STAIRWAYS TO HEAVEN (BANAUE)

STAIRWAYS TO HEAVEN
The Banaue Rice Terraces
April 13, 1998

One of the places that strongly obsessed me since I was a child was the Banuae Rice Terraces also called poetically as the Stairways to Heaven and considered by many as the Eight Wonder of the World. I was greatly exhilarated that at last through the nagging insistence of Mrs. Letty Meim, I finally had the chance of my lifetime to realize my obsession.

It was unfortunate though that my wife, Terry couldn’t join us due to several previous commitments. Jaime Leyran too, Letty’s brother who originally was scheduled to be my room companion but backed out at the eleventh hour.

So, together with ten others we proceeded as originally planned. I was still nursing the hangover of the three-hour –barefoot-walk during the Station of the Cross on Good Friday. I was picked at 4:00 a.m., then Endong and Terry Cruz before we finally went directly to the Heart Center where Nena Ong and daughter Daphni were waiting. It was 5:05 a.m.

We passed by Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac, which surprised me a bit. I didn’t expect to see an Ultra-modern Commercial Center where the conglomeration of all establishments and buildings was architecturally designed to simulate a small kingdom in Saudi Arabia.

After relieving ourselves at Jollibee we detoured to the Grotto of Our Lady of Rosales at Rosales, Pangasinan. Unlike other grottoes, this one was conspicuously located in the middle of a rice plantation along a main thoroughfare. I noticed that the people at the area were disciplined. No vendor or beggar approached us while at the Holy Place

As we went on, the guide pointed to us the drying Varabello Mountain Ranges.
We took our lunch at Marquez Restaurant at San Jose Nueva Ecija. After lunch, along the zig-zag road we were shown the Chico Dam basin. We also stopped and took some pictures at the Dalton Pass, (originally Balete Pass) at Sta. Fe, Nueva Viscaya.

After Bayombong and Solano we passed through the Cordillera Mountain Ranges and lamented at the sight of the barren and brown mountains. Result of the El Niño phenomenon. Along the highway from Tarlac I noticed that the people were more naïve-looking than in other places.

At around 3:30 p.m. we entered the ‘gate’ to the Eight Wonder of the World. I noticed the newly built houses with more advanced architectural designs. There were few isolated native Ifugao houses.

We reached Banaue Hotel at 4:56 p.m. I quickly posed for a picture in front of a miniature “Bale”, the native Ifugao house that I’ve been dying to see “personally”. Just for the experience we dined at Las Vegas Restaurant at the Trade Center, twenty minute walk from the Hotel.

What turned out to be one of my most touching experience was the mild tremor felt early at dawn of April 14, 1998. My watch showed 2:20 a.m. I was awakened fearing that a native ghost was playing with my bed. Paul Meim, my room mate was awakened too, possibly thinking that I was pushing his bed. He asked loudly: “Ano ba yan”?
Suddenly realizing that I was on top of the mountain and apprehensive about the possibility of a stronger tremor to follow I was quickly reminded of my mother’s Latin Prayer during moments of danger:“Sanctus Deus, Sanctus Potes, Sanctus Immortales, Miserere Nobis”

After the prayer I felt safe but my mind wondered. What if there were big dangers near the epicenter, wherever it was. Did my family feel the tremors too? Many other thoughts crossed my mind. I wasn’t able to sleep deeply ‘till morning.

Yes, there was no radio or T.V. or newspaper to relay any story about the tremor. The T.V. set at the lobby couldn’t receive signals from local channels. I suspected that perhaps “Bulol”, Ifugao’s god of rice and guardian of the Rice Terraces willed it that way to make our experience a bit more enchanting.

All at once I felt more enlightened about the fragility of life. That I was only one earthquake and one heartbeat away from eternity; that I was a mere simple being, given a chance to enjoy life that I mustn’t abuse.

The event reminded me of the crumbling of the Tower of Babel because of people’s pride. So, Banaue Rice Terraces, the stairways to heaven energized my spirituality. In the morning I woke up still hounded by the message of the tremor. I went around the hotel, all the time pondering about the mystic beauty of Banaue. Whoever brainchild the idea of the terraces must be a genius and as the guide Eloy later explained, was a Filipino that we should all be proud of .

After breakfast, we prepared for a more thrilling experience. We hired a jeepney to bring us to Banga-an, about 14 kms. From the hotel. The street was rough and narrow, curving along the mountainsides. One wrong maneuver of the driver could bring about disaster. An encounter with a vehicle coming from the opposite direction required a difficult mental calisthenics for which our driver, Manuel Atalba was an expert. My jeepney jokes somehow kept away our minds from the dangers of the trip.

