The City of Baguio is a highly urbanized city in northern Luzon in the Philippines. Baguio City was established by Americans in 1900 at the site of an Ibaloi village known as Kafagway.
Baguio City was designated by the Philippine Commission as the Summer Capital of the Philippines on June 1, 1903 and incorporated as a city by the Philippine Assembly on September 1, 1909. There is a presidential mansion, as well as supreme court and legislative offices in Baguio. Baguio is the seat of government of the Cordillera Administrative Region.
The name of the city is derived from the word bagiw in Ibaloi, the indigenous language of the Benguet Region, meaning 'moss'. The city is at an altitude of approximately 1500 meters (5100 ft) in a moist tropical pine forest conducive to the growth of mossy plants and orchids.
MINES VIEW PARK
There is no doubt that the Mines View Park is one of the most popular and most visited park in the city. From the observation deck of the park a breathtaking panoramic view of Benguet's gold and copper mines and the surrounding mountains unfolds before you. It is a spectacular sight to behold and should not be missed when visiting Baguio.
The park is usually the next stop taken by most visitors after seeing the Mansion or Wright Park. To reach the observation deck, you need to go down a winding stone-covered stairway which is just close to the parking area. One should be careful when ascending or descending the stairway just after a rain as the steps can be very slippery.
There are a few benches at the promontory where you can sit down to rest and enjoy the view. For a few pesos you can rent a binocular and there are also some commercial photographers around just in case you want to have your picture taken.
A visit to the park should also be planned earlier during the day as the view may not be visible when the fog starts to move in during the afternoon. However, this occurs only on certain months of the year.
GOOD SHEPHERD CONVENT
You will find the Good Shepherd Convent in the Mines View Barangay. Its main entrance is along Gibraltar Road and it is within walking distance from the souvenir shops at Mines View Park. Being located in the same general area, the convent is usually the next stop for most visitors coming from Mines View Park.
For those riding on a vehicle, enter the convent's gate and take the driveway that leads up to the parking lot inside the compound. This is the center of the compound where you will usually find people waiting to be served by the salesclerks of a small store.
The store is popularly known for the different products made by the Good Shepherd nuns and visitors coming up to the city who are familiar with items sold in the store always make it a point buy something to take back home.
Among the most sought items are fruit preserves, strawberry and ube jams, cashew and peanut brittle, and coco jam. Most of their products are also sold by different stalls in the Baguio Public Market and at various other outlets within the city.
The money generated from the sale of their products is used for the different charities sponsored by the Good Shepherd nuns and also for the maintenance and upkeep of the convent. Within the compound are other buildings and facilities of the convent.
Aside from being a convent, it is also a place where college and high school students from Catholic institutions spend their retreats. At one end of the parking lot is an observation deck where one gets to see the distant Cordillera mountains and a valley below which are similarly visible from the Mines View Park.
BOTANICAL GARDEN
Also known as the Igorot Village, the Botanical Garden features native huts typical of the type of Igorot dwellings found in the Cordilleras. The village is said to capture the ethnic spirit and cultural legacy of the Igorots and being tranquil and quiet, it is a nice place to just sit down and relax, take a leisurely stroll along its narrow and winding pathways and also enjoy the landscape where you will find numerous plants and trees.
Some years back Igorot dances and rituals were held in an improvised outdoor stage within the village. Local students go to the Botanical Garden for a day of retreat or just enjoy the outdoor environment. When visiting the Botanical Garden, you will usually find a group of Igorots at the main entrance who are dressed in their authentic native attire and regalia. They will be more than happy to pose with visitors for a souvenir picture ... of course, for a fee.
BAGUIO PUBLIC MARKET
It always seems to be a must for visitors from the lowland areas to visit the Baguio Public Market before leaving the city.
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.
THE MANSION
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.
GETTING THERE
By air
Asian Spirit flies Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Manila to Baguio. The flight takes only 50 minutes and lands in Loakan Airport which is about a 20 minute ride south of the city center.
By car
The only motorway from Manila to the south to get to Baguio via car is using the North Luzon Expressway which extends until Sta. Ines, Pampanga and there is no more motorway beyond this, only narrow roads such as the McArthur Highway. Visitors need to pass through the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac and Pangasinan to get to Baguio quickly from Manila and the south. As much as driving is not advised for tourists in Manila, it is doubly risky to do it going to Baguio. There are three main routes leading up to Baguio by road, Kennon Road is the shortest taking only 30-45 minutes to climb from the foot of the mountain, Marcos Highway takes upto 1 hour to climb and Naguillan Road is 3 hours longer. All three roads can get blocked by landslides and Kennon Road with its long winding stretches is both scenic and dangerous. If you are intent on driving to Baguio, it would be best to hire a Filipino driver for this purpose. Most rental car companies in the Philippines offer chauffeur driven rentals in addition to the usual self-driven rentals. Visitors need to keep in mind that it while it takes at average 6-7 hours to get to Baguio by car, it takes much longer during holiday weekends like Holy Week.
