The Road to Perdition

We took the easy way last August when Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) bought some members of the motoring media to the hinterlands of Cordillera. We drove on paved highways from Santiago, Isabela, through Ramon, Cabatuan and Quezon towns, and arrived in Tabuk, Kalinga for some white water rafting and kayaking in the mighty Chico River.

Thus, we thought it was more of the same thing when we got invited for Isuzu’s Cordillera Conquest, which would introduce the Isuzu Trooper Sky Roof Edition, as well as test the mettle of the Isuzu Extreme Machines (Fuego 4X2, Fuego 4X4, Crosswind XUV manual and automatic, XUVi, and Trooper). Well, at least I did.

After a briefing from IPC production engineering manager Joseph Bautista at Isuzu Manila before we embarked on our trip Thursday (Nov. 21), I began to realize that we would be taking a different and more difficult route. It would take us on scenic mountain roads which would be more exciting and far more challenging.

Our convoy of eight Isuzu vehicles left the Isuzu dealership at about 3:30 p.m. and made our first stop at Caltex EDSA-Balintawak, where we filled up the vehicles with diesel fuel for the long trip ahead. At 7 p.m., we re-converged at Max’s restaurant in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija. After dinner, we drove on to Nueva Vizcaya through Dalton Pass, then took the road to Banaue, Ifugao after leaving Caltex Solano for our re-fueling stop. We got to the Banaue Terraces Hotel past midnight and promptly hit the sack.

Dawn of Friday found me staring at the misty mountain sunrise, which I’ve always managed to catch whenever I’m in Banaue. It would always give me a serene sense of oneness with nature, especially when the light is just beginning to crack the darkness. It would also make me wonder if the Banaue Rice Terraces is indeed listed as the "Eight Wonder of the World".

After breakfast, our convoy toured Banaue along rugged mountain roads. After almost two hours of rough terrain, we stopped to admire the view and take some photos at Hapao, where the rice terraces are simply majestic. We doubled back to the hotel in time for lunch, packed our bags and then started our drive towards our Bontoc. Along the way, we took photos of the indigenous Ifugao people and bought souvenirs from commercial shops crowding the exit of Banaue.

The road to Bontoc was rough and treacherous, with unpaved roads clinging to the side of the mountain. We encountered eroded portions that allowed only one vehicle to pass at a time, as well as portions blocked by recent landslides, with only a nominal path cleared for vehicles to drive through. We motored on narrow mountain passes where our right fender nearly scraped the mountain wall while our left wheel was only a couple of feet away from a deep ravine. While we were challenged by the road conditions, we were nevertheless rewarded with scenic vistas of forested mountain slopes and peaks covered with fog. The approaching dusk provided us with picturesque lighting for the camera but also prompted us to hurry so we could reach our destination before nightfall.

Bontoc is small town nestled in a valley surrounded by the mountains of the Cordilleras. As we drove down from the mountains, Bontoc looked like a disarrayed collection of galvanized corrugated roofs and concrete walls scattered along the valley. It was disappointing to see the view being littered by chaotic housing (and building) arrangements, yet one has to understand that this area was once neglected by the national government. The town’s people were mostly friendly, and the spectacle of seeing our eight-car convoy got the town abuzz. Still, we wished that the houses were designed to blend with the scenery so the town would have been more alluring to become a tourist destination.

The night at the Churya-a hotel was spent with much food (pinikpikan), funfair from videoke and ethnic education from a cultural show. Those who attended the cultural show marveled at the story told in the native dance. They also hoped that the tradition could be passed to the next generation before it could fade to history. We all opted to retire early in preparation for next day’s trip to Tinglayan.

Our group was up and about before sunrise, and by 7 a.m. Saturday morning, we have left Bontoc. I was riding the new Isuzu Trooper Sky Roof edition, which afforded me a 360-degree view of the scenery when I stood up through the large opening. The fresh mountain breeze was as cool as the air from the A/C and the generous Sky Roof opening allowed the morning air to flow freely into the cabin. By 9:30 a.m., we reached Tinglayan, where we dropped off those who opted to go white-water rafting. I opted to drive the Trooper with Timmy Naval, IPC’s PR manager to the take-out point where we will collect the rafting participants. As we drove on the mountain roads along the Chico River, we stopped for a courtesy call at the town hall of Lubuagan. Mayor Johnny Dickpus prepared a warm reception for us and we feasted on rice cakes, coconut cakes and native Ifugao coffee.

We drove on through Pasil and arrived at the take-out point near Tabuk at about high noon. We had lunch near the Chico River and waited for the white-water rafting group to emerge from their adventure. The group arrived a little late (3 p.m.) because of some delays but came awash (literally and figuratively) with great stories from their experience. Aris Ilagan of the Manila Bulletin and James Deakin of Auto Extreme fell into the water at one point, only to go into the water again when their raft (the "ill-fated" Budong, according to them) overturned in the rapids. Luckily, the only casualty during the entire adventure was the sprained ankle of Anjo Perez of Cruising magazine.

After the group devoured their meal, we drove on through the mountain roads of Kalinga, pass the Chico River Dam, and to the town of Tabuk, where we were billeted for the night at the Davidson hotel. We had stayed at this hotel during our previous trip, but it has improved tremendously after the completion of its main ballroom. The ballroom was the venue for another cultural presentation, this time showcasing the peaceful nature of the Kalingas and the importance of the gong among this once-warmongering tribe. We were also in the company of Tabuk mayor, Camilo Lammawin Jr., who gamely answered our queries into the cultures past history.

Two days of rugged mountain roads have taken their toll on our group. Sore butts and aching backs (and necks) were the general complaint, but these were minor compared to the hardships that the people of the Cordilleras encounter on a daily basis as they travel these mountain roads. Imagine, they travel these mountain passes in or on top of old buses and jeepneys, while we were safe and comfy in the airconditioned confines of our Isuzu vehicles.

Normally, I am an apolitical bystander, but these roads makes me wish for the President of the Republic to command her cabinet secretaries to travel the same road we traveled so they could have a better understanding of the Cordilleras and the entire Mountain Province. Security risks notwithstanding, it would be an eye-opener for them to see how the lack of paved farm-to-market roads, lack of support from the national government and lack of region-specific education programs has hindered the growth of the region’s economy and its people. It would likewise allow them to see how the negligence of preserving the native Ifugao and Kalinga cultures have robbed our children of a rich heritage. Call me a dreamer but for once, I’d like to see them work for the good of the Republic rather than for personal gain. Truly, the road to perdition is littered with negligence and self-gratification while the path to redemption is narrowed by procrastination and pride.