PASAY CITY, METRO MANILA— About seven in 10 passengers of domestic airline flights will save time from lining up once an order integrating terminal fees in the cost of plane tickets takes effect.

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) inked an agreement with major airline companies on integrated terminal fees for domestic flights.

The new system takes effect from August 1, said DOTC Secretary Mar Roxas.

“We appreciate the airline companies’ full cooperation who worked assiduously in instituting the new system to provide a better and efficient airport service to air travelers,” Roxas said.

The integration of terminal fee into the airline tickets was  previously rejected by carriers due to the perceived complexity of sorting out the amount. This is attributed to the number of exemptions granted by the government to different passenger groups.

Under the new system, only exempted passengers such as athletes, overseas workers, senior citizens and babies under two-years old —which make up 30 percent of total passengers for domestic flights— will line up at designated claim booths for terminal fee refund.
Currently, passengers need to complete four procedures before boarding their flights: initial screening upon entering the terminal, check-in counter to get their boarding pass, payment of terminal fee, and the final security screening.

By skipping the payment of terminal fees, domestic passengers can do other things before boarding the plane.

The transition time to fully implement the new system is expected to last until middle of next year as there will still be a terminal fee collection booth for those who have already bought their tickets without terminal fee.

Before the year ends, terminal fees for international flights will be included in the plane ticket cost.

Meanwhile, the DOTC earlier unveiled several measures to solve the problem of runway congestion at NAIA. From 62 five years ago, the total airplane fleet here doubled to 119 today.

As part of this effort, the government has allocated P800 million to night-rate 14 additional airports in Tagbilaran, Legazpi, Dumaguete, Butuan, Ozamis, Cotabato, Naga, Dipolog, Roxas, Pagadian, Tuguegarao, Busuanga, Surigao and San Jose, Mindoro.

The rehabilitation of NAIA Terminal 1 is also in progress while Terminal 3 will be in full operation early next year once the 23 airport systems, including baggage handling system and closed-circuit televisions that will cover all areas of the terminal, are delivered by Takenaka Corp.

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Contact number: (+0632) 5599540

Email address: fgsphilippines@gmail.com

Short description of business: Buddhist temple

Short description of products and services: Modern 10-storey multi-functional building used as a Buddhist temple and as a vocational school (Budhi Learning Institute) and a cultural center.

HINGYON, IFUGAO – Though less prominent than neighboring towns like Banaue or Lagawe, the town fiesta at Hingyon is not lacking in color and more importantly, tradition.

There isn’t much information to be found about this tiny Ifugao municipality. A quick Google on Hingyon and the most “interesting” I found was this set of photos – a few road signs here and there, some houses, an empty town plaza, people lolling around, even ducks and chickens literally crossing the road.

But it was no ordinary day that greeted us when we reached Hingyon, after a rough-and-tumble 12-hour bus ride straight from the city. There was a swarm of people at the town plaza and munisipyo (municipal hall).

Every mid-May, the town celebrates “Gotad ad Hingyon” – gotad, in the Ifugao dialect, is synonymous to fiesta. Like any town in the country celebrating its fiesta, it was a time to be merry, to eat sumptously and partake of tapuy or local rice wine.

Most of the people were dressed in their Sunday best. But for some, like Mang Romelindo, it means dressing up in traditional Ifugao attire – handwoven wanno (g-string), sash and headgear. Barefoot, of course. The ladies, too, were wearing traditional skirts and blouses, distinguishing themselves from the ukay-ukay fashion of the teenagers.

Mang Romelindo tells me village elders like him make it a point to wear traditional clothing during the Gotad. “Young people are not too comfortable with it,” he tells me in Tagalog. We did see children wearing the same attire – but judging by how fidgety they looked, I would assume they were forced to by their parents for the sake of the fiesta.

On the subject of food, there was plenty. Although unofficial, it seems as if it’s the mayor’s duty to feed everyone in the town even for a day. The feast included adobo, igado and pancit served by the batya or wide basin.

Coming in as the mayor’s guests, we were seated in the VIP tables but we were nonetheless served the same dishes. I still have fond memories of the peppery igado and the papaitan. We also took it as an opportunity to talk to the locals over lunch (and a few shots of tapuy).

