Vintage Photo of a Family in La Trinidad, Benguet

A photo of an Igorot man and his family taken in the town of La Trinidad, Benguet sometime between 1904 and 1920. Digitized by Princeton University, the photo had a description saying the man was a member of the local police force.

Around this time, the town was under the control of the American government. Local men were often enlisted as members of the police force.

Also take note of the Western coat the man was wearing. These coats were coveted back in the day. It's often seen as a community status symbol.

Photographer: Steven Charles Martin 

Image source: Graphic Arts Collection, Firestone Library, Princeton University.

#latrinidad #benguet #benguethistory

Kapangan Grand March 25-Kilometer Road Run Set For May 5

Gear up, runners. Another running event is coming your way on Cinco de Mayo. The town of Kapangan is cooking up a 25-kilometer road run that stretches from La Trinidad through Tublay and finally into Kapangan. The race is part of the events scheduled for the town's upcoming fiesta.

The run is named after the Grand March, a type of dance that's very popular in the town during occasions like weddings, reunions, anniversaries, graduations, and holiday celebrations. The story has it that the dance traces its roots during the turn of World War II. American soldiers stationed in barangay Sagubo performed a "grand march" when they learned of the Allied victory in the war. Locals replicated the moves of the dance and over time, it spread throughout the town.

In 2017, the town council enacted an ordinance declaring the Grand March as the town's official dance. The goal of the ordinance was to institutionalize the dance to ensure its preservation and continuity with upcoming generations of i-Kapangans. The provincial board of Benguet also gave the ordinance their support and approval.

Road runners will be treated with views like this along the route. Photo by Daniel Ted C. Feliciano/The Cordilleran Sun

The Kapangan Grand March Road Run came to fruition through Mark Fermin of Igohiking in partnership with various hiking groups and the local government units of Kapangan, Tublay, and Kapangan. For more information about the run, visit the run's Facebook event page here.

November 23 (Thursday) is a Special Non-Working Holiday in Benguet

This coming Thursday, the province of Benguet will sing, dance, and feast with a "canao" to mark its 117th founding anniversary. The local government of Benguet was established on November 23, 1900 right after the Americans took control of the archipelago. It also happens that the feast, the "canao", is the centerpiece of the month-long celebrations for the annual Adivay Festival. The parade will also happen on this day.

To allow more i-Benguets and outside participants to get involved with the celebrations, November 23 has been declared as a special non-working holiday in the province. The declaration was made and announced two weeks ago by the Office of the President through the Office of the Executive Secretary.

This year's Adivay Festival carry the theme "Benguet Culture, Our Future: Sustaining Cultural Identity Amidst Global Changes". The kick-off program for the festival was held on November 13 at the Capitol Grounds. The activities will roll on until the 26th of November. Check out the calendar of events for the Adivay Festival 2017 here.

Photo by Daniel Feliciano / The Cordilleran Sun

June 16 (Friday) Declared As A Non-Working Holiday In La Trinidad, Benguet

It's going to be a long weekend in the town of La Trinidad in Benguet. June 16 (Friday) has been declared by Malacanang as a special non-working holiday in the municipality. This is in observance of the town's 67th Foundation Day. This year's celebration has the theme "La Trinidad: Where Unity and Friendship Find Home". The anniversary rites will be held at the La Trinidad Municipal Gym. The guest speaker will be Congressman Harry Roque (representative of the Kabayan party list).

Below is a copy of the proclamation:

Malacanan Palace

Manila

By The President Of The Philippines

Proclamation  No. 234

Declaring Friday, 16 June 2017, as a Special (Non-Working) Day in the Municipality of La Trinidad, Province of Benguet

Whereas, the Municipality of La Trinidad, Benguet was organized under Republic Act No. 531 dated 16 June 1950;

Whereas, Friday, 16 June 2017, marks the celebration of the 67th Foundation Day of the Municipality of La Trinidad, Benguet; and

Whereas, it is but fitting and proper that the people of the Municipality of La Trinidad, Benguet, be given full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.

Now, therefore, I, Menardo I. Guevarra, Acting Executive Secretary, by authority of the President, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, do hereby declare Friday, 16 June 2017, as a special (non-working) day in the Municipality of La Trinidad, Benguet.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Repulic of the Philippines to be affixed.

Done in the City of Manila, this 14th day of June, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Seventeen.

By Authority of the President
Menardo I. Guevarra
Acting Executive Secretary

© Daniel Feliciano / The Cordilleran Sun

Free Tuition Program By The Benguet State University (Registration And Requirements)

The Benguet State University (BSU) will start implementing its Free Tuition Program this school year (SY 2017-2018). In an advisory which came from the school's Office of the President and dated May 11, 2017, interested students who want to avail of the program should pre-register as well as submit a proof of income. The advisory was signed by BSU President Feliciano G. Calora, Jr.

