Shared Growth Seminar

Ms. Girlie Toribio in SGRA Sustainable Shared Growth Seminar #20

“PEDPED” SMOKING AMONG THE MAJOR ETHNIC TRIBES IN BENGUET, PHILIPPINES:THE TOTAL ECONOMIC VALUE OF THE CAGAYAN DE ORO RIVER BASIN

 

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ABSTRACT:

 

Benguet Province in Northern Philippines has diverse culture and ecology, and is adjudged as the home of indigenous peoples living their own culture and beliefs complementary with their environment. The experiences of “Pedped” smokers and the role of pedped to the Ibaloy, Kankanaey and Kalanguya ethnic tribes were focused on this qualitative research.

 

“Pedped” (Glochidion), a shrub-like plant known as anam by the Igorots and kupkupit by the Bontocs, are abundant in the Philippines and are used as substitutes for tobacco for this plant does not constitute any
nicotine rather it contains triterpenoids and flavonoids. Going back to roots
and ancestry, smokers inherited the trait of smoking pedped since time immemorial, and became part of their culture from generation to generations.

 

On the mirrors of health, and while the general rule that smoking is dangerous to health, most of the smokers claim pedped as a cigarette has good effects to their health than tobacco cigars.

 

The older respondents attested that there is a relax feeling after smoking pedped. In the light of the variety I know, variety I smoke, anam is the preferred variety with small leaves, thin fibers and smells good. Likewise, the output flow described how pedped are dried, sliced and wrapped into sticks ready for smoking. Inclusively, the pedped plants with medicinal properties should be preserved and propagated so that such plants will continuously coexist with the smokers and the environment.

 

Ms Girlie Gayle Toribio

Graduating Student of BENGUET STATE UNIVERSITY

[email protected]