Baguio City Lungsod ng Baguio Ciudad ti Baguio |
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— Highly-urbanized City — | |||
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Nickname(s): Summer Capital of the Philippines, City of Pines |
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Benguet Province map locating Baguio City | |||
Baguio City
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Coordinates: | |||
Country | Philippines | ||
Region | Cordillera Administrative Region | ||
Province | Benguet | ||
Barangays | 129 | ||
Congressional Districts | Lone District of Baguio City | ||
Incorporated (city) | September 1, 1909 | ||
Government | |||
- Congressman | Bernardo Vergara (Timpuyog Ti Baguio-NPC/Lakas-Kampi-CMD) | ||
- Mayor | Mauricio Domogan (Timpuyog Ti Baguio-Lakas-Kampi-CMD) | ||
- Vice Mayor | Daniel Fariñas (Timpuyog Ti Baguio-Nacionalista) | ||
Area | |||
- Total | 57.5 km2 (22.2 sq mi) | ||
Population (2007) | |||
- Total | 450,526 | ||
- Density | 6,324/km2 (16,379.1/sq mi) | ||
Time zone | PST (UTC+8) | ||
Area code(s) | 74 | ||
Languages | Ibaloi, Kankana-ey, Tagalog, English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Pangasinan, Ilocano,and Kapampangan. | ||
Website | http://www.baguio.gov.ph |
The City of Baguio ; Filipino: Lungsod ng Baguio) is a highly urbanized city in northern Luzon in the Philippines. Baguio City was established by Americans in 1900 at the site of an Ibaloi village known as Kafagway. Baguio City was designated by the Philippine Commission as the Summer Capital of the Philippines on June 1, 1903 and incorporated as a city by the Philippine Assembly on September 1, 1909. Baguio is the seat of government of the Cordillera Administrative Region. The name of the city is derived from the word bagiw in Ibaloi, the indigenous language of the Benguet Region, meaning 'moss'. The city is at an altitude of approximately 1500 meters (5100 ft) in the Luzon tropical pine forests ecoregion conducive to the growth of mossy plants and orchids. Baguio City has become the center of business and commerce as well as the center of education in the entire Northern Luzon.[1]
According to the 2007 census, Baguio City has a population of 301,926.[2]
The City of Baguio celebrated its Centennial on September 1, 2009. The celebrations marked the first 100 years of the Baguio City Charter, which was authored by former Philippines Supreme Court Justice George A. Malcolm. Baguio City is also the Ghost Capital of the Philippines.[3]
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The region around Baguio was first settled primarily by the Kankana-eys and the Ibalois. In the nearby town of La Trinidad, Benguet, Spaniards established a commandante or military garrison, although Kafagway, as Baguio was once known, was barely touched. In 1901 Japanese and Filipino workers hired by the Americans built Kennon Road, the first road directly connecting Kafagway with the lowlands of Pangasinan. Before this, the only road to Kafagway was Naguilian Road. On September 1, 1909 Baguio was declared a chartered city. The famous American architect Daniel Burnham, one of the earliest successful modern city planners, laid a meticulous plan for the city in 1904. His plan was, nevertheless, realized only to a small extent, primarily due to growth of the city well beyond its initial planned population of 25,000 people. The Americans earlier declared Baguio the Summer Capital of the Philippines on July 1, 1903 and The American Residence as the residence of the American governor-general to escape Manila's summer heat. They further developed Baguio, building parks and public structures such as Wright Park in honor of Governor General Luke E. Wright, Burnham Park in honor of Baguio city planner Daniel Burnham, Governor Pack Road, and Session Road.
On April 26, 1945, Filipino troops of the 2nd, 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, 1st Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary and the USAFIP-NL 66th Infantry Regiment and the American troops of the 33rd and 37th Infantry Division of the United States Army was entered the liberation in Baguio City to invaded the fought against the Japanese Imperial Army forces led by General Tomoyuki Yamashita was started the Battle for the Liberation of Baguio City during World War II.
Baguio is the site of the formal surrender of General Tomoyuki Yamashita and Vice Admiral Okochi. It is where they gave up the entire Imperial Japanese Armed Forces to American authorities at the High Commissioner's Residence (now the United States Ambassador's Residence) in Camp John Hay on September 3, 1945, marking the end of World War II.
A very strong (Ms = 7.8)[4] earthquake destroyed most of Baguio on July 16, 1990. A significant number of buildings and infrastructure were damaged, major highways were temporarily severed, and a number of houses were leveled or severely shaken with a significant loss of life. Some of the fallen buildings were built on or near fault lines. Baguio City was rebuilt, however, with the aid from the national government and various international donors like Japan, Singapore and other countries.
