Prexy’s daughter Luli spends 4-day break in Mayoyao

By Jeremy M. Gawongna

MAYOYAO, Ifugao – No VIP treatment and no numerous escorts except being with three friends, four presidential security guards and Joan Sheelah Nalliw, the president of Pochon Youth Group, characterized the four-day vacation here of Luli, daughter of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, last Sept. 25-28.

“I was surprised to receive a text message from Madam Luli and was requested to transact with her through e-mail,” Nalliw said. “I could hardly believe at first but as we went on with our transactions, I was eventually convinced that I was dealing with the President’s daughter.”

Nalliw said Luli informed her she searched for Mayoyao in the internet and came across her name and her contact number. She was asked to meet Luli in Santiago, Isabela on Sept. 25 and accompanied them to Mayoyao via Ramon, Isabela and the Ifugao towns of Alfonso Lista and Aguinaldo.

“The President’s daughter requested for confidentiality of her stay in Mayoyao so she could focus on her adventure,” Nalliw said. She said two local tour guides trained by the Department of Tourism assisted them during the trekking.

Upon arrival here afternoon of Sept. 25, they checked in at Milcah Lodge then later visited the town’s Marian and Eucharistic Centre. They spent some time with Fr. Romeo Benitez, SVD, rector of Our Lady of Assumption Mission Station.

Luli’s group later visited the peak of the historic Mount Nagchajan where the last battle between the Japanese and the combined Filipino and American soldiers occurred during the 2nd World War, the tunnel of Mapfu-ag which served as irrigation and source of water supplying the rice terraces, and the Akakoy Park. They trekked the rice terraces starting from Chaya, its topmost portion, down to Bongan, Mayoyao Proper, and Balangbang.

Robert Bongayon, a former history teacher helped brief the guests on the history of the places they’ve been to. He mentioned that Luli’s grandfather Diosdado Macapagal was the first president of the Philippines to visit this town.

On the eve of Sept. 27, they watched a cultural presentation by the Akha’kha-emeh, a cultural performing group here.

Contrary to what the locals expect of dignitaries, Luli and her friends preferred eating native delicacies like camote (sweet potatoes), pikaw/yu-yu (loach) and gabi stalks.

Luli said this was her third time to visit Mayoyao. The first and second time she visited this town was aboard a chopper but on this occasion, she experienced the reality of passing through the rough roads leading to and from Mayoyao.

“My friends from abroad wanted to visit Ifugao for the first time and so I told them to visit this town,” Luli said. “The packaged tour arranged by Pochon Youth Group was what we were looking for because everything was natural. They made us experience and appreciate the simplicity of life and that is the right thing to do,” said Luli.

Luli and her group attended the Eucharistic Celebration at Our Lady of Assumption Mission before leaving this town on Sept. 28.