Baguio City: Where All Good Things Thrive

"The heat and dust in the lowlands, especially during the summer months, were unbearable and the brackish mud during the rainy days were annoying and insufferable. The climate was conducive to sickness and disease to which many a white man succumbed. They needed a place in the tropical region with a temperate climate similar to that of their country of origin, to which they could sojourn for a few weeks and regain their lost health.

Baguio provided the answer. Nestled in the bosom of the province of Benguet, which lies astride the southern portion of the mountain chain called Central Cordillera, Baguio is five thousand feet above sea level surrounded by pine-clad mountains.

It is some 250 kilometers by road north of Manila and is accessible within four hours by car and in less than an hour by plane. The annual average temperature is 64.2 degrees Fahrenheit (17.87 deg Celsius), the lowest monthly average being 61.7 degrees Fahrenheit (16.5 deg celsius) in January and the highest being 66.0 degrees Fahrenheit (18.7 deg celcius) in May and June. Nearby warm San Fernando, capital of the province of La Union in the lowlands, is 16 degrees Fahrenheit (8.89 deg Celcius) higher in temperature.



The mean annual precipitation is 169.2 inches (429.77 cm). February registers the lowest mean precipitation of 0.7 inch (1.78 cm), the heaviest being 42.1 inches (106.93 cm) in August. A typhoon that stagnated over Baguio on July 14 and 15, 1911 deposited 45.99 inches (116.81cm) of rain in a single 24-hour period from noon of the fourteenth. This was regarded as the world's highest 24-hour precipitation on record. Recently, however, Baguio surpassed its own record when a storm deposited a new high level of 47.86 inches (121.56cm) in twenty-four hours from 2:00am October 17 to 2:00am October 18 of 1967.

Because of its temperate climate, Baguio and its environs have coniferous forests in contrast to the tropical forests at lower elevations. The change in vegetation takes place between elevations 4,000 and 5,000 feet (1.219.2 to 1.524.0 meters) The spaniards, who were the first white men to scale the place, called it Los Pinos, literally "The Pines". They saw no jungle but, instead, beheld a refreshing vista of rolling mountains carpeted with grass and shaded by tall pine trees."

Content taken from: http://www.baguio.gov.ph/

Pictures taken from flickr.

"The mountaineers of the Cordillera were among the immigrants that spilled over from Asia and Southeast Asia according to Beyer's migration theory on the peopling of the Philippines. Cole finds evidences of at least two series of waves and periods of migration in northern Luzon. The migrants were similar in physical type and language but came from different localities in southeastern Asia where they developed their own organizations and institutions that they brought to Luzon and modified in their new habitat.

The first series includes the Igorot; the Ibaloi of Benguet, the Kankanai of Lepanto, the Bontoks, and the Ifugaos. They have the following institutions in common: "trial marriage; division of their settlements into social and political units known as ato; separate dormitories for unmarried men and women; government by the federated divisions of a village as represented by old men; and a peculiar and characteristic type of dwelling.

In the second wave series belong to the Ilocanos, the Tinguians (Itnegs or Isnegs), the Apayaos, and the western Kalingas, to whom the institutions of the first wave series are unknown. They have no trial marriage; marriage is endogamous, being restricted to consaguinal relations; government is administered by a headman aided by village elders. Although variations exist in the dwelling houses of these different peoples, they conform to a general pattern radically unlike that of the Igorot group.

The Ibaloi people are reputed to be of docile character. A 1609 report of early expeditions to the province of Tuy, the headwaters area of Cagayan Valley, and to the Igorot country, states with reference to the inhabitants of Benguet:

... as the land in itself is so lofty, it is cold although its inhabitants go naked except for some garments made from the bark of trees. This region lies between the provinces of Cagayan, Ylocos, Pangasinan, and Tuy. The people are light complexioned, well disposed, and intelligent.