Around May 2003, a petition initiated by Dion Fernandez to declare Baguio a heritage zone was circulated on the Internet and national print media, gaining more than 10,000 signatures. The petition calls upon unspecified officials to create the Zone prior to the Baguio centennial in 2009. In May 2005, the Heritage Conservation Society(HCS) submitted to the Baguio City Council a proposed Special Heritage Bill drafted by HCS Trustee Ivan Henares. It has been approved on second reading but is being opposed by a group of businessmen.
Baguio City is located some 1,500 meters above sea level, nestled within the Cordillera Central mountain range in northern Luzon. The city is enclosed by the province of Benguet. It covers a small area of 57.5 square kilometers. Most of the developed part of the city is built on uneven, hilly terrain of the northern section. When Daniel Burnham plotted the plans for the city, he made the City Hall as a reference point where the city limits extend 8.2 kilometers from east to west and 7.2 kilometers from north to south. It is the highest major Philippine city in terms of elevation.
Baguio City features a subtropical highland climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city is known for its mild climate.It is because of this that Baguio is nicknamed the "Summer Capital of the Philippines". Owing to its high elevation, the temperature in the city is 8 degrees Celsius lower compared to the average temperature of the rest of the country.[5] Average temperature ranges from 15 to 23 degrees Celsius. It is usually lower during the late and early months of the year. The lowest recorded temperature was 6.3 degrees Celsius on January 18, 1961. This is in contrast to the all-time high of 30.4 degrees Celsius recorded on March 15, 1988 during the 1988 El Niño season.[6] Baguio seldom exceeds 26 degrees Celsius even during the warmest part of the year.
Like many other cities with a subtropical highland climate, Baguio sees noticeably less precipitation during its “low-sun” months. The city though sees an extraordinary amount of precipitation during its wetter months, with the months of July and August seeing on average more than 1,000 mm of rain. Baguio averages over 4500 mm of precipitation annually.
Climate data for Baguio City, Philippines | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 26.1 (79) |
27.2 (81) |
27.8 (82) |
28.9 (84) |
27.2 (81) |
26.7 (80) |
26.7 (80) |
26.7 (80) |
26.1 (79) |
27.2 (81) |
26.7 (80) |
26.7 (80) |
28.9 (84) |
Average high °C (°F) | 22.2 (72) |
22.8 (73) |
24.4 (76) |
25 (77) |
24.4 (76) |
23.9 (75) |
21.7 (71) |
21.7 (71) |
21.7 (71) |
22.8 (73) |
23.3 (74) |
23.3 (74) |
23.3 (74) |
Average low °C (°F) | 12.8 (55) |
13.3 (56) |
14.4 (58) |
15.6 (60) |
16.1 (61) |
16.1 (61) |
15.6 (60) |
15.6 (60) |
15.6 (60) |
15.6 (60) |
15 (59) |
13.9 (57) |
15 (59) |
Record low °C (°F) | 6 (43) |
8.3 (47) |
11.1 (52) |
10 (50) |
13.9 (57) |
11.7 (53) |
12.2 (54) |
12.8 (55) |
13.9 (57) |
11.1 (52) |
9.4 (49) |
7.8 (46) |
6 (43) |
Precipitation mm (inches) | 22.86 (0.9) |
22.86 (0.9) |
43.18 (1.7) |
109.2 (4.299) |
401.3 (15.799) |
436.9 (17.201) |
1074.4 (42.299) |
1160.8 (45.701) |
713.7 (28.098) |
381 (15) |
124.5 (4.902) |
50.8 (2) |
4,541.5 (178.799) |
Source: http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=082389&refer= |
Like most Philippine cities, Baguio is governed by a Mayor, Vice Mayor, and twelve (12) Councilors. However, being a highly-urbanized city with its own charter, it is not subject to the jurisdiction of Benguet, the province which it was formerly part of.
The current mayor of Baguio is Mauricio Domogan, and the lone congressional district is currently represented by Congressman Bernardo Vergara, who has already served before as the Baguio's representative to congress. They were re-elected last May 2010.
