New Baguio Attractions Wish List
January 18, 2009 by lisa
Filed under attractions & landmarks
Baguio City has seen millions of tourists come and go, with a lot of them falling in love with the Summer Capital of the Philippines and returning as frequent visitors, as I was before I decided to move here (because coming here 36 times in one year in the 1990s was just too much).
First time visitors do find the boating, biking, horseback riding pretty novel activities, or shopping on Session Road as being a totally unique experience (”Do we climb back up or take a taxi to the car we parked at the cathedral instead?”) just as the sight of towering pine trees, foggy afternoons or the vista of endless mountains are new experiences for folks coming from elsewhere in the Philippines. As for foreign tourists who are surprised that there’s a place in the Philippines, this tropical country with sweltering heat in the lowlands, that offers temperatures as low as seven degrees celsius, the City of Pines is an atypical Philippine destination.
Everyone knows that in business, it costs more to attract first-time customers and that the real income is derived from repeat business, so Baguio City should pay very close attention to its returning visitors. We only have data as far as the number of tourist arrivals is concerned, but we do not make a distinction as to whether they are first time guests or repeat visitors.
It is for the returning visitors that we have to offer new attractions. They have to be able to see the City of Pines with “new eyes” every time or else we will lose them to other destinations. This is probably why Anthony de Leon wanted to convert Burnham Park into a theme park. He knows we need new attractions so that folks do not lose interest in us.
But is the city willing to invest in tourism? Not if the mayor declares a paradigm shift away from it as he did immediately upon assuming office. That paradigm shift means the city’s monies will support education and commercialism not tourism. That leaves all tourism efforts in the hands of the private sector, which will simply have to rise up to the occasion, given these internal threats to our city.
I am using the word threat in the marketing sense, as when one makes a SWOT Analysis, which looks into strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Well actually the paradigm shift should be classified as a weakness because it is an internal matter and threats are external matters.
Folks are not usually drawn to just any one thing in Baguio. We are attractive for a myriad of reasons: the beauty of the place, its people, the climate, the prices, the history, the rich cultural heritage. These are our strengths and we must build on them.
Strengthening the Classic Baguio Attractions…
For a tourist destination to succeed, we must strengthen the good, old familiar activities and places: boating, horseback riding, the Baguio City Market, Mines View Park, Camp John Hay, Burnham Park and stop taking them for granted as money earners or or top drawers or merely relying on them to draw new ones.
1. In the past two decades, the thrust of the city government was to build more and more stuctures. After all, there was money to be made by pouring cement (I will not say who made what money) so suddenly, instead of showing off the hundreds of people crossing People’s Park to enter the market stopping vehicular traffic on both sides as we used to, our government decided to penalize the pedestrians by forcing them to climb overpasses with uneven steps.
2. The owner of Ganza and Solibao Restaurants was awarded prime real estate on Burnham for a ridiculous rental amount of about Php1,000-2,000 by contract end (the contracts have since been renewed without any public bidding or any renegotiation of terms that I know of, maybe it was just an automatic renewal, but how much rent is the city earning from these businesses?) because these restaurants in parks are justified by being “restrooms in disguise.” But the local government decided that it was still necessary to build outhouses instead of requiring the restaurants to provide larger restrooms to justify their operating in a place that was “beyond the commerce of man.” Apparently the renewed contract did not even require the owner to remodel his buildings, if we were to judge by the look of these places.
3. Of course we have the flyover that the “dynamic duo” of Domogan and Vergara pushed extensively, that effectively ruined the “welcome rotonda” of the city. And I must always remind folks that this was done in an area that did not have too much traffic (well now it does!) and without exploring other less expensive measures like a stoplight.
… And then we can create new ones!
I can go on and on about the way the city has been “uglified” in the name of progress and tourism, but I only mention these ills so that folks can see the merits of my suggestions for additional Baguio attractions, which are designed to bring back the old world charm that Baguio City has been loved for.
