About
Baguio and Me
Long have I postponed the creation of this page, not for fear of taking credit — or blame — for the contents of this blog but because I felt it should be all about Baguio, where I live, which I live and breathe, that I love so desperately, and not so much about myself.
I still have not developed a rambling blog where I can simply post anything I please about my thoughts and my life, believing that no one would really care and knowing that I do not really care to entertain those who would use my life as a pill for their boredom.
I felt the word Insider was enough to indicate that the writer was a resident of the city, who could provide readers with the latest news and events, who could provide insights in ‘defense’ of Baguio at every turn. Of course I started doing this with my first website Go Baguio!, which aims to be the compleat resource for all information about what I call my ‘virtual heaven on earth.’
Baguio Insider is a very personal blog, sometimes treading on ‘dangerous ground’ by calling local officials to task. But for a person who, during the dark days of Martial Law and even shortly after, had 16 armalites pointed at her at one point, nothing fazes me now. I make sure any and all business I enter into in Baguio serve and enhance the city (which means they are not my primary sources of income), and that my dealings with the residents here are always fair and honorable.
When I started doing business in Baguio, it was after the 1990 earthquake. My family felt it important to have a respected Metro Manila business like ours show investor confidence in Baguio and help rebuild the city. My father had relocated to Baguio in the late 1970s and was going to help us in the business. Actually we bid and won to run Halfway House (1991-1997) for him.
When the directive was handed down, by those interested to make money off its privatization, to make Camp John Hay fail in the hands of the Filipinos, the other concessionaires and I vowed to make the facilities earn despite all the corruption under the first Filipino administration, despite 3-month contracts that did not allow for planning and renovations. I courted many large companies and organizations to decide in favor of Baguio for their events and conferences. When Camp John Hay was shut down for a few years starting 1997, the year of the Asian economic crisis, it was then that I decided to reside here permanently and invest in Baguio some more via the food and beverage sector of the hospitality and tourism industry.
My love affair with Baguio began on my first trip up when I was 4 or 5 years old in 1969, when my dad, Freddie, insisted on camping out in the cold at a friend’s yard (was it Ernie Yabut’s or Ernie Zarate’s?). It was sealed by my first pony ride when I was about 5 or 6.
There were many trips after that, sometimes on the spur of the moment when my dad would rouse me from bed in the middle of the night and I would find myself in freezing my nightgown at dawn as we were suddenly up in the mountains of beautiful Baguio, just 240 km away from Manila. Then we would eat, and head back down again. These were occasions when he would break-in his cars — and believe me, Freddie Araneta had many, many cars.
My father was the kind of man who would not allow distance to get in the way of his taste buds (so we would travel long distances from Manila to, say, have lunch at the fish pond restaurant that was Josephine’s in Cavite when Cavite was a really rural province). He made many friends in Baguio when he moved here in 1978, especially restaurant owners who all claimed him as a regular — and voracious — customer.
As I was growing up, Baguio was everything bucolic chic! It had a wonderful small town feel with very well-dressed, friendly, English-speaking residents. The weather and surroundings always called for hats, coats, scarves and boots, with Manila tourists wearing shorts just to show that the cold did not faze them. It was like traveling to America. It was Little America. Safe, clean and simply wonderful. At the same time, it had the sweetest people on earth called the Igorots who contributed so much color and depth to the city, and made the public market the best souvenir place in the land.
My grandfather Vicente, owned the first condo at Europa where he served as an officer so we always had a home in Baguio even in the 1970s. I remember that before he saw to the water cisterns, my cousins and I would do bucket brigades all the way from the 5th floor of Building 3 to the lowest level. We are also a family of riders who would go on trail to Marlboro Country when you could still ride like the wind across ‘dem dar hills.’ I remember also once passing a ‘lake’ on Kennon road, temporarily created by a landslide that stopped the water from flowing down Bued River.
