Just a correction on the lyrics that you’ll see in the video:
* It’s “traveled hills” not “troubled hills”
* It’s “all laden with pine” not “O’laden with pines”
* It’s “dressed in green” not “dress in green”
* It’s “spawned my love” not “spoiled my love”

I think there are other minor corrections but I’m not 100% sure myself so let’s let it stand for the moment.

By the way, kudos to the person who made the video.

Want to read more on Sagada? Click here. Especially check out this one.

PHOTO CREDIT: Sagada Lemon Pie House.

The earlier post on land grabbing in Baguio reminded me of Woody Guthrie’s song, This Land is Your Land. You can read more about the song at Rex Pe’s blog. You can also read more info on Woody Guthrie, one of my favorite singers, at woodyguthrie.org.

For me, what’s most interesting in the song is the part that goes:

As I went walking I saw a sign there
And on the sign it said “No Trespassing.”

If we are not alert, we will be seeing “No trespassing” signs all over the Cordilleras.

I’m not sure if it’s still there but I once saw (and was shocked to see) a “No trespassing” sign in my beloved St. Mary’s School. Apparently, you are not allowed to pass through the school’s hallowed grounds if you are not enrolled as a student. It may be good for the school but it destroys the sense of community which Sagada is also famous for.

VIDEO CREDIT: Pegasusi.

***
Eight people died while ten others were injured when a jeepney bound for Besao fell down a ravine in Pegew, Sagada. The jeepney was coming from Bontoc, Mt. Province.

According to Joel Fagsao of mountainprovince.net, the eight people who died are:

Mr. John Botengan, Sr.
Philip Alda, Sr.,
Linda (Tuesday) Begalan,
Paulyn Buko
Rosa Bal-i
Adeline Bad-ay
Francis Buyagan, Sr.
Belina Balisong

The following are injured and are presently confined at the Bontoc General Hospital:

Saturnina Tade
Sylvia Balangyao
Libby Tade
Janice Beyden
Lyn Palangdao
Cynthia Banga-an (in serious condition)
Felisa Balao-is,
Daniel Tano
Beliana Bayodang
Waldo Masweng

For more information, visit mountainprovince.net. Our condolences to the families of those who died.

Let’s take a break from controversial (and depressing) stuff like those Baguio City Council members (except Councilor Tabora and Vice Mayor Fariñas) voting to buy cars for themselves to give out our next Boon Award.

If you remember, we give this award to people or groups who have done something good for their communities. This time we are giving the award to the Sagada Genuine Guides Association (SAGGA) for their “cave vandalism cleanup”. Visit this site and read more about the group.

As you’ll see in the above video, the members of SAGGA spent their time cleaning up the writings/ paintings/ markings of destructive mammals who wanted to immortalize themselves by vandalizing the cave’s walls. I guess it’s human to try to leave your mark wherever you can but let’s not do it by destroying the work of nature.

So let’s give a shoutout to the SAGGA kids for their effort to return the cave to its “unvandalized” state. Thanks, guys and gals for your service to the community. We hope you continue your good works.

We also hope that those Baguio councilors (Hello, Councilor Balisong nga kailiyan ni Nadjhin!) will learn a lesson or two from you kids about the meaning of “community service” or “public service”.

For our previous Boon Awardees, click the following links:
1. The Catholic Church for maintaining the Bontoc Museum.
2. Government Employees and their cleanup project.
3. The Bibaknets Educational Subsidy Fund.
4. MPGCHS Principal Evelyn Taguiba.
5. La Trinidad Mayor Artemio Galwan.

Of course, we also have the Boo Award for those whose actions are “booable”.
1. A judge in Baguio city.
2. Baguio city officials for filing a case against Tabuk cityhood.

And here’s an explanation of the Boo and Boon Awards or the Boondock Awards. If you know of any person or group who deserves to be praised or to be booed, please share the info in the comment section. Thanks.

VIDEO CREDIT: SAGGA.

It is interesting to note that Sagada appears to have more pine trees now than in the past. It should give hope to Art Tibaldo and the Bantay Busol Movement.

RELATED: Our Town: Sagada, Mt. Province; Those Hanging Sagada Coffins; And Then the President Came to Town: Part 1 and Part 2; What? Sagada Is Not Unique? PHOTO CREDITS: Eduardo Masferre and Daniel Ziegler.

Here’s a note from Kent Sinkey about Rhoda:

She was the owner of Sagada Weaving. Her wake lasted until 12:30 p.m. today (October 1); the mass, the eulogy and burial were held today in Sagada at Saint Mary’s the Virgin Church. I believe that thousands of people attended the wake and we broadcast for three days to friends and relatives in the U.S.

The picture is of Mr. Dennis Faustino, the principal of Saint Mary’s School of Sagada and Rhoda Bondad, dear friends together since the early 1970’s. I took the picture during Christmas 2003.

Rhoda’s business, Sagada Weaving, was the biggest employer in Sagada for many years. May Rhoda Bondad rest in the arms of her God for ever and ever, and may the memories of her last in Sagada just as long.

Thanks Kent. We hope we have more people like Rhoda Bondad who, not only provided employment for iSagadas, but who was also instrumental in giving birth to the vibrant weaving industry in Sagada; a lot of women, who were trained at Sagada Weaving, have established their own home-based weaving businesses.

Entrepreneurs like Rhoda are exactly what the Cordilleras need if we are to improve as a region. We’re sure she will be missed not only by her family and friends but by the Sagada community as well.

Update: Gina Dizon has an article on Rhoda Bondad which you should read here.

INFO/PHOTO SOURCE: Kent Sinkey.

Granted we do not know the details of this project, but if the goal is to “build an online tourism database for Sagada and Banaue” and to “provide the medium for digital (travel) transactions directly from consumers to service providers” surely they can do it for much much less, say P500,000. Maybe P1 million to be a bit more generous. Boy, do we smell a fish?

From Sunstar Baguio:
Internet link for Sagada, Banaue proposed

TO FURTHER boost tourism arrivals in the region, Internet connectivity of the major tourist destinations here was proposed.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is working for the development of an online database for Banaue, Ifugao and Sagada, Mountain Province. The plan is among the major components of the agency’s project on eco-tourism development for Sagada and Banaue.

Enhancing the information and communications technology in Cordillera is expected to boost the competitiveness of the region’s tourism industry, the DOST said.

The proposed Internet connection, with a budget of P6 million, would be established in the ethnic villages that would be identified and in tourist information centers.

It further aims to provide the medium for digital (travel) transactions directly from consumers to service providers.

It also targets to improve the provision of information needs of stakeholders of the tourism industry and to lower traditional communication costs of local tourism-related businesses.

The development of an online database for Sagada and Banaue is one of the high impact projects being proposed by the DOST.

Initial funding for the proposal amounts to a total of P97.1 million, including expenses for monitoring.

The online database would complement the plan to strengthen existing local tourist information centers by focusing on the promotion and advocacy components. (JC)

INFO SOURCE: Sunstar Baguio.

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