Rod Ongpauco, owner of the Barrio Fiesta chain is a good example of an entrepreneur who tries to turn his restaurants into tourist attractions. His restaurant in Baguio features Igorot Stairs, a collection of giant images of Cordillera natives, sometimes portrayed with the classic Filipino humor. His Isdaan Restaurant along the way to Baguio in Genona Tarlac is a a collection of bamboo huts built around fishponds with activities to engage his customers.
Certain ideas I have been planning to implement myself, as a hobby or business but have never found the time to start them, and I am hoping that folks more qualified or inerested than myself may want to undertake the same things will hopefully pick these ideas up and implement them. Other ideas are for the city to implement, and the burden should not always be laid on the shoulders of the private sector to make the city work.
Before anything else, we must define “attractions.” When pertaining to tourism, this is a term that usually refers to landmarks or places of interest. But its definition can also include places or activities that draw people’s interest, such as festivals and events. Shopping can also be an attraction if the venue is unique (like the Baguio City Market) or if the items cannot be found elsewhere or are made by highly skilled artisans (Woodcarver’s Village).
We just...
Amen!
Hi Lisa, I’d like to see Lake Drive closed to traffic from 5am to 7am every morning, all year round. So people who walk, run etc. can have the park to themselves. Promoting health and fitness. The fringes can always be used for parking for those who ride their motor vehicles.
Hello Resty,
Great suggestion! Honestly, vehicles have no place in a park, especially those jeepneys. Baguio should consciously have a program to decrease motor vehicles to encourage walking.
Hello Lisa,
Personally, having a theme park in Burnham would not at all be a bad idea. However, some concerns should be brought up by the local government and private investor. Like in Hawaii, it is an American territory but it kept it’s culture and history. As long Baguio keeps it’s heritage, maybe the local government should start cleaning up the park and innovating it first like what they did in Singapore’s Sentosa where the history of their city is featured. One thing I miss is the pine trees that I used to walk under with my Dad and smelling the fresh scent in the morning. I agree that a theme park must be somewhere along the suburbs but then, the environment should also be considered. Mr. Anthony De Leon has his good intentions for the city and honestly if you read his press statement, he did not say that there were investors interested in building or taking over Burnham park, it was only HIS opinion. I believe Mr. De Leon has done a good move in promoting Baguio again through improving the Panagbenga and HRAB events. I do hope the press also be careful and understand of what they print and be more open minded and not pessimistic. I think we’ve had too much gloomy days for Baguio already for the past years and IN MY OPINION, it’s TIME FOR CHANGE ika nga sabi ni Barak Obama.
Hi Arwin,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I agree with a theme park, I do not agree with it being located in Burnham Park. One of the lovely things about Baguio is that it had all the conveniences of a city with a small town charm. We will lose the charm if we do not consciously work to get it back.
I know it was only his opinion, because, as I wrote, Mr. de Leon did mention it during our meeting regarding Peds’ paradigm shift away from tourism in late 2007. But when coming from the man who heads or has headed almost all the tourism associations in the city, it becomes an important discussion for the public, too.
Whether undertaken by the government or private entities, the theme park cannot be in Burnham Park. There are real dangers here that the public must be made aware of. Burnham Park can be sold or leased out in toto by the city and all it requires is the signature of the Secretary of Tourism.
Sadly, our local press loves sensationalizing. It sells, you see. Just like the way the non-Meningococcemia epidemic was hyped up.
Believe it or not, I love to walk. I like the quiet, hate the pollutants. I want to feel safe and not have to worry about the safety of my person or my belongings. Slow cities succeed, they’re better for the children. The money is better, too for everyone all around. There are less poor people in slow cities. Just google “slow cities” and you will understand what I mean.
Arwin, you and I are past partying I suppose. It’s time to work actively to make the city work, with all that is gracious and graceful reflected in our actions, attitudes and businesses. We know how heavenly it used to be. We can together get our Baguio back!