According to the advisory, the Free Tuition Program will "cover tuition fees only". That said, students still has to pay for "laboratory and miscellaneous fees" during the enrollment period. The program is open to all undergraduate students. However, all applicants will be placed in priority levels. Check the pre-registration and enrollment schedules for the different priority levels below:

Pre-registration	Enrollment	Priority
June 26, 2017	July 3, 2017	Priority 1: StuFAP grantees that: a) receive more than Php 15,000 annual benefits b) receive less than Php 15,000 annual benefits
June 27, 2017	July 5-6, 2017	Priority 2: All continuing students - BSU students who are enrolled at BSU this semester
June 29, 2017	July 7, 2017	Priority 3: Returning students or new enrollees -          Returning students are BSU students who have not enrolled this semester -          New students are those who will enroll at BSU for the first time
June 30 – July 1, 2017	July 8, 2017	Priority 4: Other students

All students must submit an original or certified true copy of one of the documents listed below as proof of income during the pre-registration period:
1. Income Tax Return (ITR)
2. BIR Form 2316
3. BIR Certificate of Exemption from Filing ITR
4. Barangay Certificate of Indigency
5. Certification from the DSWD
6. Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) Certificate
7. Employment Contract for OFWs
8. Other government-issued documents that indicate the income earnings of member or members of the household who would be responsible for the financing of the student's cost of education.

Photo by Daniel Feliciano / The Cordilleran Sun

March 20 (Monday) Declared As A Non-Working Holiday In La Trinidad, Benguet

It's going to be a long weekend for residents and workers in the town of La Trinidad in Benguet. In a proclamation signed by acting Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra by the authority of President Rodrigo Duterte, Malacanang Palace declared March 20 (Monday) as a special non-working holiday in the entire municipality. The proclamation aims to allow residents of the town to participate in the ongoing celebrations of the month-long Strawberry Festival.

Here's a copy of the proclamation:

Malacanang Palace

Manila

By the President of the Philippines

Declaring Monday, 20 March 2017 As A Special (Non-Working) Day In The Municipality Of La Trinidad, Province Of Benguet

Whereas, the municipality of La Trinidad, Benguet marks the celebration of its Strawberry Festival every 18th day of March;

Whereas, to enable the people of the municipality of La Trinidad, Benguet to fully celebrate the occasion, the Office of the Mayor requested that Monday, 20 March 2017 be declared as a special non-working day instead of 18 March 2017 which falls on a Saturday;

Whereas, it is but fitting and proper that the people of the Municipality of La Trinidad, Benguet be given full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies;

Now, therefore, I, Menardo I. Guevarra, acting Executive Secretary, by authority of the President, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, do hereby declare Monday, 20 March 2017, as a special non-working day in the Municipality of La Trinidad, Province of Benguet.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

Done in the City of Manila, this 13th day of March, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Seventeen.

By Authority of the President

Menardo I. Guevarra

Acting Executive Secretary

Photo by Daniel Feliciano / The Cordilleran Sun

Mt. Kalugong In La Trinidad, Benguet Now Has Its Own Coffee Shop In A Cabin

I spent Valentine's Day writing essays and working on a long overdue art project. I spent the night of that fateful day reading John Gardner's novel Grendel, a weird but great (and humorous) retelling of the English epic poem Beowulf in the perspective of the hideous monster. I turned off my phone, popped a few cans of beer, and read until I finished the book around 2:00 am. In a nutshell, while everyone was romantically productive on Valentine's Day, I was busy typing away on a keyboard and poring over a book on monsters.

On the morning after Valentine's Day, I decided to go for a hike to sort of shake off the cobwebs of the previous day/night. Waking up with a bit of a headache, I went for a short run then headed over to Mt. Kalugong. Since they no longer allow hikers to pass through the "stairway to heaven" in Tabangaoen, I took the long route through barangay Cruz. There were only a handful of people when I entered the eco-park. I paid the park fee and immediately climbed over to the rock formations as everyone seemed to have retired to the picnic tables under the trees. I sat there at the rocks for a long while: thinking, mulling, reminiscing, enjoying the warm sunshine, taking in the view of the La Trinidad valley below, and eating my "baon" (potato chips and good 'ol water).

I explored the rock formations (the ones I didn't get to see during previous visits). It still amazes me how these gigantic rocks made it to the top of this mountain. Geology and how it explains the formation of geological landscapes over thousands and millions of years are very fascinating to me.