The last mayor was Peter Rey Bautista, who took over Yaranon's term, which, was clouded in controversy primarily because of his harsh attacks on previous city officials who initiated the scandalous Uniwide Market Project, Jadewell Parking Systems Project, the now finished 172 million, 274-meter BGH flyover project, and the proposed operation of a Casino inside Camp John Hay. The Jadewell Parking System was approved by the city council in 2000 and then City Mayor Mr. Mauricio Domogan. The parking firm's owners filed administrative charges against Yaranon for his stand against its operation. He was eventually suspended until the end of his term on June 30, 2007. Bautista had his "interim/acting" tag removed from his title as he emerged as the winner in the 2007 city mayoral race, beating Yaranon, Vergara, former Councilor Leandro Yangot Jr. and post-People Power mayor and spiritual healer Ramon "Jun" Labo Jr. His running mate, three-term vice mayor and law dean Daniel Fariñas, returned to that post as well after previously serving a term in the City Council.
Baguio City is politically subdivided into 129 barangays.[2]
Loakan Airport is the lone airport serving the general area of Baguio City. The airport is classified as a trunkline airport, or a major commercial domestic airport, by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, a body of the Department of Transportation and Communications that is responsible for the operations of not only this airport but also of all other airports in the Philippines except the major international airports. It is about 10 minutes by car from the city center going south. Due to the limited length of the runway which is 1,802 meters or 5,912 feet, it is restricted to commuter size aircraft. This perhaps contributed to the city's declining competitiveness against other medium-sized cities around the country. The airport is used primarily by helicopters, turbo-prop and piston engine aircraft, although on rare occasion light business jets (LBJ) have flown into the airport.
The three main access roads leading to Baguio from the lowlands are Kennon Road, Aspiras-Palispis Highway (formerly Marcos Highway),[8] and Naguilian Road also known as Quirino Highway. Kennon Road starts from Rosario, La Union and winds through a narrow, steep valley. This is the fastest route to Baguio but is perilous, with landslides during the rainy season. This route to Baguio is as scenic as it is dangerous. Aspiras Highway, which starts from Agoo, La Union and connects to Palispis Highway at the boundary of Benguet and La Union, and Naguilian Road, which starts from Bauang, La Union, are longer routes but are safer than Kennon Road and are the preferred routes for coaches, buses and lorries.
It takes an average of six hours to travel the 250 km distance between Manila and Baguio by way of Kennon Road. It is about fifteen minutes longer through the Aspiras-Palispis Highway and could take three more hours when going through Naguilian Road, which is the usual route for travelers from the North.
There is another access to Baguio from Aritao in the province of Nueva Vizcaya passing through Itogon, Benguet but this is less traveled, the road is not well maintained, and public transportation through this route is not as regular. Another road, Halsema Highway (also known as "Mountain Trail") leads north through the mountainous portion of the Cordillera Autonomous Region. It starts at the northern border of Baguio, in the Municipality of La Trinidad (Trinidad Valley).
There are several bus lines linking Baguio with Manila and Central Luzon, and provinces such as Pangasinan, La Union, and those in the Ilocos region. Most transportation companies also offer express and air-conditioned buses at a much higher fare, though some minibuses offer cheaper fares. Bus services that operates in Baguio include Philippine Rabbit, Dangwa Tranco, Dagupan Bus, Victory Liner, Partas, Genesis, and Saulog Transit.
There are also several Taxi and jeepney operators that provide transportation within the city.
The economy of Baguio City is centered on its educational institutions, of which it has in excess of eight colleges and universities as well as a plethora of trade and technical schools. Based on the latest census made in the year 2007, almost half of the city's population are students in which most of them come from nearby provinces.
Another key source of income for Baguio is its character as the commercial hub in the province of Benguet. Many of the agricultural and mining goods produced in Benguet go to Baguio City for processing and central distribution.
The city is also a major retail center for the Cordilleras and Ilocos provinces, with shoppers coming to the city to take advantage of the diversity of competitively priced commercial products on sale, many of which would only be available in Manila. The city is also popular for bargain hunters, where some of the most popular bargaining areas include the Baguio City Market and the Maharlika Livelihood Center.[9] Despite the city's relatively small size, it hosts numerous shopping centers and malls catering to the increasing commercial and tourist activity in Baguio: these include SM City Baguio mall, Baguio Center Mall, Cooyeesan Hotel Plaza, Abanao Square, Maharlika Livelihood Center, Porta Vaga Mall and Bonchic bargain center.
Various food and retail businesses run by local residents proliferate, serving to form what has become a part of Baguio's local cultural landscape. Some of these include the Tiong San chain of department stores and supermarkets, Sunshine Supermarket, Star Cafe, Country Mart, the famous Rose Bowl Restaurant, Good Taste, Marosan's, Patao's and many others.
