Story & photos by Bernard L. Supetran
The town of Malungon in Sarangani may not immediately ring a bell to the jaded travelers.
But beneath its quiet profile is a rich cultural heritage largely hidden from plain sight for generations. The town, which recently marked its 50th founding anniversary in grand ceremonies, takes pride in a history much older than its age as a municipal unit.
Founded in 1969 under South Cotabato province, it lies at an enviable location near the Digos City, the capital of Davao del Sur, Sarangani Province and General Santos City, the boomtown of Soccsksargen region.
This agricultural town takes pride for being the ancestral domain of the Blaan and Tagakaulo, two of the most exotic indigenous groups in southern Mindanao.
Malungon broke into national prominence in 2007 with the establishment of the Lamlifew Village Museum, the first of its kind in the country which is a repository of the heritage of the Blaan ethnic group. Situated in the interior sitio, its core is the gumusek or the showcase of the intricate weaving and dyeing traditions, musical instruments, accessories and organic agricultural practices.
Organized by the Lamlifew Tribal Women’s Association, it has an adjacent weaving room and Blaan School of Living Traditions which preserves the exquisite tabih weaving tradition, considered as the crown jewel of Sarangani’s cultural resources.
The town’s top tourist spot, its eco–cultural experience won the recent Outstanding Corporate Social Responsibility Project in Arts and Culture of League of Corporate Foundations Guild Awards and the BPI-Sinag Awards in 2017.
Further up in the hinterlands is the settlement of the Tagakaulo, keepers of one of the best-kept tribal traditions in Mindanao. The area offers an authentic back-to-basic immersion with the absence of living amenities.
A new talk of the town is the Kalon Barak Skyline Ridge, an eco-cultural tourism with a commanding viewpoint of Mount Apo, Mount Matutum, Sarangani Bay and Davao Gulf. With an altitude of 2,677 feet above sea level, it is known for its cool climate and is the habitat of endemic tarsier species.
The three-year-old attraction has been spruced up and bahay kubo huts have been put in place to accommodate overnight visitors. Last year, it hosted the Kalonbarak Summer Music and Mountain Adventure Festival which featured multi-awarded neoethnic musician Joey Ayala. The cultural-musical event was conceptualized in 2017 by the municipal government to develop a cultural tourism engagement which represents the culture of indigenous peoples and enhance their skills in the performing arts. It also aims to identify a community-based tourism event or site where musicians can develop new folk songs that speak the values and sentiments of the people.
Another interesting spot is the recently opened Tagakaulo School of Living Traditions in Upper Lumabat, which serves as a village museum for which will help conserve the culture of the said indigenous people’s group.
Of late, Malungon has also emerged as the farm tourism hub of the province due to the presence of farm resorts which offer a merry mix of agrarian and nontraditional recreation.
Topping the list is the 72-hectare Malungon Retreat and Training Center operated by the Center for Community Transformation. The sprawling complex, often used as a sanctuary for spiritual reflection, and venue for religious and government training courses, is also engaged in community projects that aim to keep alive the rich culture of the local indigenous peoples, the Blaan and the Tagakaulo.
It has a model farm where Blaan and Tagakaulo tribesmen grow fruit and vegetables the traditional way, and earn with their coffee and cacao produce. It can be showcased through a tour arranged by the CCT, where a cultural show where indigenous music, song, arts, spirituality and cuisine can be showcased.
Meanwhile, RioVista Farm and Forest, a natural reforestation site and integrated, organic upland farm situated by a river and has two farms—the 47-hectare Sitio Rancho for upland, integrated farm and indigenous crops, and the 15-hectare Sitio Alngihan for high-value vegetables.
Recognized by the Department of Agriculture as a Learning Site for the Agriculture Training Institute, it has forayed to tourism by offering the area as a farm camp to visitors who would like to get a rural vacation experience of planting crops, tending to animals and an array of fun activities.
Another interesting site is the B3 Sodaco Farm, a newly opened landscaped eco-farm with a natural lake located at Upper Mainit where toursits can relax in open cottages, and go bamboo rafting or boating and fishing.
Moreover, outdoor lovers can trek to Busagan Falls in Sitio Sabangan further inland, and get the thrill of having of having the cascade unto yourself.
But perhaps the biggest surprise in this bustling town is the Sarangani Golf and Country Club where golf aficionados can perfect their swing in a scenic yet uncrowded fairway. The nine-hole course is laid out on rolling terrain with mango and hardwood trees and miniature lakes, and a Clubhouse with a majestic view of Mount Matutum.
With surprises as golden as its age, Malungon is an unexpected getaway for its unique blend of culture and leisure, and everything in between.