banaue, Ifugao
Florida Bus has a regular trip from Manila direct to Banaue. It leaves Sampaloc, Manila (Lacson St. cor. S. H. Loyola St.) at 10:45 p.m. Or you can take any bus that goes to Cagayan Valley and get off at Solano, Nueva Vizcaya where you can catch regular trips to Banaue and other towns in Ifugao. From Baguio, KMS Bus Lines and Ohayami Trans leave for Banaue at least twice daily. From Banaue, you can get transportation to Hungduan.

Nueva Vizcaya: We're off to Banaue

Today, the delegates of the ICOMOS-CIAV Scientific Conference 2007 proceeded to Banaue where we will be staying for the next few days. The scientific conference is an annual meeting of vernacular heritage experts from around the globe. I was asleep for most of the trip since I did not get enough sleep the previous nights. We stopped by Balete Pass along the way. More popularly known as Dalton Pass, this marks the boundary between Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya, and therefore Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley as well.

We had a sumptuous lunch at the Governor's Hotel in Solano town. As we arrived, we were welcomed by a marching band from the local elementary school. After lunch, we were off to Banaue. Again, I was fast asleep so there's nothing much I could say. And the next thing I knew, we had arrived.

The view from my room in the Banaue Hotel was great. Imagine waking up in the morning and the first thing you'll see are rice terraces and tree-covered mountains. Dinner was superb too! It looks like I'll be gaining more pounds if they keep dishing up this great selection of dishes.

How to get to Banaue, Ifugao
Florida Bus has a regular trip from Manila direct to Banaue. It leaves Sampaloc, Manila (Lacson St. cor. S. H. Loyola St.) at 10:45 p.m. Or you can take any bus that goes to Cagayan Valley and get off at Solano, Nueva Vizcaya where you can catch regular trips to Banaue and other towns in Ifugao. From Baguio, KMS Bus Lines and Ohayami Trans leave for Banaue at least twice daily.

Manila: International heritage experts gather at the National Museum

For the next few days, the Philippines will host heritage experts from the International Committee of Vernacular Architecture (CIAV) of the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). To open the ICOMOS-CIAV Scientific Conference 2007, the ICOMOS National Committee Philippines hosted a gathering at the National Museum.

The local heritage community came in full force. Me and my tokayo Ivan ManDy had our photos taken with HCS President Gemma Cruz-Araneta (Miss International 1964) and Margie Moran (Miss Universe 1973) among many others.

Of course, we took the opportunity to request for a rare private viewing of guess what? Yes, we got the very rare chance to take our photos with Juan Luna's Spoliarium and other Luna and Hidalgo paintings under the strict guidance of a conservator.

The Spoliarium won the gold medal in the Exposicion General de Bellas Artes in Madrid in 1884. Another major painting on display is the Assassination of Governor Bustamante, a major and controversial mural of Felix Hidalgo showing friars murdering the governor. Also in the collection is Luna's La Bulakena, which is in line for declaration as a National Cultural Treasure.