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Hi Lisa,
I love everything you love about Baguio. I was born and raised up there, where my growing of age times were during the late 60’s into all of the 70’s. I left Baguio in 1980, although I went back a few times between then and now, I still miss the Baguio of my days.
Thank you for beeing there to advocate for all of us that are away.
Hi lisa! great article! i remember thoe days when i was still living in baguio… if only i could again. anyway i was going through some UB fire tragedy articles earlier and upon reading yours I noticed two very familiar names – Nico Cawed and Louis Pawid III. the thing is, they were my classmates in grade school and since graduation have lost contact. kindly tell extend my deepest regards. i’m in laguna right now and already have a family. thanks for your time….good luck!
Hi Banjo,
How I envy your having grown up here during those decades I was in Manila, and in Baguio only as a constant visitor. Living here now is still such a privilege for me. Rest assured we’re taking our roles as caretakers of the city very seriously, my friends and I, on and offline.
Hope to show you an improved Baguio on your next visit.
Hi Ma. Regina,
Oh my! They have been having SPED reunions off and on! I have met many of your other classmates, too! Marie, Jenny, Bingbing, Tess.. Email me with contact details so I can get you guys in touch again. Laguna’s not too far anymore… When you come up again next time, I’m sure they’ll have another picnic (with teachers too) in your honor.
p.s. Nico is beside me now and says he had such a big crush on you in grade school!
Hi Lisa,
Its wonderful to know that you’re thriving in Baguio and that you’ve made a commitment not only to join the community but to also be an agent of positive change. You’ve always been passionate about what you do. I was worried that your early setbacks during the John Hay days and dealing with the corrupt bureaucracy would turn you off. Instead,to Baguio’s good fortune, you stayed.
Isn’t life strange ? Your Baguio memories are beautiful and warm, mine less so. And I was born there and am half-Igorot, and spent my early years there before moving to Manila. And now I can barely drag myself to visit and when I’m there I just want to stay in my room and sleep. Just the thought of walking up Session Road and ending up in yet another SM mall makes me suicidal.
But I’m being negative. I have a lot of beautiful memories too of Baguio and environs, from La Trinidad, where my maternal roots are, to the PMA, where my father was assigned as an instructor, and lots of places in between.
Will look you up the next time I go there.We’ll go on a nostalgia trip comparing notes on the Baguio as it once was and could be again. Could you email me privately your contact numbers ?
I have a friend there, a relocated lowlander like yourself (from Cebu, actually), Mon Zialcita, who you might cross paths with one of these days. Say hi to him for me.
Take care,
Butch
Hi Butch,
The weird thing is, we never talked about Baguio over all those truckloads of beer in all the years in UP Law.
The weirder thing is, my Camp John Hay days were apparently ‘heaven’ compared to the life thereafter, or is it just the Philippines pre- and post 1997?
How I would love to show the future generations the Baguio we knew and loved — hidden under all this man-made ugliness. We need your help, Butch, you and all those who knew Baguio when, in getting it back. Call me Polyanna.
I will send you my private info. Should Mon Zialcita feel the same way I do, let us not wait for our paths to cross — the salvation of Baguio is at stake!
My love to you and your family,
Hi Ms. Lisa!;)
You are so lucky to live in Baguio City. Since, my first visit late last year, I have totally fallen in love with this cool city in the mist. I can’t wait to go back & visit the rest of BAguio.
You are absolutely right in preserving the natural beauty of this charming city. Man should’nt destroy what God has made.
Hi Ms. Therese,
I fell in love more than 30 years ago (closer to 40 even as first visited when I was very young)! You are so right — the natural beauty the most important thing to preserve or the City of Pines will be lost!
Hello Lisa,
I really wish i knew your last name, my dad might know your dad or i might even know your dad since i was born in Baguio and now reside in Roseville, California for the past 28 yrs.
Its so heartbreaking to see Baguio deteriorate since i knew Baguio as a great city during my hayday. Let me see Baguio as it was 28 yrs ago, high school was the best, “barkada” was the key, live/laugh & have fun was all we did, those were my wonderful years of being in Baguio. Your website brought back memories of what the city was and i am so thankful to you for creating this site for every Baguio lass or lad to express their views. More power to you and your creativity…you’re the greatest!!!!!!