We reached Banga-an at about noontime. It was a very picturesque village about 2 kms. From Batad junction along Maroyo road. We ate at Banga-an Family Inn and Restaurant before proceeding to trek down to a small Ifugao community, a good 1 &1/2 km. away, trailing through steep steps and narrow rice paddle with a borrowed walking stick.

Banga-an was a typical Ifugao Community with 22 households and about 100 residents. We were received gladly by Conchita Biyo, a native who spoke fluent English. She was so kind as to even allow us to use the clothes she was selling for our picture-taking.

Nobody expected Mrs. Paz Lorque, 72 year old, to join us going down but she did and made it with flying colors though it made her realized her limitations and promised herself never again. The guide calculated that it would take us 30 minutes to go down and one hour to come back. I challenged myself and successfully returned in 15 minutes. An embrace of the tipsy Barangay Captain, Kinakin, received me.

We left Banga-an at 2:50 p.m. and reached the museum at 3:45 p.m. It housed artifacts and documents collected by H Offey Beyer, the anthropologist whose studies made Banaue and Ifugao culture known to the outside world. From the museum a road led to Hapao and Hangduan, with beautiful scenarios along the way. About 2 kms. Along Galang road we turned to Hiwang where we visited a beautifully preserved traditional “bale” that was replete with the skulls of sacrificial Carabao and other animals.

Our guide told us that the more skulls there were, the richer and more influential was the owner. We were entertained by the owner, Manuel Limangyan, the son and heir of the mummified couple, housed nearby in a smaller bale with glass walls donated by Lucio Tan. The mummified couple, were Apo Bay-Angan Limangyan who died on January 7, 1971 and Apo Pay-Yuga Limangyan who died on January 4, 1972.

According to son Manuel, it was their request that they be mummified. They were preserved through smoking for two weeks plus use of some herbs. But I was somehow disappointed as I was expecting corpse with dried flesh, not two skulls lying side by side with their bodies wrapped in colorful blankets. I think the correct terminology would be “skeletonized” and not mummified.

Nearby, there was a small circular area floored with well-arranged stones. It was the Amarig or Court of Apo Bay-Angan Limangyan. There, disputes were settled, and a banquet was held afterwards, attended by both opponents and friends.

AT 5:30 in the morning of April 15, 1998, I took a look at Tam-an, trekking down steep steps behind the Banaue Hotel. Still tired by the experience the day before, I did not go further.

During breakfast at Imbayan Restaurant we shared insights about our trip, and then went shopping at the Trade Center.

We ate our lunch at the Golden Rose Restaurant at Sta, Fe, Nueva Viscaya. It served good Chinese dishes. After lunch we bought beautifully made brooms. In Carmen, Pangasinan we bought some “pasalubongs” like “Tupig” and “Bukayo” before proceeding to Laharlandia in Bamban, Tarlac, almost failing to catch the sunlight at 6 :30 p.m.
I arrived home at 11:15 p.m.

As a tribute to my companions in this trip I want to make special mention of Mrs. Letty Meim who never got tired of sharing with us everything from candies to sandwiches and drinks. As organizer of the trip she did her job very well.

I am particularly impressed by Mrs. Paz Lorque, the 72 year old lady who joined us trekking down Banga-an and made It triumphantly. She always insisted on using the senior citizen’s 20% privilege card.

Mrs. Meding Kanapi was our official Rosary leader and very courteous listener who immensely enjoyed my jokes. Mrs. Luz Perea and Mrs. Terry Cruz showed dignity even in responding to brownish and greenish anecdotes.

Col. Rosendo Cruz was our official cheer leader and confident guardian. Nena Ong’s testimonies of healing through prayers were simply inspiring as well as Paul Meim’s youthful ideas and approaches to some almost neglected religious practices.

The presence of Daphni Ong, the teenage tourist daughter of Nena, prevented the expression of dirty jokes, while Gloria, Letty’s helper, was perfect for her job, from offering candies to supporting a hiker.

Henri Matiti, the driver was good as in “G“of his question, “Anong nasa gitna ng daGat?” Eloy Pineda, the guide, did well too. He twice fell flat on his face while attempting to give a joke but was saved by Paul Meim by quickly playing charismatic songs.

Like other trips organized by Letty Meim, this trip to Banaue was an Affair to Remember.