Over Hills and Vales

As a Development Facilitator employed by the Government I travel to different places in our municipality to meet with people and evaluate their needs.
After the assessment I assist them prepare comprehensive community development plans. Oftentimes I trek to the remotest areas to reach my target clients, usually farmers. What I do is hard work but the joy I get from knowing that somehow I am instrumental to the improvement of the community shadows any hardsip I have encountered, and working with people is spiritually enriching.

At first I didn't want field work, but then my Boss told me it's the only way I can be promoted, so reluctantly I agreed to be fielded. I would learn later that it was the best decision I have made in my job. Meeting people with varied backgrounds, economic conditions, cultural practices, and political orientation is quite an experience- it is enlightening. Seeing fresh, innocent, trusting, hopeful faces is spiritually inspiring.

Nature too have its way of saying "Hey you are an important part of this world". In one of the barrios I visited I was awed by the scenery.

It was late afternoon when we arrived. We stopped on top of a mountain and my co-rider (we rode a motorcycle)pointed to me our destination. The village nestled in the middle of high mountains, including the one upon which we were standing. a river crossed the village, surrounding the village are rice paddies, banana and coconut plantations. The surrounding mountains were covered by thick forest and lush vegetation. The mountain where we were standing is a pastureland so our view was unhampered. In our vantage point the scenery was like a miniature landscape. I was very tired , my feet were stiff from riding, I was dusty and felt filthy but at the sight of the village I felt reborn, refreshed, energized, happy beyond reason. It was a wonderful experience. (More next issue).

My native hometown- Paracelis

I was not born in this town but when we first came here I felt I have come home. To some it is just another rural mountain town, but to me it is home. living here gave me peace of mind that i have not experienced anywhere else. Paracelis is home to many cultural or ethnic tribes, the Gaddangs (popularly called "Baliwon" in this area), the Kalingas, the Balangaos, and Ilocanos. The different ethnic groups have settled in the mountainous areas and the town center called Poblacion is occupied by a mixture of the different ethno-cultural groups. It is in Poblacion where I live.

Paracelis has lush vegetation which is now slowly receding due to illegal loggers and the slash and burn farming practice.

Natives from this place who have settled in the interior barangays enjoy mountain climbing and hiking to scenic spots unspoiled by tourists. Waterfalls, caves, hotsprings are just a few places one could visit.