Tags: Indigenous Culture, Natural Wonders, Travel Tales and Tips
By Lawrence Casiraya
SAGADA, MOUNTAIN PROVINCE - He may not look as spritely or physically fit as his fellow tourist guides, but he more than makes up for it with his quick wit and warm smile.
It was his wide smile, punctuated by two or three missing front teeth, that greeted me when I opened the door at six o’clock on a typical foggy Sagada morning.
At 49 years old, Mang Lodong, whose real name is Esteban Solang, is the oldest member of the Sagada Genuine Guides Association (SaGGA), most of its members half his age. He would be our guide as we explore Sagada’s natural wonders that day.
But he’s still learning, he tells me. He started being a guide three years ago, having been a farmer all his life. He still farms in Sagada’s rice terraces. (No wonder he was described to me beforehand as “three-fourths farmer, one-fourth guide”.)
Tourism in this rustic town town boomed since the late 1990s, attracting visitors thirsty for cultural immersion while enveloped in the year-round cool climate of this mountain town.
It gave locals like Mang Lodong an opportunity to earn extra aside from living off the land. He has five kids, he tells me, the eldest now working in Manila.
Members of SaGGA get regular training on first aid. Which is why Mang Lodong is never without his ratty backpack, on which proudly hangs his ID.
“I learned how to communicate in English and Tagalog,” he says. He is soft-spoken, his voice gentle but clear.
Mang Lodong kept us entertained during our hour-long trek to Bomod-ok Falls, both with his annotations and off-the-cuff retorts.
Down the trail at Fidelisan, he pointed to a mining site, then to a small hut where he said they kept the gold (of course, it was timber). Another time, while going down a steep trail to Lumiang Cave, he looked up to us and said: “Sorry Mam, our escalator is under repair.”
There is never a dull moment with Mang Lodong, even when there’s not much to do. While we were waiting for a ride back to town, we talked about a variety of topics – from tapuey to pinikpikan to what could have driven this former general to commit suicide.
Inevitably, I asked him if there is a downside to the growth of tourism in Sagada. To my surprise, he himself mentioned the M-word (read: marijuana).
Contrary to common perception that it is grown organically in Sagada, Mang Lodong says this persists primarily because Sagada is a haven for foreigners.
“But chances are, if you ever find some here, most likely it came from the outside and just supplied here,” he says, noting that there are harsh penalties for locals caught dealing illegal stuff.
As we ended the day sipping tea and coffee at Lemon Pie House, Mang Lodong caught me by surprise one last time when he suddenly said: “Sir, if you have comments for my further improvement, let me know or you can text me so I can become better as a guide.”
Such enthusiasm is admirable for someone his age. We were lucky to have chosen him as our guide.
Get more information about Sagada Genuine Guides Association
Related stories:
A close encounter with coffins at the Lumiang Burial Cave in Sagada
Lodging at Sagada remains affordable despite the tourism boom
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