Baguio Centennial: City High

City high deemed as one of Baguio’s Builders

City high has once again become part of Baguio’s history when it was recognized as one of the institutions considered to be Baguio’s builders. The awarding ceremony was held last November 14, 2009 at the University of Baguio gym. The award was received by Dr. Elma D. Donaal, the school principal.

The Baguio City National High School was considered to be one of Baguio’s builders mainly because it was one of the first high schools in the Cordillera to be established. It is also known for providing quality education therefore producing successful alumni and many achievers especially in the field of sports and arts. “Like they say, City High is known locally, nationally and internationally”, said Dr. Donaal when asked in an interview regarding the award. “I felt like I was on cloud nine. I was proud”, she added.

Other recipients of the Baguio builders award were other educational institutions, pioneer restaurants, book stores, major industries, rescue groups, public utilities, media, hospitals, clubs and organizations and families, among others. As a tribute to the said contributors of Baguio, aside from receiving a trophy and a medal, their names will be etched in the centennial wall.

http://baguiocityhigh.com/city-high-deemed-as-one-of-baguio%E2%80%99s-builders.htm

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Incidentally it was only recently that I have viewed the Baguio Centennial site and much to my surprise I found my father’s name as No. 28 in the 70 families named as Baguio Builders. The selection was based on a committee, nominations from the public, and research work by local universities. It is with pride that I belong as a member of the family category of Baguio Builders as well as the institution category, City High.

Who is Dean Conant Worcester?(Part I)

Who is Dean Conant Worcester? (Part I)}
Photo: Worcester among the Ifugaos)

In 1874, Joseph B. Steere, a zoology professor at the University of Michigan, stopped at the Philippine Islands while touring remote corners of the globe for the University Museum. The Islands fascinated Steere and he returned for further explorations in 1887. Among the members of this party was a zoologist, Dean Conant Worcester. From 1890 to 1893, Worcester studied and traveled throughout the Islands and acquired a thorough knowledge of Philippine affairs.

Few Americans knew of the explorations by Steere and Worcester. For them, only the heroics of Admiral Dewey entering Manila Harbor put the Philippines on the map. Once under control, however, the Philippines became a leading topic of conversation for all Americans. The successful conclusion of the "splendid little war" sparked a major debate on whether the Philippines should become a permanent American colony. Proponents of expansionism, including Theodore Roosevelt, Henry Cabot Lodge, and Alfred T. Mahan, relished the idea of a colonial empire in the Pacific. Advancing strategic, political, economic, and moral arguments, the American imperialists reasoned that the United States had a moral duty to govern the Philippines and elevate her people to "civilized" democratic standards.

Opposing the imperialists was an impressive array of anti-colonial spokesmen, including Grover Cleveland, William Jennings Bryan, Andrew Carnegie, and Mark Twain. They insisted that an American controlled government in the Philippines, a foreign land far off in the Pacific, violated both the tradition of government by consent and the intent of the Declaration of Independence.

On February 6, 1899, the Senate decided in favor of the imperialists. With the ratification of the Treaty of Paris, the Philippine Islands officially passed into American control. In lofty tones, President McKinley spoke of the new colony. "The Philippines are ours," he stated, "not to exploit, but to develop, to civilize, to educate, to train in the science of self-government .

For this purpose, the President solicited the support of experienced teachers and administrators to serve as his political missionaries in the Philippines. Drawing from the nation's colleges and universities, the President and his advisers selected men who seemed intent on serving the "best interests" of the Philippine people by awakening them to American institutions and preparing them for eventual self-government.

Dean C. Worcester stood high on the President's list of Philippine experts. Recognizing Worcester's special knowledge of Philippine affairs, McKinley selected him to be a member of the First Philippine Commission in 1899. Worcester remained in the Philippines for more than fourteen years, being reappointed to the Second Philippine Commission and serving as Secretary of the Interior of the Philippine Insular Government and as Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Worcester's reasons for coming to the Islands were primarily scientific and political. He wrote the University of Michigan president: "We need especially at the present time good primary and secondary schoolteachers, and we shall soon need strong and energetic, and above all, honest, young men for positions which will pay better than similar positions pay at home and will give opportunity for advancement should it be merited." Many young university graduates, in this day before the Peace Corps, came to teach.