The Ibaloi have been rated by colonial administrators as "unusually submissive, passive, and shy as compared with the Cordillera peoples generally. In the face of pressures ... many have pushed back into deeper fastnesses." Another documentary account relates that whenever a lowlander would quarrel, injure, cheat or rob an Ibaloi, instead of retaliating with physical violence, this mountaineer would run back to the mountains and there dissipate his grief in solitude.

At a later period, during the construction of the Kennon road in the middle of the first decade of the twentieth century, an American road foreman, after observing his scrupulous honesty, diligence, and prodigious industry, described the Ibaloi laborer as "a superior brute".

It is this pacific nature of the Ibaloi that enabled the Spaniards to set up the first enduring comandancia politico-militar in La Trinidad in 1846. This was followed by the comandancias established in Lepanto in 1852, in Bontoc in 1857, in Saltan (Ifugao) in 1859 and in Kayan in 1872. Probably as an aftermath of the execution of Fathers Burgos, Gomes and Zamora in 1872 that diverted the attention of the authorities, there was a lull in the creation of comandancias. This, however, was revived in 1890 where one after another the Comandancia of Amburayan, Comandancia of Cabagoan with headquarters in Laoag, the Comandancia of Apayao and the Comandancia of Itaves were organized. Why the Comandancias were set up rather late, only after some 300 years of Spanish rule when Spain was losing her colonies rapidly, can only be understood in the context of the strategy and politics of the Spanish conquest.

Regardless of the various theories as to the migratory origin of the different tribes living on the Cordillera, Ibaloi tradition pinpoints Kabayan as the ancestral home of the Ibalois. There in Kabayan they were created by their God Kabunian, and from there they spread out to Bokod, Trinidad, Tublay, and part of Kapangan and Atok to inherit the earth.



In their mountain abode they lived as free men spared from the blood and thunder, the sound and fury of the historic epic unfolding in the lowlands exposed as these were to ever-increasing contacts with the external world of the Chinese, Malays, Indonesians, Japanese, Hindus, Arabs, Spaniards and other peoples.

In the relative isolation of their ethnic bailiwick, the Ibalois like other mountain tribes, developed a dual ethos -- a morality for "insiders" and another for "outsiders". The insiders formed a human society that was held together by a feeling of oneness, of belongingness, of mutual help and protection for group survival. Any outsider, on the other hand, was a busul, meaning an enemy. Any one who did not belong to the group was always held suspect. Thus the Apayaos were feuding with the Kalingas, the Kalingas with the Ifugaos, the Ifugaos with the Bontocs, and the Bontocs with the Ibalois. The least warlike of all the tribes, the most peaceful and docile among them were the Ibalois."

Content taken from: http://www.baguio.gov.ph/

"A typical house of the poorest Ibaloi class is built squat on the ground. It is made of a low-hanging heavy thatch of cogon grass. The door is a small round opening, so small that one has literally to crawl to get in or out. The low roof and small opening serve to keep the house warm and comfortable. Such a structure is a practical necessity in a cold region that lies on the path of typhoons and rains.

Some bigger houses are provided with a wooden platform about two feet high outside the house but close to the wall. Members of the family and neigbors sit on the platform with raised folded legs, their buttocks restin on the platform and their backs leaning against the wall of the house.



Ibalois with exposure to the way of life of the lowlanders have adopted a modified house design. The house is generally raised on the ground on four, six or more posts depending on the size of the house. The structure is made of pine wood laboriously split and cleaned of its trunk. These processed woods are called sinapsapan and the process of building the house is called pinadek (nailed with woods and every part of it filtered to each other). The completed house is called dema. A dema usually has two doors and a window and it is a multipurpose structure. It seves as a storage for valuables, a kitchen, a dining room, a bedroom, or a discussion room. As one ascends the teytey (staircase) and enters a house, he will find the weapons in one corner, the dresses and blankets in another corner, the working materials in another and so forth.

The larger houses are for the affluent. They are wider at the ceiling than at the floor area. They look like the houses of the other mountain ethnic groups, but the Ibaloi house has a longer ridge pole to support the four-sided roof. The houses are usually clustered on mountain ridfes or knolls commanding the approaches.

