Huntsman Spiders in Baguio City and the Cordillera Region

These are "huntsman spiders" or "giant crab spiders". It's quite common to find them lurking in our homes. They can grow really large thus making them look intimidating and dangerous. For this reason, some people resort to squashing/killing them. 

In reality, these spiders are harmless. They rarely attack humans and they prefer scurrying away. They have venom but these are only enough to immobilize their prey (small insects). 

Unlike other spiders, huntsman spiders don't build webs to catch prey. Instead, they forage and hunt. 

Intimidating as they may look, huntsman spiders are not enemies. They're friends. They can help get rid of pests like cockroaches in your home.

The Benguet Lily (Lilium Philippinense) Conservation Status

This is the Benguet lily (Lilium philippinense), a plant species endemic to the Cordillera Central Range. We often take it for granted when we see it but this plant's population is rapidly declining to the point that researchers who studied it consider it a "threatened" species. This means that this plant is vanishing and if nothing is done about it, the road to extinction may not be too far-fetched. 

The Benguet lily usually grows on steep and grassy mountain slopes or rocky/gravelly open areas. When they're not flowering, they can be hard to spot because they blend very well among the grass and shrub. But they become very prominent when their flowers bloom which happens within the months of May to July.

Here are some of the reasons cited by researchers as to why the Benguet lily's population has seriously declined:

1. Over-collection. The plant and its flowers are often collected and used as adornments for occasions like weddings, graduation rites, etc. 

2. Destruction of their natural habitats.

3. Climate change. For the Benguet lily to survive and propagate, specific environmental requirements have to be met. 

Conservation of the Benguet lily is going to be a challenge because studies have shown that it's difficult to cultivate it outside of its natural habitat.

"Threats to this species are attributed to habitat loss which is caused by natural events such as soil erosion and anthropogenic activities such as road widening, over collection and land conversion. With these threats, the natural populations of this species are declining and therefore require immediate conservation strategies before they become totally extinct."

That's a quote from the published paper about the Benguet lily by Teodora D. Balangcod, Virginia C. Cuevas, Inocencio E. Buot Jr., and Ashlyn Kim D. Balangcod. If you're interested in reading their papers, see the cited sources below.

Sources:

1. Geographic Distribution of Lilium Philippinense Baker (Liliaceae) in the Cordillera Central Range, Luzon Island, Philippines by Teodora D. Balangcod, Virginia C. Cuevas, Inocencio E. Buot Jr., Ashlyn Kim D. Balangcod; 2011

2. Cultivation and Conservation of Lilium philippinense (Liliaceae), the Philippine Endemic Benguet Lily by Teodora D. Balangcod, Virginia C. Cuevas, Ashlyn Kim D. Balangcod; 2011

3. The Benguet Lily (Lilium Philippinenses Baker) by G. A. C. Herklots

Images: 

Photos 1-3: (Phyto Images, Southern Illinois University)

Photo 4: Reddit, Baguio subreddit

Becoming Mad and Asking Why the River is Flowing

Here's another book you can add to your shelf of Cordilleran literature. Penned by a homegrown Cordilleran author, it's an interesting concept for a book. It's presented as an ethnoautobiography, a form of writing that merges elements of autobiography and ethnography. 

So what you get is a brew of the traditional and the contemporary; eastern thoughts and western thoughts. Because it's an autobiography, the author meditates on what these are, what they mean, and how we might understand them better. 

It's a deeply personal book so as a reader, expect your understanding of things to clash rather often with the author's understanding of things. 

I think we need more books like this. It boldly meditates on culture, history, and religion beyond what's considered factual or established understanding. 

📖 Becoming Mad and Asking Why the River is Flowing: An Ethnoautobiographic Account of an Igorot Woman

✏️ Allu Kuy

*First published in 2014. The second edition was published in 2025 through the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

Synopsis:

This thought-provoking ethnoautobiography offers an intimate account of three generations of Igorot women navigating the profound intersections of tradition, colonization, and personal identity. It explores subtle yet valuable Indigenous knowledge systems that can only be truly understood through an individual's lived experiences. The author traces her lineage and develops her wisdom through one of the longest surviving lines of shamanic practitioners in her community.

Through vivid folktales, dreams, and personal anecdotes, the story weaves a philosophical discourse that bridges Indigenous knowledge with contemporary thought. In an exploration of existential themes, it tackles issues of Indigeneity, social justice, spirituality, religions, colonization, and the complexities of reconciling modernity with ancestral beliefs.

The author challenges dominant narratives and dualistic perspectives while seeking to offer transformative solutions for understanding and embracing Indigenous ways of seeing in the modern world. At once personal and universal, this work is an essential contribution to decolonial studies, Indigenous philosophy, and women's studies. It is a call to action for scholars, communities, and individuals to reclaim their narratives and take control of their own histories. It paves the way for the empowerment of marginalized voices to articulate their experiences and insights, enriching the tapestry of the global discourse on decolonization.

Kaputan: The Wild Mushroom That You Can Eat Raw

In the Kankana-ey language, this wild mushroom is called "kaputan". Locals like to eat it raw.

History of the Half-Tunnel (Halsema Highway) in Bonglo, Atok, Benguet

This is what the half-tunnel in Bonglo, Atok, Benguet looked like many years ago before the road was paved and before the construction of concrete parapets as a safety measure.

