LOOK: First inverted house in Mankayan, Benguet

Photo Courtesy || Maryjoy Andiso

Cordillera - A new attraction in Benguet awaits travelers who are looking for unique and breathtaking place to relax, stay and dine - The Inverted Cafe and Homestay located in Mankayan, Benguet. 

This amazing house design offers not only a distinct architecture but also an amazing view of the vegetables terraces of Barangay Balili in the town of Mankayan.

This inverted cafe and homestay has slowly becoming a popular tourist destination specially riders/travelers who are looking for a nice place to stay while immersing themselves with nature.

The design of the house is literally upside-down, with the roof on the ground and the foundation above it. The interior is creatively designed to provide a cozy and inviting ambiance for visitors to relax and enjoy their stay.

Photo Courtesy || Maryjoy Andiso

But what makes this place so special is the stunning view it offers. From the glass wall, doors and windows, you can see the full view of the endless plateau of green vegetables of Cada, Balili, Mankayan.

The view is particularly spectacular during the early morning when the mist is still hovering over the terraces, creating an otherworldly and peaceful atmosphere while having your hot coffee and tea

READ ALSO: Philippines' first Igloo house is found in Mankayan, Benguet

Truly, the upside-down house in Mankayan is a must-visit for anyone traveling to Benguet and Mt. Province. Just a three-hour ride from Baguio or Sagada, this place guarantees a unique dining experience, a cozy homestay, or just a stunning view.

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First state-of-art monolithic dome in Cordillera soon to rise in Mankayan, Benguet

A monolithic dome such like this will soon rise in Mankayan, Benguet. Photo Courtesy || PIA

Cordillera - The first ever state-of-the-art monolithic dome in the Cordilleras is soon to rise in the Province of Benguet. 

The under construction monolithic dome located in Mankayan, Benguet will serve as a post-harvest facility of agricultural products like vegetables and other farmer's produce.

The climate-smart facility is equipped with advance cooling technology to maintain freshness of vegetables before it will be delivered to the market. 

The construction of the dome is expected to be completed in four to six months and will be ready to serve vegetable farmers in the highly vegetable-producing town on Mankayan.

The Department of Agriculture chose Mankayan to be the location of the Monolithic dome worth P20 million because the town is one of the largest vegetable-producing sites in northern Benguet. 

A monolithic dome is a thin-shell structure cast in a one-piece form. The form may be permanent or temporary and may or may not remain part of the finished structure. Monolithic domes are a form of monolithic architecture.

Today, domes are used in a variety of residential, commercial and industrial projects. Because of the strength, durability and economics, they are used to store large amounts of various commodities in the cement, fertilizer, agricultural, power and mining industries.

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WATCH: Flight test of first paragliding in Mankayan, Benguet

Photo Courtesy || Aristotle Mendoza 

Cordillera - Team from the Northside Paragliding Philippines lead by the owner Mr. Aristotel Mendoza has successfully conducted flight test for the soon to open paragliding activity in Mankayan. 

The team launched the paraglider at the Lepanto mine air strip and landed at the old tailing dam in Proper Paco.  

The air strip of Lepanto is a perfect spot for paragliding as it provides a higher ground for paragliders to launch. 

The view from above is incredible, and flyers can enjoy a full scenery of Mankayan town and the Ilocos Region. 

Upon landing, paragliders can also enjoy horseback riding at the rehabilitated mine tailings dam as an added activity.

READ ALSO: Philippines' first Igloo house is found in Mankayan, Benguet

The local government of Mankayan has not yet announced the opening of the paragliding activities in the town as the team is currently undergoing test flight to ensure that paragliding is really feasible and safe. 

Last year, town mayor Frenzel A. Ayong temporarily suspended the launching of paragliding activities due to the surge of Covid-19 cases in the Lepanto mine camp. 

It can be recalled that paragliding experts had initially stated that paragliding in the Lepanto air strip is feasible. 

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Philippines' first Igloo house is found in Mankayan, Benguet

Cordillera - If you think that Igloo house can only be found in Alaska, you're wrong. Igloos can also be found in one of the mountains of Cordillera. 

Photo Courtesy || Kate Kareen Pulkera Cabintak

These Igloo-like houses are located in Lap-angan, Mankayan, Benguet. They weren't built by the Eskimos but built by strong Igorots. 

So, if you have been wanting to see an igloo for yourself but can't bear the below zero temperature, you don't need to fly to Alaska. The Igorots of Cordillera has constructed it for you and it's only 4-5 hours drive from Baguio. 

WATCH: Paragliding in Mankayan

While the real Igloos in Alaska were built using blocks of snow to form a spiral dome, the igloos in Benguet were built using cement and concrete hollow blocks.

At present, there are two igloos which are under construction in Mankayan.

READ ALSO: Mankayan, Benguet is now the home of the largest gong in the Philippines

We believe that these igloos will add another tourism gem worth visiting in the municipality of Mankayan.

Good job to the owners and builders of these igloos and their brilliant minds. 

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Mankayan, Benguet - Your Paragliding Destination in Cordillera

Photo Courtesy || Mankayan Tourism

Latest Update: The Mankayan local government and the team of experts from Northside Paragliding Philippines had announced the formal launching of the first paragliding activities in Benguet in the coming month of March 2021.

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Cordillera - The Municipality of Mankayan in the province of Benguet could soon open up a paragliding site after paragliding experts from Nueva Viscaya visited the town last week. 

