BENGUET

SETTLEMENTS AND TERRITORIES

Early Settlements and Trade Movements

 Long before the coming of the Spanish colonizers to the Philippines, the people of Benguet
walked and lived on the land, mountain, and valleys of the southern Cordillera Mountain range
down to the sea coasts of Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, and La Union to as far as the ancient trading
enters of Ituy in the northern plain of Luzon. There were no political subdivisions or
subjugations. Movements and settlements were in search of rich hunting grounds, fertile valleys
and abundant resources of the earth, rivers, and seas, and places of barter and trade.

 The earliest known settlement as recounted in genealogical histories were the following twin
settlement: Chuyo and Tonglo in Baguio- Tuba; Darew and Palaypay in Kapangan-Tublay;
Imbose and Amlimay in Kabayan-Bugias; and Namiligan and Palatang in Mankayan- Bakun.
The gold and copper settlement working sites were at Pancutcutan, Acupan, Apaiao, Penas and
Locjo, all over Benguet.

 Centers of barter and trade between the highlanders and lowlanders of Centers of barter and
trade between the highlanders and lowlanders of northern Luzon were at Ituy now known as
Aritao in Nueva Vizcaya, Tagudin and Vjgan in the Ilocos, and Lingayen in Pangasinan.
Benguet products such as gold, copper, iron, honey, bees wax was traded in exchange for
lowland products such as salt, livestock, cotton or blankets, and wares from foreign shores such
as beads, plates, and jars. Slaves from the highlands and lowlands were also items of trade.

How Benguet Got Its Name

The name Benguet was first pronounced in La Trinidad, a thriving settlement at the crossroads
to the lowland trading sites during the period of Spanish expeditions. La Trinidad then was a
settlement around a lake alive with wildlife, wallowing carabaos dotted with patches of taro,
rice, gabi, and camote. In one expedition, a curious Spanish conquistador who saw this
settlement noted that the people wore cloth coverings wrapped around their heads several times.
When he inquired about it, the native explained that the heavy head covering that the people
wore as protection from the searing cold and winds is termed “benget”. With the Western
accent of the colonizers “benget” was mispronounced as “benguet”. In time, it eventually
become a general reference to the territories of the Iggorotes people by the Ibaloi, Kankanaey,
Kalangoya, and other minor tribes.
POLITICAL HISTORY: THE EARLY BEGINNINGS
Spanish Period
-During the Philippine Revolution of 1898 against Spain led by General Emilio Aguinaldo and
Andres Bonifacio, the Benguet people rallied forth under the leadership of Juan Oraa Carino,
Mateo Carantes, Magastino Laruan and Piraso. Benguet was established as a Province in 1899
under the First Philippine Republic with Juan Oraa “Ahino” Carino appointed as Governor and
Presi dent of the Board. The seat of the provincial government was in Tuel, Tublay. One of the
bastions of the First Philippine Republic was in Benguet where the President of the Philippine
Congress, Mr. Vicente Patemo, Sr. took refuge and protection.

American Period
-first Civil Government was established in Benguet on November 23, 1900 under Act 49 with
H.P. Whitmarsh, a journalist by profession, appointed as Civil Governor. The rancherias under
the Distrito de Benguet were termed town ships.

-Baguio was named the capital of Benguet. On September 1, 1909, it was established as a
chartered city, and its stead, the township of Tuba, was created. Baguio remained the capital of
Benguet until 1916.

-After 1916, La Trinidad became the capital of Benguet.

-On August 13, 1908, under Act 1876, Mountain Province was created consolidating the then
Province of Benguet, the Commandancia of Quiangan, the sub-province of Kalinga and
Apayao, the province of Lepanto-Bontoc and the sub-province of Amburayan. Benguet became
a sub-province of Mountain Province headed by a deputy governor.

-On February 4, 1920 under Act 2877, the sub-province of Lepanto and Amburayan were
abolished.

-The territories of Lepanto and Amburayan were divided and placed under the provinces of
Ilocos Sur, La Union, and the sub-provinces of Benguet and Bontoc. With Act 2877 and
executive orders issued by the Governor General, the nineteen original townships of Benguet
were consolidated into 13 namely: Atok, Bakun, Bokod, Buguias, Itogon, La Trinidad,
Kabayan, Kibungan, Kapangan, Mankayan, Sablan, Tuba, and Tublay. The 13 townships
were now termed municipalities. This number as well as the boundaries defined under the act
and executive orders have remained so.

From 1920 to 1966, Benguet remained a sub-province of Mountain Province with other sub-
provinces of Bontoc, Ifugao, and Kalinga-Apayao.

On June 18, 1966, by virtue of Republic Act 4695 Mountain Province was divided into four
provinces namely Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao, and Kalinga-Apayao. Once again,
Benguet became a distinct and regular province.
PEOPLING AND ETHNOLINGUISTIC GROUPS

Indigenous Peoples of Benguet belong to three main ethnolinguistic groups namely: the Ibaloi,
Kankanaey, and Kalanguya, who have distinct cultures, traditions, and beliefs but who also share
common values and practices. Indigenous communities of Benguet live in tranquility within the rich
and huge highlands of this culturally magnificent.

