Few tourists attend Lang-ay fest due to NPA-AFP clashes

BONTOC, Mountain Province  — Few tourists visited this town for the Lang-ay festival last week during Monday’s grand parade that coincided with the 47th founding year of the province.

Gov. Leonard Mayaen said, the Lag-ay, even thought it was on its 10 year, felt the decrease in tourist arrivals in the province, particularly in Bontoc due to the highly publicized tragic bus accident on Feb. 7 where 15 people were killed.

This was aggravated by the encounter between the New Peoples’ Army and members of the Philippine Army on March 29 where two police officers were killed. Another clash happened after this.

He said there were some who thought travelling to Bontoc was unsafe and visiting the area would make one exposed to dangers of NPA and government clashes.

The governor said “despite both incidents happening in far flung sitios and not at the poblacion, the tourists cannot be blamed if they cancel their visit.”

He said this will not deter officials from pursuing with the festival and commemorate their foundation.

“The incidents are not the reason not to celebrate the  historical events where people gather and unite,” Mayaen said.

Lang-ay, a Bontoc word meaning getting together to partake of food, is on its 10th year.

The festival and the foundation day are reasons enough for the province to celebrate and continue to showcase the rich culture and heritage of the people of Mountain Province, officials said.

In the past, the festival was reason for “agkakailian” (town mates) to go home and renew ties with relatives and friends.

Despite less tourists, revelers were treated to exhilarating street dancing and cultural presentations.

Street dancing  followed civic parade on April 7 while cultural presentation w3ere held at Eyeb gymnasium same day.  Provincial Tourism officer designee Francis Degay, said   four groups from tribal clusters performed with one representing the Balangao tribe of Barlig, Natonin and Paracelis; the Bontok tribe of Bontoc and Sadanga; the Aplai tribe comprising the municipalities of Sabangan, Sagada, Besao, Bauko and Tadian and the fourth performer from provincial government employees.

Relative to this, cultural festival consultant and trainer Ventura Bitot said Mayor Anthony Wooden of Tadian volunteered performers to represent the Aplai tribe from his municipality.

Degay said Bontoc Mayor Franklin Odsey and Sadanga Mayor Gabino Ganggangan earlier agreed the municipality of Bontoc would represent the Bontok tribe.

For the Balangao tribe, Barlig Mayor Clark Ngaya agreed that performers would come from his municipality. 

Bitot said cultural presentation coincided with the province’s theme: “One People, One Heritage, One Direction”.

Performances were choreographed with indigenous music, dances, and movements depicting socio-economic life of the people of Mountain Province.

Bitot added costumes and attires of the performers were indigenous.

Indigenous dances included in choreography, he said, were altered in respect to steps, tradition and musical rhythms.

Groups had floats that would artistically display agro-industrial products of their community.

Meanwhile, Degay said the provincial government gavecash prizes to chosen group performers. 

In the past, street dancing and cultural presentations were done with participants that represented ten municipalities of the province and some public and private schools in the capital town.

The provincial government sponsored all expenses for all the participating groups, consuming much of the budget allotted for Lang-ay Festival. 

Gov. Mayaen said selected groups did street dancing and cultural presentations so other funds for the purpose could be  allocated to tourism development in the province.

Mayaen said P2 million from this year’s Lang-ay earmarked budget of P4 million were allocated for construction of one public toilet worth one million pesos each in front of the Sumaguing Cave in Sagada and in Poblacion, Natonin.

The suggestion of the governor was unanimously approved by the heads of offices of provincial government in support to tourism development.

Meanwhile other activities for the one-week celebration of Lang-ay were agro-industrial trade fair, medical mission, farmers forum, youth Summit, provincial tourism summit, Search for Miss Mountain Province and sports events.