Hingyon remains a fifth-class municipality, not too well-off compared to Banaue and Lagawe. But the latter towns have the natural advantage of tourism (the Banaue rice terraces), and Lagawe being the provincial capital. There are rice terraces in Hingyon but are not even close in terms of scale to those in Banaue.

Dondon Baguidudol, a municipal administrator who also served as our guide, tells us about plans by the local government to develop a rainforest area to become a sort of park and wildlife sanctuary. In terms of livelihood, Hingyon is also promoting its native coffee flavored with native tinawon rice.

We spent the rest of the day watching more activities, including a showcase of native dances (including the traditional Ifugao chanting called hudhud that, unfortunately, we missed) and traditional Ifugao games.

There was a sort of spear-throwing contest joined by women – but using what looks like talahib or native shrub. For the men, it was arm-wrestling and the bultung, or native wrestling, with local policemen serving as referees.

There was plenty of food and drink, games and most of all, fun and laughter. Everyone seemed genuinely happy in this tiny town that day. It was like nothing like those rather drab and nondescript photos I saw before getting there.

(Check out more photos of the Hingyon town fiesta in our Facebook page.)

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BANAUE, IFUGAO PROVINCE – Tucked behind the lush earth colors of the Batad Rice Terraces is another must-see destination called the Tappiya Falls.

Heading to this site can prove quite the challenge especially for the not-so experienced – you have to walk for about an hour through rice paddies, steep rock formations and narrow, slippery trails.

But if you take on the challenge, you will be rewarded with an awesome view of the rice terraces in Batad.

The experience can be overwhelming that one can only admire Ifugao forefathers who managed to create this 2,000-year-old UNESCO World Heritage Site out of their bare hands.

A few more miles from the amphitheater-like terraces will have you trek numerous steps and ravines. If you happen to have a fear for heights, you’ll do fine if you look straight ahead and watch out for falling rocks.

And just when you think the climb is never ending, lo and behold, as you have before you the majestic view of the Tappiya Falls.

The water gushes down to a large pool where you can take a dip and refresh after having conquered such a tiresome journey. You can also admire the view as you sit at the large stones ensconced just a few meters away from the falls.

Despite the challenging trail, tourists from here and abroad still dare to go just to see what makes it spectacular.

Travelers from Tripsiders.com cited reasons why tourists should never miss visiting the “majestic beauty and overwhelming power of the Tappiya Falls.”

Foreign nationals Elysia and Andrew of Thattravelingcouple.com chose Batad as their “favorite place on Earth” highlighting just about everything – from the rice terraces, local cuisine and the people. And, of course, Tappiya Falls.

On a personal note, this perhaps is the longest, most stressful trek I have done in as far as communing with Mother Nature is concerned. Seeing the locals make their way to Tappiya without much of a strangled huff and puff had me thinking if I have aged more than my years.

However, the saying “the true value of a reward comes from hard day’s work” applies in this case.

Tappiya Falls is definitely more than just a “wow” expression given that there are other similar, or maybe even greater, waterfalls you can find elsewhere in the Philippines.

What gives it more value is the once-in-a-lifetime view of the Batad Rice Terraces that you can only appreciate if you set upon the adventure itself.

How to get to Batad:

From Banaue, you can take the regular daily trip to the Batad Saddle at 3p.m. Or, you can hire a jeepney to take you to the Saddle. From there, you need to hike about 30 to 45 minutes going to Batad village itself.

Make sure to register with the Batad Environmental Tourist Guides Association (BETGA) and ask for a guide to take you to the Tappiya Falls.

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BANAUE, IFUGAO PROVINCE – So you’ve made it to Banaue to see the rice terraces. Feeling more adventurous? Go to Batad.

Should you ever hear about the Banaue rice terraces as a UNESCO World Heritage site, technically what’s being referred to are the terraces found in the villages of Batad and Bangaan, both covered by the municipality of Banaue.

(The rice terraces in Banaue town proper – the one that appears in the 1,000 peso bill – is technically not a UNESCO-declared heritage sites.)

Batad is famous for its ampitheater-like terraces and considered by some as the most visually-stunning among five heritage sites in Ifugao – the others located in Hungduan (also referred to as Hapao), Kiangan and Mayoyao.

