Baguio's original inhabitants

Baguio council pushes common reference material on city

Sunday, September 22, 2013

IN ITS brief profile of Baguio, a website says the original inhabitants of this so-called Hill Station are "the Igorots, Kankana-eys and Ibalois."

Wikipedia, the internet encyclopedia, counts this city's barangays at 129 and places its elevation at 4,760 feet and then at 5,200 feet above sea level.

Such disinformation and conflicting data would be corrected soon, at least by the city’s tourist guides who would be duly accredited, should the City Council adopt an ordinance providing a common reference material on facts and figures about the country's Summer Capital.

Councilor Elmer Datuin filed the measure last Monday to rectify errors. He pointed out some information materials on Baguio "are at times inaccurate and may not be the best description for a historical site and thereby resulting to inaccurate information (being shared) to our tourists."

For starters, the truth was and is that the Ibaloys were and are the original inhabitants of Baguio, as correctly depicted in the parade marking the 104th founding anniversary of the city last September 1.

Likewise, the city has 128 barangays, not 129. "Barangay Bagong Lipunan" was dropped from the list as its territorial coverage was the city market.

As city policy, no part of the market can be used for residential purpose, hence the so-called "barangay" established out of it was a misnomer.

Datuin proposed the City Schools Division, the City Tourism Office and the Public Information division of the City Mayor's Office prepare the common reference material, not only on Baguio’s actual elevation, but more focused on background information on the city's historical and heritage sites.

This would mean the City Tourism Office will conduct an orientation for tour guides, managers and operators so they would be able to tell tourists why the city's inclined and short main street is called "Session Road" and what those "keystones" at its upper rotuna stand for.

In the measure's definition of terms, Datuin turned to Wikipedia for guidance in defining historical and heritage sites:

"A historic site is an official location where pieces of political, military or social history have been preserved. Historic sites are usually protected by law, and many have been recognized with the official national historic site status. A historic site is ant building, landscape, site or structure that is of local, regional or national significance."

"A heritage site is a location designated by the governing body of a township, county, province, state or country as important to the cultural heritage of a community. The term usually refers to any non-movable object with a specific location such as any preserved landscape containing important artifacts such as historic gardens, nature preserves, or archeological sites."

Historically, Baguio was where the second world war in the Philippines began and ended, specifically at the Camp John Hay. The former United States military camp was bombed morning of Dec. 8, 1941, signaling the start of the war. Close to four years later, at about noon of Sept. 3, 1945, Gen. Yamashita, the commander of the Japanese Imperial Forces in the Philippines, signed the surrender papers at the High Commissioner’s Residence (now the U.S. Ambassador’s Residence) inside the camp, marking the end of the war.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan had been batting for the celebration of the surrender, saying it would serve as a positive juxtaposition to the country’s annual observance of defeat every April 9, the day when the Allied Forces surrendered in Bataan in 1942.

Kiangan, the old town in Ifugao where Yamashita surrendered to the United States forces on September 2, 1945 before being flown in to Baguio, has included the event among its red-letter days. (Ramon Dacawi)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/local-news/2013/09/22/baguio-council-pushes-common-reference-material-city-304653

Triennial: Forms

BCHSIAA in San Francisco 14 to 17 August 2014

Our Class 61 rep at the West Coast Chapter SF 2014, Lito Villanueva,  sent us the invitation for the BCHSIAA Triennial in San Francisco. Please see invitation, and schedule below.  The Registration Form, Souvenir Program and Hotel Information are posted separately.  If these do not come out clear, please send me an email rajadamnern1@yahoo.com and I shall forward a pdf set (5 pages) to you. Thanks.)

September 10, 2013

Dearest fellow alumni:

Greetings from the BCHSIAA’s West Coast Chapter! Yes, indeed, less than a year from now, we will rendezvous in San Francisco, one of the most beautiful City in the world. The West Coast Chapter is proud of hosting the 7th triennial reunion in cooperation with the BCHSIAA. To all BCNHS ALUMNI around the world, Come and celebrate our CT-Hi school heritage with your old  friends, and dear classmates. Please reserve the date: August 14 -17, 2014, the 2014 BCHSIAA 7th  TRIENNIAL GRAND REUNION awaits you in San Francisco.

