ABATAN

Topography and Ecology

Abatan which literally mcans "crossroads" is on the crest of a 7400

ft.
ain in Benguet (formerly a part of Mt.
Province.. t lies on the intersection
Mangkayan, Buguias, Bontoc, Lepanto, Cervantes and other places. It is a small town.
of
so
small that it
can not be
evenin
found a detailcd map Its the Philippines.
not measured in terms of hectares but by the number of mountains. And nobody knou
arca js
how many mountains belong to the town. One who visits the place feels so puny,ws so
minuscule before the awesome splendor and power ot nature. Here too, one sees
the
constant perils man faccs in his attempt to conqucr the mountains above the
clouds and
the perenial cold. Abatan the coldest
is probably region in the
Philippines with aa
maximum tempcrature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit and a low of 34, 2 degrces
above
freezing point. People see the sun only in snatches. Even during the hottest
part of the
day the sun does not really scorch.

Because there are noflatlands, the houses of the natives, chapels or other
buildings are grouped on the mountain top or on the
steep slopes, oblivious of the danger
of landslides, common occurences which have already claimed countless lives. It is 325
kilometers north of Manila and 85 kilometers north of
Baguio. It has winding Zigzag
going with hairpin turns and 5,000 ft. precipices. The asphalted roads nevertheless get
ruined or
occasionally have been washed out by the rains and slides.
It is the only throughfare in this
part of the Philippine highway system with
an elevation of 7,400 feet. Drivers always
Not to follow this rule spells death.
give the right of way to climbing vehicles.

Abatan has a population of 22,477; 11,263 are Catholics. (Catholic Directory

1989). The main popülation are the
Ilocanos,
Igorots particularly the Kankanacy. Some
Pangasinansse, Tagalogs and Ifugaos have migrated to Abatan for business or
by marriage with Kankanaeys.

Strengths and Resources

The Igorot mostly farmers. They rest on Saturdays which is also a market
are
day and work the rest of the week
mines.
raising
Most of them do not own the land cabbages, potatoes, carrots or work in the
slopes accessible only by foot. They have they fertilizer
till. Their farms are located in steep
means of increasing accepted and insecticides as
potent
production. The lgorot farmers climb or descend
steep mountains to tend their farms. everyday
They climb those steep slopes carrying a sacktro
fertilizer on their back and then after harvest O
climb down again
crops to the road where they sell them in the to bring the harvesteu
market.
Being at the crossroads, it is the business
problem for the pcople. he farmers harvest center of Buguias. a
their crops three times
Money 1s
Tn
a
year and ty

60
 sell their products
right in Abatan. Turnover of business is fast.
very kind to them. Market Climate and natu are
days are from Friday
through Sunday. People o
Pangasinan, Nueva Vizcaya, Cervantes, Ilocos
Benguet come to sell their products in Sur and from surrounding tow
Abatan.
The people of Abatan are industrious and
are conscious. hardworking. They are cohesiVe aia
They raise money for living either through
peace loving people. Between sects, there are no hurt farming or business. They are
inspite of differences in religion, influences of other feelings. There is peace and order
the ethnic purity of the natives. people coming in have diminishea

Problems and Difficulties

Water is a big problem in Abatan

on the springs or rain. In the
especially during dry season. People depend
springs the pipes are very small so it takes time to fetch
water. The Parish Priest is not
spared from this problem. He also goes to the spring to
fetch water for the convent.

While Abatan is the biggest business center outside of

or electricity yet unlike the
Baguio, it has no current
neighboring town, Bauko which has electricity. Although
the Agno River passes through Abatan.

The roads to Abatan are also very bad. Because it is a meeting place of
different people with varied cultures it has become a melting pot. This is a threat on

the cohesiveness of the Kankanaeys. One native says; "If you want to become good; If
you want want to be bad; If you want to become rich, you can do it in Abatan". (Pedro
Bestre, February 1986).

Another problem in Abatan is the weather. Because the altitude is very high,
the water is very cold.

People are not conscious of the food value of what they eat. Since they were
originally hunters and they depended on wild animals tor subsistence, the Kankanaeys
prefer meat to vegetables. This is another irony since they are primarily vegetable
producers. They have to learn how to cook their food without losing the food nutrients.

Historical Background of CICM Involvement

This town is the base for a group of hardy Belgian and native missionaries who
the to the Christian way of life a people who attended
Igorots
-

are trying to convert

Catholic masses orhear Lutheran services merely to please the pastors and still look
upon the "anitos" as their sole god and protector.

Abatan Catholic Mission is biggest mission. It covers five

one of the
and some barrios of Bauko. A
municipalities; Mangkayan, Buguias, Bakun, Kibungan
elevation on the mountain slopes.
barangay is at least 2 kilometers (640 feet) in steep

61
 not be tar. But considering the
Considering the distance in terms of elevation, this may
Trail to reach the barangay, it is far. This
distance one has to walk along the Mountain
in order to Visit the barangays of
is one of the difficulties the Parish Priest undergoes
mountains his vehicle should be one that
these mission. Becausc he goes through steep
can really climb them.