A. IBALOI (Southern Cordillera’s First Line of Defense Against Colonization)

 also known as Nabaloy, occupy the southern part of Benguet, particularly the municipalities of
Atok, Bokod, Itogon, Kabayan, Kapangan, La Trinidad, Sablan, Tuba, Tublay, and Baguio
City. They are also in the foothills and mountains of eastern Nueva Vizcaya Province. Except
for the Tuba and Lusod-Ambasa ancestral domains within the municipality of Itogon, all the
Ibaloi ancestral domains in the province of Benguet are recognized through the issuance of
certificates of ancestral domain title. The municipality of Kabayan is an ancestral domain that is
shared with the Kalanguya and Kankana-ey. Meanwhile, the municipality of Atok and
Kapangan and Brgy. Happy Hollow in Baguio City is shared with the Kankana-ey

 they are known as shy and gentle, the Ibaloi gave the Spanish colonizers a fierce battle in
Tunglo according to renowned Cordillera historian William Henry Scott. They were the first
line of defense against Spanish colonization in the Cordillera’s southern part. Most Ibaloi are
farmers. Traditionally, they grow rice in terraces, camote and taro. They now diversified into
vegetables, fruits and cut flowers. Herding cattle and gold mining have been important
industries. In recent decades, they aggressively pursued education.

B. KANKANA-EY (The Country’s Main Supplier of Temperate Vegetables)

 most populous indigenous group of CAR.

 There are two Kankana-ey groups: Northern Kankana-ey, who inhabit the southwestern part of
Mountain Province, particularly the municipalities of Sabangan, Bauko, and Tadian; and, the
Southern Kanakanaey who inhabit the northern part of Benguet in Mankayan, Buguias, Atok,
Bakun, Kibungan, and Kapangan.

 The two Kankana-ey groups can understand each other and only the intonations differ. The
Northern Kankana-ey have stronger intonation. Few barangays of the Kankana-ey
municipalities in Mountain Province are with the Applay while some Benguet Municipalities
are shared with other indigenous peoples groups like the Kalanguya in Buguias, Ibaloi in Atok
and Kapangan, and Bago in Bakun.

 Many of them migrated to other regions. In Region II, they are scattered in areas like Nueva
Vizcaya, Isabela, and Quirino. Their main reason for migration is livelihood especially farming,
particularly of rice, as it is much better in the lowland than in the ancestral domains where they
came from. Some Benguet Kankana-ey migrants said that they left their ancestral domains
when their land was affected by mining. While there were those who were affected and left,
more stayed to share in the benefits that mining provided. The mining communities became a
migration area because of the economic opportunities it provides.
C. KALANGUYA (What the world is this?)

 This group (Kallahan, Kalanguya, Kadasan, Ikalasan, Kalasan) may be found in Imugan and
Kayapa in the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya and Benguet living in mid-mountain forests of
tropical oak, hence their ascribed name.

 The Kalanguya derive their ethnic name from the word “Kalanguya” which means “What in
the world is this?” This is used to pacify and therefore a word of peace. It is also used to
correct mistakes. Kalanguya also refers to people’s language.

 Based on the testimonies of the “nangkaama” (elders representing a wide cross-section of

the Kalanguya areas) in a series of Kalanguya Congresses beginning in 1993, the main
origin of the Kalanguya people are from the adjacent communities of Ahin, Taboy, Tucucan
and Tinoc or Tinec. Since Tinec is now a separate municipality embracing Ahin and
Tucucan and other areas of origin of the Kalanguyas, it is, therefore, appropriate to put
Tinoc, Ifugao as the point of origin of the Kalanguyas.

 It was understood that when you say, Tinoc or Tinec, it means you either come from Ahin,
Tucucan or other places in the general area which they have been occupying since time
immemorial. By reasons of “Bungkellew” (plague) and the “Ngayew” (headhunting
activities)of neighboring ethnic groups, many left the area for other places. Others went
west to Buguias and Mountain Province, others to southern Benguet and eastern Pangasinan
and still others to Nueva Vizcaya and Nueva Ecija.

