Pinococ, gateway to Cagayan Valley

By Francis Degay

PINUKPUK, Kalinga. Pinococ is one among the 23 barangays of this town with 133 households. Majority of its constituents belong to the Pinukpuk tribe while the rest are Tulgao tribe of Tinglayan and Itaois of the Cagayan valley.

The major source of livelihood of its people is rice with corn farming as the secondary crop. Most of the farmers raise backyard chickens, goats, vegetables and fruit trees to supplement their income. Recently, the Pinococ Communal Pastureland Association composed of 44 members converted about 1,000 ha. into a pasture land with 200 heads of cattle.

Sometime last year, the local government unit of Tuao, Cagayan wanted to take over Pinococ as one of its barangays but its constituents fought back. Settlement of the case is still ongoing.

To local folk, life is just fine with the town as part of Kalinga. Resident “Totik” Sangdaan said rural development projects of the Central Cordillera Agricultural Programme (CECAP) 1 and 2 have helped the people.

The potable water system is still being used, the paper and acacia that grow robustly serve as shed and the fruits trees that were distributed to some individuals are bearing fruits.” Although we are from the center, we enjoy healthy and peaceful lives, he said.”

Each household water user pays P10.00 and P20.00 as monthly payment and annual due respectively. The money being collected is used for water system maintenance.

The farm- to-market roads are maintained through the free labor or “gratis” scheme. According to some people interviewed, the distance from the barangay to the center of government at Pinukpuk is too far and it took a long time for the government to deliver its services to the barangay.

The government center at Poblacion takes about 2-3 hours ride through Piat and Tuao, Cagayan. Passenger jeepneys are used in the transportation which are scheduled 2 to 3 times a week. Another shorter route may be utilized but it is too dangerous because one has to ride a bamboo raft along the Chico river.

From the barangay to the nearest town of Piat, the fare of jeepney is P10.00 per person while the use of a cart driven by a hand tractor engine (kuliglig) is P15.00 per passenger.

It has a pre-school and elementary school. High school students attend their studies at Piat, Tuao, Tuguegarao City and at Poblacion, Pinukpuk junction.

Pinukpuk SB member Roger Caymo, a three-term councilor, has perception that the barangays of Pinukpuk and other places nationwide will have fast development if local chief executives and sangguniang bayan members unite and come up with important and synchronized programs/projects. And self interests must be set aside. He said “chaos arises when the public servants have no political will and transparency.”

Pinukpuk is a first class municipality. It is endowed with rich natural resources and fertile soil conducive for agriculture.

The municipality is unique because it has two municipal halls, one at the Pinukpuk junction and the other at Taga, further up the Saltan river. Saltan river is one of the cleanest river nationwide. It has been used to transport products from Pinukpuk to Tuao through the use of bamboo rafts before the bridge was constructed that connects Piat and Tuao.