Bob, that's really interesting. Perhaps the village got the name from the Tagalog word. It's in the mountains of Luzon, the island on which Tagalog is spoken in some areas. There were Americans in the Philippines in 1909 as well, including a contingent of teachers who largely influenced the Filipino education system. At any rate, the Bontoc story is the one that more than a few Filipinos told me, so there is some association with the area and the English word boondocks. Thanks for adding more spice to the mystery stew.

Miriam