NextGen Day

The unresolved ten-year ownership issue between Pangasinan and Nueva Vizcaya has resurfaced as the mountain village of Malico is attracting more tourists due to its chilly climate, mountain range vista, waterfalls, and occasionally sea of clouds.

The settlement, which lies 1,675 meters above sea level on top of Caraballo Mountain, welcomes visitors with the crisp air and the fragrant aroma of pine trees, especially from December to February and occasionally as late as the first week of March.

Even if it’s sweltering hot during the daytime in the summer, the nights are still chilly till daybreak.

Most locals grow highland veggies in their own backyard gardens, which they sell to locals at the public market and to tourists as well.

In order to accommodate tourists, a strawberry pick-and-pay option is already offered in the village.

According to data from the Malico Tourism Assistance Center, the peak travel season is around the holidays, particularly around Holy Week.

The income from the PHP20 per person entrance charge would allow visitors access to the majority of the sites, according to Malico, Sta. Fe barangay chairman Bony Ligmayo, is distributed among the three communities of Malico, San Nicolas (Pangasinan), Sta. Fe, and Sta. Cruz, Bagabag towns (Nueva Vizcaya).

The peak number of visitors is 500 or more during holidays and 100 or more on non-holiday days. One thousand tourists were counted on January 2 of this year, which is the most ever.

The completion of the road (Villa Verde path), according to Gabriela Laquias, a vendor and resident of Malico, has resulted in an increase in visitors.

An alternate and quicker route from Pangasinan to Cagayan Valley and vice versa, the trail connected San Nicolas town, Pangasinan, to Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya.

As people compared the location to Baguio City, even though it is windier than the City of Pines, she said, “Dumami na yung mga turista kahit mga taga-Baguio nagpupunta dito para matignan ano ba itong Malico (More tourists are coming even those from Baguio City come here to check what is Malico all about).

Laquias recently set up a shop near a well-known tourist destination in Malico where she sells veggies, prepared dinners, and snacks in addition to meeting other potential needs of visitors.

The Japanese Shrine, where a monument honoring fallen Filipino, Japanese, and American soldiers who died in the area during WWII was built, historical nature parks and camping grounds, and the Hingi Falls are some of the attractions in Malico. Other attractions include viewpoints that provide aerial views of the nearby towns and cities in Pangasinan, Kiyang Di Duntog, Salacsac Pass, or the Japanese Shrine.

A visitor from Malasiqui village in Pangasinan named Christian Frias expressed his amazement at the location’s stunning scenery and pleasant climate.

Dan Frias, however, claimed that the zigzag route leading to Malico was a source of his disorientation.

a group of three towns

Malico has a special history in addition to its attractions and the presence of Native American tribes whose customs are still very much alive.

The municipalities of San Nicolas in Pangasinan and Sta. Fe and Sta. Cruz, Bagabag in Nueva Vizcaya share the village and its name.

Roy Bitgan, a barangay councilor for Malico Sta. Fe, claimed in an interview that he was already born with this special configuration before joining the council village.

Despite there being no line of demarcation between the three settlements in their village, he claimed they were coexisting peacefully.

The barangay hall for Malico Sta. Fe is located just next to the high school for Malico San Nicolas.

“My neighbor is truly a registered voter of San Nicolas,” he declared. “Yung kapitbahay ko nga ay registered voter ng San Nicolas.”

However, Bitgan felt that the conflict should have already been settled to restore order to their community.

“It is necessary [that it be fixed] because for instance in implementing an ordinance, we don’t really know who is covered by it like the solid waste management,” he added. “Importante yon kasi paano maimplement isang law na hindi alam saan ang sakop like solid waste management.”

However, the representatives of the three barangay councils managed to resolve this issue.

Bitgan claimed that before passing and enforcing any ordinance, they consult one another.

The barangay chairman of Malico Sta. Fe, Bony Ligmayo, had a different opinion.

The way it is now is better since three towns are providing projects for our barangay, the man said. “Mas okay yong ganyan,” he added.

Jaime Segundo, the barangay chairman of Malico San Nicolas, agreed with Ligmayo and said that the inhabitants should benefit from whatever decision was made on the case.

Approximately a thousand people live in the mountain community overall, according to data from the Tourism Assistance Center.

Meanwhile, with regard to the boundary issue with Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico III has repeatedly stated that the province will continue to battle for what is rightfully Pangasinan’s.

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