Hi Kenny,
My last name is Araneta, my dad, Alfredo, was more popularly known as Freddie.
You will still recognize the old Baguio — it’s old beauty just lies covered in tarpaulin, billboards, structures and a myriad of colorum jeepneys and taxis that the current residents equate with progress.
Don’t worry, we won’t stop trying to get the old Baguio back for you.
hello lisa. kmusta ? i would like to see some nice gardens of homes in baguio. i want to get some ideas for the building of my garden in baguio. or meet some good gardeners ? and how are your vintage cars? are they running now ? thanks. will await your email to me. gabby
Hi Gabby,
Best to head straight for the Orchidarium in Burnham Park. The best landscapers are there. I will email you the contact info of my landscape artist friends, Ella Pinder, who used to be the Camp John Hay landscape architect and Sonny who does wonders with rocks and water, if you want something more refreshing.
As for the cars, no time yet. The hobby has to wait…
thanks liza. will wait your advise. more power. gabby
hi lisa! i’m edsel from pup manila.. i’m edsel yalong from pup sta. mesa manila taking up business administration major in management. i am so happy to have visited your site.. i’ve learned so much about baguio.. i’ve been there 3x already and will be visiting this 26th of december.. i will be performing with my band, “banda kawayan” at baguio country club on the 26th as well.. i was wondering if i could meet you in person because next year, i will be putting up a seminar in baguio for my classmates and batchmates as a requirement to graduate.. i hope you may be able to accommodate my request and plea.. i hope you email me with your reply.. i’ve been thinking about letting my classmates and i to participate in the clean and green projects of baguio in whatever ways and means.. thank you very much for your effort in promoting baguio and awakening the minds of the people about the real score in baguio.. merry christmas!
Sure Edsel,
Am en route to Sagada now. Back in a few days. Will get in touch with you then. Thanks
Love your blog =)
Merry Christmas!
Hi Lisa, anyone passing thru Halsema highway should read The Mountain Trail from Laurence Lee Wilson’s The Skyland of the Philippines. Will make one appreciate the road more. A beautiful stretch of scenic views!
you may contact me @ 09174214314..
Thanks for liking it Christine! Hope to see you more often…
Hi Resty, Just got back from Sagada. Will post photos of Halsema in my gallery — took lots of them from the bus! We passed there both in the daytime and night time so I can let folks in on the experience, too.
Hi Edsel, Email nalang. I have yours on record since you posted a comment.
Merry Christmas y’all!!!
I missed Baguio City, Haven’t been home since ‘95…Hope she stays as she was before. Great page….
Connecticut, USA
Hi Lisa! How I envy you for making Baguio your home. Milkah and I (half of the Concubines) were both Manila born with no province to go home to. While she adopted Puerto Azul as her province, Baguio was my one and only choice. My family used to grab every chance we could to go there for summer and Christmas breaks. Yes, I fell in love with the weather, relished the chance to show off my boots, felt grown up left on our own around town, found the best PX finds in the 70s, pigged out in Star Cafe and Jade, danced on the ledge in Spirits, had my fortune told in that quaint store along Session, even fell in like with the elevator boy in Terraces Hotel! My memories of Baguio are precious and endless. I will gladly break the news to my siblings that there is a Lisa angel looking after our shared childhood paradise.
Oh my goodness, Rhona!
It is funny that you visit the site today. I was just with Butch (Coco’s “Betrayal Night” dude of course) yesterday and was thinking about you guys when he mentioned Ipat’s name in relation to an environmental issue. There you go, I have managed to name-drop the other half of the Concubines online.
I wonder if the folks entering a particular courtroom would ever imagine that the honorable lady therein used to dance on the ledge in Spirits — hahaha! — those were the days when that was the “wildest” thing anyone could do in the City of Pines.
