1000-Peso Challenge: Kalinga’s Mambabatok

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On the way to Kalinga!

*Pre-Challenge expenses (from Baguio City)*

Taxi Ride	House to Bus Terminal (Slaughterhouse Compound)	PhP 70 (US$ 1.5)
Snacks	Bus Terminal	PhP 15 (< US$ 1)
Bus Ride *0500 H first trip (ask trip intervals up to last trip) *PhP 212 – regular trip	D’ Rising Sun – Baguio-Bontoc	PhP 176 (US$ 4)
Snacks	Ricken Star Convenience Store (Km 50, Sayangan, Atok, Benguet)	PhP 27 (< US$ 1)

Turista Boy Tip: When in a bus stopover, do things as prompt as you can. Bus stops usually last for 15-30 minutes. It all depends on when the driver and his conductor has freshened up. Especially when you are in a public transportation, other passengers have other agenda and they want to reach the destination in no time, not unlike travelers who travel at their own pace. So when you feel like the bus is ready to go, hop on! Be sensitive! 

Staunton Road / Junction – separates the way to Sagada and Bontoc; Sagada is more or less 45 minutes – 1-hour jeepney ride from Bontoc.

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Kalinga: Home of Ancient Traditions

Kalinga, as one of the provinces of the Cordillera Administrative Region, is a hidden gem that waits to be discovered by the modern-day traveler. Though it is quite challenging to reach the province, the travel time is very worth it. Your eyes will be elated to see rice terraces anywhere along the Halsema Highway. While on your way, too, you will get to pass by the highest point in the Philippine Highway System at 2,255 meters (7,400 feet) above sea level in Paoay, Atok, Benguet. Umali kayo!

Kalinga has many tourist spots that you cannot wait to see when you are there. Starting from Tabuk City, this 7-municipality-and-1-city province is now slowly becoming known as a tourist destination in the Cordilleras.

The Hidden Gem of the Cordilleras

Undoubtedly, one of the attractions that you have to visit in Kalinga is found in Buscalan in the municipality of Tinglayan. 2 hours away from Bontoc (Mountain Province) and three hours away from Tabuk City, this is where you will find one of the living treasures of the province and of their village as well – Apo Whang-Od.

Recently gaining international recognition for her invaluable art and contribution to the ‘culture bank’ of the Philippines, Apo Whang-Od, locally known as ‘Fang-Od,’ is known widely as the “Last Mambabatok (Traditional Tattoo Artist) of Kalinga.” Although she now has her granddaughter-successors, she still practices the traditional way of putting tattoo onto one’s skin.

Having tattoos in the highlands is very symbolic. Be it a representation of one’s social status, wealth, or personal body ornament, tattoos are treated with respect and is sacred in the highland culture. So I did not waste any time on having one because I believe that her form of art will be immortalized in my memory and in my skin and that I will remember her whenever I share my stories with other people.

The 1000-Peso Challenge

As a highlight of the blog, I am traveling to key and select places in the Philippines where I feel like you can only spend PhP 1000 or below (talk about super budget travel) while maximizing my experience in that destination. Also detailed is my on-the-spot itinerary and expenses incurred during such trips.

This is my third 1000-peso challenge as to date. Kalinga then is an unexpected tourist destination thus making me wonder if my challenge would work in the quest of being inked by Apo Whang-Od (and by exploring the rest of the province soon!) This is it!

Day 1 (25 June 2016)

Lunch

Bontoc, Mountain Province (Pearl Café)

PhP 150 (US$ 3)

Upon arriving in the capital town of Bontoc, I never expected that the weather there would be warm. As described by the locals, the climate in Bontoc is generally warm throughout the year, as the town is surrounded by mountains. Also, their main modes of transportation are tricycles and jeepneys (but jeepneys are used for long trips outside Bontoc.)

We then ate brunch in The Pearl Café in downtown Bontoc near the Government Center before departing for Buscalan. The café is only a few steps away from the jeepney terminal going to Buscalan.

