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That Place Called Sagada |
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by Bam Azores | 11-04-2015 14:14
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Holy Week or the time when Catholics commemorate the passion of Jesus Christ is also the time in the Philippines when families take their first long summer vacation. Most schools end the year and have their graduation just before Holy Week. This year the one week vacation was from March 30-April 5 (Easter Sunday).
Sagada is a small town in the Mountain Province. It takes about 12-15 hours to get to Sagada by car or bus and is almost near the mountain city of Baguio also known as the Summer Capital of the Philippines. Sagada is known for its rice terraces, hanging coffins, underground river, waterfalls and other natural resources. Sagada became very famous after a romantic comedy movie (entitled That Thing Called Tadhana) was filmed in the small mountain town. It got local tourists interested in visiting the place.
Just before this Holy Week, I read an article that had conservationists discouraging tourists from visiting the mountain area called Sagada up in the northern part of the Philippines. They had many reasons for this. One of the most important is that the water supply is low in order to serve the tourists? needs. What should otherwise go irrigating the rice terraces goes to the use of the tourists.
Now that the Holy Week has passed, I saw TV coverage that showed how thousands of people still trekked their way up to Sagada and after they left, litter covered the hills and surrounding area. It was a very picture to see. I remembered the saying ?Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time.? That is what Responsible Tourism should be! |
 
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9 Comments
Well reported Bam.
This is true for any tourism & applies for all countries. Please do not leave ecological footprint especially in hilly region where accessibility is difficult any way.
Posted 14-04-2015 21:07
Happy Easter for you, Bam :D And thank you for sharing the interesting knowledge about the region Sagada. It's beautiful and I've seen the hanging coffins in the TV but didn't know where it was. Now I learned that it's in the Philippines thanks to you.
I agree your comment "Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time" Any tour should be done in this way.
Posted 14-04-2015 14:00
Sagada, for the first time I am hearing about this wonderful place. Sad to know how the tourist encroachment has littered this beautiful place.
It's a high time to implement strict code of conduct for tourists visiting such areas before it's too late.
let each of us be a responsible tourist.
Posted 13-04-2015 22:00
Sagada looks like such an interesting place to visit! I am surprised that the area cultivates rice, even though it does not have that much water. I totally agree and I think that this beautiful slogan should be used in many places in Greece too. Great report Bam!
Posted 13-04-2015 06:05
I hope the locals of Sagada work towards the sustainability of the mountain ecological system and are encouraged further maintain the the Summer capital:) Thanks for sharing Bam!
Posted 12-04-2015 20:15
Thanks for the report Bam.
If Responsibility is not followed then Punitive measures must be taken. Fragile ecological systems must not be disturbed by the tourists.
Hope the Summer capital blooms again.
Posted 12-04-2015 13:26
Thanks for introducing Sagada and giving us brief about vacation & graduation time during/before holy week in Philippines.
Sad to note that water needed for irrigating rice fields is used to serve tourists. This is is not sustainable tourism and the worst is that these tourists leave behind heaps of litter.
Really liked your one liner about responsible tourism.
Posted 12-04-2015 05:52
Thank you for sharing the interesting report. The slogan so much makes sense and it should be posted in every place where tourists go. :)
Posted 11-04-2015 23:45
Wooow... Hearing about Sagada for the first time. Thanks a lot Bam for this report. The quotes at the end really caught my attention. That's what a responsible tourist should do.
Posted 11-04-2015 21:43