However, the skilled workers of the sinapsapan and the pinadek are disappearing, driven to oblivion by the intrusion of new technology from the lowlands. The thatched roof and walls have, in several instances, been replaced by corrugated galvanized iron, which is preferred because of its durability and strength to withstand the onslaught of typhoons."

Content taken from: http://www.baguio.gov.ph/
Photo taken from flickr.com

"The Panagbenga Festival is held yearly during the month of February. The celebrations are held for over a month and peak periods are the weekends. The Panagbenga Festival showcases the many floral floats and native dances. The fragrant smells that could be presently teasing olfactory senses are probably less from the now-dried flowers from Valentine's Day than air floating all the way from Baguio City. At this time of year, the City of Pines is almost surely in flower fury over Panagbenga festival, the city's biggest festival.

Panagbenga is a kankanaey term for "a season of blooming." It is also known as the Baguio Flower Festival, a homage to the beautiful flowers the city is famous for as well as a celebration of Baguio's re-establishment. Since February 1995, it has been held to help Baguio forget the 1990 earthquake that distressed much of the city.



Panagbenga festival will have spectators enjoying a multiple floral and float parades over two days. The Baguio Flower Festival Association (BFFA) will have a street dancing parade and band exhibition. The Baguio Flower Festival Foundation (BFFF), meanwhile, will hold a parade. So where should spectators be stationed to not miss any of the float and floral parades? Session Road and Burnham Park. A search for the Mr. and Ms. Baguio Flower Festival, FM Panagbenga Pop Fiesta, Skateboard competition and Dolls of Japan exhibit were added to the BFFA calendar. The festival is supported by constituents of La Trinidad, La Union, Pangasinan, Marinduque and Masbate.

Often a Cañao is an undertaken to kick-off & celebrate the occasion. A Cañao is a dance that also is regularly performed at special occasions such as fiestas. In this two-person dance, the men hang blankets usually woven with an indigenous pattern or design-over each shoulder. The woman wraps a single similar blanket around her. The man leads her and dances in a circle with a hop-skip tempo to the beat of sticks and gongs. The dance must continue until the viewers decide to honor the dancers twice with a shout of "Ooo wag, hoy! hoy!" Once this has happened, the dancers can stop. It is an honor to be invited to join the dance, and elders and other respected members of the community are expected to join in at every occasion."

Context taken from: http://www.philippinecountry.com/philippine_festivals/panagbenga_festival.html

Photo taken from google and flickr.

"Burnham Park is centered around a man-made lake located at the heart of the city. It was named after the city's planner, Daniel Burnham. The park is a favorite place of local residents and visitors alike. There are different facilities for recreation and relaxation that are available in the park. You can row a boat, have a picnic, attend an outdoor concert, watch a football game, go biking, or just take a leisurely stroll around the park.

At the southern end of the park is a circular skating rink where skates can be rented. There are also tennis and basketball courts, a few restaurants, outdoor kiosks, a children's playground, and an orchidarium where various kinds of plants, trees and flowers are sold. Chairs and benches are distributed around the park for those who just want to sit down and relax.

The football field at the eastern side of the park is sometimes used for parades, carnivals, concerts, political rallys, and for display booths during special events and activities. On certain Sundays and some special occasions, cadets of the Philippine Military Academy perform a parade and review or a silent drill exhibition at the field. Just after the big earthquake that hit the city in 1990, many of its residents fled their homes for fear of aftershocks and temporarily set camp in this field."

Context taken from: http://www.cityofpines.com/burnhampark.html

Photo taken from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdeepaniii/3149401960/

"Session Road is the main thoroughfare of the city and the center of Baguio's commercial establishment. This is where you will find department stores, banks, movie houses, and bazaars. There are also some hotels, bakeries, restaurants, newspaper stands, bookstores, boutiques, cafes, and studios along Session Road.

