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Benguet Essay

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Benguet is politically divided into 13 municipalities and 140 barangays (Province of Benguet, n.d.). Its capital, La Trinidad is 256 kilometers north of Manila and 6 kilometers north of Baguio City.
The landlocked province is the roof of Northern Luzon. It lies in the southernmost tip of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). Pangasinan bounds it on the south, Ifugao and Nueva Viscaya on the east, Mountain Province on the north, and La Union and
Ilocos Sur on the west.
(http://www.tourism.gov.ph/SitePages/InteractiveSitesPage.aspx?siteID=77)
The province has a total land area of 2,616.48 square kilometers. With the forest land comprising 1,747.40 sq. km. (66.78%) while alienable and disposable lands make up 869.08 sq. km. (33.22%). …show more content…

Loom weaving which is a traditional art has been transformed into a major industry and ranks as one of the top exports of the province. However, based on resources, the province holds great potentials for ore processing, silk fibercraft, rootcraft processing, mushroom processing and strawberry processing. (Facts & Figures: Province of Benguet, n.d.).

Considered as a mining town in Itogon, Benguet; Balatoc is a center of mining activities in the province. In the past years, many Filipinos invest money in the mining activities in the town since Balatoc is popular for its rich lands. However, after several years mining operations in the town were destructed by several historical events such as the occurrence of World War II in the 1940s.

The mine site once had nine main levels and nine sublevels. The entrance of the mine is at 600m asl, the lowest level is at -425m, 1,025m below the entrance. Access to the lower levels was provided by a mine-shaft.

Some of the residents in the town successfully preserved remnants of Balatoc mines. Hence, as another source of income, people in Balatoc allow tourists and travelers to see the remnants of mining operations in the town. Mine visitors are equipped with Wellingtons and a hard hat, and then enter the mine on a mine train. Inside ex-miners show the visitors how tunnels are dug and reinforced, and there is a simulated explosion. Local people guide

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