TRAILS UP NORTH

Glo A Tuazon
Baguio then and now

You speak of Baguio City and a picture of the Central Business District lights up in the corners of your mind. Along with Burnham Park and John Hay and Mansion House, the whole stretch of Session Road going down Harrisson- Abanao Road zoom in to define Baguio City. Throughout timBague, this side of the city has undergone major changes since the start of the modern years. Recalling what it once looked when we were kids would bring out memories of flower filled boxes everywhere.

The roads were almost free, just a few vehicles plying the famous route,and mostly of passenger jeepneys. People then were simple, opting to walk rather than own and drive cars. The word pollution was never even mentioned then or never even existed. Buildings along the uphill stretch were few, and most were only a couple of stories high, nothing much higher than that.

The loop along the post office area was a dense tree lined park where most of the veterans would sit whiling away the afternoon to chat. And believe me, there was so much time then to chat. Gather there and talk about whatnots and exchange news of children and grandchildren. Then they'd walk down in unhurried paces to go sit in their usual watering holes along Session Road.

Take the few minutes stroll to Harrison and one gets to Burnham Park. Everything I enjoyed as a child from the peeling "paper" trees to the occasional boat and bicycle rides, the children consider now as "funny and boring" pastimes. The overwhelming beauty of budding roses and marigolds and daisies along the lakesides were lasting thoughts mingling with the gleeful laughter and giggling music of children puttering around the swings and see-saws of the old Children's park.

I wonder where they all went. Then I stepped into high school and Session Road started bustling. All the way from Assumption Road we walk to CID bookstore where it was the "only" place to buy school supplies. I remember passing by Fireplace every afternoon to the crooning of "happy hour" singers, folk music from selections of early Bob Dylan, or the nasal tunes of Neil
Young to mesmerizing Cat Stevens and screechy ZZ Tops and Rolling Stones were still fad. I heard of "brownies" being hot chewable pastries then, folkhouse favorites of the baby boomer generation that we look up to as cool "manongs and manangs".

Because by then our generation was into the 80's music. High-top converse shoes were on and collars stand around necks. Baggy pants were pinned close to the ankles while we roam around John Hay all afternoon. Even without money then, we feel like dudes and babes among the clustered pine-lined walks to Scout Hill or the Half-way House. Then college days arrived. Music bars mushroomed along Harrison Road and Abanao.

There was 168, Music Box and the likes. The streets started filling up with cars and with the changing of the season and changing of authorities running the city ,additions came and went. There was the ridiculous decorative art up on Session Road that the people have taken to call the "Labo's Children", ironically naked cherubims dancing around a non-existent fountain.

Then came out a couple of horses in the middle of Abanao Street which to this day are still seen standing immobile like a stiff reminder of their creators. The cherubims were soon demolished and on the same site rose or "grew" an equally obnoxious concrete pine tree, the branches grossly ans sparsely spaced that it failed to exude the beauty they were trying to bring out in the first place. Maharlika/Marbay soon went out of style with the rising of Center Mall along "Burned Area" in Magsaysay Avenue.

For awhile the people of Baguio City were excited about it and the mall became the "it" place. That was until Cooyesan outshone Center mall. A few years back, all those glories were gone in a snap with SM dominating the skyline of Session Road. Overpasses were neatly constructed over busy roads and the panorama are disturbed every once in awhile by flyovers. The streets have become so busy these days that it seemed to match the number of people residing here. Restaurants have no spaces. McDonalds and Jollibees seem to be requirements to become cities these days too.

Breathing spaces have become commodities here that you cant have them for free no matter how much you would want to. Gone was the city of innocence that reared most of the original inhabitants of Baguio. Gone was the City of Pines that covered the heat and air conditioned this upland retreat that we once enjoyed. Gone was the city of peace that we once strolled to roost in the evenings and wait for another day. Gone was the city of comfort and hospitality that once welcomed thirsty strangers. Everything we reminisce and wanted back if only we could. -- email: twilight_glo@yahoo.com