I've been to Bontoc a lot of times, but I just pass by it and I felt so guilty that I just took it for granted. I made several attempts to explore the place but it's always half done and followed by "there'll always be a next time". For my readers who are not familiar with Bontoc, Bontoc is the capital town of Mountain Province which is located in the upper area of Luzon Island. It is a 12-hour travel by land from Manila,so if you're patient with long drive, this is the place for you. Bontoc, is the gateway to more amazing places in the province and the Maligcong rice terraces is just one of them!
 |
| Coffee break, it's damn cold |
December of 2018, I was looking for a place to go for a holiday with the family, and my first choice was the Mt. Province...but where? I thought of Bontoc right away so I searched in the internet and the first one I read was the Maligcong Rice Terraces which is becoming popular. I read blogs and viewed pictures and it looks amazing, so I booked for a homestay, bought bus tickets and off we went! I know it's going to be a long journey, 12 hours sitting in the bus needs a lot of patience but I don't care I'm still excited for it. I looked forward to see the breathtaking views along the way which always makes me unknowingly notice the passage of time! Another 30-minute jeepney ride from the town proper to Maligcong awaits as we arrive in Bontoc. And that's it! The jeepney will stop right in front of the homestay. That easy huh!
 |
| I want more coffee. |
The homestay has a nice view of the rice terraces in the patio, which is a cosy place to enjoy the cold weather while sipping a hot cup of brewed coffee. Oh I can imagine. Well of course, going and walking along the rice terraces is more fun than sitting and watching! We didn't waste time we just waited for our guide and it's time to explore! The Maligcong Rice Terraces is the pride of the people of Maligcong, it represents the perseverance and dedication of the aborigines which at present is still the source of their staple food. Like other rice terraces in the Philippines it took years of farming in the mountain slopes using less scientific knowledge.The Maligcong rice terraces was built with stone walls to make it sturdy and resilient to natural disasters. Although some parts of the terraces have been already damaged by the recent strong typhoons, the local farmers are still doing their best to maintain the terraces.
Apart from the rice terraces another interesting place to visit is the Favarey Village which is the original settlement of the locals. The cluster of authentic Ifugao huts with thatch roofs are now modernized and replaced with tin. We were supposed to visit the village on our second day but we were told that "teer" (te-er) will be held so we visited at once. "Te-er" is a prominent tradition in the Mountain Province where villages are closed to visitor because it is their day of rest or a ritual is going on and it must be respected.
The alleys are like maze and are confusing where a stranger can get lost in that small village. They practice burying the dead in their yard, so tombs beside the houses is a normal sight.
We reached the highest point of the village where they mark it as their sacred ground, where three big trees stands, the "papattay" where most rituals are held. Usually the golden period or harvest season happens during the months of July to August but not in Maligcong! I was surprised to see the golden rice terraces in the heart of the village, an occurence that I wish to see and it is so remarkable! By the way, Maligcong is one of the best producer of glutinous rice or malagkit" in the country.
 |
| The "papattay". |
 |
| Standing in front it and smiling. |
My journey in Maligcong is not over yet I have to see the planting season on April when the terraces turns to green, and won't hesitate to return for the harvest season when it will turn to gold!
THANK YOU FOR READING!
