It is a known fact that the cities where broken hearts go-Baguio and Sagada, are full every summer holiday, we went instead on the road less traveled. Have to convince my family to drive to Bontoc from Lepanto that Good Friday-the capital of Mountain Province, which is about an hour away. I was excited that we’ll be able to see a different vista from the mainstream tourists-and one of the oldest provincial capitols in northern Philippines. That noon, I was stunned, and it was still three hours away before “Christ was crucified.”

While asking for the tourism officers where is the best place to eat in Bontoc, I had managed to take a glimpse of the capitol from the main street. Why am I seeing “CAPITOL” and where was the rest of the structure? My heart suddenly jumped in fear that I may be too late. We drove towards the capitol and found a vacant lot and the remnant of the old capitol still being used. I was like…WTF?!

The old provincial capitol of Mountain Province as viewed from the plaza. (Photo by Mervz Marasigan of Pinoy Adventurista.com)

Where the heck is that picturesque capitol that I saw in a Fernando Poe Jr movie “Bontoc?!”

Two thirds, just an estimate of it, of the old American colonial era built Provincial Capitol of the “empire” Mountain Province is gone! The remaining one-third is still being used as an office, which was haphazardly covered on the destroyed end. My heart sank. Instead of relaxing away from “heritage issues in Manila,” here I was-sampal sa mukha with matching sigaw ni Mace “Tama na! Ayoko na!” ang peg!

It is one of the few remaining American colonial-era structures, similar to that of Baguio’s old architecture, that…existed till sometime months ago.

I was caught unaware of the issue that was brewing since 2011, as the Provincial Government was planning to demolish it to make way for a new, three-storey capitol that would mean demolishing the historical structure. There was staunch opposition from various sectors, particularly that of the heritage conservationists, on the planned destruction of the historic building.

The plan caught the attention of the Natioanal Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) which gave several recommendations on how to treat the provincial capitol.

The issue died down, and there was silence, at least at the national scene. To be honest, even I wasn’t aware of this issue.

Then, there were blog potsts and write-ups and even news about the demolition of the old capitol (as far as 2013-that was friggin two years ago!), but like going to Bontoc itself, it wasn’t able to be made aware in the national scene-until that Holy Week of 2015, as much to my sadness and horror. It made me question whether the Heritage Law of 2009 was effective enough to protect these important cultural properties.

The capitol itself was a symbol of administration in the Cordilleras. Mountain Province itself was an “empire province” just like Cotabato in Mindanao during the American colonial period. It’s territory extends to what is now the Cordillera Administrative Region, and Bontoc was the capital-not Baguio. Modern day Cordillera provinces trace their roots to Bontoc and Mountain Province that was established sometime in the early 20th century.

It would have been one of Bontoc’s main tourist attractions. It isn’t just a generic house of governance, but a cultural icon and a historical imprint in the Cordilleran and Filipino society. Hopefully the local authorities realize that it could have made Bontoc unique from its ever-famed and sometimes overrated hugot/tourist destination in its west. I was too late.

The Provincial Capitol of Mountain Province is located here: