- [Erwan] Come with me
to a land not so far away, tucked between valleys
in the heart of the Cordillera Mountain Range. Let's see where our feet
take us. Let's take it all in— the different hues of green, the sound of water
rushing along a fountainhead of dreams. These are the people
we met in Bontoc, a town that flies
under the radar but one that is so important
in the Cordilleras. How does one become
at home with oneself? With a community? Let's keep exploring. Relishing all the sites,
the details. Don't let me forget anything. There's enough room
for all of us. The locals don't seem to mind. They are busy living,
travelling, learning. We watch curiously,
quietly from a distance. I'm famished. How about some breakfast? - Here in Bontoc, locals love
to eat pancakes and coffee especially in the mornings
and afternoons. After class
and before heading home, the students usually grab a snack
here in the market. We run our shop here
in the market, at the second floor. My specialties are noodles,
pancakes, ginataan, coffee, halo-halo. I prepare them all
from scratch. Come dine here
at Awang Coffee Shop. - [Erwan] I'm still hungry. I always am. Our country always provides. It's a good thing
I always bring an appetite. As we stroll endlessly,
we spot some women selling Patupat,
a rice cake wrapped in a coned banana leaf. - This is Patupat. We make it ourselves. It's made of glutinous rice,
coconut, sugar, and salt. This is delicious. This is a Bontoc specialty. Yummy! It's best enjoyed
with coffee and tea. - [Erwan] Since Patupat
is a local specialty, most women in Bontoc
know how to prepare it. They learn the recipe
from their mothers, who in turn learned it
from their own mothers. A priceless heirloom
passed down from one generation
to the next. You'll find iterations
of this dish everywhere in the country,
but there's always a little something
that makes it special and localizes it. - After planting season,
we usually gather over a picnic. Some would butcher livestock
and then prepare Patupat for everyone as well. - [Erwan] As we continue
taking a look around, we spot some Etag,
another Cordilleran favorite. - They season this with salt
then smoke it for a month and a half. Locals usually add it
to vegetable dishes. - [Erwan] There's so much more
to see in the market like the Bubod,
a white-to-brown disc-shaped hardened starch
that contains the yeast needed
to ferment rice and make Tapuy, a traditional Cordilleran
rice wine. You can find almost anything
in the market, even luxuries
such as tobacco or Nana or betel nut. - This is tobacco
for betel chewing. This is tobacco, buwa (betel nut trunk), gawed (betel vine leaves), and apog (slaked lime). This is red rice
from Bauko, Mt. Province. These are native tea leaves
from Betwagan. It can only be harvested
from the mountains. - [Erwan] The market
is a treasure trove. We could spend all day here,
tasting, learning, and discovering. Reluctantly, we continue on. There's so much more
to see in Bontoc. Let's work our way up. There's a quite charm
to the countryside. Here, time seems
to move at a much slower pace and yet, the rhythm
is never lost. We come across remnants
of a real wild hunt. - This is what I use
for hunting. These are the skulls
of wild boars. We don't just throw them away. We use them as ornaments. I haven't used this
in a while. - [Erwan] Bushmeat used
to be rampant in the Philippines, not so much anymore. But there are always alternatives
in nature. - We'll hunt some snails. City-dwellers love to eat
these with rice because snails are rare
in the urban area. They're quite
expensive there, too. We remove snails
in the rice fields because they also feed
on our grains. We don't sell the rice
that we plant here. We save it for special occasions
so in case a wedding will transpire,
we don't have to spend on rice anymore. This is our "Bisuko" here
in Bayyo, very clean. We will eat this tomorrow. - [Erwan] A feast awaits us. We are grateful. (converses in foreign language) The locals of Bontoc
are generous, always giving off themselves,
sharing whatever they have without expecting anything
in return. They indulge us
with intimate glimpses into their lives, and yes,
more food and drinks. - This is cassava. This is how you make Safeng (naturally fermented drink
from raw cassava or camote). - [Erwan] To make
the traditional Cordilleran drink called Safeng,
one must add raw cassava or camote in a clay jar
full of boiled water, and the resulting liquid
develops a strong smell and sour taste. Besides being
a popular thirst-quencher in Bontoc,
it is also good for colds, flu and stomach problems. Some use it in soups
or in dishes as well. In the old days,
one could freely ask for Safeng from those
who had it, and some villagers
even kept jars of Safeng outside their house
so anyone could help themselves a cup or two. - It's bitter! It's now done. - [Erwan] I've always
been fascinated with fermentation, it's a true representation
of how things were once preserved. But above function,
it also lends so much flavor when ingredients are scarce. Are you still with me? We come across a farmer
and he tells us a thing or two about securing families
or even a community's food supply
in uncertain times. - This is a rice granary,
it's where to keep the rice grains. In case of a pandemic
or famine, at least we'll have
something to eat. This supply can last
for 20 years, or until you'll need it. But if you still have
a source of livelihood, you can just have it there,
it won't rot. - [Erwan] We prepared
to move along humbled. Indeed, there's wisdom
to be had in the most candid encounters. Night falls but the locals
allow us to stay longer. We obliged. - After betel chewing,
we're drinking. - [Erwan] As the fire
burns brighter, scenes from an eventful day
flash before us. Intricate rice fields,
the thriving town, a community of some
of the most unpretentious, warm-hearted people
living their best lives. It feels great
to be in Bontoc.