The history of Abatan Mission is closely related to the history of the mission at
Sinipsip. The original site of the mission was at Sinipsip, km. 72, where a sawmill was

operating
Since 1946, the people have been visited regularly by the priest assigned at
Lepanto. The first CICM priest to visit the place and say mass there was Fr. Jose de
Haes. Others who had their share of evangelizing the people from km. 72 to km. 100
along the Mountain Trail were Fr. Omer de Smet, Fr. John Dekker, Fr. Henri Geeroms,
Fr. Teodoro Stecman and Fr. Bernard Erkens.

Sinipsip used to hold its services in the public school building till Bishop
Bras[eur bought the old bunkhouse of the sawmill in 1959 and Bro. Alphonse Van Roey
converted it into a simple chapel (60 ft. x 20 ft.). When the sawmill transferred to km.
100, very few people were left at Sinipsip.

On June 1, 1961, Fr. Jose Waterschoot was assigned as the first resident priest at
Sinipsip and he used the sacristy of the Chapel as living quarters. Meanwhile, Abatan
Mission was being established along
km. 90 and in that same ycar was
inagurated with
San Isidro as its Patron. Fr. Waterschoot became its first Rector from 1961-1967.
his administration in August 8, 1963 the San Isidro During
High School was opened.
When the Mission was transferred to Abatan,
people came to work on the
construction of the church with free labor while their benefactors fromBelgium
providcd the finances for the construction. Fr. Jose first stayed in a boarding house then
later transferred to his convent. In 1968, Fr. Jose
got as his assistant Fr. Vicente
Bangabong
Fr. Jose Waterschoot faced a herculian task of
civilization to the lgorots. He did not believe in bringing literacy and
forcing the natives to become
Catholics. "If you ask them to join, they will always agree to please you." They will
later simply go back to their old ways of worshipping the "anitos".
Non-membership
in the Catholic church does not bar students from
enrolling
in the San Isidro
School, or getting free medical services and learning agricultural techniques from the
High
missionaries.

Fr. Jose was also obsessed with helping improve the earning power of the
natives that when he returned to Belgium for a two years vacation he spent his time
scrounging around for good seeds which could be introduccd in the Mountain Province.
The natives refer to him as the man who introduced mass potato growing in the

Philippines.
 Believing that the best way to educate the Igorots is by
Fr. Jose started experimenting on growing
setting a good exampt
vegetables. He believed that given the
proper leadership and guidance, the gorots can improve their living conditions
the uncooperative natural and human elements. He believed that only by helping the despite
Igorots improve their living conditions can he succeed in achieving his primary mission
of converting the lgorots to Catholicism.

In 1968, Fr. Hubert Declerck took the place of Fr. Jose, with Fr. Jose Van Gils as
assistant. He was replaced in 1972 by Fr. Herman Sneyers.
his assistant.
his During this period,
chapels were constructed and inaugurated in the barrios and a regular Christian
Leadership formation campaign was launched among the people.

On November 13, 1964, Fr. Gustaaf Lambrechts took over the place of Fr.
Sneyers with Fr. Camilo, a diocesan priest as his assistant.

From the time Fr. Gustaaf took over, he strengthened the Christian Leadership
Formation. Through Basic Christian Communities (BCC) people in each of the 32
barangays have formed their own "Gimong". A "Gimong" is like a miniparish.
Through the "gimong" the religious needs of the people are being met. They have lay
leaders who lead their regular services. This "Gimong" is an expression of BCC.

The Christian leaders of Abatan have taken responsibilities over their own
"Gimong". There is an existing strong solidarity among members of each "Gimong" and
even among "gimongs". "Gimongs" in Abatan help one another in terms of projects or
during catastrophesThe existence of "Gimongs" rules out the formulation of a Parish
Organization. The Christian leaders of each "Gimong" form the Parish Council.
Pastoral workers and lay leaders, both male and female are generally in their middle-
aged years, that is, 30 years and above. The reason is, Abatan is a new mission. Most of
the older people are convinced of their "pagan" unchristian belief and so it is difficult
for them to do away with paganism. The middle age understand and are open to ideas
and christian teachings and are willing to accept changes and grow in matters of faith
and christianity

Today Abatan has seven (6) full-time catechists. It is also blessed with the
presence of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (SIHM) who help in the
parish. These sisters are doing a big role in the strengthening of the BCC of Abatan.

The San Isidro High School here is the symbol of HOPE for advancement for
the people of Abatan and the surrounding mountain towns. It has a good name. The
faculty members are mostly Igorots who earned their degrees from St. Louis University
in Baguio City. Aside from San Isidro High School, there is also a Barangay High
School in Buguias.
The presernt Rector of the Mission is Fr. Vicente Bungabong. Fr. Lucio Lawagan
is the Assistant Rector of the Mission.
 This communily profile was made for the CICM Survey in 1986
Notc:
An
addition is the lasl paragraph.