When you and your family come up let me know, there are quite a few charming places I have in my current treasure chest of Baguio goodies. But then again, you can always browse this site and http://www.gobaguio.com
I’d love to Join the any of the clean and green projects in Baguio too.
For the love of Baguio..
Let me know when there are such projects, I’ll gladly pack my bags and go there!
Lisa,
Thanks for coming up with this interesting website.
I’m based here in Seattle, Washington. I chose this place because it somehow reminds me of Baguio : Pine trees, fog, mountains, etc.
When I was a kid, I made a lot of triips to Baguio. The last time I visited the city of pines was 3 years ago. I was shocked and disappointed by the urban sprawl. Billboards, pollution and other man made destruction.s. Burnham Park was not the same as it used to. Is there something that the local government is doing to bring back the glory of Baguio ? I wish I could be part of it. In fact. Baguio is in the top of my lists among the places I want to retire. In fact, my brother-in-law who is a Briton just relocated last year to Baguio (from London). He is enjoying his retirement.
Thank you for your concern of Baguio. I wish there would be more people who will join you in your crusade of bringing back the old but beautiful city of Bagiuo. Maore power to you !
Hi Jojo,
Retiring in Baguio is lovely. Doing business in Baguio can be a pain. And it’s because I do not see the local government wanting to or having the sophistication of being able to bring back the old glory of Baguio. Same goes for the residents. Baguio has been attraction the poorest and most desperate of migrants to relocate here, in my opinion. These words may be harsh — but somehow very few of us are brave enough to express our sentiments — and try to do something about it. With my business, I try precisely to give folks a glimpse of the old good life in Baguio, and many others are trying, too.
For 2hrs now I’ve just been reading as much as I could about what you’ve written and the comments…..Lis, shame on me. Proud of you, dear lis, really proud that you have managed to stand tall, speak well and continue to love Baguio, inspite so many setbacks and frustrations.
Wow! You are a true Baguio girl. Its not how many years you’ve lived but How you lived in Baguio.
I have to learn so much from you.
Leave your mobile nbr to Dolor please, will contact you,hopefully in March na.
Mwah,
Did Mark Twain really issue a death sentence to the adjective?
June 2, 2009
Dear Fellow Communicators in English,
Did Mark Twain really issue a death sentence to the adjective? Did George Orwell’s masterpiece, 1984, spell the death of him? How did a pickle bottle get Jose Carillo into the English business? And what’s this new political movement that wants the Philippines to have an “education president”?
You’ll find the answers to all of these questions—and to many more questions about English that perhaps you were too embarrassed or too busy to ask—when you drop by at Jose Carillo’s English Forum today. The Forum is now on its fifth week of freewheeling discussions about English use and misuse—and look at the latest features package it has prepared to make your visit even more enjoyable:
THIS WEEK IN THE FORUM (May 30-June 5, 2009):
•Advice and Dissent: There’s No Need to Reinvent New Usage Rules for English (or, Why You Should Never Judge a Book by its Cover)
•Essays by Jose Carillo: English in a Used Jar (How a pickle bottle got Jose Carillo into the English business)
•Getting Deeper into English: You Don’t Have to Go Far to Get Excellent English Instruction (The King’s English is just a mouse click away!)
•News and Opinion: In Praise of Samuel Johnson,Pioneer English Lexicographer (The “writer’s writer,” they called him )
•Plugging the Gaps in Our English: Lesson # 5 – Constructing the English Sentence (A full-dress review of the various grammatical structures of the language)
•Pour Out Your Mind in English: “A Letter from Germany” by Dr. Erhard Glogowski (He shares an open secret to speaking English well)
So, if you still haven’t joined Jose Carillo’s English Forum, do drop by now to talk shop about English and enjoy all of these featured goodies besides.
See you at the Forum!
With my best wishes,
Joe Carillo
Hello there Lisa!
I love your blog! I have lots of beautiful memories too of Bagio.