Local residents, students in the different schools and universities in the city and visitors alike spend most of their free time just going up and down Session Road. It is a place to go window shopping, looking at people, or just taking a leisurely walk during a cool and quiet afternoon or evening. Visitors should take note that residents of Baguio City are predominantly Catholics and when the Angelus (a Catholic devotion in honor of Annunciation and Incarnation) is supposed to be recited in the evening at 6:00 o'clock, a loud continuous siren is heard all over the city to remind everyone about it."

Content taken from: http://www.cityofpines.com/sessionroad.html

Photo taken from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lou-vin/91592370/

"The rose-colored Baguio Catholic Cathedral, located on top of a hill in the heart of the city, is one of the more familiar and most visited landmarks of Baguio. This beautiful structure has twin spires and is one of the most photographed buildings in the city. From Session Road it is accessible by pedestrians who ascend a long concrete stairway of more than a hundred steps. Visitors and churchgoers who would rather avoid the difficult climb drive vehicles through an access road which passes behind the nearby post office building.

The construction of the cathedral by phases was begun on a hill which was originally referred to as "Kampo" by the native Ibalois. It was later called Mount Mary by a Belgian Catholic Mission headed by Fr. Carlu, CICM, who was then the parish priest. The cathedral was finally consecrated in 1936 and dedicated to Our Lady of Atonement. During World War II it became an evacuation center and withstood the Japanese carpet bombing of the city in 1945, thereby saving thousands of lives.

The Baguio Cathedral is the biggest catholic church in Baguio and is the center of religious activities such as during the Holy Week when thousands of devotees from Metro Manila and the provinces come up to the city. During Sundays and other special holidays of the catholic church, you will find vendors along the stairway and also at the church's open patio selling flowers, balloons, newspapers, sweepstake tickets, candles, rosary beads, and other religious articles. Visitors desiring to visit Baguio on a tour should avoid coming up to the city during this religious week. Not only is the city crowded with people, it is difficult to find rooms in hotels and inns and the prices of native handicraft, souvenirs, vegetables, flowers, food, and other commodities & services are rather expensive."

Context taken from: http://www.cityofpines.com/catholiccathedral.html

Photo taken from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/airspace/455145542/

"It always seems to be a must for visitors from the lowland areas to visit the Baguio Public Market before leaving the city. The market is located right at the lower end of Session Road and behind the Maharlika Center. It is here where they buy different souvenirs typical of Baguio. There are numerous other products and handicrafts sold at the Baguio public market which are brought in from other nearby provinces.

A wide variety of items are available such as fresh vegetables, strawberry jam, peanut brittle, dried tobacco, an assortment of fresh flowers, meat, Baguio sausages, fish, poultry, fruits, clothes and clothing material. You will also find native products and handicraft such as baskets, brooms, bags, brass, blankets & sweaters, woodcarving, and locally made jewelry. Fresh and sweet strawberries from nearby La Trinidad are sold at the market but these are available only on certain months of the year. From the province of Pangasinan, "bucayo" (coconut candy) and "bagoong" (salted fish or shrimp) may also be purchased.

At the upper part of the market are "carinderias" or small food stores serving delicious and inexpensive native as well as a few Chinese or western-style menu. Different native food choices are available and these include favorite dishes from the Ilocos and Tagalog regions, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Bicol, and others. These carinderias are patronized by most of the market vendors, people who work in the market, and the local residents.

The Maharlika shopping complex is also an integral part of the public market and at its basement is a food court popular among students, office and retail workers in the downtown area, and low-budgetted tourists from the nearby lowlands. It operates just like any other food court in big shopping malls in Metro Manila. At its upper floors are small retail outlets selling clothing, shoes, grocery items, wood and metal carvings, and antiques. Many visitors from foreign countries shop at the Maharlika shopping complex for silver craft, shell products, wood carvings, and other kinds of native handicraft."

Context taken from: http://www.cityofpines.com/publicmarket.html

Photo taken from google and flickr.

