The Place We Grew Up
THE PLACE WE GREW UP Tabuk City has a lot to offer, whether you wish to relax on the hill, eat ethnic food, or interact with local tribes. And, sure, this small village in Kalinga is more than meets the eye. Tabuk is in the Cordillera Mountains in the province of Kalinga, 480 kilometers from Manila and an 11-hour trip from the Philippine capital. This lonely highland city is the opposite of a major metropolis, with no skyscrapers, malls, nightlife, or congested freeways. It is home to the Chico River and its tributaries, the country's longest river, which flows from Mountain Province to Cagayan. It is also a popular destination for white water rafting in Luzon, with difficulties reaching Level 5 during the wet season. The river also acts as a source of irrigation for the rice fields of Tabuk (the region's largest rice producer) and the entire province of Kalinga. Surprisingly, Kalinga province contains a plethora of "not so popular," but undeniably gorgeous and nat