DAVAO CITY — Just months after the Philippine government cleared the municipality of Talaingod, Davao del Norte as insurgency-free, tourism now thrives in the area.
The greenish and natural highland beauty of Talaingod and the support of the provincial government has converted the town from a dreaded place to a well visited destinations.
Talaingod is the paradise of over 30,000 residents, majority of which from the Ata-Manobo tribe.
Back then, Talaingod was used to be called the Cordillera of Mindanao as at least two New People’s Army (NPA) fronts were based in the area, it was a lair because the terrain and there was no road access connecting the villages and the town center.
But after the Philippine government declared it as insurgency-free, development sprawled. The National Housing Authority and the provincial government provided 1,000 houses for the three (3) barangays of the municipality.
Governor Edwin I. Jubahib along with other national government agencies infused funds for livelihood of the people from crops to animals and abacca industry was revived. The residents underwent series of seminars and trainings on the field which they wanted to venture.
The roads were interconnected from the town center to the villages.
Recently, Jubahib inaugurated glass bridge which is now the center of the destination.
Christine Arancon, 34, lives in Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte, a town which is just 30-minute drive said “I kept coming because I feel so relaxed and I felt like my problems are gone as soon as I reached the mountain peak.”
Last week, Arancon brought her personal friend to the recently completed Talaingod glass bridge which connect the two gazeebo’s overlooking the provinces of Bukidnon, Davao del Sur, parts of Davao Oriental, Misamis Oriental and the entire Davao del Norte.
At the glass bridge you will be standing at 1,939 ft above sea level.
Town administrator Clifford Libayao said at least 150 individuals visit their destinations during weekdays but hundreds during weekends “Most iof them are on their motorbikes because they like the trail and the road is concrete.”
Libayao stressed “The provincial government fully supported our tourism initiative and the livelihood of our people and capacitated everyone to be part of the development landscape of our town.”
“We want Talaingod to be the Tourism Peak of Davao del Norte,” Libayao quipped.