"This former rest and recreation facility of the U.S. Armed Forces is older than the city itself. For almost the whole of the 20th century it is what made Baguio City in the Philippines "Little America."

In 1903 Camp John Hay was designed as the rest & recreational facility for the US Military and Department of Defense in the Far East. This U.S. base, which was named after U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt's Secretary of State, was used by the Japanese as a concentration camp for American and British soldiers during WWII.

It was also used as their military headquarters when General Yamashita moved up north from Manila towards the end of the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines.

This 690-hectare property was finally turned over to the Philippines 1991 upon the expiration of the R.P.-U.S. Bases Agreement. From 1991 to 1997, Filipinos ran the former U.S. Air Force recreational facility for the first time as a resort, operating all the popular and familiar spots as close to the originals as possible: 19th Tee, Halfway House, Mile-Hi, Lone Star, Main Club, the Scout Hill Snack Bar and the Bakery.
Since 1997 it has been in the hands of a private developer on a long term lease. It boasts of private vacation houses, hotels and lodging facilities, including the most popular Baguio hotel, Camp John Hay Manor, a shopping center called Mile-Hi Center with numerous restaurants and stores, and a newly-built convention center. Jack Niclaus redesigned what is literally the coolest golf course in the Philippines into a competition golf course that continues to host the hugely popular annual Fil-Am Golf Tournament.

The Philippine government has retained a portion of the property and maintains the Historical Core featuring a museum at the Commander's Cottage, Bell Ampitheater, a Butterfly Sanctuary. And the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) runs Igorot Lodge."

Context taken from: http://www.gobaguio.com/camp-john-hay.html

Picture taken from flickr.

"The Mansion is located on the eastern part of the city along the Leonard Wood Road and right across from Wright Park. It was built in 1908 for U.S. governor-generals and was destroyed in 1945 during the battle for the liberation of the Philippines.

The Philippine government later rebuilt and improved the structure in 1947 and since then it has been used by various Philippine presidents whenever they come up to Baguio for their official visits and engagements. The Mansion served as the seat of the Second Session of Economic Commission of Asia and the Far East in 1947. It has also been the site of first meeting of the South East Asia Union which was popularly known as the Baguio Conference of 1950 which was conceived and convened by President Elpidio Quirino.

The elaborate main gate of the Mansion is said to be a replica of that at Buckingham Palace in London. Vehicles entering the compound pass through a great circular driveway and it is usually open only when the Mansion is used for an official function or activity. With its beautiful gardens and a well-manicured lawn, it is a favorite site for sightseeing and picture taking."

Context taken from: http://www.cityofpines.com/mansion.html

Photo taken from Flickr.com

"Directly across The Mansion is Wright Park that features the much photo-graphed Baguio landmark, the "Pool of Pines". One will see a gazebo and a long flight of stairs down the hill leading to the Riding Circle, where hundreds of ponies are for hire."

Context taken from: http://www.gobaguio.com/attractions.html

Picture taken from Flickr.

"Located at the extreme northeast side of the city, past The Mansion and Wright Park, Mines View Park used to boast of a spectacular view of Benguet's gold and copper mines and the Cordillera mountains. Many houses have been constructed over the old mine sites, though.

The main attractions in Mines View nowadays would be the commercial activities such as the souvenir and silverworks stores by the park. The one especially worth visiting is Rimando's, on the Gibraltar side.

Any visit to Mines View Park would not be complete without a stop at the Good Shepherd Convent where you can buy jam, brittle and other goodies. They also have a very nice view deck with the vista of the mountains of the Cordillera range as a backdrop for photos."

Context taken from: http://www.gobaguio.com/attractions.html

Picture taken from Flickr.

"Also known as the Igorot Village, it showcases the native houses of the different Cordillera tribes. Tourists can usually take pictures with the Igorot tribesmen dressed in their traditional native dress. It is also the home of the Baguio Arts Guild.

Botanical Garden is named such because it is tasked with growing pine seedlings and other flora and fauna for the constant "greening" of Baguio."

