Tourism chief gets feet wet in promoting Ifugao

UNIQUE CULTURE Tourism Secretary Bernadette Puyat (second from left) joins a tug-of-war in the Hapao River which she used to visit as an agriculture official. —EV ESPIRITU

HUNGDUAN, Ifugao — Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat on Saturday jumped into the Hapao River to join the annual water tugging game, called “guyyudan,” which highlighted a rice harvest ritual that was revived here in 1997.

Puyat first visited the village of Hapao when she served as assistant agriculture secretary to familiarize herself with the postharvest ritual, “punnuk.”

She also took note of the community’s efforts to sustain Ifugao’s centuries-old rice tradition and its rice terraces, which were collectively inscribed as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Different agenda

But Puyat said her second visit, this time as the country’s top tourism marketer, focused on setting regulations to reduce the impact of tourism on the annual event. Puyat also said she wanted to concentrate on the terraces’ potentials for farm tourism.

She discussed these matters with Baguio-based filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik, who helped revive the punnuk tradition with his friend, Hapao woodcarver Lopez Nauyac.

Whenever punnuk is officially declared here, prohibitions against the consumption of fish caught in the river, or vegetables grown from the terraces or local gardens, are finally lifted.

Boys and girls then march toward the river accompanied by adults for the traditional games. On Saturday, their procession carried the “kina’ag,” a humanoid figure made of rice stalks, and a sacred plant called “dongla,” which were features of the games.

Model farms

Puyat said she joined the 19th staging of punnuk but lost the guyyudan.

This time, her team of tourism officials and guests defeated the women of Hapao. “It was a wonderful experience. That’s why I need to return next year,” she said.

Puyat said her 12 years of working at the Department of Agriculture convinced her that the rice terraces should be marketed as a farm tourism model.

It will encourage rice terrace families to plant more heirloom rice each year, she said.

Some of the rice terraces have suffered disrepair because new generations of Ifugaos have abandoned their family farms in pursuit of modern professions.

Heritage site

The World Heritage Site in Ifugao is composed of the Hungduan terraces, the Nagacadan terraces in Kiangan town, the terraces of central Mayoyao town and the Batad and Bangaan terraces of Banaue town.

Puyat said villagers had to first give their consent to experiential tourism and help government draw up regulations that would reduce its impact such as establishing the carrying capacities of each terrace cluster.

When taking part in rituals like punnuk, Puyat said visitors should be taught what they can and cannot do. “A lot of people want to do it but we also need to preserve, not harm the culture or tradition,” she said. —With a report from Ev Espiritu