Yes it is time for change. But the change must be for the better. And the change is us.
Hi Lisa,
Thought I’d drop by, say HI and thank you again for re-posting part of my blog entry regarding a Filipino Obama.
Would it be too presumptuous to ask you to post my link on your site?
Muchas gracias!
Hi Paul,
De nada! I do not remember re-posting it though, but the link to your site can be found in the article. Lemme see where I can add you in my links page.
Hi Lisa,
Hahahahaha past partying ey? Well I guess we party in a different and mature way now. Burnham can be innovated, I believe Sentosa was just an island and now Sentosa Park where Singapore’s heritage is featured and generates income to the country. A theme park would preferebly somewhere maybe that huge area at past Suello is it? Rather than another subdivision or golf club again. We clearly know only a few will benefit from it. What about the other people of Baguio? Discipline is all we need, it’s tiring enough to hear around here uttering words like “DATI NA YAN or DATI NA NAMIN GINAGAWA”. I guess I’d like to put these kind of people to a challenge, let’s not get STUCK the wrong way. In regards to media, there are many ways to sell your paper, yes sensationalizing a story sells but a story or news can also sell through positive thoughts.
Hi Arwin,
I agree that Burnham can be fixed up, but to be a promenade, a green park. The city center needs all the green it can get — desperately.
Sentosa is more like what Nayong Pilipino was, a nice, relaxing heritage park, and the Baguio real estate that can be used for this purpose would be Botanical Garden (but I am hoping, of course that there be alternative properties where such a park can be located). That’s why I propose that the Igorot Village motif be revived there.
Now let’s define “theme park” for a bit. First on Google’s list: “An amusement park that follows a particular motif or which incorporates rides based on characters or situations proprietary to the owner of the park.” The next few definitions say the similar things: amusement, rides.
Even Ocean Park in Hong Kong started out as just an aquarium, dolphin and whale shows, cable cars, and through the years started adding roller coasters and other rides. That’s all fine with me, but NOT for BURNHAM PARK.
I agree that we need discipline, and the attitudes here suck, all the getting around the law or the filosofias (can only translate this as kapilosopohan). And all those little kids running around wildly in gangs is simply awful. What are their parents thinking?! How come there’s no accountability for any damage inflicted by them? As for those who say “Dati na…” that kind of justification only served to propagate a wrong, and they should be reeducated.
Regarding our media, haaay …
its saddening that many of our politicians comes and go but none of our attraction that made Baguio as it is the summer retreat, was given the utmost priority in developing and protecting.Look at what had happened to crystal cave,the San carlos “biak na bato”,the Carabao mountain and other places some unknown to others that if it was protected and developed could somehow make our city more attractive to visitors.we see from our very own eyes the eminent destruction of Burham park the encroaching squatters in Mines view park etc. if ever we lose these parks what is the point of making a new one.
Hi Mr. Ed,
The politicians want votes, they want block votes — 8,000 total jeepney drivers plus 8,000 taxi drivers (both colorum and with franchises) will be coddled, same with squatters and illegal vendors. That’s our sad state. Now how to counter this, for all intelligent middle class folk to step up as civic leaders, not for fame but because the city has to be set on the right track. In other words, folks have to intervene in matters that do not necessarily affect them directly but as a matter of principle, folks have to be in a position to influence others through reason and good work, we must all undergo inner transformation so that we can radiate, be little sparks of light and together we illuminate.
Now this must all sound so weird to you but we must take a step back, assess what we can each do to make the city a better place, contaminate everyone around us with our ideas, and then walk the talk of course. Be more involved in societal matters — cultural, economic, political. All three aspects of society must be balanced.
For example, my Nissan Patrol would pass Manila emission tests but was a smoke belcher in Baguio. I got rid of it. I could not bear to contribute to the pollution here. Honestly, now I can, actually and with a clear conscience, report smoke belchers or lobby for anything regarding transportation and the air. Plus Baguio lost one less car. Yehey!
