Sagada, engineered town of the rockies

Issue No. 2.2006

iReport, PCIJ
The Lost Boys of Sagada
by Danilova Molintas

The young men who grew up in the midst of Sagada’s tourist rush have fallen to the temptations of easy money, easy women, and what seemed for many years an easy life.

I have read Danilova Molintas’ “The Lost Boys of Sagada.” As Molintas relates about what had come to these lost boys, he also tells about those diverse personalities the town had attracted – those running away from something and those in search for something – both Filipinos and foreigners alike. I regret that it has come to this with this town.

I love that town – with its tall perennial trees winding the pathways, the rocks and underground rivers and caves, the cool temperature in a pine scented atmosphere, the quiet of the town far away from the hills that would either provide a lake or fall for swimming. Or shrubs after shrubs that provided periodic black berries in certain months or special beetles that could be baked for food.

A rainy day in Sagada is beautiful, just as a sunny day is. You can walk in the rain and enjoy the rain falling all over you. On a sunny day, you can spread your blanket, and with some umbrella over you, read a good book, sleep in the sun and wake up refreshed. I love everything about that place – including the hospitality of the people.

Did Molintas know this was an engineered town? It is. However, it is as though God had as well endowed the town with all its natural beauty everywhere.