DTI-Kalinga Provincial Director Grace Baluyan, who is a member of the program steering committee said this year’s Ullalim Festival will be a 4-day celebration marking the province’s 13th Foundation Day, Feb. 13-16.

Kalinga and Apayao became separate provinces on Feb. 14, 1995 under RA 7878 signed by former Pres. Fidel Ramos.

Starting the 4-day affair will be the municipal and sectoral float parade that leads to the provincial capitol grounds, where the opening rite of the Ullalim Festival will be led by Gov. Floydelia Diasen.

The opening rite is signified by the recital of the Ullalim (Kalinga Epic), followed by the sounding of gongs and native Kalinga dance, tachok.

Each municipality will present its own festival based on its significance and implication. Tinglayan will do the Unoy Rice Festival, Pasil the Salip Festival, Tanudan the Tanudan Festival, Balbalan its Manchatchatong Festival, Pasingan Festival of Pinukpuk and other cultural presentations from Amung Chi Bochong of Lubuagan.

Baluyan said the committee has invited Tourism Sec. Joseph Ace Durano as Guest of Honor and Speaker and other Cordillera Tourism officials led Director Purificacion Molintas as guests.

Highlighting the celebration is the Agro-industrial Fair that offers a variety of Kalinga indigenous crops and products of world demand, under the auspices of DTI-Kalinga.

Other highlights include the ‘Provincial Skills Competition’ (PSC) for the skilled workers in the province to display their abilities in a friendly competition.

This aims to promote quality development in technical and vocational skills and develop a pool of world-class Filipino workforce whose skills help enhance both their employability and productivity.

This will be participated in by graduates of community-based training program from the municipalities, students from the private and public schools in the province, industry workers, entrepreneur, out-of-school youths, graduates and professionals, graduates from the Technical Educational Skills and Development Authority Provincial Training Center (TESDA-PTC), and even from the group of people with disabilities.

Contested areas which will be conducted in open and youth categories include Information Technology, Welding, Building Wiring, Horticulture, Automotive Servicing, Consumer Electronics, and Indigenous Crafts.

It will likewise showcase demos on beauty care like body massage, facial, foot spa, hair styling and cosmetology.

Martial arts enthusiasts will also be witnessing self defense demonstrations by the Kalinga Colleges of Science and Technology, Saint Louis College of Bulanao and the Philippine National Police.

The inclusion of the PSC in the province’s annual major event is in support to the flagship of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to create more jobs for the Filipino through the provision and promotion of skills training producing a world-class and competent workforce.

Like the Kalinga legendary washing at the waters of Chico River to end the day’s toils, participants and guests to the 4-day Ullalim Festival are invited to take the Chico River white water rafting, a 4-hour exasperating challenge on the Chico rapids.

Baluyan said the province, which is emerging as the new tourism discovery of the Cordillera, aims to develop the annual Ullalim Festival as an attraction, and later have it at the levels of Aklan’s Ati-atihan and Cebu’s Sinulog festivals.

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During the initial meeting, the planners presented the proposed highlights of activities which include cultural shows and tourism programs, agro-industrial trade fair, street dancing to be participated by the various local government units, schools, people’s organization and non-government organization, Float Parade by the LGUs and business sectors and Laga Fashion Show which will showcase the Kalinga inspired designs.

The festivals will start on February 13 with the Trade and Culture Day featuring the Grand Parade, opening of the Trade Fair, Indigenous Cook fest and the Laga Fashion Show.

The second day which coincides with the Valentine Day Celebration will be the Anniversary Day showcasing the Float Parade, Cultural Parade and Cultural presentations, Indigenous Games and Musical Play.

The celebration on the 15th will feature the cultural presentation of the various schools in the province which includes an Street Dancing and Variety Shows.

According to Geronimo Donaal, this event provides an opportunity for the Kalingas to come together and renew their kinship ties and better understand their identity as a people and “since this is in time with the celebration of Valentine’s Day, the event he said should have a Valentine spirit – love, peace and unity.”

The event he informed would also “provide the opportunity for the entrepreneurs in the province to sell and promote their products.”

“We are banking on full participation and support of the public, LGUs, schools, the business sector, private institutions, POs, NGO, and other ethnic groups in the province for the success of our celebration,” he expressed.

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Tinglayan Tourism Officer Designate Noel Macaiba informed that this scheme is designed to meet the vision of turning the municipality into an eco-tourism destination, where the culture and tradition of the people are preserved and reflected in all development plans of the LGU.

Macaiba said that to ensure the enforcement of this plan, the LGU came up with a Local Tourism Code regulating all development activities to gear towards the enhancement of the tourism industry.

Aside from the infrastructures which should be symbolic of the culture, we also include the livelihood practices of the people in agriculture to pursue the traditional or the old ways of farming, he said.

He cited the traditional way of processing rice, which the LGU is encouraging since it will also enhance the organic production of ‘unoy’ rice in the municipality.

To get the support of the people, Macaiba said that part of their tourism planning package is giving importance to social preparation requiring the active participation of the people and barangay officials.

“We have to inform and prepare the people on the effects of tourism industry in the ‘ili’ and in the economy,” he said.

To preserve the town as an eco-tourist destination, he said that tourism activities must also be regulated and maintained to be sensitive to the culture being a place of the Binodngans.

“Like in the case of Mount Pulag, we also have to protect our environment and culture, so we recommend that all tourists coming to Tinglayan must have to coordinate with the proper authority in the municipality before doing any activity,” he said.

He explained that this will not only regulate the coming in of people but also aims to inform visitors on what the place could offer and the don’t and do’s so that they will have a safe and enjoyable stay in our municipality.

Investors according to Macaiba are likewise encouraged to put up businesses which are geared towards the vision of enhancing the culture of the municipality.

Providing some insights for visitor, Macaiba said that Tinglayan as a tourism destination offers a vast adventure activities like white water rafting, spelunking, trekking and nature watching.

“We have trained guides and we have also established homestays for tourist who wants to experience the way of life of the Ykalingas,” he said.

He is inviting the public to join the people of Tinglayan in celebrating the “Unoy Festivals this coming December. (ggd/PIA Kalinga)

Photo Courtesy of : Chico River Quest White Water Rafting

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Hester Mana Umayam of Bulanao, this town, and a graduate of the Philippine Science High School in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya not only earned honors for the entire country when she won 4th place in her research work, but inspired even the loomweaving industry of her tribe.

Umayam made a study on “Ethnomathematics in Geometric Patterns in Woven Fabrics of the Indigenous Kalingas of the Philippines,” using mathematics in the weaving of ethnic fabrics.

Her research work affirmed that Kalinga weavers, who did not obtain formal schooling, were indeed applying principles of mathematics in their job since time immemorial.

Umayam’s study came at the right time when Kalinga’s weaving industry, with at least 300 members, is facing some difficulty in its production technology and is being assisted by the Department of Industry provincial office. It brings inspiration to the association in terms of new fabric designs which they can display during the regional trade fair in Manila later this year.

Though exhibiting high market performance during trade fairs, here and outside the province, loomweavers, whose average daily income is P267 still need to increase output capability.

The industry, which nearly reached the verge of termination couple of years ago, is sustained by the Lubuagan weavers who mainly comprise the association and who produce mostly the woven fabrics coming from the province.

Hester’s mother, Nelia Ducasao Umayam, Chief Nurse at the Kalinga Provincial. Hospital belongs to the Lubuagan tribe.

Photo Credits : http://www.tribaltextiles.info/

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