The little things we do in our day to day life matter a lot. The question should be, for every action, how does this benefit Baguio, the Philippines, the world? And we have to be honest with our answers, too. And we must understand that our role as citizens is never too small because each of our actions affects the rest of society in a big way.
Hello again Lisa,
That’s right, amen to all what you have just said. I drove around Baguio parks a few weeks ago, very dissapointing really. Really dirty like Lake Drive, Mines View became an over crowded merchants, I used to drop by there every week to buy banana cues…Yummy! A campaign should be put up since I hear from the news that there’s a budget to beautifying parks, I’d suggest the following:
1. Botanical Garden be like Jurong Bird Park.
2. The sequestered Marcos Mansion hidden and rotting into a first class museum.
3. The Mansion House like touring the White House in Washington DC.
4. Burnham Park like Sentosa Island runned by the government not a private firm.
5. Crystal Cave to be a trekker’s path.
So many more…..Campaign this….CLEAN & INNOVATE. Smile Baguio!
Let’s put Baguio City as the top places to live, sad that I saw on the news that we’re only on the 16th place. Marikina over is a head of us and knowing Marikina before was scary. But now, it’s one of the most pleasant places to live. Just my 2 cents.
There you go, Arwin! Great suggestions!
We have a lot of unmaximized, badly developed real estate. What a waste.
Even the convention center should be made bigger and its space used more efficiently. But politics has gotten in the way. Some people up there want it owned by Henry Sy.
Baguio has defaulted on a 35M installment because it prefers to privatize it when, fized up and marketed well it can be a huge source of income for the city directly and conventions make the citizens good money every time, plus it’s easier to monitor the movements of large groups instead of many small groups of tourists going around the city.
Henry Sy wouldn’t be lusting after it if he did not see the income potential. I wonder why our politicians cannot (or refuse) to see that.
Hi Lisa, “paradigm shift.” I think this is getting to be scary when people propose converting Burnham into an ‘amusing’ place. I wish they would read Jonathan Best’s piece on Burnham Park so they would know why it was there in the first place. Somehow, this paradigm shift is also connected with “The ‘uglification’ of the Baguio Cathedral,” Ma’am Leonora San Agustin’s topic in her weekly column Catalyst 111, latest issue of Baguio Midland Courier. People’s tastes are changing indeed.
Hi Resty,
Even the church is affected by all the commercialism up here — Porta Vaga is a classic example. They say Mount Mary Hill on which it stands was in danger of eroding, which is why they had to buttress it — with a mall, too.
Actually when we as a people become less spiritual (I am not saying religious) we distance ourselves from God and nature, His creation, and the environment suffers as a result thereof.
Just walking through the trees, or feeling the earth under my feet or the wind on my face as I ride a horse, with vistas of mountains, enjoying the sunlight is a spiritual experience for me, and I tend to be most creative then.
When my religious leaders are being more human and less spiritual, I do not feel the need for them anymore. I used to go to Mass at the Cathedral, used to love the pre-written sermons, was bothered by the coluratura singing but never mind, loved to see all the young folk going there even without parents, used to think they should be more responsive to Baguio and offer more masses so we do not have to crowd as much. But no more. Going to Mass there no longer “sends” me.
Consequently I have not been able to see for myself the changes Ms. San Agustin has written about. But I agree with her views.
Most times I like change, I hate poor taste always.
good to thing to hear from my former mentor,Prof. San Agustin well she’s still kicking balls of ass holes in the city as always…So anyway whats next with Baguio Cathedral an ‘escalator”?
Hi Ed,
Yup Leonor San Agustin, Cecile Afable and Gene de Guia — the self-proclaimed 3 Witches — are still as feisty as ever! Love them!
I always say, when I grow up, I want to be Gene de Guia.
