When history, heritage collide

As a first-time participant of the Department of Tourism’s (DoT) Philippine Experience Program (PEP), I expected nothing from it by packing light, but I returned to the metro with my bags and heart full.

Joining the Cordillera Administrative region (CAR) leg of the PEP, I must admit I was a little apprehensive at first, but once we landed in Baguio and felt its cold breeze, I felt like I could conquer my nerves and embrace a new adventure.

The PEP is a Tourism initiative that aims to encourage everyone to explore more of the Philippine regions by letting Filipinos and other delegates experience what these places have to offer.

As they say, to love something long-term is to accept the responsibility of taking care of it. Heritage is not something we simply inherit — having it in our lives today means the legacy is nurtured.

We saw for ourselves how this has been treasured in places like Baguio Country Club and Camp John Hay where people of all ages continue to enjoy the amenities they offer.

In Mount Camisong and the Northern Blossom Flower Farm, we were glad to step into a natural beauty kept alive by loving hands.

The region bloomed in our eyes, and the caravan made us realize that our rich heritage is alive in places we have yet to discover.

Our stories are in the colorful Festival of Festivals, the gastronomy through Cafe Stella in Itogon, Benguet, and every little piece of information that we heard in our travels.

Hailing from all the provinces in the CAR, Festival of Festivals is a showdown of the festivities done per area. It is a feast for the soul to see history unfold right before your eyes. Amazing was the history of the different tribes and how they kept it alive even as globalization continues to overwhelm cultures.

“(It is about) the authenticity of each of the festivals because you will see, by way of their performances, that they are showing their age-old traditions, the rituals, the stories,” Tourism chief Christina Garcia Frasco said.

Of course, the best way to familiarize oneself with a place is to taste its food, and in this region, we enjoyed farm-to-table food such as a variety of salads from greens grown in the area. The most unforgettable dish I had was a tinola with mixed grains underneath it. It gave a nice kick to a soup which is most comforting for Filipinos.

I may have gotten dizzy from all the moving around, I may have gotten tired from carrying all the bags that different cities generously gave us, but one thing I will never forget is how the people from CAR appreciate and value what they inherited from nature and history, always aiming to keep them alive.