Chasing Courage in Davao

I finally made it to Sagada! It lies on a small valley at 5,000 feet above sea level and is part of the Cordillera Mountain range in northern Luzon. To get here, we embarked on a roadtrip without a plan. We passed by Lagawe, Banaue and Bontoc before heading to Sagada. The scenery was nothing short of spectacular. There were an exhibit of rice terraces everywhere, massive and small. The layers of mountains changes color in various shades of green, and hues of blue, depending on the sun. I found myself whispering the words majestic and glorious so many times. I felt giddy with happiness as I took photos of the grand landscapes and tiniest spectacles of nature.
One of the highlights of this trip was that I came to meet people from the ethnic Ifugaos for the first time. In each of our encounters, I slowly learned and came to admire who they are as a people. What struck me the most was the air of silent confidence of the Ifugaos. I suppose that is due to the fact that they truly know who they are as a people. I somehow sensed the fullness and strength of their core.
Ifugao means “people of the hill”. They are traditionally residing in the rugged mountains of central Cordillera. They are best known for their elaborate ritual and legal systems, and more so for their agricultural terracing and engineering skills. Their ancestors built rice terraces on the mountains watered by impounding water in creeks and streams, and using an intricate irrigation system made from palms and bamboos. Their traditional house uses only four post made of a whole trunk of Narra tree and parts are strapped together without the use of nails or iron bolts. The house can be dismantled and rebuilt again to look exactly the same. Their ingenuity is really impressive.
To them, nature and environment is their life, and so they are protecting it and they will not compromise it for unsustainable development and tourism. Mountains that are cared for by Ifugaos have remained protected from deforestation. Tricycles are not allowed in Sagada because they do not want its noise and air pollution. So everyone walks to move around town.
I’ve spoken to an Ifugao woman who owns a massage parlor in Sagada, she once tried it out in Manila. But she was unsettled there and returned home because she realized that life in Sagada, together with her people, is such as a wonderful gift. I totally agree, as I raised my cup and sipped her freshly brewed coffee, the best coffee I’ve ever tasted in my entire life.