References:

Bautista, Fernando, t . al. Golden Ycars Gollen ilarvest Black and Whiie Priniin
' r s s , 979.

Catholic Directory 1989

Chronicle Magazine, October 7, 1967.

Pedro Bestre - Parishioner

Rev. Gustaaf Lanmbrechts, CICM - Parish Priest, 1986.

COMMUNITY PROFILE

Name of Town Abatan Catholic Mission

Province of Benguet
Responsible for profile: Mrs. Vilma Lourdes

Date completed :August27, 1988

A. COMMUNITY

1. General Description of the District:

Abatan Mission is found
both sides but most are found in partly along
the Halsema Roud on
the far tlung barrios,
mountainous and hilly part of up and dowa the
Buguias, Bakun, part of Kibungat,
Mankayan, and Bauko, Mt. Province. People make a living main
from vegetable
farming. Few make business and practice
raining. Products are brought to Baguio protessiot
for arket. City and La Trinidad, Benguet
They buy their needs out of their
cOmerCial center at
Abatlan,
production sales. It has"
and Buguias the crossroad to Baguio-15on
Mankayan-Kabayan, 1enguet. Most of the places can be
provincial roads but still there are somerett
by the national road,
that can only be plt
reached by ioot trails.

64
.
J
 Pentecost, UCCP, Assembly of God, Wesleyan, Baptist, "Born-
again". But until now with these different religious sects, thoro
are still pagans who cling to thcir belicfs, customs, and other
pagan practices. With thc many church and chapels built in
he barrios at prescnt, the younger gencratiOn is no longer
pagan-oriented.

(d Socio-Economic Situation:

1) Occupational P'atterns:

Farmers have no rest days except on Sundays if ever

they obscrve it. They are always out of their homes.
They leave the children to the care of older ones if
they do not attend school. They maybe busy preparing
their farms for planting, caring for their plants, or
harvesting to bring them to market. These, they do as
regular routine of their farm work.
2) Marketing Patterns:

Products produced in commercial scales are

brought to Baguio City or La Trinidad by personal rides
or hired trucks. Secondary crops are brought to local
markets like Abatan, Loo, Mankayan and Bad-ayan
during scheduled market days. Everyday vegetables
are brought to Baguio City and La Trinidad, for other
places like Manila and other provinces by middlemen

(e) Environmental Situation:

At present, the rivers have no more fish in them

because of pollution by people, animals and other causC
be
Forests are denuded and terraced to kaingins. Trees can only
scen in communal or private reservation. Climatic and weather
condition have changed so that plant scheduling is impossible
to farmers. Water shortage is felt very much
causing great loss
during dry season.

(f) Health Situation:

1) Prevalent Diseases:

discases are meastes,

Some ot the prevalent
colds during rainy
skin diseases, ulcer, gastro-enteritis,
s e a s o n and a few
c a n c e r patients. Findings show that
habits, lac
causes could be poor eating
Some probable ot plan
improper use and handling
immunization,
of
 chemicals, mal-nutrition, over-alcoholics and treating
health only as secondary to other
things.
2) Health Services:

The RHU of Buguias composed of a physiaian,

nurses and midwives. This staff goes around during
market days in the barrios to give service to those in
need. There are two private hospitals aside from
public clinics to cater to the needs of in-patients,
namely: Lutheran Hospital located at Abatan, Buguias
and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Clinic located at
Sinipsip. More serious conditions have to be brought to
Baguio Hospitals and to the provincial hospital in La
Trinidad, Benguet.

B. MISSION STATION:

11. Name of the Mission Station: ABATAN CATHOLIC MISSION,

Buguias, Benguet
2 History:

a) Before it became a Mission Station...to the present:

As early as 1955, Buguias was once in a while visited by
a Catholic priest. Rev. Fr. Omer, a Belgian priest, assigned in
Lepanto Mission visited Buguias once a month, once in two
months or even five times a year only.

On the later part of 1962, the

Bishop sent a priest for
Buguias in the person of Rev. Fr. Jose Waterschoot to start the
Mission. It was through the Heald Lumber
offered their recreation Hall at Sinipsip, BuguiasCompany that
the priest to say Holy Mass during
as a
place for
Heald Lumber employees
Sundays.At first, only the
hear mass. A certain
Laed acted as a George
nurse,
Catechist
on, the Heald Lumber
to help in the Mission. As
time went
Company transferred and the Social
Hall was bought by the Mission. In
1963, the Mission decided
to open a High School with the
Gavino Bay-an, a rich man
permission of the Bishop. Mr.
at Abatan,
of his lot and the Mission also Buguias donated a
part
bought a
part. The San
High School was
m3ny students opened
on
August 8, 1963. Through the Isidro
and converted school,
were accommodated
Catholic religion. Later, many to thne
chapels were built in the