This section of the Halsema Highway is a popular stopover for motorists and travellers. It was carved out of solid rock. Construction of the Halsema Highway started in 1922 under then Baguio City mayor Eusebius Halsema. It's now the most important highway in the Cordillera region.

However, the half-tunnel was carved out only in the 1960s when Typhoon Trining washed out this section of the road. Two mining companies whose operations were heavily affected by the closed road decided to collaborate to help reopen the road. 

The whole story about the carving of the half-tunnel and reopening of Halsema Highway is best described by Rufino Bomasang who left a comment when we previously posted about the half-tunnel. 

Here's his comment in full:

"This portion of the Halsema Road was completely washed out by Typhoon Trining in the late 1960s (actually in October 1967). I know this for a fact because I was then Project Superintendent of the Boneng Copper Project in Atok, Benguet under Itogon-Suyoc Mines, Inc (ISMI) and we were monitoring what was happening because the road was closed for weeks and Suyoc Mine and Lepanto mine, both in Mankayan, Benguet were isolated. The two mining companies then agreed to cooperate to reopen Halsema Road with Lepanto clearing all the slides from Mankayan all the way to the washed out portion in Atok, while ISMI would drive a half tunnel through the washed out portion. Thus,  Eng’r. Godofredo Acosta of ISMI (who was formerly my Assistant at Boneng but reassigned to Itogon) was assigned as Project Engineer and under him was a crew of mostly Igorot miners from Itogon headed by Mr. Omero, Mine Foreman of ISMI. According to Eng’r Acosta, the driving of the half tunnel was completed by his crew from ISMI without the involvement of Lepanto, whose crew was concentrating on clearing the slides all the way to Mankayan."

Butatiw or Butattew: The Ghostly Lights in Cordillera's Mountains

The "butatiw" or "butattew" is a phenomenon that has fascinated people for centuries. It's a bright light or group of lights that you see from a distance at night-time. You usually see them at a far-off mountain. They look like they are dancing as they tend to dart from side to side. 

The "butatiw" inexplicably grows bright, dims, then grows bright again. It also has the abilities to divide, multiply in number, and then merge again to become one. One moment, you are seeing one light, the next moment you see two or three lights. It also seem to be able to travel from one place to another with amazing speed. In the blink of an eye, the light can disappear then reappear on the other side of the mountain. 

Cordillerans have various names for this mysterious light. They call it "butattaw" in Kalinga. The Kalanguyas call it the "banbanillag". The Ibalois call it the "buntatew" or "buntato". The Balangaos in Mountain Province call it the "manmanangaw". The Bontocs call it the "futattiw".

What exactly is this "butatiw"? The answers are diverse depending on who you ask. Some say these are harmless ghosts. Some say these are bad omens - a sign that there will be a death in the village or a natural disaster is approaching. Some say these are friendly spirits that guide lost travelers. Some say these are gods who have come down to earth to check on their creations. More modern interpretations say these are the lost souls of those who died during the Japanese occupation.

Taking these folkloric interpretations aside, is there a scientific explanation for these ghostly lights. Actually, there is and it's called the will-o-the-wisp phenomenon. The lights are a product of the combustion of natural gases. This combustion often occurs in marshy lands. This combustion produces the flame-like phosphoresence that people see from a distance.

This makes sense because the "butatiw" usually makes an appearance after a heavy rain.

These mysterious lights are very common in folklore all over the world.

Who Brought Horses to the Cordillera Region?

Who brought the first horses to the Cordillera region? There are several theories on how these animals came to our region.

Theory 1: Horses arrived in the Cordillera region way before the Philippines was colonized by Spain. Chinese historical accounts show that there were busy trading ports in what is now modern Pangasinan and La Union. Merchants from China and Japan arrived at these ports to do business. Merchants during these times didn't just trade goods, they also traded animals. It's possible that their ships came with horses. 

It's also an established fact that pre-colonial Igorots often went down to the lowlands (Agoo, etc.) to trade. So it's possible that Igorots bought horses with their precious gold. 

However, this theory is contested by some historians citing that there's no record of horses from China/Japan being traded in Pangasinan/La Union trading ports. They add however that there's evidence of donkeys being carried by these trading ships. A Chinese shipwreck for example, contained donkey bones, not horse bones.

Theory 2: Malaysians brought horses to southern Mindanao (also in pre-colonial times). Through trade and ports, these horses made their way to Luzon and eventually to the mountains of the Cordillera region. There's very good evidence that horses were indeed brought to Mindanao from neighboring Malaysia. However, there's no evidence that these horses found their way all the way to Luzon. 

Theory 3: Horses were introduced by the Spaniards. This is the most accepted theory as it's backed by historical evidence and accounts. The Spaniards tried numerous times to put the Igorots under their control. Expensive expeditions were launched to map the Cordillera region and subjugate the local populations. Hundreds of horses were used during these expeditions. 

The Spaniards were able to set up many command posts (comandancias) within the Cordillera region. Travel to these comandancias often utilized horses. 

*The accompanying image is from the archives of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology (website). It shows a young man and a pony in Bontoc, Mountain Province. Taken between 1898 and 1912.