With the sun starting to burn through my skin, I climbed out of the rocks and headed over to the newly opened coffee house on the southern side of the park. Except for the lone waitress and two lively and giggly girls enjoying their coffee and chocolate cakes in one of the tables, there was no one else inside the cozy shop. Resembling a cabin from the olden times, the shop has wooden tables, wooden chairs, wooden floors, and wooden walls. You can even catch whiffs of that old wooden smell. It was nice. Cozy. Tranquil. Fresh air. Birds chirping outside. Soft wind blowing in from the open windows. It's paradise for loners and introverts such as myself.

The two women customers left and it was basically just me and the waitress in the cabin. Feeling a bit of hunger, I decided to order something. Looking over their menu board, I jokingly asked the waitress if they serve cold beer. She chuckled. They don't serve alcoholic beverages, she said. Because patrons might get drunk and fall off the rocks, she added. I chuckled. That's a good point. I asked for coffee and cupcakes because they ran out of strawberry cake.

I left the park high on coffee and with a stomach full of strawberry cupcakes. For sure, it was worth the climb.

Here are a few photos I snapped during the quick trip.

Here's The Schedule Of Events For La Trinidad's Strawberry Festival 2017

It's all systems go for this year's edition of the Strawberry Festival in La Trinidad, Benguet. The town has dozens of events lined up for both locals and visiting tourists. With its theme of "sustaining the fruits of La Trinidad's agro-eco tourism", a lot of the scheduled activities in the festival revolve around the town's status as one of the agricultural and tourism centers in the north.

The main events of the festival will be held during the last two weeks of March. These include the "owik tan tayao" and cultural celebrations, street dance and float parades, strawberry cake fest, "Dongba ni Kavadjo", and the search for Mr. and Ms. La Trinidad. Check out the full calendar of events for the festival below:

File photo by The Cordilleran Sun / Daniel Feliciano.

Image source: Valred Olsim via the La Trinidad Tourism Facebook group page.

Image source: Valred Olsim via the La Trinidad Tourism Facebook group page.

Mt. Yangbew in La Trinidad, Benguet Engulfed by a Sea of Clouds and Mist

It was a cloudy Sunday morning. Low-lying clouds and mists have descended into the La Trinidad valley. So I decided to climb Mt. Yangbew to see what it's like up there with the clouds rolling and dancing all over it. I wasn't disappointed. Visibility was very low. You stand at the peak and you can only see just several meters in front of you.

It was a weekend so there's a trickle of other hikers ascending the mountain. I met and conversed with a few of them. Most of them were a bit upset by the weather because the clouds have literally blocked the view of the valley and the surrounding Benguet mountains. On a clear day, you can almost see the entirety of the La Trinidad valley below. Far off in the distance would be mountain peaks belonging to the nearby towns of Tublay and Kapangan. From the west, you could see the peaks of Mt. Sto. Tomas.

And if you fancy a ride, there are horses atop Mt. Yangbew that you can rent for 150 pesos (good for 30 minutes). There are handlers who will guide you and the horse around the peak. If you don't want to ride but you need souvenir pictures, picture-taking is only worth 20 pesos. You can take as many pictures as you want for only 20 pesos.

For those planning to visit the mountain, here's how you can get there: Ride a jeep from Baguio City, get off along Km. 4 in Pines Park, ride a jeep that goes up to Lubas, and tell the driver to drop you off at the trail leading to the mountain. Always bring water and snacks with you. There's no water nor food at the top.

Benguet Adivay Festival 2016 Schedule Of Activities / Calendar Of Events

This year's edition of the Benguet Adivay Festival is just around the corner. The month-long festival will have its kick-off program in the 11th of November. Events scheduled for the festival include trade fairs, job fairs, beauty pageants, bodybuilding competitions, martial arts competitions, concerts, and conferences catering to small scale miners and farmers.

The highlights of the festival are the drum and lyre competition on November 22 and the parade/canao the following day. This year's celebrations carry the theme "Adopting Change for Inclusive Human Development". Here's the final Benguet Adivay Festival 2016 schedule of activities/calendar of events:

