The bridges of Mainit County

Mainit, the land of the Chonglian mountain people, is located in the Bontoc Municipal area of Mountain Province in the northern Philippines region of Cordillera. Mainit is best known for its natural hot springs, and a number of unique bridges. 

A one-log bridge on the outskirts of town.

The trail leading up to Tiging has a two-log bridge fit for a king.

The bridges of Mainit are mooted to feature in a book, a movie and maybe even a musical - somewhere over the rainbow.

This daydreaming is what happens when reminiscing. And reminiscing brings back memories of sang-adum - the yesteryears adkaysa-kaysan. Those were the days of roaming and rambling, of adventure, of the thrill and the freedom. What a wonderful world.

And these are the memories that make you want to explore the mountains again – to range the landscapes and beyond to parts of our natural world, and to learn about yourself. Let the bridges take you there.

Journeying on the mountains leads along the paths to nature’s bounty, such as forest food or a growth of rattan cane.

It is such a privilege to tread on the trails where not many others go,

 not kings, not prime ministers or presidents.

Bridges go overseas, or just over a mountain stream.

And when your bridge takes you to places where you can catch a glimpse of the rare sights -

who’d wanna be a princess or a queen?

Or a wealthy man in his golden fortress, trapped within?

Where there used to be aratey, now bridges lead to the fields of green.

Another bridge leads to Dallik town.

Whilst still another links Dallik and Guina-ang.

The ridges on the south and west of Mainit, where eagles ride the thermals.

Another ridge leads to a rocky mountaintop Fato between Guina-ang, Maligcong and Bontoc.

On another ridge the road goes to Maligcong.

Another ridge drops down to Sacasacan.

Where there is a bridge before the ricefields and the town.

This ridge line climbs up to high Serkan, where eagles nest.

Cheyjey is the I-Chonglians link to the past adkaysan.

A bridge brings remote and distant farms and fields closer.

There is the odd abandoned adit in Mainit.

Let us build more bridges not walls.

Other bridges lead to distant lands where sometimes I find myself

- in the lowlands.
Yes build bridges where you can, but draw the line where you must.