Tourist-Friendly is Resident-Friendlier
Baguio, in the 1980s was the No. 1 tourist destination in the Philippines.
After the 1990 earthquake, things changed for the City of Pines as many old residents sought their fortunes in Manila, other places in the country and even elsewhere in the world. Very few Filipinos and foreigners wanted to invest in Baguio City until the economy got better.
It was because of this that my family invested in setting up operations in and running Halway House in Camp John Hay in 1991. We wanted to show that our family-run company in Manila believed in Baguio City so much that we were willing to risk life and limb, through the Pinatubo eruption, to set up full operations within 24 days between the time we found out that we won the bid and the turnover of Camp John Hay by the Americans to the Filipinos on July 1, 1991.
Thus I have been doing business in Baguio for 18 years.
And in 1997, during the Asian Economic crisis and due to the temporary closure of Camp John Hay as it was turned over to the Fil-Estate consortium, I decided to take up permanent residence in the City of Pines.
Thus, I have been living here full-time for the past 12 years.
I also have been visiting Baguio since I was four years old, which means I have been loving Baguio for about 40 years.
And let me tell you, Baguio today is not the Baguio I know.
The Paradigm Shift Away From Tourism
Upon assuming his office two years ago, our mayor whose family owns one of the most heavily-populated Baguio universities, declared a shift of the city’s focus away from tourism toward education. Of course this was self-serving on his part but this is not the issue here.
The issue is that Baguio today is filled with strangers who do not know or care to understand the importance of Baguio City to the Philippines. In fact, many believe that because they live here they OWN the city and have a better right to enjoy and abuse it more than anybody else, tourists especially.
But Baguio belongs to the world, not to us. We are just caretakers and we can never own it.
As caretakers, we need to make sure that our home is clean and safe, orderly and beautiful. And it should be a home we are proud of, with every nook and cranny so desirable that we can show it off to visitors at any given moment. But we don’t fix up our homes for visitors, we fix them up for ourselves.
What is good for the tourists is better for us
When I tell folks I live in Baguio City they turn green with envy. If I said I lived anywhere else they would probably ask why but instead they always say something like, “You’re so lucky!” And I know I am. But I am afraid not many people feel this way. Judging by the way the city behaves today, it seems that we are taking all these God-given gifts for granted.
Someone told me once, “You know how the people here are, they are insecure. They get upset when they see people who are better off coming here and think of them as mayabang.”
But we are better off than everybody else in the Philippines, let me tell you. We get free airconditioning year round!!! Even in the Baguio City Market! And all we have to do is protect all the trees and plant new ones to enjoy this forever.
1. Tourists like clean air. So do we.
I have to disabuse folks that people come to Baguio “for the weather.” Come on! Many rich tourists (after all, who wants tourists who won’t spend?) have airconditioning in their homes, offices and vehicles. Tourists like to see blue skies, pine trees, be able to play golf in style, be able to ride horses at midday. They want to go to a place where they can breathe and they are willing to spend thousands upon thousands to be able to do that for a few days.
Now, see the plus side, if our air is clean, while the tourists can breathe the same air for a few days, we get to breathe good air the whole year, don’t we?
2. Tourists like clean. So do we.
Of course we hate the way this mayor, vice-mayor and councilors are unable to do their basic duties of “cleaning the house.” And the tourists are shying away because the word “garbage” is now linked to what used to be the cleanest and greenest highly urbanized city in the Philippines.
And to think our garbage problem is a political problem, with our current “leaders” being unable to come up with solutions because of selfish interests. We all smell at rat as far as their moves are concerned. But worse yet, we actually see rats now.
But if we all did our little bit in reducing the garbage we produce and disposing of the same properly — and not only that, cause our lazy creepy throw-plastic-bags-on-the-curb neighbors to behave as good citizens — then we get a clean city, tourist or no tourists. Because guys, it’s not the tourists trashing Baguio — it’s us.
So if we work on different levels to solve this problem, then we get a clean city all year round. And the tourists will appreciate the cleanliness, too.
3. Tourists like a traffic-free city. So do we.
It used to be that I could cross the city in 5 minutes. In fact, I loved the way I could have eight appointments in one day and be on time for all of them. But now, I don’t even want to leave the house and add to all that confusion.
It used to be that Baguio City only experienced heavy traffic twice a year — on Holy Week and during the Christmas break. But that’s understandable because tourists all go to the same areas in a limited number of days.
Now we have traffic everyday. And we know what causes this traffic — it’s not so much that the city is overpopulated but that EVERYONE has to go to the center of town to get anything done.
And that center of town is where all the jeepneys park all day, taking up road and pedestrian space!!!
We want to walk and save on fuel but we can’t because the jeepneys are forever blowing off smoke in our faces, so we take the car out and add to the traffic.
hi lisa,
i always visit your blog but this is my first time to comment. its because i visited baguio last week and got lost and confused by detours within the city. i think baguio should be more tourist friendly and improve like in markina the way mayor bayani fixed up our place.
more power!!
I agree with Miss Lisa.