Context Taken From: http://www.gobaguio.com/attractions.html

Picture taken from http://www.edwinsoriano.com

"For the past 100 years, the officers training school of the Armed Forces in the Philippines has made Baguio City its home.

The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) boast of a long and illustrious history of preparing only the best Filipino men (and, in recent times, women) for military service.

Located at Fort Gegorio del Pilar on Loakan Road, visitors to the City of Pines are welcome to explore the grounds, view the cadets doing their drills, and view the PMA museum and see vintage tanks and other historical military weapons."

Context taken from: http://www.gobaguio.com/philippine-military-academy.html

Picture taken from google or flickr.

"Kennon Road was built to connect Kafagway, later on chartered as Baguio City, to the lowlands. Acording to Filipino architect, Filipino author and Baguio native Ernesto Zarate, his research shows that the Americans started building simulta-neously from the top (which is Baguio City) and from the base (in La Union), and found that the two roads would not meet, necessitating a winding road through Bued River Canyon, affectionately referred to as the "Zigzag."
The road is about 30 kilometers in length and is divided into 'Camps,' signifying the establishment of mining camps by the Americans along the way up to Baguio City, which was originally both a mining town and a recreational facility."

Context taken from: http://www.gobaguio.com/kennon-road.html

Picture taken from google.

"This is Baguio's highest peak, the one that offers a 360 degree view of Baguio City, La Union Province below and the South China Sea on the horizon. Apart from that, there's not much development on top but it is a nice place to go to. Bring a picnic basket and relax.

On top of the mountain are giant twin radars that last saw use decades ago, earning Mount Santo Tomas the nickname "Ra-dar."

Context taken from: http://www.gobaguio.com/attractions.html

Picture taken from google.

"The Lourdes Grotto is another Catholic shrine and place of meditation in Baguio. It is located on a high hill in the western part of Baguio City where you will find the image of the Lady of Lourdes. It is a favorite pilgrimage site during Holy Week most especially during Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Access to the top of the grotto could be made by climbing the long steps or by driving up a winding road."

Context taken from: http://www.gobaguio.com/attractions.html

Picture taken from google.

"The Bell Church is located north of Baguio along the road leading to the capital town of La Trinidad, Benguet. Within its compound are intricately designed arches and buildings adorned with flags, bells and dragons. It has a pagoda, and landscaped gardens. There are some Buddhism artifacts to be found there, as well as some literature about the history of China."

Context taken from: http://www.gobaguio.com/attractions.html

Picture taken from google.

"Tam-awan Village is one of Baguio City's "newer" attractions, having been created by the Chunum Foundation in only 1998.

Located at the outskirts of the city, it is an artists colony set amid a charming collection of Ifugao and Kalinga huts.

Getting there is a little tricky but well worth the trip. Once you enter the compound, after paying a minimal entrance fee, you can explore the grounds, which includes an Art Gallery, a Coffee Shop, the different huts and areas used for workshops, among others."

Context and picture taken from: http://www.gobaguio.com/tam-awan-village.html

"The Maryknoll Ecological Sanctuary is located at 25 North Santo Tomas Road, Campo Sioco, Baguio City. To go to the sanctuary you can take the BGH-Campo Sioco bound jeepneys which are parked beside the Harrison Road overpass stairway, take a taxi, or drive your own vehicle. From the downtown area, proceed to the rotunda across the Baguio General Hospital then take the road to the right towards the direction of Marcos Highway. After passing Lina's Mart look out for the Amway and Agua Vida signages where you turn right and follow the road until you reach the Maryknoll gate.

For the Maryknoll Sisters in the Philippines, the devastation wrought by the July 1990 earthquake in Baguio City became a discerning force which inspired a new educational role. In the light of a growing awareness of the earth's fragility, the Maryknoll Sisters were compelled to make a radical decision to dedicate their resources in Baguio to alternative environmental education. With this new mission defined, the rebuilding of Maryknoll commenced a year after the earthquake.