Your Bagio memories are awesome. Great articles. Please give my regards to
Tita Irene.(Worrell).She may not remember me at all,but if you could tell
her my mother is Consuelo De La Riva Fermin. Thanks!
Carol Reyes
Hi Ms.Lisa,
I have read your blogs a couple of times already and in doing so has only made me more inlove with Baguio. (”,)
I am a mother of a soon-to-be-3year old cute boy, married and have a small advertising and events business here in Marikina City. As you may know, nature has its own way of teaching us lessons, that is, what we have experienced last saturday. Though difficult and unexplainable, i still believe GOD has plans and purposes on things happening around us. Even before this calamity, i have had a longing to relocate there in Baguio. I don’t know but for some reasons, after going there for like about 4 to 5 times, i felt like Baguio is my place. I find the calmness and stress-free lifestyle very inviting. That lifestyle is very, very far from what I have been accustomed for 32 years.
And so, my husband and I agreed that we will really relocate there by early next year. After doing some researches, I still can’t find a quite estimate of the cost of living there and the business/es that will be suitable for us to establish. I have read your article about doing business in bagiuo that’s why i really don’t know how my expertise in advertising (both above and below-the-line) can be used there. We are looking to establish a 24-hour internet cafe within the town proper. You think this is possible and still lucrative?
Aside from the advertising and events business, i am also in writing/suppplying articles for a local magazine named Moms & Kids magazine.
Also my husband and i are engaged in buy and sell of different stuff. Mostly AVON products, Diana Stalder products and we also supply waste deodorizer/disinfectant chemical in your municipality. But that supplying is not on a regular basis so I don’t see that as a reference for a regular income.
Please advice me. I believe you should know better. (”,)
Thanks much and looking forward to hearing from you soon.. (”,)
Cherie Magsanoc
Hi Cherie,
I so understand the “call” of Baguio! And lemme tell you a little more about living and doing business here — the income is low but the cost of living is low, too. And here I can breathe!
To survive here with little or no capital, I found that I had to be creative, flexible and “feel the pulse,” find a location and let it determine what it should become, not force a preset business on a location.
Rent a large house and turn it into a dorm, so it pays for itself, use networking to have others sell the product for you (because there are many who want a business opportunity), create your own publication or get more writing jobs in Manila and write them here. Your events business can do well, especially if you market to folks from out of town who will need your help here. In the end, know a lot of spending clients will not come from within Baguio but without (very few people here are rich or willing to spend).
There is resistance here to outsiders, so don’t expect to be welcome, or that they won’t try to take advantage of you, so be sweetly professional but not too familiar, friendly or aggressive. With employees, being too nice at the outset is taken as a sign of weakness. I do not know if this is what the Philippines has become, but I certainly scaled down my operations to achieve maximum results with just four people in my employ (whereas there used to be 80 at one time). But this is advice that is negative and based on my traumas but it does not have to be… because this is what I learned…
Generally, I say, if your business enhances the city, you can do well. If you provide solutions to waste, or help make people’s lives better, you will do well. If you are kind and friendly and helpful and weather the negatives that are sent your way, if just to test your resolve, the rest of the way will be smooth sailing.
And finally, here is my big little secret — I always “partner up” with God and get guidance from the Holy Spirit and use the “If it is Your Will…” formula for business because I find that in the end, it is HE who sends me customers (my family’s Alfredo’s Steak House in Metro Manila has been doing well for 41 years without any advertising and we know it is HE who sends us customers), and if I aspire just to live here for free (meaning, break even most of the time, daily bread) and trust that He will send income and opportunities my way so I can be His channel to share with everyone else.
For those reading this, please know that Baguio needs migrants to the city who will give more (time, talent, treasure) than take from it. There are not too many jobs available, because businessmen here are not risk-takers and the schools here graduate more people than we can create jobs for.
If you gauge your success, not by material wealth but by the quality of your life, then, by all means, come up and live here and you will have all the time to raise your little boy and be a good wife to your husband (instead of spending most of your hours stuck in Metro Manila traffic).