We tourists spend a lot to get there and many hours to travel and we want something different than Manila. With SM its all the same things and theres no decent bars where theres no fights. My friends and I got scared and we left and drank at home so sorry na lang, no one made money from us. But I love Baguio and will always go back and check your blog if theres something new to visit.
Im hoping the people will be educated in tourism studies because they probably dont understand the income EVERYONE in the city makes from tourists, direct or indirect. Sayang naman ang Baguio…
Welcome Geena,
I was amazed about how Marikina turned things around prior to Ondoy and wish a speedy recovery from such traumatic events.
The traffic rerouting is a temporary scheme that is working for the residents since they know the ins and outs of the city, but drives tourists crazy. I am hoping the city will buckle down and decide on better and more permanent solutions to the chaos in the city center.
Hi Jim,
The problem I think is that the residents want to bring Manila to Baguio. Sad because I always thought Baguio was superior to Manila in terms of beauty and charm.
And you’re right about tourism studies being taught, simple things like how tourism creates jobs and opportunities for everyone, or even just good manners and right conduct (at home by parents and in school by teachers and everywhere by example).
“Baguio belongs to the world, not to us. We are just caretakers and we can never own it.” So true Lisa.
Hello Lisa, this I will not forget. I think it was an Australian who said it. Fix the city first for the residents and the tourists will come. So what is good for the residents will be good for tourists. For me, residents first before tourists.
Hi Ed,
Am so glad you agree. Now, if we can only convince everybody else, rich and poor, who behave like kings here
Hiya Resty,
Precisely, except that the residents are so content with so little that we are trashing the place ourselves.
I am hoping the residents will be more demanding and be more responsible caretakers — just look at the city now! No matter how I fix up my place, Baguio will be judged by the uncollected garbage both from my 300.000 dugyut neighbors and the local officials.
And honestly, how much money do the residents make without the tourists? very little, because outside money gives us ALL direct and indirect income, whether you realize and accept that or not.
hiya lisa,
we’re planning to visit baguio next week.. do you think its ok? are the roads safe and are the tourist spots clean?
thanks.
Hi G-Anne,
Baguio was relatively unscathed, unlike Pangasinan and Benguet, tourist attractions unscathed, the pretty side of Baguio unscathed. The rest bounced back pretty fast, with access roads reopened two days after the typhoon left. Now that City Camp area is really prone to flooding because it used to be our lagoon and folks should not really have been allowed to build there in the first place… (so don’t book lodging there ok?)
For me, Pepeng was no worse than other typhoons, except that Manilans were so traumatized by Ondoy. We’ve had worse typhoons… but there was too much media hype for this one because somehow we love disaster stories. Hahaha!
I must add though that the residents were fabulous about coming to the aid of their neighbors, especially La Trinidad.
Since, you’re the first to ask that question, I figured to give folks the lowdown.
Hi Lisa,
A few more years and we’ll be residents there again for good. Hopefully by that time Baguio will be tourist-friendlier and resident friendliest. A few more pine trees planted by then perhaps?
As an aside i do hope you can find a spot in your blog or website an essay shared by another internet (FB)friend Mrs. Mary Ann Regala-Raya. thanks.
Dear Joseph,
I know you were a Baguio resident before. So may I share you this essay which I feel rather strongly about? Let me know your thoughts, will you?
For even reading this, thank you so much.
Have a wonderful day, my friend!
Mary Ann
————–
WHERE HAVE ALL THE PINE TREES GONE?
Filipinos arise! Rekindle pride in our Highlands and its treasures!
Bring back Igorot pride to our treasured Benguet mountains.
Bring back national pride to the cherished city of Baguio!
Restore the proud, stately mountain pines and their aroma to what is now the ugly, scarred terrain of these once-beautiful mountains, to the hills and surroundings of the so-called “Eternal Spring City” of our nation.
read more at A Baguio Lover’s Lament >>
(By Mary Ann R. Raya – 11/11/2009)
Hi Joe,
I will be happy to include her essay as a blog post to share with others because it will be better noticed… Thanks
We need more wood, less cement… the current Baguio residents never saw Baguio in all its grandeur but for them even this current state is more beautiful than where they used to live, you see.
But we who know and remember are tasked with a greater responsibility of turning things around.
well said lisa….
once i gave-up,
twice i gave-up,
thrice…..no more. i love baguio, the city where i was born.
Regarding making Baguio a “walking city”,I agree 101% to this idea.What makes us feel tired of walking is the hot humid climate here in Metro Manila,but in Baguio,I make it a habit(unless urgency dictates)to walk and enjoy the cool breeze.Relaxing it is indeed.Well I do hope that smoke belching of vehicles also be lessened.It’s for all of us be it residents and tourists to benefit from this.
Right on Eugene!
All this fast city drama will kill us! There’s really no point for Baguio residents to hurry anywhere — our streets just go round and round anyways
But Filipinos don’t like to walk, do they? We ride a jeepney for 2 blocks instead of walking it. I really think the smog will be lessened if they planned the public transportation in a more rational manner.