If going to Buscalan village, Tinglayan, there is only one (1) jeepney trip going there that leaves at either 1300 or 1400 H daily, so it is better if you arrive there an hour before because the jeepney will be filled with lots of supplies and things of locals and tourists. The terminal is located beside the Mountain Province State Polytechnic College. Ask the staff-on-duty at the Tourist Assistance Center in downtown Bontoc for directions and worry not because the terminal is just easy to find.

Snacks	(while waiting for the jeep to be filled up)	PhP 35 (< US$ 1)
Jeepney Ride	Bontoc – Tinglayan (Buscalan Village)	PhP 100 (US$ 2)
Motorcycle Ride *We paid for our guide’s motorcycle ride, too.*	Jeepney turning point – Buscalan drop-off point	PhP 150 (US$ 3)
Hike!	Motorcycle drop-off point to Buscalan Village	(45 minutes – 1 hour, depending on your pace)

The travel time from Bontoc to Tinglayan (Buscalan Village) is approximately 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. Unfortunately, when we were on our way to Tinglayan, our jeepney had a flat tire (charging it to experience!) making our travel time around 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Upon arriving at the jeepney’s turning point, you either meet and talk to your guide about what is going to happen or you also have the option to either start your hike (for around an hour) or ride a motorcycle at PhP 50 each (US$ 1) with an approximate travel time of 10 minutes to reach the starting point of the hike going to the village. FYI, you also have to pay for your guide’s motorcycle ride. 

Who to contact

Turista Boy Tip: It is required that you have a contact person / guide before going to Barangay Buscalan for safety purposes because the way to the village is very steep and narrow, therefore it is quite dangerous especially during the rainy season. To have the best service for a guide, I recommend that you contact Sir Charlie (+63 998 188 8697) or Kuya Aldrin (+63 909 552 4248). They are very accommodating and hands-on in servicing our needs! It is also a plus if you can speak Kalinga or Ilocano as they can speak and understand both dialects. It is also good if you text them a week before your scheduled visit because cellphone signal in the area is very hard to find. Tell them that I referred them to you. They know me as “Chiki” from Baguio City. 

Upon reaching the village, register your name/s at the very first souvenir shop for easy monitoring of guests entering the village. This is also where they will give you your batch or group number (to your guide) when planning to get a tattoo from Apo Whang-Od or her granddaughters. This is on a first-come-first-served basis.

Souvenirs	Buscalan Village	PhP 550 (US$ 11)
	Sub-Total:	PhP 985 (US$ 20)

At the souvenir shop, they sell ground coffee for only PhP 100 (US$ 2) per plastic pack. Our guide said that they usually plant the robusta species of coffee. Other souvenirs that can be bought in the village are necklaces, bracelets, t-shirts, and traditional knives of different sizes among others.

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Day 2 (26 June 2016)

Board and Lodging	Buscalan Village (c/o Sir Charlie and Kuya Aldrin)	PhP 250 (US$ 5)
Tour Guide Fee	For Kuya Aldrin	PhP 250 (US$ 5)
Tattoo Payment	Granddaughter’s tattoo (Ate Emily)	PhP 1000 (US$ 20)
Tattoo Payment	Apo Whang-Od’s Signature	PhP 100 (US$ 2)

Board and Lodging depend on the price of your contact person but the price usually ranges only from PhP 250 – 350 (US$ 5-7) per person per night. There is also a tour guide fee of PhP 1000 (US$ 20) for a group of 5 and below.

Tattoo price depends on the size and design of your desired tattoo. There is a board where you can choose your tattoo design. The cheapest and smallest design ranges from PhP 300 – 400 (US$ 6-8) each and the biggest and most elaborate designs ranges from PhP 2000 – 3000 (US$ 40-60) each, especially when your tattoo requires shading, which is more difficult to make.

They use a liquefied form of charcoal for the tattoo’s ink and thorns from the pomelo tree as their ‘needle.’ After applying the tattoo, they put coconut oil on the wound to hasten the healing process.