(Excerpts from the University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library. http://bentley.umich.edu/research/guides/philippines/philint.php; and other sources).

91st Alumni Homecoming

In 2010, the reunion will be quite different from others. Please see entry below, as found in Facebook.

Host:city high

Type: Other - Festival

Network: Global

Start Time: Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 8:00am

End Time: Saturday, May 1, 2010 at 11:00pm

Location: baguio city national high school

Description: the 2010 mphs bchs bcnhs grand alumni homecoming will extend beyond the 2 days celebration that we are used to. we will have longer celebration that will include various activities including a torch parade on april 24 and a pinikpikan festival cum concert launching the event. we will have a golf tournament, concerts and the bcnhs grounds will be converted into one venue for festivity including booths catering to souvenir items and cafe. concerts, arts festival and others will be highlighted during the duration until the gala night. everybody is invited to join, all batch from the 30s up to the recent graduates at that time, the batch of 2010, who 25 years hence will be our silver jubilarians.

Mini Reunion in Baguio 2nd November 2009

Photo-seated: Delma L (Secretary-Treasurer), Ludy B-A, Carmencita B-T, Marlo P-A and standing: Art B, Leo G, Nelson O, Orlando P, Joe A (President).

Through the kind courtesy of Delma L, the photos and minutes of the BCHS Class 1961 mini reunion, held on November 2, 2009 at Golden Pine Hotel were circulated to our members with email addresses.

Please contact our President, Joe A (joeandaya1006@yahoo.com) for your queries regarding the Golden Anniversary, and also to forward your contact details if you have not yet done so. The joyous occasion was attended by a number of our classmates, who gathered at merienda-cena hosted by Joe and Ludy B-A. The following is a brief account:

Book Donation. Rudy L. has kindly made available a number of textbooks for donation to City High in 2011 at the reunion.

Souvenir Program. The preparations and contents will be managed by Raymond T and Marlo P

Advertisement-Solicitation. In order to generate funds, a solicitation letter will be prepared for placing advertising in the Souvenir Program. Joe A. and advertiser will be co-signees to the agreement. Delma L. will canvass for a printer while Raymond T will prepare the class logo.

Class Reunion Activities. Choral presentation at the gala dinner (May 8?), class picnic (May 7?) at Golden Pine Hotel, Parade and Guided Tour on Saturday afternoon (May 8?).

Souvenirs, BCHS Class 61. Golden Jubilarians May 2011 to include: preparation of Slogan by Evelyn D-B, T shirts and vests for all, men's baseball cap and ladies' visor.

Revolving Fund. For voluntary contribution of at least P5000 for Philippine-based classmates, $300 from others based elsewhere. Delma L as acting treasurer with signatories: Nelson O. and Delma L, then Nelson O and Marlo P. An updated list of contributors will be made available through Delma L. Dollar payments may be made through Rudy L. Installment payments are welcome.

Local Newspaper Advertising. to call the attention of all BCHS Class 61 that our Golden Anniversary is fast approaching and we need them to participate in this affair.

Fund Raising Activity. As suggested by Art B, a raffle could be organized (later correspondence indicates that this would not be viable. However, other ideas for fund raising will be most welcome to provide us with funds to carry out a number of activities for City High).

Accommodation for 2011. Joe suggested that Delma canvass local classmates and inquire who can accommodate classmates arriving from overseas.

