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Day Three
Sagada to Baguio via Banaue
The hotel room in Sagada is very basic. Temps drop to 16 C at night, so no need for aircon or fan. Wake up from under a blanket and get ready for the next leg of our road trip. Thinking of taking breakfast on the way, Banaue is at least two hours away at best. Better take a breakfast before we leave. Take a few snapshots, fill up the water bottle (gallon) an off we go!
Rolling downward from Sagada, turning to Butoc and back up and down the winding roads. A short stop at the Banaue scenic view for a photo-shoot together with the Ifugao seniors. Take lunch at one of the Banaue restaurants "with a view".
Rolling downward from Sagada, turning to Butoc and back up and down the winding roads. A short stop at the Banaue scenic view for a photo-shoot together with the Ifugao seniors. Take lunch at one of the Banaue restaurants "with a view".
History of Bontoc
The town name of Bontoc was not known during the Spanish regime until 1887 when it was established as the seat of the district. Bontoc was made headquarters of the Commandancia Politico-Militar de Bontoc, subordinate to Politico Military District of Lepanto in January 1857. A Royal Order issued on June 24, 1858 created the District of Bontoc as an independent military command. It was one of the ten politico-military commandancias established in the Cordillera between 1847 and 1891 by the Spanish colonial government to gain political control over the independent tribes of the Igorots. Since its establishment in 1857 up to the withdrawal of the last commandant Commandante Xandaro in 1898, the Bontoc-based military command led or participated in at least ten punitive expeditions against the Spanish government.
Despite its superiority in arms, the Spanish garrison of Bontoc was the target of attacks launched by defiant Igorots wanting to maintain their independence. Governor General Primo de Rivera a decreed an ultimatum to all independent tribes to submit to Spain before April 1, 1891, which resulted in an uprising staged by villagers of Bontoc on May 9 of the same year. Armed only with bolos, spears, head axes and shields the Bontoc warriors beset the garrison killed nine Spanish soldiers, and wounded many more. After setting fire to the buildings, the warriors fled to the mountains with enemy heads and other spoils to celebrate their victory despite the loss of some 70 lives among their own men. A bigger uprising in December 1884 in protest of new tribute regulations was aborted by the Commandancia using paid spies among the Bontocs.
In August 13, 1898, the Americans defeated the Spaniards in Manila. The Bontoc garrison, which became a refuge for retreating Spanish soldiers and missionaries, was finally taken over by Bontoc warriors on September 3, 1898, aided by the revolutionary forces of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo who himself was seeking refuge in the Cordillera from the American troops. However, that victory was short-lived due to the immediate setup of the U.S. military government under Gen. Arthur MacArthur as governor general and occupied the archipelago including the Cordillera driving Aguinaldo to Ifugao and finally to Palanan, Isabela where he was captured on March 23, 1901. Bontoc was part of the Lepanto-Bontoc administrative province in 1903, which was later divided in 1918 into three sub provinces of Bontoc, Lepanto and Amburayan. Each sub province was headed by a governor. During the U.S. occupation, the Philippine Commission passed Act No. 1870 in 1920, which organized the Mountain Province. The new province consisted of seven former commandancias as sub provinces, with Bontoc as its capital.
During World War 11, the Japanese occupied Bontoc on June 1942 until the end of the war in September 1945. During the occupation, Dr. Hilary Clapp, one of the first educated Igorots was appointed governor. Bontoc suffered heavily during the retaking of the U.S. troops.
Browse with mouse, arrow keys or swipe.
History of Banaue
The word “Banaue” is derived from the word "Banawor", a swift flying bird at night that lived in one of the oldest sitios of the town. In time, the whole town came to be referred to as Banaue. When the Spaniards occupied the town, they mispronounced Banawor as Banaue, and the error stuck.
The origin of the people of Banaue is believed to be from a single migrating people who carried the rice terracing culture from South China and Indo-China across Luzon and Southern Japan and southward to Java and the lesser Sunda Islands. Artifact remains indicate that the first migration was probably in the second millennium before Christ and carried only material culture of polish stones, coppers, and bronze. It was believed too that the second millennium brought with them the use of iron, pottery and woven cloth. As a result, the people learned how to carve figurines, a skill that later on made the municipality known for its wood carving industry.
The inhabitants of Banaue are bound by a common origin, language, culture, mores, customs and traditions. Because of this and the need to survive, they were able to carve from mountains the famous rice terraces now known as the “8th Wonder of the World”.
During the Spanish Regime, government in Banaue was not fully established. The Spaniards tried to establish garrison at Ducligan, which became the seat of the Spanish Government, but this did not last long because of the hostility of the people, for which reason they left the garrison and went to Mayoyao.
In 1901, the American Government was established in Banaue headed by Capt. Jeff Gelman of the American Army who was appointed as its lieutenant governor. Captain Gelman was succeeded by Col. William Dosser who served as the last American governor of Ifugao. His deputy provincial governor and Philippine Constabulary provincial commander was Capt. Bulan of Solana, Cagayan.
On June 25, 1963, under Executive Order No. 42, Banaue together with Mayoyao, Lamut and Kiangan, became a regular municipality. Banaue is politically subdivided into 18 barangays, namely: Amganad, Anaba, Balawis, Banao, Bangaan, Batad, Bocos, Cambulo, Ducligan, Gohang, Kinakin, Poblacion, Poitan, Pula, San Fernando, Tam-an, Viewpoint and Uhaj.
Baguio by night
The road to Baguio city goes down the mountains at first to the flat planes of Bagabag, Bayombong and Bambang before winding up to Baguio. Arriving in baguio, we are welcomed at Chef Didier and Merna's place where we stay for the night. The welcome snack gives us strength to venture out. It is still early evening and cool outside, perfect weather to visit Baguio Session road.
Baguio by night
Session road by night
Dinner at 
Western style for a change
hoto bombers
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