The "Cosmic Journey" became the major undertaking within the Maryknoll Ecological Sanctuary. It is describe as "a nature walk of play and discovery into the earth's deep interconnectedness." A total of fourteen different stations were created to portray "the magnificence of the unfolding of the cosmos." The 1st station is about the coming into being of the Universe. The 5th and 8th stations portray the arrival of the mammals and the coming forth of the primates, respectively. The last two stations portray the Earth's religious tradition and a Bio-shelter."

Context taken from: http://www.cityofpines.com/maryknollpark.html

Picture taken from Flickr.

"The Banaue Rice Terraces are 2000-year old terraces that were carved into the mountains of Ifugao in the Philippines by ancestors of the Batad indigenous people. The Rice Terraces are commonly referred to by Filipinos as the "Eighth Wonder of the World".[1][2][3] It is commonly thought that the terraces were built with minimal equipment, largely by hand. The terraces are located approximately 1500 meters (5000 ft) above sea level and cover 10,360 square kilometers (about 4000 square miles) of mountainside. They are fed by an ancient irrigation system from the rainforests above the terraces. It is said that if the steps are put end to end it would encircle half the globe.[4]

The Banaue terraces are part of the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, ancient sprawling man-made structures from 2,000 to 6,000 years old. They are found in the provinces of Apayao, Benguet, Mountain Province and Ifugao, and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Locals to this day still tend to the rice and vegetables on the terraces, although more and more younger Ifugaos do not find farming appealing, often opting for the more lucrative hospitality industry generated by the Rice Terraces. The result is the gradual erosion of the characteristic "steps", which need constant reconstruction and care."

Contest taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banaue_Rice_Terraces

Photo taken from Flickr.

"Shoe Mart City Baguio, the 16th Shoe Mart supermall, opened on November 21, 2003. It is strategically located on a 79,763-square meter (858,646 sq ft) property at the side of the area where the former Pines Hotel stood. The sprawling facility is a stroll away from some of the city's most popular tourist destinations.

The supermall will serve customers of Baguio and the rest of Northern Luzon. Shoe Mart City Baguio has a floor area of 106,231 square meters (1,143,572 square feet) and six levels of great shopping, leisure and entertainment. Both Baguio residents and tourists can look forward to comfortable shopping at the SM department store and at SM supermarket, which combines an exciting merchandise concept with the latest supermarketing technology.

The supermall houses SM mainstays like the SM appliance center, ACE Hardware, Watsons, Our Home, Sports Central, Surplus Shop and Toy Kingdom, as well as fashion boutiques, jewelry and home stores, novelty shops and service outlets. There are computer and telecom stores for the cyber generation.

Eating out options include an assortment of food at the SM food court, as well as a mix of international food chains like Jollibee, Chowking, Goldilocks, Greenwich, cool restos like Tokyo Tokyo, Kitaro and Teriyake Boy. Homegrown tenants like Baguio's Henrico's, Sizzling Plate, and Carlos' Pizza are also found within the mall. The mall has four state-of-the-art cinemas with a total seating capacity of 2,656 as well as amusement centers. In the city where parking space is precious, SM City Baguio has 800 parking slots."

Context and picture taken from: http://www.cityofpines.com/baguioshoemart/shoemart.html

"The Baguio Convention Center is reputed to be the most modern and most spacious facility of its kind north of Metro Manila. It is often used for conventions, programs, conferences, graduations, and other types of indoor gatherings or activities requiring a large seating capacity.

This imposing Center is located in the southern part of the city and is within short walking distance from the Baguio Tourism complex and the Baguio campus of the University of the Philippines which is just across the street. The Center, which was designed with an Igorot motif, initially gained international prominence when it became the venue of the 1978 World Chess Championship series between two Russian grandmasters - Anatoly Karpov and Victor Korchnoi. It was inaugurated by President Ferdinand E. Marcos during the opening of this championship match on July 17, 1978."

Context and picture taken from: http://www.cityofpines.com/conventioncenter.html