I was going to email this novella to you but figured that it may help answer other people’s questions and concerns so I decided to respond to you here instead.
Hope this helps,
Lisa
Hi again Ms. Lisa,
Thanks for responding. Was thrilled to hear from you (didn’t expect you’d reply so quickly (”,) and I’m very thankful for the advices you gave. My hubby and I are now planning little by little on how and where do we start for our relocation there. Thank you so much for the advices. We are very grateful that you answered. (”,)
By the way, I have read your article about the V-mayor and his tactics in getting attention/votes for his running by next year. Very funny that these tactics are very obvious as if people are ignorant of their schemes. As if people don’t know and can’t read their motives. There really is corruption in every government. God, why can’t we be spared from this?
I so agree with you on this article. I hope a lot people reads this. I am also one with you in trying to bring back the old Baguio people used to know and I’ll surely be active in your quiet campaign in bringing back the glory days of Baguio. (”,)
I really hope to meet you soon. Maybe I’ll inform you when we’re about to deliver our Waste disinfectant/deodorizer there. But i surely hope the PO comes out very soon. Sobrang bagal ng mga tao sa GSO dyan. Even if there’s a need already for that chemical, I don’t know why on earth they’re delaying their move in ordering..Kahit nag-comply ka na sa requirements and bidding..As if they don’t really want to spend for the sanitation of the city. Haayyy…(”,)
I’ll see you soon Ms. Lisa. It was nice to hear from you and keep up the good articles.. (”,) Take care please and God bless!! (”,)
Cherie (”,)
P.s. (Yup, your partner is also my business partner…well actually…life partner…) (”,)
Hi Cherie,
I happened to be online monitoring weather conditions — sometimes I get swamped with comments on different topics (I keep them all open for comments) that I can’t keep up. .
It’s hard to deal with the government here — even after bidding, they have this creature they call “confirmation.” And then there is what they themselves call the “ahem.”
All this refusal to deal with the refuse strengthens my belief in the insidious plot to turn what used to be THE top tourist destination for ALL Filipinos and foreigners into a mere diploma mill city to benefit some greedy businessmen-politicians-”educators” and keep the people poor and helpless.
And for a travel and lifestyle blog, politics does play heavily these days, because these people cannot leave well enough alone. Everyday comes an assault on the spirit of the people — unnecessary infrastructure, tastelessness and uglification, midnight deals, and generally evil stuff.
It’s a wonder that nature is resilient and I’m so glad goodness prevails in the end.
I support your wonderful crusade for Baguio all the way. I rarely go up there because I get depressed. I grew up in a Baguio where one knew every fourth person at Session Road (the Session Road of Bheromulls, Pohumulls, Bombay Bazar, the Chinese antique shop (Old Pagoda) atop Session Road near PLDT and in front of Patria, imported items at D & S (which burned in the 70’s) the Stone Building, thanksgiving at John Hay, STC Baguio, Maryknoll Baguio, the original Brent School the mountain in front of the main SLU campus without houses but just trees.
Like you I’m also from UP law, in fact I’ve been teaching Civil Law for ten years at UP Law where the current dean, Marvic, son of Andring Leonen is a genuine Baguio boy, the valedictorian of his high school class at SLU Boy’s high (coincidentally, his class salutatorian, Peter Payoyo also went to and taught criminal law at UP Law. Dean Leonen, like many of those of genuine Baguio stock also went to Maryknoll and STC Baguio for grade school.
Hi Sonny,
If many of us who knew and loved Baguio for decades would come back and help show the current residents and politicians what the true spirit of Baguio is all about, then maybe we can reclaim the city. For many do not realize that everyone here as an important role to play as caretaker of one of the most unique cities in the Philippines.
Marvic and I are good friends, we served in the UP LSG from 1986-1987. In fact, we had a reunion of our old political org two weeks ago. Marvic and Peter, both of whom I love, were very active members of the STRAW Alliance, and have always been the brightest and most principled of fellows who should make Baguio very, very proud.