According to local lore, the first settlers in Batad were led by an Ifugao native named Omanger from the village of Kimbulo. While hunting, he was led to a spot where he decided to settle down and cultivate the land.

Omanger – who I’m assuming is a sort of demigod – carved terraces in the mountains until it became what it is today – a postcard-perfect view of the Batad terraces.

An American missionary visited Batad village in the 1970s and from then on, word of its magnificent-looking terraces spread around.

For those planning to go to Batad, here are a few tips to help guide you on getting there.

Choose your mode of transport. From Banaue town proper, you can either hire a jeepney to take you or your group to Batad. But whether you’re part of a big group or it’s just you, be prepared to pay 2,000 to 3,000 pesos.

Or, you can hire a tricycle – the fee varies from 350 to 500 pesos. But trikes can take you up to the junction only, marked by the UNESCO marker. Meaning, you need to hike up about six kilometers (or about 45 minutes to an hour) to the “Saddle”. Jeepneys go directly to the Saddle.

In our case, since there are only three of us plus our guide Webber, we took two trikes. Psyche yourself for a bumpy ride because portions of the road leading to Batad are still unpaved.

Prepare yourself for a hike. If you choose to alight at the junction and walk your way to the Saddle (like we did), be prepared to hike. For big groups, I wouldn’t recommend this since you can share the jeepney rental – unless you’re adventurous enough for an uphill climb.

Once you get to the Saddle, you can take a breather and rest a bit before another 2 to 3 kilometers of descent – much easier this time – to Batad proper. You can buy cold drinks and some snacks at the Saddle although I would recommend buying these before leaving Banaue – prices get higher as you get nearer to Batad.

You can also buy walking canes or sticks here to help ease some weight on your legs when you hike downwards. Also, leave Banaue as early as you can to steer clear of the noonday sun.

Cool off – the natural way. On the trail leading to or from the Saddle, there are various spots where spring water flows freely. Drink as much as you can – it’s clean, a bit cold and totally refreshing. Refill your bottle if you wish. Just don’t take a bath.

Take time to breathe. Along the way from the Saddle going down Batad, you can make several pit stops in wooden shacks selling souvenirs and cold drinks. Fill your lungs with fresh mountain air – you’re far far away from pollution after all so might as well make the most out of it.

To keep yourself interested during the hike, take time to look around and appreciate nature around you. Webber, our guide, pointed to us native trees like  halong (used to make traditional Ifugao huts, and palayon (good for firewood).

For those going to Batad, hiking is inevitable. But as they say, it’s not the destination, it’s the journey. Once you get to the village and catch your first glimpse of the terraces, it will be worth it.

How to get to Banaue:
Ohayami Buses bound for Banaue leave Manila daily from 9 to 10p.m. Terminal is located along Lacson Street (or Forbes St.) corner Espana Boulevard near UST. Travel time is around 10 to 12 hours.

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LUCBAN, QUEZON—The streets of Lucban literally burst into an array of colors, welcoming throngs of people who trooped here to witness the annual Pahiyas festival.

Greeting tourists are the colorful kiping (rice wafer), images of the patron saint San isidro Labrador and different fruits, vegetables and even life-size farm animal mock-ups adorning more than 300 houses competing for the best Pahiyas design.

The sound of drums and merrymaking were also heard from different streets, while others turned their stereos and played lively music to cheer up the crowd.

Like any other fiesta in the country, the Pahiyas is an influence of the Spanish who told native settlers that San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint for farmers, plowed the fields after every mass to ensure a bountiful harvest.

In his honor, the town made the fiesta brighter by the creation of kiping and the colorful decorations using crops and other farm produce.

According to the history book “Kasaysayan at Tala ng Bayan ng Lucban, Quezon” (by Pantaleon Nantes, 1952), the feast of San Isidro de Labrador every May 15 is one of three major fiestas celebrated in Lucban.

As an agricultural land, the people grow and harvest their best produce in time for the festival, which takes its name from the Tagalog word hiyas (jewel) and pahiyas (offering).

Like in the years before, the festival was the town’s way of showing gratitude to their patron saint San Isidro Labrador for a good harvest in the past year and the town’s way of seeking blessing for the upcoming year, says Lina Corporal, who sold fried kiping during the festival.