Read Leonor San Agustin’s article “The ‘uglification’ of the Baguio Cathedral” at
http://www.baguiomidlandcourier.com.ph/columns.asp?mode=id11
I know we’re becoming too modernized and high tech, but the church interiors and exteriors should remain conservative. The beauty of its structure should be preserved, it’s fashion is unique that it shouldn’t be changed, it just needs to be maintained. Classic is beautiful..
Hmmmm.. I love the thought of Horsedrawn Carriages!
My wish: LESS PEOPLE, MORE TREES.
Hi Lisa,
We’d like to get in touch with training facilitators who are Baguio-based and who can provide a teambuilding seminar or similar type of training for our organization (numbering 30 in all). A one-day or even half-day seminar will do. Any suggestions? We might need 2 or 3 facilitators for our canvass.
Thanks!
Jeanne
Hi Miss Liza,
Interesting thread on the uglification of the Cathedral, its really a disgusting site to see! For the sake of income-generation, the beautiful sunset can never be enjoyed at the view deck er parking area,it was such a wonderful sight to behold.I think its only in Baguio that you see a Cathedral with lots of canopies and whatever they call it,its purpose maybe is to shield people during mass? I don’t think its so relevant to put up those..Maybe our priests should look into more of the spirituality of the Church, not the physical appearance of it..
Que paso Lisa,
Burnham park brings back wonderful memories. I love the guy holding his bahag, if you know what I mean
Muchas gracias tambien!
Hi Jeanne,
I do not know of any Baguio-based facilitators. The team building activities here are usually done in-house by a company’s HRD staff. I was hoping someone would read your requirement and step up.
Hi Janice,
“Maybe our priests should look into more of the spirituality of the Church, not the physical appearance of it..” EXACTLY how I feel. The materialism of the ones running the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines is sad, shows how they are moving away from God. This is my beef with my religion at the moment.
And you’re so right about the sunsets viewed from Mount Mary Hill.
Hi Paul,
I was surprised to see that recent addition to Igorot Stairs at the Barrio Fiesta compound (between Leonard Wood and Upper Session Road) — the photos were just sent to me by a site visitor — sweet!
Hi Liza,
Im looking for a fitness center/ gymn. Im just new here in Baguio. Do you any suggestions?
Thanks a lot. Godbless.
Hiya Dang,
Not being a fitness buff myself, I have little solid info on this subject! But here are fitness centers that I know of (and it’s funny because I do not know their names but know who owns them — hahaha):
1. There’s at least one in SM Baguio. Do not remember which level but it’s on the terrace side that is opposite the entrance — either lower ground, upper ground or 2nd level
2. There’s one on Session Road, Laperal building, lower level. It’s right in the middle of Session Road, on the left side as you go down hill.
3. There’s a gym still I think at Cooyeesan Mall and great if you live in the Quezon Hill-Lourdes-Naguilian area
4. There’s one in Baguio Country Club but that’s for members only, and I do not know if you can ask a member for a guess pass for this purpose.
I am a lifetime member of Sammy Ayochok’s gym called Asia Fitness or something at Rimando Road or right off of it, and they give great personal attention. Great service really but that lifetime membership I only availed of twice. Bad, bad, bad. Hahaha.
Thanks for asking though. And I hope I am able to at least point you to the right direction.
This is one topic I guess I should do more research on because not everyone is a lazy bum like me when it comes to fitness.
hi marvy musta na mo ni jumar dha uyab na mo unsa na man ka yr og unsa man ka sectiona
hi.. i like the photos.. its good to meet people who love baguio..wish there’d be more like us..
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for putting up a blog site like this one that helps a lot of adventurer like me. I’m planning to go to Baguio for the 5th time in my whole lifetime and I want this to be the most memorable ones. I just saw some new places to visit and I’m definitely going there to check them out.
Just wanted to say thanks and more power to Baguio lovers like us.
Happy New Year!
Thank you, traveler! Go Baguio at http://www.gobaguio.com contains a lot of info and here I try to be a little more detailed. So keep checking both because I update a lot!!!