D. KARAO (Seekers of Peace)

 They occupy Barangays Karao and Ekip in the municipality of Bokod, Benguet and are
the only Cordillera Indigenous group with no known colony outside of their established
communities. The story of how the Karao moved from one place to another was a story
of a people seeking for a place where they could live peacefully away from natural and
man-made disasters.
 Known formerly as Ponoypoy, they are believed to have originated somewhere in
Natonin, Mountain Province. One proof of such a narrative is the presence of and
indigenous institution called abonan which is similar to what is found in Mountain
Province.
 Abonan is something that is not present in their neighboring Ibaloi communities except
to Iwak. Stories by elders say their earlier ancestors left their place of origin for self-
preservation to avoid disease outbreaks and tribal wars and settled in Diyag, Nueva
Vizcaya, and lived with the Kalanguya. Wanting a place for themselves, they moved to
Ambuklao, Bokod then proceed to Karadig, Poblacion before their current settlement.
Negotiating their way with Ibaloi communities in Bokod, their present territory was
decided by the elders of Magangan (now part of Poblacion) and Daklan on the basis of
strengthening their Ibaloi communities’ security as the territory they provided was a
perfect buffer against headhunters or bosol.
 E. IWAK (A People Blending Gracefully with the Majority)
 The Iwak Ancestral Domain covers sitio Domolpos in Barangays Tinongdan, Itogon,
Benguet, and Ansipsip, Nueva Vizcaya. It also covers Mt. Ugo, the second-highest peak
in Benguet.
 They are the least populous indigenous group in CAR. Although a minority, they
coexist well with the majority of the population, particularly the Ibaloi and the
Kalanguya, adopting their language and culture but retaining their own. Iwak, as a
whole, is not homogenous, which means those in Sitio Domolpos may have sharp
differences with other Iwak groups who are found in other parts of Nueva Vizcaya and
in parts of Pangasinan.
 are known as one of the builders of Kennon Road which links Baguio City and central
Cordillera to La Union and to the main highway going to the National Capital Region.

CUSTOMARY SPIRITUAL BELIEFS AND PRACTICES

A. Rituals and Ceremonies

 Rituals provide an opportunity to communicate to Kabunian, departed ancestors, the adi
Kaila and other gods and goddesses. They are instrumental in sustaining relationships
and social protocols, maintaining cooperation, common good, peace, harmony and
goodwill among people.
 Their performance of these rituals often involves the presence of elders mambunong or
whoever is responsible for specific rituals, animal sacrifices of chicken, pigs, and cattle
(or other animals as prescribed by elders), plants or herbs, and the utterance of prayers.”

Respect for the Unseen (Province of Benguet, 2021)

a. Peshit/Padit- This is a series of celebrations a person performs over time to increase prestige until it
reaches the highest social status called kadangyan (wealthy class). It is also an opportunity for the
family to perform rituals to give thanks to their ancestors, Kabunian, and other deities for their wealth
or blessings received over the years.

b. Lawit- performed after burial to protect the living members and relatives of the departed person.

c. Healing Rituals-When a member of a family gets sick, the family traditionally consults a mansip-
ok/ mansib-ok to diagnose the cause of the illness. If the mansip-ok finds something he refers the ailing
person to a mambunong who will perform the rituals deemed needed to cure the illness.

d. Keshaw/Kedaw- Performed to cure illness or suffering caused by disappointed or discontented

spirits of dead relatives.

e. Ngilin- This is observed after the marriage ceremony [wherein] newlyweds are not allowed to
consummate the marriage for three days to a week.

Observance of ngilin is also made when a person dies. The family of the deceased has to observe a 3-
day ngilin after the burial. This means the family will have to stay home in this period of mourning.
The community also participates in the ngilin by stopping work for days.
Respect for Nature: (Province of Benguet 2021)

a. Pakde (Kankanaey)/ Pakshel (Ibaloy)- this is performed to stop any further occurrence of
misfortunes such as death caused by accident or poor harvest.

b. Forest Management- people show respect for nature by asking permission from the unseen entities
in the forest before undertaking any activity there.

c. Diyaw- this is performed when settling in a new house. It is generally performed to appease the
spirits. The diyaw ni baley is done during or after building a house.

Respect for Others: (Province of Benguet, 2021)

a. Ubbo or Alluyon/Aduyon- this is a reciprocal labor exchange practice in the community. A family
would announce and schedule the work to be done, and neighbors or other villagers would come to
help. This means that the community comes to the aid of whoever is in need, especially in difficult
times (for example, sickness, death in a family, or in times of disasters).

b. Dang-as or Da-ngah- Done when building a house. A family prepares the building materials then
sets and announces the date for putting up the structure to the neighborhood. The community members
provide help free of charge.

c. Tongtongan- The tongtong or tavtaval (dialogue) is a way of settling conflicts amicably in the
community with the intervention of the lallakay or ruling elders.

Inayan Value System

 Under this philosophy of interconnectedness and holism, man relates to all knowledge and
beings because all are connected by virtue of shared origins, a Creator. This belief system
underpins the code of conduct, ethical concerns, and values that influence the people’s relations
to family, community and their environment.

 It is encapsulated in the phrase, “Lawa sa tan inayan” (“That is prohibited because something
bad might happen”), which then uttered, is an outright mechanism to remind that one is
answerable to a being (Kabunyan, nature, spirits, or other people) in whatever one does. Thus,
in pursuing well-being and quality of life, one should have deep respect for nature and
everything in it, because it is living meaning “everything is there.”

 This code of conduct, passed on through generations, fosters social values of compassion,
cooperation, generosity, upholding the common good and living harmoniously with the
environment. (Province of Benguet, 2021)