IT’S MORE fun visiting Kalinga.

Traveling to Kalinga will never be the same as tourists are now protected under the Pagta or the Bodong Law.

The Kalinga Bodong Council has crafted indigenous laws catering and protecting to Kalingas as well as to tourists coming into the province.

Kalinga Tourism Operations Officer I Dionica Alyssa Mercado said there is a provision under the Law of Bodong protecting the visitors against crimes when visiting the province.

Article VII of the Law of Bodong states “when a binodngan or mangili (visitor) enters the ili (village) of another binodngan and his property is stolen or lost, the Bodong holder or the host will return the item lost or its value to the visitor. The Bodong holder/host, when the offender is found, will cause the offender to pay the cost of the items lost and be fined.”

“Ang kagandahan ng Pagta or Law of the Bodong sa tourism natin, covered ang mga visitors and turista,” Mercado said.

“Halimbawa bisita ka or turista ka, you were accommodated sa isang Binodngan, safe ka na doon, hindi ka na gagalawin, hindi ka nanakawan or any crime na gagawin sa iyo. They will find a way na hanapin yung nawala sa iyo otherwise magmumulta sila or kung sino man ang gumawa dun ay magmumulta. May malasakit sila,” Mercado said.

Article VII of the Bodong law also provides a binodngan is liable when he kills a visitor whether a binodngan or non-binodngan at his house or outside the house within 12 hours. The offender, in addition to the penalty of the crime committed, will pay a fine of one carabao to be given to the host of the victim.

“Dahil sa Pagta mas ma-eengganyo sila to visit Kalinga dahil safe sila, yung security nila, talagang wala silang katatakutan kahit walang signal sa area na pupuntahan nila. It is like feeling them they are at home,” Mercado said.

“Kung kaninong bahay ka or lugar ka nag-stay and anything happens to you there, sila yung magre-resolve ng problem na iyon,” Mercado added.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is also supporting the indigenous law in its peace and order drive as well as the protection of visitors in the province.

From January to September this year, Kalinga Tourism office has documented a total of 82,791 local tourists and 16,269 foreign tourists. Most of the foreign tourists recorded are from United States of America, Israel, Korea, Canada, Australia, China, United Kingdom, France, Japan and Taiwan.