They also have guidelines for the proper and safe tattoo aftercare:

The Mambabatok’s Successors

You can also get your tattoo at one of Apo’s granddaughters – ate Emily – when there are lots of clients lining up at Apo Whang-Od’s tattoo center. Especially on weekends, there are more or less approximately 20-30 clients lining up there, making Apo tired and moody. If she is moody, our guide said that she would hit the thorn real hard onto your skin and would not even talk or smile. So it is also better if you have a gift or present for her so she can be pleased (anything may do, as long as it is of value to her.) And at 99 years old, she is also considered as the oldest mambabatok (tattoo artist) of Kalinga practicing this rare form of art that is believed to be 1000 years old.

We also got the chance to see the oldest craftsman in Buscalan in the person of Apo Whaychon (“Baydon” in Ilocano) who makes crafts and weaved knife cases at 104 years old! He is also game to pose in front of our cameras when we pictured him while doing his work.

Hike!	Buscalan Village to Motorcycle drop-off point	(45 minutes – 1 hour, depending on your pace)
Motorcycle Ride *We paid for our guide’s motorcycle ride, too.*	Buscalan drop-off point – Jeepney turning point	PhP 100 (US$ 2)

Upon leaving…

The first (and only) jeepney trip from Tinglayan, Kalinga to Bontoc, Mountain Province is scheduled at 0800 or 0830 H daily. But there is also a jeep coming from Tabuk City that usually comes at around 1200 H (but only by chance if you still have space.)

Turista Boy Tip: If you really want to maximize your time in the village, you can tell your guide that you can rent a van for only PhP 1500 (US$ 30), that shall depart at around 1400 H so you can catch the last bus trip to Baguio at 1600 H (D’ Rising Sun.) So you have to start going down the village at around 1230 or 1300 H. It is also good if you have other companions with you so you can divide the rental expenses among yourselves.

Van Ride (PhP 1500 / 11 pax)	Tinglayan, Kalinga – Bontoc, Mountain Province	PhP 140 (US$ 3)
	Sub-Total:	PhP 1840 (US$ 37)

Grand Total:

PhP 2825 (US$ 57)

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*Post-Challenge expenses (from Bontoc)*

Bus Ride *Last trip at 1600 H	Bontoc – Baguio City (D’ Rising Sun)	PhP 176 (US$ 4)
Snacks	Sabangan, Mountain Province Bus Stopover	PhP 20 (< US$ 1)
Dinner	Ricken Star Convenience Store (Km 50, Sayangan, Atok, Benguet)	PhP 95 (US$ 2)

Fares to and from Bontoc and Baguio are excluded. Only expenses to and from Buscalan Village in Tinglayan are included (as all my 1000-peso challenge would and should be.) 

*All prices converted to US$ is rounded up to US$1 = PhP 50.*

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Verdict: 9 / 10

Buscalan Village in the municipality of Tinglayan is very lucky to be right in the middle of the advent of social media. And they are lucky, too, to have Apo Whang-Od that brought additional livelihood to their village (aside from farming) even if it is very far from any other place in the province. I was just honored and star stuck to see her when we had the rare chance of having a chat with her when we arrived at the village. It is also good that she can speak a little bit of Ilocano and her mother tongue, the Kalinga dialect.

What gave me a rating of just 9 out of 10 is that because of the distance of the village from the nearest one (it’s because it is situated on top of a mountain.) Also, we had no cellphone signal (for Globe subscribers) and hard-to-find signal for Smart subscribers. But it is also a good thing for me, too, personally because you get to enjoy the simple way of life – no cellphones or any other gadgets – just enjoying the beautiful view of the mountains and the company of the people around you.

I may not have succeeded in this challenge but this trip is now in my memory bank. Yes! It was all worth it! You should experience it as soon as possible, too!

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Other Pictures:

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We’re born to travel!

After Summer, Culture, Fang-Od, Hiking, Kalinga, Mountain Climbing, Philippines, Tattoo, Travel, Travel Guide, Trekking, Vacation, Whang-Od