HUNGDUAN, Ifugao — The breathtaking landscapes of Hungduan once again became the grand stage for the 11th edition of the Rice Terraces Marathon, where hundreds of endurance runners gathered last weekend to test their strength, stamina, and spirit in one of the country’s most scenic but challenging races.
Organized by Team Malaya, in partnership with The Mountain Men Creations, the Department of Tourism – Cordillera Administrative Region and Hungduan Tourism Office the event remains a banner activity for promoting sports tourism in the region while supporting the local communities of Hungduan and beyond.
The race featured three grueling categories: 12km, 21km, and 42km, each offering its own mix of technical trails, mountain paths, and the world-famous rice terraces carved into the mountainside centuries ago.
The 12km course gave participants a taste of both road and trail running, with a route winding through the rice paddies surrounding Brgy. Poblacion.
In the Male Division, Bancilo Swaggert of Tabuk, Kalinga, claimed the top podium placement with an impressive time of 1:03:30. He held a solid gap of over six minutes ahead of John Lloyd Dulnuan (1:09:46), while Roderick Hunnob clocked in at 1:20:28 to secure third place.
In the Female Division, Irene Buyuccan of Team IHTR dominated the field with a time of 1:27:50, finishing nearly four minutes ahead of Regine Aragon (1:31:18), who closely fended off Makeda Young (1:31:49) by just 31 seconds.
The half-marathon route ventured deep into the famed Hapao Rice Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before descending to the hot springs at the base of Mt. Napulauan, the 15th highest peak in the country.
In the Men’s 21km, Eco Villamor blazed to victory in 2:01:35, building a commanding gap of over 18 minutes ahead of Joross Rosendo (2:19:50). Menard Balangue Batulay came in third with 2:27:16, trailing Rosendo by around 7 minutes.
For the Women’s 21km, Jovelyn Dulnuan led the field with a finish time of 3:12:03, holding off Cariza Sotalbo (3:30:33) by nearly 18 minutes. The battle for third was thrillingly close, as Jennifer Barlis (3:30:36) crossed the line just 3 seconds behind Sotalbo.
The flagship 42km marathon delivered the ultimate test of endurance with steep ascents, rugged terrain, and awe-inspiring scenery.Jonathan Ballogan of Ifugao’s Haggiyo Trail Runners (IHTR) emerged as champion in the men’s division with a strong finish of 4:08:46. He outpaced Metro Manila’s Dennies Lajada (4:24:32) by over 15 minutes, while Ralph Liza secured third place in 4:52:03, trailing Lajada by around 28 minutes.
In the women’s field, Fely Igid Layagan of Sagada displayed mountain mastery, clocking 6:09:01 to claim the title. Her nearest rival, Mylene Grace Torrado, finished with 7:36:20, more than an hour and 27 minutes behind. Fiona Ilagan took third place, bravely pushing through to the finish in 9:48:35, almost two hours and 12 minutes after Torrado.
More than just a race, the Rice Terraces Marathon was held last June 8 and serves as a celebration of the culture and beauty of Ifugao. With the unyielding support of the DOT-CAR, Team Malaya and the Hungduan Tourism Office, and their dedicated partners, the event reinforces its mission to bring sustainable sports tourism to the highlands.
Team Malaya assures that their passion for organizing and supporting trail and mountain events will continue not only to showcase the natural wonders of Hungduan but to uplift local communities and inspire a new generation of Filipino endurance athletes.