Kiping or rice wafers are made from flattened rice dough and then mixed with food coloring, before they are arranged in chandelier-like aranya. If you want to see how kiping is made, it is best to visit Lucban a day or two before the feast.

Brittle, soft and crunchy, the kiping is said to be similar to the Mexican tortilla but thinner and more colorful. Deep fried and added with a pinch of salt or sugar for flavor, vendors like Lina sell kiping as snack.

For only 10 pesos per order, passersby, especially first-timers, tried out the fried kiping, a welcome treat while walking and taking photos of the Pahiyas-designed houses.

During the fiesta, you will also see  people peddling Lucban specialties like longganisa and pancit habhab.  According to Lina, the Pahiyas fiesta is always a good opportunity for vendors like her because of tourists.

Also, by indulging in local food, visitors are able to have a richer experience of Lucban beyond taking photos of the coloful kiping and Pahiyas decorations.

Locals usually allow guests to go up their house to have their photo taken while smiling at the decorated window on the second floor – a proof of the warm hospitality of the people of Quezon.

This year, most of the houses were adorned with vegetables such as sayote, eggplant, string beans, upo, and squash—all fresh from the farms and gardens of the locals.

Some would even offer guests a taste of their homemade delights and specialties such as Auring Barticos, who offered friends and strangers alike a taste of puto and pinangat na laing straight from her kitchen.

Ramon Rajinan, meanwhile, took a different approach to the usual design by focusing on the use of eggshells and the motif of an ant factory. The result? His house grabbed the attention of onlookers as it stood out to be neat and beautiful at the same time.

Mang Ramon says he used the egg shells from the factory where he works to cut on expenses, and chose to sell most of his produce instead of using these as decorations.

By tradition, the Pahiyas vegetable decorations are taken off once the procession of San Isidro which is similar to the Agawan festival of nearby town Sariaya, said Gemma Padre, who hosted LOQAL.ph at her ancestral house in Sariaya.

All of the produce must go, since it is believed to attract good luck, so the people at the procession— even those not from Lucban – bring along sacks and bags as they gather the treats, according to Tita Gemma.

Truly, the spirit of the Pahiyas festival goes beyond the merrymaking and the colorful decorations. It is a time to give thanks for a good harvest and a time to share blessings to others that help cultivate the value of gratitude and sharing among Filipinos.

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LUCBAN, QUEZON—In addition to the colorful kiping, it is typical for tourists to see houses adorned with vegetables and straw during the Pahiyas. But Lucban native Ramon Rajinan took a different route and adorned his house with egg shells and shaped some into worker ants.

“I believe the ants are a symbol of great industry and that best typifies someone who hails from Lucban,” said Ramon Rajinan, the designer behind the ant colony-inspired kiping decoration.

In keeping with the Pahiyas fiesta, Mang Ramon also used kiping made into chandelier-like aranya and to highlight several parts of the decoration.

One day while working at a local egg hatchery, he thought of taking the eggs with him at home and painting them to design worker ants.

Using his creativity and some art tools, he was able to design his model ants months before the festival. As the worker ants kept growing in number, he started collecting the discarded egg shells and brought over a thousand of them to be used for the annual town fiesta.

Mang Ramon admits that he is very prudent with his money and resources. As the family breadwinner and without a farm to till, he said that the being creative and resourceful are key to help make the celebration extra special for his family.

Unlike most of the townsfolk who can afford to decorate their houses with agricultural produce -  which would be discarded later as treats to passersby after the San Isidro procession – he says egg shells allowed him to enjoy designing the facade of their house while keeping costs at a minimum.

This way, he was able to put a good feast for his family and guests without spending too much.

From afar, the house of Mang Ramon might not seem as colorful as the other houses that are adorned by colorful decorations. His was a simple, more elegant in tone, but he preferred it that way, he says.

Onlookers would usually pass by his home due to the lack of “color” but some would instantly take a second look upon noticing others admiring the worker ants in the overall design. Some even posed for a few shots with Mang Ramon’s house in the background after admiring the work of art.

Mang Ramon says he might opt to keep the decoration until the end of the month to allow other family members to see the decoration after the Pahiyas festival.