Date	Time	Activity	Venue
November 4	9:00 am	Kapihan sa Benguet	Ben Palispis Hall, Capitol
November 4	11:00 am	Press Conference: Mr. and Ms. Benguet	Ben Palispis Hall, Capitol
November 11	8:00 am	Ecumenical Service	Ben Palispis Hall, Capitol
November 11	10:00 am	Kick-off Program	Lobby, Capitol
November 11	2:00 pm	Pre-Pageant for Mr. and Ms. Benguet	Ben Palispis Hall, Capitol
November 11		Buguias Foundation Day	Abatan, Buguias
November 12	7:30 am	Opening: Dongba ni Kavajo: Horse Parade and Opening Program	Km. 3, Bell Church, Balili to Benguet Sports Center in Wangal
November 12	8:00 am	Amateur Muay Thai Combat	La Trinidad Municipal Gymnasium, Km. 5
November 12	2:00 pm	Opening Trade Fair	Benguet Sports Center, Wangal
November 12	6:00 pm	Mr. Adivay Bodybuilding Competition	Ben Palispis Hall, Capitol
November 12	10:00 pm	Twisted, The Highland Tour	Capitol Grounds
November 13	8:00 am	Amateur Muay Thai Combat	La Trinidad Municipal Gymnasium, Km. 5
November 13	8:00 am	Dongba ni Kavajo	Benguet Sports Center, Wangal
November 13	3:00 pm	Adivay Unplugged: Acoustic	Trade Fair Stage, Benguet Sports Center, Wangal
November 13	6:00 pm	Twisted, the Highland Tour	Capitol Grounds
November 14	8:00 am	Health Fair	Covered Court, Benguet Sports Center, Wangal
November 14	8:00 am	Job Fair	Ben Palispis Hall, Capitol
November 15	8:00 am	Job Fair	Ben Palispis Hall, Capitol
November 15	9:00 am	Mass Wedding	San Jose Church, Poblacion, La Trinidad
November 15	10:00 am	Opening of Agri-Tourism Fair	PDRRMC Building, Wangal
November 16	8:00 am	Benguet Cultural Conference	Ben Palispis Hall, Capitol
November 16	9:00 am	Mass Wedding	St. Paul Parish, Sayangan, Atok
November 17	8:00 am	Benguet Cultural Conference	Ben Palispis Hall, Capitol
November 18	7:00 am	Environmental Forum	5 Major Highways
November 18	8:00 am	Small and Medium Enterprise Congress	Ben Palispis Hall, Capitol
November 18	8:00 am	Barangay Health Workers Congress	Multi-Purpose Gymnasium, Benguet Sports Center, Wangal
November 18	8:00 am	Smart Day	Trade Fair Stage, Benguet Sports Center, Wangal
November 19	8:00 am	3rd Adivay National Invitational Arnis Championship	Covered Court, Capitol
November 19	6:00 pm	Mr. and Ms. Benguet Coronation	Multi-Purpose Gymnasium, Benguet Sports Center, Wangal
November 19	6:00 pm	Team Lakay Championship: The Kapangan Invasion	Lomon, Kapangan
November 20	8:00 am	3rd Adivay National Invitational Arnis Championship	Covered Court, Capitol
November 20	5:00 pm	Battle of the Bands	Multi-Purpose Gymnasium, Benguet Sports Center, Wangal
November 21	8:00 am	Skilled Workers Competition	Benguet Sports Center, Wangal
November 21	8:00 am	Small Scale Mining Congress	Ben Palispis Hall, Capitol
November 21	8:00 am	Farmers Event	Benguet Cold Chain, Wangal
November 21		Sablan Foundation Day	Poblacion, Sablan
November 21		Kibungan Foundation Day	Poblacion, Kibungan
November 22	8:00 am	Drum and Lyre Competition	Benguet Sports Center, Wangal
November 22	9:00 am	Diskwento Caravan (DTI)	Benguet Cold Chain, Wangal
November 22	1:00 pm	Dance Drama	Benguet Sports Center, Wangal
November 22		Tublay Foundation Day	Acop, Tublay
November 22		Atok Foundation Day	Sayangan, Atok
November 23	7:00 am	Parade, Program, Canao	Provincial Capitol Grounds to Benguet Sports Center, Wangal
November 23	9:00 am	Diskwento Caravan (DTI)	Benguet Cold Chain, Wangal
November 24	8:00 am	Friendship Meet	3rd Floor, Main Building and Covered Court, Capitol
November 24	2:00 pm	Closing Program: Agri-trade Fair	PDRRMC Building, Wangal
November 25	10: 00 am	Benguet Awards Day	Multi-Purpose Gymnasium, Benguet Sports Center
November 25	8:00 am	Invitational Shoot Fest	Shilan Shooting Range, La Trinidad
November 25	1:00 pm	Five to Revive Concert	Trade Fair Stage, Benguet Sports Center, Wangal
November 26	8:00 am	Football Kasibulan Festival	BSU Football Field
November 26	8:00 am	Invitational Shoot Fest	Shilan Shooting Range
November 26	9:00 am	Speed Fest 2: The West Wing Assault	Shilan-Beckel Road
November 26	9:00 am	Adivay Unplugged: Acapellas	Trade Fair Stage, Benguet Sports Center, Wangal
November 26	1:00 pm	Closing Ceremony: A Day of Prayer	Trade Fair Stage, Benguet Sports Center, Wangal
November 26		Last day of Trade Fair	Benguet Sports Center
November 26		Fight Sports Tournament	BSU Gym, La Trinidad

Hikers and campers on the summit of Mt Yangbew in La Trinidad, Benguet. The Cordilleran Sun file photo.