The areas of Session Road, Harrison Road, Magsaysay Avenue and Abanao Street comprise the trade center of the city. It is in these areas where commercial and business structures abound. First-class cinemas, hotels, restaurants, department stores, and shopping centers are to be found in this area. Shopping at the famous City Market offers one a wide array of locally sourced goods and products: everything from colorful woven fabrics and hand-strung beads to primitive wood carvings, cut flowers, strawberries and "Baguio" vegetables, the latter often denoting vegetable types that do well in the cooler growing climate. (Strawberries and string beans—referred to as 'Baguio beans' across the Philippines—are shipped to major urban markets across the archipelago.)
Baguio is also home to one of the country's most profitable Philippine Economic Zone Authority areas (PEZA), called the Baguio City Economic Zone (BCEZ), located in the southern part of the city between the Camp John Hay leisure resort and the Philippine Military Academy. Firms located in the BCEZ mostly produce and export knitted clothing, transistors, small components for vehicles, electronics and other computer parts. Notable firms include Texas Instruments Philippines, MOOG, and Sitel.
Tourism is one of Baguio's main industries. During the year end holidays some people from the lowlands would prefer spending their vacation in the city. This is for them to experience the cold temperature they rarely get from their home provinces. Also, during the summer season specially during the Holy Week, tourists from all over the country would flock to the city. During this time, the total number of people in the city would double.[10] To accommodate all these people, there are more than 80 hotels and inns available for them to check in.[11] Local festivities such as the Panagbenga Festival also attracts both local and foreign tourists.
Lion's Head Located in Camp 6 Kennon Road, this popular landmark was constructed in 1972 with the contributions of the Lions Club International members in Baguio. This 40-foot head of a lion was carved in a limestone by a local artist. Visitors passing by normally stop for a while to have a break and to take photographs as souvenir.
Tam-awan Village This artificial village was founded by Chanum Foundation, Inc. in 1998. It was constructed with the purpose of showing visitors how a local village in the highlands look like. Authentic native huts where brought from the Mt. Provinces and are rented out to those who wish to stay overnight and experience the way locals once lived. A gallery was also constructed to house the paintings and other artworks created by several local artists. The word "tam-awan" means "a high place to view". With clear weather conditions, the South China Sea and the Lingayen Gulf are visible from this location.
Philippine Military Academy Situated in the southern part of the city within Fort Del Pilar, Loakan, this military academy was created to train future officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Mansion House As an official residence of the President of the Republic of the Philippines, entry to the compound is restricted. The public can view the Mansion through its gate which is patterned after that of London's Buckingham Palace. It is located in the eastern part of the city. The Mansion has also been the site of several international conferences and a working office of the President of the Philippines during his or her visits to the City.
Camp John Hay This former American recreational facility was converted into as a world class resort. It features a golf course, a skating rink, picnic area, and a mini golf course at the Scout Hill area. Several cottages and hotels were also built to accommodate visitors.
Teachers Camp A facility currently run by the Department of Education. It features several function halls, a museum, cottages, and a race track.
Easter Weaving Room Located within the campus of Easter School, this location allows tourists to witness the process of cloth weaving as practiced by the natives of the mountain provinces for ages.
Saint Louis Filigree Shop This is a handicraft shop specializing in silver jewelry and other filigree products. This shop is in the center of the city and was established in 1916.
Wright Park It is sometimes mistakenly called "Ride Park" by some tourists that identify this pine tree park reserve for horse rides. A long stairway leads to the "Pool of the Pines", a 100 meter long pool of water lined on both sides by the famous Baguio towering pine.
Mines View Park Named for its view of Benguet's mountain ranges where gold, silver and other ores were once quarried.
Baguio Sunshine Park The park features flowering garden and a covered stage with ethnic design, which is often used, for cultural presentation. The park itself is designed after a shield.
Botanical Garden It is also called the Igorot village, which features native huts typical of the Cordillera architecture. The garden is also a site of cultural presentations and other tribal meetings.
Burnham Park The oldest of all Baguio parks, it provides facilities for sporting activities such as biking, skating and basketball, as well as picnics and concerts.
Baguio - Mountain Provinces Museum This museum is located within the Baguio Tourism Complex along Gov. Pack Road. It has on display a variety of artifacts and relics showcases the cultural heritage, customs and traditions of the cordillerans.
SLU (Saint Louis University, Baguio City) Museum Located within the premise of the school, it showcases the different culture heritages of the Cordilleras. Artifacts and relics including an ancient coffin can be seen on display.
Ifugao Woodcarvers Village Located along Asin Road, about 5 kilometers from the city, is an Ifugao wood carving village, which produces and sells hand-carved curio items.