The Executive Organizing Host Committee for the 7th Triennial Grand Reunion had been feverishly working hard of providing a momentous event for all alumni to cherish, and reminisce the glory years of high school. Explore with us during the reunion this most culturally diverse and beautiful city by the bay known worldwide for its unmatched cuisine, rich history, exciting culture and vibrant people. Enclosed registration and souvenir program reservation forms including the schedule of events for your reference. Please mail all completed forms with your checks payable to: Angie Bessenbacher, BCHSIAA West Coast Chapter, P.O. Box 2992, Orangevale, CA 95662.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

Thursday 8/14/2014   3:00 PM to 9:00 PM Registration   Glimmer (Function Room)

Friday 8/15/2014 Bus Tours are available at reasonable cost through Hotel concierge Hotel Lobby

8/15/2014 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Registration   Glimmer

8/15/2014 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM Class Welcome/Fellowship Night Reflection III

8/16/2014 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM Registration Glimmer

8/16/2014 10:00 AM to noon General Meeting/Election of Officers Reflection I, II

8/16/2014 6:30 PM 1to :00 AM Dinner/Dance Gala Night  Reflection Ballroom

Sunday 8/17/2014  9:00 AM to 10:00 AM Mass   Reflection I

8/17/2014 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM Picnic (about 1.5 miles from hotel) at Coyote Point Park, San Mateo.

Departures.

Guessing game No. 29

Hello again.  Summered in Michigan and in Seattle but am back at my old trustworthy Dell laptop in flooded-out Bangkok.  My yearbook has been gathering dust for a long time on top of one of the bookcases in Seattle, and took it down for a viewing one cloudy afternoon.  Browsing through, I found some familiar faces from waaaaay back, and thought I would share with you some of these very young, very innocent, very ambitious looking grads.

Here are a few clues, regarding the above photo:
She was in Class 1960.
Her older sister was married to Gerry Evangelista, one of the foremost journalists Baguio has seen.
She had a sister in Class 1962.
You won't need more clues to guess!!
PS- anyone out there can guess, not only my dearest Klasmeyts of Class 61.

Teachers and Educators

Sorry, inadvertently erased the previous posting on this file.  Re-posting.

Teachers...

From Zeno Pimentel:  “Attached is a picture (Please see previous post. E. ) that my father sent me years ago and even before he passed away in 1999. Do you recognize some of them. 

Seated: second from left is my father, Gregorio who was the Chief Administrative Officer of Baguio Benguet Department of Education, next to him is my ninong, Damaso Bangaoet,and Mr. Gregorio Ariz our BCHS Principal, next to him in dark suit is Dr. Emiliano Ramirez former President of the Philippine Normal College and husband of our Spanish teacher Encarnita Montenegro.
Squatting are third from left with glasses is my ninong, Dr. BonifacioP. Sibayan who was also the President of PNC after Dr. Ramirez;  next to him is Dr. Telesforo "Tata Pering" Boquiren, also my ninong, and far right is Mr. Herrin, again my ninong and Herson's father. Mr. and Mrs. Herrin were my parents main sponsors when they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1983.

Back Row: Fourth from left is Mr. Ignacio Lopez former Superintendent of Benguet Auto Line and father of Ignacito and Mrs. Aurea Lopez, eighth from left (gee also my ninong and ninang); next to her is Mrs. Nenita Santos-Rico, and Miss Valdez, and again my ninang Mrs. Encarnacion. You might recognize the other people. I know them but I don't remember their names. The picture was taken 1949 in Teachers' Camp in Baguio with then Secretary of Education Langcaoen and Director of Education, Dr. Pangilinan. Photo taken by Espinosa Studio, Baguio City, Philippines Circa 1949.”

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From Evelyn:  Many thanks to Zeno for posting the photo and identifying some of the faces! 

Mr. Gregorio Pimentel reminds me of Mr. Rogers with his nice comfortable cardigan, reading the Midland Courier in the lounge of their Teachers Camp cottage (next to Ms. Blancas’). 

Mr. Bangaoet survived for a long time, only succumbed to his Maker a few years ago.  He used to be the sole representative of way-back, pre-war City High graduates during the homecomings.  I believe Mrs. Rosa Bangaoet is also in the photo but am unable to see where.  The Bangaoets were our Camdas “neighbors”, and I had the good fortune of visiting Mrs. Bangaoet a year before she passed away in the nineties.  Did you think she was a strict teacher?  Angel, her daughter, thinks so – but I think she had our interests in studying harder in mind. 

Mr. Gregorio Ariz as our BCHS Principal always wore a freshly-pressede suit and tie, admonishing us to do better during school convocations.

Dr. Emiliano Ramirez had a daughter Tessie, who was my sister Alice’s friend at UP.  I also had a classmate in Business Ad in UP, another daughter Carrie who was active in UPSCA.  For some reason, I thought Ms Montenegro’s name was Maria – Encarnita – very Tisay.

Dr. Telesforo Boquiren’s wife, Pat, was our HE teacher at Lucban.  I used to see her at the Diliman campus in the summer when she came down to finish up her MA credits.  Their daughter Isabel, was in Class 60.  I remember Bel singing vocal solos in our Lucban programs. 