In every colorful fiesta of the country, someone like Mang Ramon shines not because of the extravagant ornaments and loud colors but because of the minimalistic approach to design that makes it even more beautiful.

And just like the ants in his story, Mang Ramon exemplifies how an artist can reflect the virtues of prudence,industry and simplicity, much like giving a part of himself in his work of art.

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GUMACA, QUEZON – Quezon is one of the few places where an entire province holds festivities in honor of the same patron saint.

For Quezonians, it is San Isidro Labrador (St. Isidore the Laborer). This is because the province was home to Spanish friars who turned Quezon into an agricultural supplier. St. Isidore is, in fact, the patron saint of farmers.

On May 15, municipalities all over Quezon Province conduct their own celebrations. Among the most popular is Lucban and Sariaya. Few know that even quiet municipalities also have their own activities, which could actually be just as big, colorful, and noisy.

One such town that also holds San Isidro festivities is Gumaca, a coastal town that is also one of the hardest places to visit, primarily because it takes at least two hours by land to reach. Going there also means having to pass by the concrete but still treacherous Zigzag Road of Atimonan, which cuts across a cliff-laden parts of Sierra Madre Mountain.

Upon reaching Gumaca, one would wonder how this place could celebrate an event just as noisy as the agawan in Sariaya or even the colorful event of Lucban. Indeed, Gumaca has only a short but rather frantic activity at the very end of the San Isidro Labrador event. They also call it agawan and is in similar fashion as the one in Sariaya.

The official name of this activity is Arana’t Baluarte . The arana is a bundle of fruits and vegetables that is hung up on the bamboo baluarte (arc).

These arcs are spread along a predetermined San Isidro parade line, which starts at the right entrance of the Cathedral of San Diego de Alcala, goes through several streets and come around until it reaches the front of the cathedral.

In each street where it stops, a baluarte, representing one of the 17 municipalities of Gumaca, is made. Each municipality would bring its most popular agricultural products, which are arranged and hung in the middle of their assigned baluarte.

At the feet of each of these arcs are residents who give away a variety of merienda items, from puto at kutsinta, biko, suman, leche flan, maja blanca, bibingka, palitaw, among others. They also offer water and coconut juice to those attending the procession, which is a very welcoming offer especially since the procession starts at around 3 p.m. when the sun is still beaming down.

After the parade, another procession is held and this time it brings out a statuette of St. Isidore. As the slow procession passes underneath each baluarte, the agawan begins. Gumaca residents, mostly men and young boys from nearby towns, go after the aranas. Often, they actually clamber up the bamboo and wooden arcs to cut down the bundles of produce.

Accidents do happen when heavier items, such as a bunch of bananas, fall on top of persons’ heads. Many of the fruits and vegetables wouldn’t survive the onslaught of men picking them off.

This particular activity may seem strange to most visitors, especially after knowing that the fruits and vegetables are actually farmed by the very men trying to grab them. It is because the tradition states that these farm produce have been blessed and having a few of them is believed to help farmers have good harvest seasons for the year.

At the end of the day, all the delirious snatching is for a good thing among the residents of Gumaca.

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MANILA CITY, METRO MANILA— The pilgrim image of Bicolandia’s Our Lady of Peñafrancia has arrived in Manila to visit various parishes to give devotees a chance to see the image.

The image left Naga City on May 13 via the Philippine National Railway’s “Pilgrim Train.” En route to Manila, the train will make whistle stops in Ragay, Hondagua, Lucena and San Pablo stations, according to Marilyn Flores of the ’3 Million Rosaries for Ina Crusade’.

Upon arrival at the Tutuban station in Manila, a mass was celebrated followed by an overnight vigil.

The Patroness of Bicol will then be brought from Tutuban to Sta. Monica Parish in Tondo until May 18.

The image will then be transferred to Santa Maria Goretti Parish Church at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center along United Nations Avenue until May 21, followed by a visit until May 23 to the Philippine Daily Inquirer Office in Makati City.

“After the prayers to ‘Ina,’ there will be ‘mantling’ or a healing ministry unique to Our Lady of Peñafrancia, that involves laying of her ‘manto’ (cape) on the faithful,” Flores said.

