A RECENT tour of the Mountain Province gave me the chance to reach Sagada — the place I kept on wanting to see ever since extra ordinaire lensman Egay Montana who used to work for this paper and Reuters told me about it.

Gosh, it’s almost 20 years when Egay, myself and other media professionals working for former Vice President Noli De Castro attempted to make a sidetrip to Sagada during a mission in Isabela and Tuguegarao.

There was a lull in the scheduled weeklong activities and Egay proposed the Sagada journey — a recommendation that quickly won approval from the excited group as many of its members obviously haven’t been to Sagada.

I had no idea about Sagada back then but Egay’s tales on the place’s cool weather — cooler than Baguio — were enough to boost my enthusiasm to join the trip.

Besides, temperature in Isabela that day was punishingly high — a reason for somebody to also vouch for an adventure in the beaches of Pagudpud, Ilocos Sur.

But before we could embark on a sidetrip, there was a call from the head office about a new assignment requiring immediate response.

At that moment, i knew the Sagada or the Pagudpud expedition will just be a dream.

But I conquered that dream only last week. In fact, I shot two birds with one stone. My voyage to the Mountain Province took me at last to Sagada. After Sagada, i proceeded to Pagudpud where I got to travel a lot of times in recent years with the family.

One can really enjoy the laid back but very cold environment in Sagada — the temperature could be likened to that of Seoul, Korea where multi-layered clothing is a must.

It gets even colder at night until early morning. Interestingly, It’s sill cold at lunchtime unlike in Baguio where temperature rises only in the morning, late afternoon and nightime.

Maybe it’s because there’s less people, vehicles, and factories and more trees, discipline and contentment in Sagada.

At any rate, the municipality of Sagada will again hold the Etag festival in February after a two-year hiatus as an added attraction for tourists.

After its two-year recession, the annual Sagada Etag Festival is set to be celebrated in full blast from February 2 to 5.

There will also be the launching the Sagada tourism tagline aside from the institutional activities Sagada used to have.

Mayor Felicito Dula said tourism plays an important factor in their town’s economy, with most of the residents engaged in the tourism industry.

Town officials earlier said about 70 percent of establishments in Sagada’s central business district are engaged in tourism, with around 1,300 residents working as tour guides and 300 inns and restaurants operating.

Around 100 souvenir shops are also employing locals.

Dula said the municipality is likely to earn an annual average revenue of P10 million from tourism once arrivals pick up.

Sagada has fully opened its borders without any requirement and it will have the Etag festiva again this year for tourists to look forward to.

“Etag” is the Igorot’s traditional way to preserve the meat of a wild pig ready for the next rainy season.

Sagada’s etag is black due to the smoking process observed by the locals. A common way of cooking is with the charred chicken for the traditional “pinikpikan” aside from that flavored with soy sauce topped with onion bulb slices and onion leeks.

This year’s festival carries the theme “napigsa ay Kultura ya pammati, wed-weday I-Gabay ya isikan di umili” means “Strong culture and faith is the foundation and progress of the community.”

It will again feature the etag as a delicacy in its agro-gastro fair and will include a civic parade and celebrations connected to the feast of the purification of the blessed virgin Mary and the presentation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

A cultural day will also be held featuring traditional games and other cultural activities.

A different Sagada will be presented with the opening of the “Southern Sagada nature treat, tour and adventure” allowing tourists to destinations that used to be exclusive to the community.

Southern Sagada has the Obwa Canyon waterfalls, Takkong traditional burial grounds, Balangagan cave, and the Pinumdeng skyline sunrise, among others.

Dula said with their town’s closure to non-residents during the pandemic, the natural beauty of the attractions that they are famous for has also been rejuvenated.

“We are recovering slowly and we hope that the festival will further increase the tourist arrivals of our town so that the losses incurred by the residents will also be recouped,” he added.

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