Mr. Florencio Herrin was our Lucban school principal, followed b Mr. Tomas Lachica.  I thought at that time that he probably has Japanese blood, having features of a samurai!

Mr. and Mrs. (Aurea) Ignacio Lopez had a daughter Mercedes and a son Ignacito who has passed away not too long ago.  Mercedes was valedictorian of class 50 majored in piano and math at UP (bordering on the genius – I think she was cum laude), married a Brazilian when she was on a scholarship at UC Berkeley and taught math at a Brazilian university.

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From Rudy, and thanks for sharing the following:

ID: Miss Elena Delmendo (last row, 2nd lady from left) - I was her 'fav' when I was in fourth grade.

Miss Dolores Valdez, our well-known HS Filipino language teacher. (Rudy, English iti insuro na, saan nga Filipino – ni Mrs. Bangaoet, Mrs. Miranda quen Miss de Leon iti Fil teachers tayo idi.E.)

Mrs. Encarnacion was our principal at Old Baguio Central School. I dreaded the day when I get called to her office.  (I remember her daughter with the very unusual name of Axa Jane).

Mr. Gregorio Pimentel, Marlo and Zeno's dad, who accommodated me on my first job - a summer employment at Teachers Camp.

Mr.Damaso Bangaoet, Superintendent of Schools, Angelica's (clss '62)dad, husband of our 4th yr HS homeroom and Filipino language teacher.

Mr. Gregorio Ariz (our BCHS principal), who had given me a private audience as a frequent visitor in his exclusive enclave. (Ni, apay, ania iti naaramid mo kadi?  Share met ah! E.)

. . . All of whom, in their own personal way, molded me to respect authority.

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And does anyone recall the names of our two janitors?  I thought one was Mr. Ulalan but that could be in elementary school.

Pa-share, your own stories and recollections!

BORN in Baguio, grown in Baguio.

BORN in Baguio, grown in Baguio. That's how many residents are, but today, many more are from places outside this city, now living here, enjoying too, like the pioneer residents, the good and cool climate while suffering the strong rains and typhoons that the rainy season brings, not to mention the assault of tremors once in a while.

Being born and grown in Baguio has its pluses. One knows the city by heart and if you're lucky to grow in the central business district, your playground becomes the main streets of the city and the nearby Burnham Park. As children, we used to call Burnham Park, Borham or from our friends from Manila then, Boorham. Later, the correct name stuck through English lessons where names were spelled and pronounced, thus, we know it's Burnham Park, named after the American architect who designed it. The name is pronounced like how you say " burn the ham" or better still, the "h" is silent and comes out like Burnam.

Growing up in Baguio, I've always known Burnham Park as a child's delight, with the wide open spaces to run through, a lake where a boat can take children and adults to another point imagined to be another kingdom or country, the biking lanes, the skating rink, the diesel cars that students then got drawn to because they taught them how to drive! The fountain with the rainbow colors at night was a new addition many years past that delighted people no end. Then and now, the plants and the flowers blooming all around, the trees, the grass, the open spaces...what a release from the hectic pace of speedily advancing technology and work that never ends! From the sidewalks of Harrison Rd., one could view the park then. So too could it be viewed from the roads surrounding the area. Burnham Park was and still is a relief from everyday drudgery; it's an antidote to the tiredness of the mind and the soul, a sanctuary for refugees of depression, sadness and loneliness or even brokenness. No wonder we see around this area, children, adults, people who walk alone or in company, hoboes, the mentally impaired but harmless ones looking so neglected but without any care in the world. People of all kinds come here and make this place a portal for their inner peace and refreshment.

Today I drive around the park, but I can't seem to see the open spaces where I used to run free with other children. There are now black fences all around with prettily painted slats carrying names and symbols. I wish in my heart and in the depth of my soul that the fences were lower, showing the shrubs and the grasses, the flowers and the trees in full view. I wish the fences were low enough one could jump over them and still be unharmed. I wish they're there only to delineate the parameters of a public park, a place for people to refresh their minds for free, and to make their bodies fit, not to hide from view the beauty of nature, nor to prevent people from enjoying a green space for free. I wish the black fences were really lower to protect people from possible stampedes while getting caged within. I wish the fences were lower only to protect the shrubs that stand as the real fences of nature. I wish the open Burnham Park would come back and be the green space every beautiful city must have and every person could rightfully enjoy.

I'd like to see the Burnham Park of my childhood growing better and greener each year, more open to people who seek a relaxing break from the rigors of daily life. I love Baguio so, and I love my Burnham Park, the seat of a child's hopes and dreams, a child's kingdom... come. I wish...

By Evangeline Murillo

Tea For Two

Thursday, July 4, 2013

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/opinion/2013/07/04/murillo-baguio-born-baguio-crown-and-burnham-park-290782