OUT of the office can give peace of mind and fresher outlook. Nine members of the BARP Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BMPC) experienced and proved this to themselves last April 29 to May 1, 2018.
Deciding to break the stagnating spell of no-outing that inexplicably came to reign in BARP (Blessed Association of Retired Persons) since its main office moved from Otek St., Baguio City, to Buhagan/Bokawkan Road, B. C. in January 2015, these nine members of BMPC took to the northbound Naguilian Road from Baguio to the Ilocos Coast.
Asked to reveal exact destinations, “basta from here to out there” they jokingly averred in Iloko and English. But from the looks of to where they were heading, they could go surely to the shores of the West Philippine Sea to the tip of Northern Luzon, i.e. Cagayan.
Led by no other than geologist Ben V. Andam, the BMPC general manager, without any other manager below him, the group included Sec. Jean Favor, bookkeeper Amie Luna, credit com. Clarita Quitaleg, sanitary staffer Benjamin Quitaleg, posting clerk Linda Hadsan, BOT-BOD Leo Nganhayna, treasurer Claire Bringas and BOD Juliet Bagano. Five others, including two drivers, were with the trip.
Report on actual itinerary made later dryly gave the points to and fro of the trip, time of travel, places visited. The trio started on Sunday, April 29, returned Tuesday, May 1.
Detailed here: 29 to 5 hours, assembly time – 12:30 a.m., time of travel: 1 a.m.; stop-over for three hours in Vigan to visit Baluarte and Calle Crisologo. Vigan to Ilocos Norte – two hours to visit Currimao with sand dunes, Paoay Church, Paoay Lake, Malacanang of the North.
April 30 – Laoag City to visit Pasuquin, Light House, Kapurpurawan, plantation of Dragon Fruits, wind mills, solar, Pagudpud and its beach, Patapat Bridge. Pagudpud to Cagayan –travel time – three hours. In Cagayan, they visited the compound of BARP auditor Rogelio Urbanozo and the famed Basilicia of our Lady of Piat, BOD chair Urbanozo joined them on their way back to Baguio City.
Sec. Jean Favor was happy to give the details of places visited and travel time to each hoping to give helpful guidance to succeeding foreign and local tourists especially students.
But what the team enjoyed most was the exhilarating feeling of being away from it all, of the unnerving effects of daily routine year in and year out which they say could suck one’s energy despite one’s good will to serve others, particularly the elderly day in and day out.
Incidentally, yours truly, too, has often underwent this physico-mental condition and so is much enjoying being with another company starting the other day when my daughter Gina suddenly arrived with her son Gian Luc from beyond Pacific Ocean. They prefer Baguio’s, Camp 7 and Tam-awan Village to Vigan, Ilocos Sur because of Baguio’s climate and cultural environment. “It’s nice here!” Gian testifies in completely Cedar Rapids (USA) Twang. He was born in the Philippines but left it twenty-two years old.
There are really intangible things gained from cultural trips that, to me, positively touches our personality, including, if not especially, those found in our own homeland in this lovely and loving Cordillera, Philippines.
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