Chairman of Northside Paragliding Philippines sir Aristotle and his wife conducted an initial assessment to the town and proposed to build a paragliding site, according to Mayor Frenzel Ayong who invited the couple to visit the town. 

The proposed paragliding activities in Mankayan is seen to boost the tourism industry of the town which was greatly affected by the pandemic.

"We have to work with possible partnerships to speed up recovery efforts from the prevailing health pandemic. We have to be bullish in maximizing the tourism potentials of the municipality," Ayong said in a statement via the Manila Times

According to Ayong, the municipality has been active in partnering with industry experts that can help in speeding up the recovery of the town.

Paragliding is a recreational and adventure sport where paragliders sits in a harness attached to a lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft or parachutes. 

Paragliders start on the ground with their parachutes already deployed, and the power of the wind will take them up into the sky. 

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"People of the Mountains are full of beautiful energy...MUSICAL ENERGY" - Kulas

Photo Courtesy || BecomingFilipino FB

Cordillera - "I used to think that Igorots tended to be a bit more shy... but wow am I ever being proven wrong time and time again on this trip! Filipinos in the mountains are full of beautiful energy... MUSICAL ENERGY!"

These are the words by Canadian vlogger Kulas that he shared on social media when he visited Bedbed, Mankayan, Benguet and had a little time jamming with the Igorots by playing the gongs.

Kulas had an amazing experience learning to play the gongs in the mountains of the Cordilleras with the backdrop of vegetable gardens and rice fields.

Igorots are one of the most civilized people

He also met with a local blacksmith Marlon who showed him his workshop for fabricating hand made gongs.

Gongs had been the town's One Town, One Product and the municipality had manufactured the biggest gong in the Philippines which measures about 7 feet (2.133 meters) in  diameter and weighs 175 kilograms.

The construction of the gong signifies the town as the source of the best gong in the Philippines. 

Locals of Barangay, Bedbed fabricated gong made up of brass and bronze. 

Last year the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) put up a Gong Fabrication Facility and Equipment in the said barangay to make it easier for the locals to make gongs. 

Demand for gongs over the past years had been increasing mainly from token collectors with one gong priced at P8,000 to P27,000. 

Watch this video from 'Kulas' who went to Bedbed and documented what he learnt from one of the local manufacturer of gongs.

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Netizens wish Canadian 'Kulas' may visit this scenic hanging bridge in Mankayan, Benguet

Photo Courtesy || BecomingFilipino & Mankayan Tourism

Cordillera - Known for traveling around the Philippines, taking shots and drone videos of the countries' best scenic spots, as well as documenting the best of Filipino hospitality and culture, Canadian vlogger 'Kulas' may find this not so popular bridge located in Mankayan, Benguet to be interesting for his next adventure. 

According to the tourism office of Mankayan, the bridge is located at Sitio Tokgongan in Barangay Cabiten. 

READ ALSO: Igorots are one of the most civilized people' - Canadian Vlogger Kulas

The hanging bridge, which was made entirely of steel is about 200 meters long and about 200 meters high. 

Photo Courtesy || Mankayan Tourism

The bridge connects barangay Cabiten and sitio Camanpaguey, the source of the best sweet potato and pineapple in town.

For Kulas, who loves hiking mountains and crossing bridges, this is  a perfect spot for a hiking adventure and to fly his drone. 

A view of the beautiful town of Mankayan, Benguet and the nearby municipality of Cervantes, Ilocos Sur can be seen from the mountain. 

In 2019, Kulas had a short trip to the town of Mankayan particularly in barangay Bedbed where he had documented the life of a gong maker and visited the gong manufacturing facility in the said barangay. 

WATCH: Canadian Vlogger "Kulas" travels to the vegetable terraces in Atok, Benguet

Kulas will be warmly welcomed as netizens wish him to visit Mankayan for the second time. Well, of course after this pandemic.

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Cordilleran farmers choose generosity over profit; Sell veggies for less to help government in relief operation

Photo Courtesy || Johnny Diwas Waguis

Cordillera - Generous and kind Cordilleran farmers decided to sell their vegetables at a low price to help the government have affordable veggies to be distributed as relief packages to people in need.

Manong Joven Pasadillo, a farmer from Palasaan, Mankayan, Benguet sold his 3.6 tons of womboc under the "10 Piso Para Sa Farmer" program of the Provincial Government of Benguet.

Pasadillo could have earned a whopping P72,000 if he sold it at the La Trinidad Trading Post for P20-P25 a kilo but he said that earning half the price is okay to him. 

"Olay san 10 pesos tan tulong on kakailyan san odom.(10 pesos is alright. The rest is my contribution for our provincemates)" Pasadillo said.

Another generous farmers Manong Paul Malucay, manong Leonardo Baguingey, and company from Bulalacao, Mankayan, Benguet, donated their 1.5 tons of assorted vegetables to the provincial government waiving the 10 Piso per kilo.

"May olay kosto tan para relief iib-a tako. Panlaglagipan da en dakami ay farmers". (It's alright, no need of any payment for they are intended as relief for our neighbors. That they may remember us farmers)," the group of farmers said in a statement.

Cordilleran farmers are known to be generous during time of crisis. They live by the principle "the secret of living is by giving". 

Farmers didn't hesitate to extend their assistance to those in need. 

Many netizens praised the generosity of the Cordilleran farmers.

"God bless all the farmers who have generous heart, Go will return that favor, one netizen commented. 

"Thanks for your generosity. God bless you always. Sana in the near future the government will also assist you," another one said. 

source || Johnny Diwas Waguis

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