BARLIG, Mountain Province — What was supposed to be a day of planting trees in the remote village of Lias became a dramatic race to save a life, as local authorities and villagers abandoned their environmental mission to rescue an injured farmer and carry him for six grueling kilometers across rugged mountain trails.
On July 31, the Barlig Municipal Police Station recounted how personnel from the Philippine National Police, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and the Barlig Municipal Local Government Unit had traveled to Barangay Lias for a tree-planting activity when an unexpected call for help changed the course of their day.
As the group prepared for the environmental activity, a concerned resident rushed to inform them that a farmer had fallen about eight meters down a steep slope while walking to his field in Sitio Farurang, Barangay Lias Kanluran.
Without hesitation, police officers, firefighters, local government personnel, and community volunteers headed to the accident site.
They found the farmer in severe pain, suffering from what appeared to be a serious back injury.
With no road leading to the remote area and no way for an ambulance to reach the victim, the responders relied on determination and teamwork.
Working side by side with residents, they carefully carried the injured farmer on foot over a six-kilometer mountain trail, navigating steep terrain, narrow footpaths, and river crossings to bring him to safety.
After what must have felt like an endless journey, the rescue team reached Barangay Lias Cluster, where an emergency vehicle was waiting to transport the victim to the Barlig District Hospital for initial treatment.
He was later referred to the Bontoc General Hospital for further medical care.
For the Barlig Police, the rescue was more than an emergency response—it was a powerful reminder that the community's age-old tradition of Fotad remains alive.
Fotad, a customary practice deeply rooted in the culture of Barlig, calls on the entire community to unite and respond whenever someone is in need, turning ordinary citizens into first responders during emergencies.
The rescue also reflected the enduring Filipino spirit of bayanihan, where neighbors willingly set aside their own plans to help another person without expecting anything in return.
"Kudos to our police officers, emergency responders, and most especially the alert citizens of Lias, Barlig! Proof that when community and public servants unite, no terrain is too rough to save a life," the Barlig Municipal Police Station said.
What began as a mission to plant trees ultimately became something even more meaningful—a testament to courage, compassion, and the unwavering spirit of a mountain community determined to save one of its own.
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