Asin Hot Springs These hot springs are located 16 kilometers northwest of Baguio. Several private resorts took advantage of the natural springs in the area and constructed swimming pools for all visitors, as well as cottages for lodging.
Mt. Sto. Tomas and Mt. Kabuyao The highest peak is 7,500 feet high and commands a majestic view of the city. These mountains can be reached by foot or by vehicle.
Lourdes Grotto This is a religious shrine housing the image of the Lady of Lourdes. About 252 steps lead to this shrine where pilgrims brave the steep climb to offer sacrifices, devotion and prayers.
Our Lady of Atonement Cathedral, better known as Baguio Cathedral One of the familiar landmarks in Baguio, the structure with its twin spires and one hundred steps sits on top of a hill in the heart of the city, offering church goers and visitors a chance to get a bird's eye view of the entire commercial hub.
Bell Church This cluster of temples is located on the border of Baguio City and Trinidad Valley. It features oriental architecture, pagodas roof, ornate gateway, dragon ornaments and Buddha-guarded windows. The Bell Temple priest practices a mixture of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Christianity.
Baguio Grand Mosque The biggest mosque in the city, located at Campo Filipino. It also houses an Islamic Studies madrasah. Visits or field trips by non-Muslims may be arranged.
Baguio City Market Located within the central business district, this is where local products and goods from nearby towns and provinces are sold.
Baguio is a university town with 141,088 students out of the 301,926 population count done on the year 2007.[2] It is the center of education in the entire North Luzon. There are eight major institutions of higher education in Baguio City.
University of the Philippines Baguio (U.P. Baguio) - the national university of the Philippines, U.P. System's flag-bearer in Northern Luzon, internationally known for its excellent record in ethnic and multidisciplinary research and Cordillera Studies
Philippine Military Academy - the national training school for future officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
Saint Louis University, Baguio City - established in 1911 by the CICM missionaries whose aim is to educate the locals through Christian Education. Since then, it has become the largest and one of the top performing universities north of Manila.[12]
University of Baguio - founded by Dr. Fernando G. Bautista and Mrs. Rosa C. Bautista in 1948.[13]
University of the Cordilleras - formerly Baguio Colleges Foundation, established on June 19, 1948.
Baguio Central University - formerly Lyceum of Baguio. First opened in 1945.
Pines City Colleges - formerly Pines City Doctors' Hospital School of Nursing and Pines City Educational Center. First opened as a Nursing school in 1969. The oldest school of Nursing in Baguio City (since the closing of the Baguio General Hospital School of Nursing).
Easter College - formerly Easter School. It is one of the oldest schools in the Cordilleras. The school was established by the Protestant Episcopalian missionary Rt. Rev. Charles Henry Brent in 1906.[14]
The city is home to many immigrants from other parts of the country. A significant population of foreigners also contributed to the diversity of the city's colorful culture. The languages commonly spoken in Baguio are Kankana-ey, Ibaloi, Ifugao, Ilocano, Kapampangan, Pangasinan, Tagalog, English, Chinese, Japanese, and recently, Korean. Due to a significantly large number of Korean students coming to the city to study the English language, several establishments were founded to accommodate their needs. Posters and signages are sometimes printed with Korean translation. Several restaurants also serve different types of local and foreign cuisine.
Baguio's youth majority in the population has given it a distinct flavor different from those of other cities in the Philippines. Although Baguio City is very modern nowadays, Panagbenga Festival, the annual Flower Festival, is celebrated each February to showcase Baguio's rich cultural heritage, its appreciation of the environment, and inclination towards the arts.
The city became a haven for many Filipino artists in the 1970s-1990s. Drawn by the cool climate and low cost of living, artists such as Ben Cabrera (now a National Artist) and filmmaker Butch Perez relocated to the city. At the same time, locals such as mixed-media artist Santiago Bose and filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik were also establishing work in the city. Even today, artists like painters and sculptors from all over the country are drawn to the Baguio Arts Festival which is held annually.[5]
Many Baguio artists used the context of cultural diversity of the Cordillera Region to establish their work. Other notable Baguio City artists include Narda Capuyan (weaving), Kawayan de Guia (painting), Kigao (sculpture), Willy Magtibay, Peter Pinder (fiber glass sculpture, painting, mixed media), Art Tibaldo (mixed media-visual arts) and Franklin Cimatu (poetry.) The active student population in Baguio has also spawned various interests in animation and digital arts, with several local artists doing work for large production and advertising agencies in the Philippines and abroad.
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