Class organization: ad hoc officers for the Golden Anniversary activities are:

Class President: Jose Andaya

Class Secretary/Treasurer: Delma Lavarias

Assistant Secretary: Marlo P. Aspiras

Asstant Treasurer; Nelson Olais

Auditor: Orlando Perez

Local (Philippines)

Vice President: Arthur Balagot

PROs: Carmencita B. Tejada and Leo Garcia

USA and Elsewhere:

Vice President- Evelyn D. Barker

PROs (East Coast): Rodolfo Lambino / Lourdes Alacbay

PROs (West Coast): Warlito Villanueva, Norma G. Abastillas and Eduardo Buenaflor

Many thanks Delma L for your organizational efforts. We look forward to hearing about developments!

Mini-Reunion, 9th November 2009, Pasay City

This blog does not do justice to the photo sent by Myrna A. You will need to click on the photo as a "thumbnail" so it will get enlarged and you can have a much-much better view of this Fabulous Five. The caption is wrong, the order of people from left should start with Erlinda D-G, then Ludy B-A. Solly!!

Many thanks to Rudy L for sending in the PMA-backdrop photo of Bert and Joe in their Other Past Lives. Dig that PMA pose! Bert looks like he could join the Broadway cast of Grease. That of Erlinda is cut from a large one, a concert at the auditorium ca. 1958 or so. And Lud's, taken at a picnic many moons ago.
Ay Manong Ed, do you have any "vintage" photos or newer ones that you can possibly pass on- I simply could not find one, so St. Edward's was good enough as a substitute, I think.
Hope you guys will contact the rest of your 'mates, for a running account of this joyous mini-reunion. Sigue garudden, you please write soon! And more photos would of course enrich this blog and share those great moments with others.

GUESSING GAME 10: Who am I?

Hello!! Once more, we have a "who am I"??
CLUES:
My elementary school certificate shows that I graduated from Old Baguio Central. My Dad was associated with City Hall and public service. Because of my family's love for the law, I became an attorney in the City of Pines. Or rather a Pros______.

Some of the city's cases I have handled include the garbage dump in Irisan issue (n.b. - someone you know will join a tribal war if a transfer station will be put up at the lime kiln since that person has some property there) .

I also had a case involving a very infamous Baguio murder that happened in Quezon Hill.

I was a quiet and conscientious Class 61 member, not a troublemaker like some people I know. I still reside in Baguio, still a quiet and conscientious lad.

My middle initial is T. You have probably viewed that popular Ray Romano TV series, the title of which reflects who I am. And for the diehard Whodunnit fans, my first name is also the same as the author of the Philip Marlowe mystery/detective stories. And don't forget the blind African-American singer who popularized, "I Can't Stop Loving You" and "What'd I Say"?

Now that you are all confused: guess who am I????????

Beloved Dangwa Tranco

Dangwa buses are firmly etched in my memory: those that plied Trinidad, Acop, Camp Holmes and other points north, passed directly in front of our house in Trinidad Road, later named as Magsaysay Avenue. For students, the bus fare was five centavos, all the way to Trinidad. Today only a few short routes remain, from what was a great fleet of buses serving the Baguio-Manila route for many of the Baguio students studying in Manila. An article in the Inquirer of November 3rd by Delmar Cariño describes how the company grew:

“Born out of farmers’ investments in the 1920s, Dangwa Tranco became the people’s transport system before and after the World War II—ferrying students and vegetables to Baguio City and transporting the equipment of American-owned mining companies.The signature buses gave in to competition and high costs of maintenance for imported parts.

But the buses’ history remains very much part of the Cordillera landscape.

Dangwa Transportation Co. was founded in April 1928 by Bado Dangwa, one of Baguio’s “Centennial Builders” awardees. He became fascinated with junk machines and motor vehicles while in high school at the Trinidad Agricultural School (now Benguet State University) in La Trinidad, Benguet. At that time, the town was being groomed as the country’s vegetable bowl. Bado saw a bright future in starting a transport industry.

In 1972, the company had 264 buses, 66 cargo trucks, two “baby” buses, 77 taxicabs and eight garage cars in its fleet. In its roster were 1,963 employees, 1,698 stockholders and 36 destinations all over northern Luzon. The company branched out to nine other business ventures that involved electric distribution and animal and poultry raising.