According to the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, the visit of “Ina” to Metro Manila is meant to spread the devotion beyond the borders of Bicol and also to invite participation of the public in the crusade to raise three million rosaries for Mother Mary.

Under the 3 Million Rosaries for Ina Crusade, rosaries will be distributed to public elementary and high school students of catechesis nationwide.

The pilgrim of the Our Lady of Peñafrancia will travel back to Naga City in September in time for the annual festivity.

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BANAUE, IFUGAO – If there’s a perfect embodiment of the “bayanihan” spirit of the Filipinos, it is the rice terraces of Ifugao.

For two thousand years, the rice terraces have thrived largely because of “baddang” (or “badchang”), which loosely translates to bayanihan in the Ifugao dialect. And it’s the same spirit that drives the preservation of these natural wonders in this age of global warming and climate change.

I have come to realize this for myself after spending a day with Webber Chuccar, a native of Batad village. Batad is famous for the ampitheater-like form of its terraces and is considered the most visually-stunning among five UNESCO world heritage sites in Ifugao province.

The rice terraces are covered by ancestral domain; meaning there are no official land titles with Ifugao families recognized as rightful owners. Ownership of one or two rice paddies (which form the terraces) is passed from one generation to another thereby assuring maintenance.

Inheritance follows the natural order in families – the eldest son or daughter is the rightful heir. But what if the eldest sibling decides to forego his right due to circumstances such as marrying a non-Ifugao, or simply the desire to live a life in the city or elsewhere?

“The eldest sibling remains the rightful heir unless he or she openly expresses consent of passing it on to the next sibling,” Webber explains. But it’s not a simple matter of affixing one’s signature – remember, as mentioned, there are no official land titles involved.

If the next sibling, for example, gets married and takes over the ownership, his wife’s family must slaughter a pig and maintain the land until such time he can raise enough money to pay the elder sibling.

The slaughtering of the pig is a ritual that is witnessed by the entire community in recognition of this transfer of inheritance. As much as possible, the ownership is transferred among siblings or close relatives, and not to someone outside of the immediate family.

A sibling, however, can choose NOT to relinquish ownership entirely but rather “share” in the harvest. If the elder sibling chooses not to maintain the land, a younger sibling or relative can do so.

If the rightful owner, for example, chooses not to maintain the land for a year, the one who takes over can claim sole ownership of the harvest for another year; each succeeding year after that, the rightful owner is given a share.

These traditions ensure that the terraces thrive even with the departure of older siblings. Webber tells me it’s unheard of that an older sibling simply refuses to claim his or her inheritance.

“We have been taught by our parents about the value of our land,” he says. “When we were young, we are called upon to help plant and harvest in the terraces. So even if we choose to live a life outside of our hometown,we know the value and importance of maintaining it.”

Speaking from first-hand experience, he narrates: “I have an aunt who married a non-Ifugao and is now based in Manila but remains the rightful owner of their land. Although her eldest son was raised largely in the city, she tells him he will inherit their land someday. She made it a point to bring her son here and teach him the value of his ownership.”

Webber, who now works as a tourism officer for the provincial government, is the sixth among eight children. Their second eldest sibling now maintains their land but their eldest remains the rightful owner.

So how does bayanihan figure into this? A family, for example, can call on their neighbors to help plant and harvest (there are two crop cycles in a year). In return, they are expected to render help when called upon by their neighbors. It’s a community thing.

The same applies in efforts to restore damaged portions of the terraces caused by recent earthquakes, typhoons and other natural disasters. This adds to an already growing problem of soil erosion caused by the lack of rainfall and not enough trees in the mountains to keep irrigation steady.

“A family whose land is damaged can call on their neighbors to help in the stonewalling. It’s understood that they are responsible for feeding the workers to sustain such efforts. In return, they are expected to help a neighbor who makes a similar call,” Webber says.

So, therefore, the bayanihan spirit that drove the creation of the rice terraces is the same spirit driving the Ifugaos to restore and rehabilitate their ancestral land in these modern times.

Now if the spirit of the badchang can be applied by the rest of the country, there is no limit to what we Filipinos can achieve, even on a much lesser scale than the rice terraces of Ifugao.

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