DEPARTMENT of Tourism in Cordillera (DOT-CAR) urged the town of Kabayan in Benguet to plan and explore possible means in which farm tourism can thrive.
Jovita Ganongan, DOT-CAR officer in charge, said during the 119th founding anniversary of the Benguet town, the municipality serves as one of the areas which has enormous potential especially in the area of agri-tourism, eco-tourism, and adventure tourism.
The DOT-CAR official added to date they are in partnership with the municipal government in looking for ways and means by which the tourism potentials of Kabayan that could be further cultivated in order to grow more business and have livelihood to more people.
Ganongan said, “The town has ample natural resources that could be tapped for tourism development, and this is complemented by human resource-the people of Kabayan-who are very resilient and persevering.”
Tourism, she added, is considered as the most inclusive sector in the country where each and every person has the chance to create a livelihood and benefit from gains created out of various tourism activities.
Kabayan well known for products such as kintoman (rice), coffee and cauliflower and is home to different destination namely Timbac caves, Opdas cave, Tinongchol Burial Rock, Mount Pulag - one of the highest mountains in Luzon.
“Farm Tourism or the fruition of agriculture and tourism, links agricultural production with tourism in order to attract visitors into a farm or other agricultural business for the purposes of entertaining and educating the visitors and generating income for the farm.”
Locals to date plant vegetables and rice however younger generations often opt for great deal of profit from the terraces.
Municipal agriculture officer Geofrey Binaliw said in the agricultural town, the traditional heirloom rice has gradually lessened and having more farmers to go into heirloom rice farming remain as challenge in the agriculture sector.
“When it comes to rice, we are claiming to be producer of heirloom rice, but it is dying industry sad to say,” Binaliw added.
“We are in a democratic country, it is up to farmer’s choice what to plant, if there will no longer be old folks that prefer heirloom rice and younger generation opts not to continue the production that is one that affects the production of Heirloom rice.”
He explained rice lands are being converted to vegetable farms for its commercial value adding Kabayan remain number one contribution in the agri-sector include vegetables, mostly potatoes and cabbage that fits the climate in the Benguet town.
Binaliw said in lieu of the government’s program on securing food in the Filipino food table, the local government unit expressed support in the production of heirloom rice.