But the increasing costs of operations caught up with the company.

The company though felt it was its corporate social responsibility to rehabilitate the buses since the investors were mostly farmers who bought stocks at P50 per share.That’s why the company had to re-fleet by acquiring new diesel-fed buses to replace old models. The buses were bought through loans where some company properties had to be used as collateral.

Thus the company managed to survive. The old “hardinera” (buses with one side open) were replaced.

The few remaining buses now bear the name “Jack Industrial Transport System.” But the people knew those red-yellow buses were their beloved Dangwa Tranco."

Emil, our Globetrotting 'mate

Emil writes Rudy, thanking him for emails and being in touch! Emil was on holiday in Pattaya some weeks back, it was unfortunate we were unable to connect then. The first time I met Emil after graduation was in Washington, DC when he had a Pan Am (remember this airline???) flight there, and was in touch with our late friend Dom Fangonil, (about a year before his untimely demise) and we had dinner at the rooftop of the Kennedy Center, half a block away from my townhouse residence (former slave quarters during the Civil War times). The next time we met Emil was in Bangkok where he had a layover, about two years ago: his favorite dish? Fried rice with crabmeat!! No chillies!! And in August 2008, at Lito V’s gathering at his home in El Cerrito, Ca., where we tasted their lovely ripe garden plums. Konna ni Nurse Nora, mangan kayo iti plums, naimas quen pampa----- dayta. I guess referring to our aging systems born in the mid 'forties, where every little bit of push helps.

- - - -Here is his message:

Hi Rudy, It's so nice to hear from you. Thanks for the info regarding our 2011 class reunion. I'm getting excited about the thought of seeing some of our former high school classmates. I'll definitely try my best to make it.

Many thanks to those who, at the moment are meeting, to "kick off" the initial planning stage for the grand occasion. i "tip off my hat" to them, for the time and effort they are putting into this.

Yes, yes, yes, I do indeed go into our school blog, when time permits. I find it very interesting, informative, exciting and entertaining. I always look fwd going into the site .

To give you an update on my present situation: I have moved and purchase a home in Lathrop, CA. It is 80 miles northeast of the SFO airport. It is before Stockton, after Tracy and next to Modesto and Manteca.. As a Purser based in SFO, I like to fly and do fly Asia ( Bangkok, Narita, Osaka, Seoul, Singapore, Shanghai, Beijing), and in the Pacific, Sydney. We also fly to London and Frankfurt but it is my least favorite place to go. It is very sad and unfortunate that we discontinued our flt to Manila. Otherwise, I use to fly to Manila 4 times a month when we still flew them. If you need anything from these places or if you know of anybody of our former classmates that are in these areas that you wanted me to contact, pls just let me know.

I might be going to NYC in Dec for the Holidays to spend time w/ my brother. If I do, and if you will be around, maybe we can get together or maybe i can just give you a call when I get there. Pls let me know how I can contact you.

In the meantime, pls take care and regards to your family. Thank you very much for everything. emil

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Hi Emil,

It's nice to get a response back from a dear classmate from City High. Our golden reunion will be the first week of May 2011. Next week a couple of our Philippine-based classmates will be welcoming Lourdes (Bucaycay) Alacbay, who travelled from Virginia to make a quick visit to our dear homeland. In fact, they will kick-off the initial planning meeting of several 'to be hed' meetings to plan for our Golden anniversary reunion in 2011.

By the way, have you opened our class blog link indicated above? Please do - you'll be reading first-hand info regarding our class. You may contribute and share whatever come across your mind. Anything that you would want to share with the group, please send it to Evelyn for publication in our blog. I'm sure everyone will enjoy what you have to share. Since you've continually been globe-trotting (due to the nature of your work), take a couple of 'kodak moments' at places you've visited. This way we can experience being in those places through photography.

Norma G. indicated that you've moved from the San Jose area to the east - more like the central part of the state (closer to Stockton or Manteca). If I could recall, she said 'Modesto.' Awaiting for your next message, Rudy