Baguio Insider

We had a guest over the Easter weekend who wanted to go to Kabayan, Benguet and explore Baguio City before attending a seminar in San Fernando, La Union. When Ian showed me his Lonely Planet map, I immediately noticed that it was near the highest point of the Philippine Highway System on Halsema Road in the Cordillera Mountain Range. So I knew it was just a few hours away from Baguio and that a day trip was possible. What I did not know was that it is the location of the Fire Mummies of the Philippines. (more…)

And what does this news have to do with Baguio City?

1. First, I was asked last December to design the Go Dumaguete! website, and I will have to go there to do my research (junket!!) because some folks liked the Go Baguio! website and wanted the same for their “City of Gentle People.”

2. Except that it’s a lot of sand and sea, Dumaguete is much like Baguio City: laid back lifestyle, lots of university students, koreans arriving in droves, small town where everybody knows everybody, jump off point to Apo and Siquijor Islands (like Baguio is to Sagada and Banaue), the Boulevard purportedly designed by Daniel H. Burnham (yes, it’s the Burnham Park guy, our city’s urban planner), everything cheap (ok, cheaper than here even), a thriving cottage industry, and a beautiful natural environment.

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