Baguio ‘urban walk’ /Top b’gay case mediator

BENCHWARMER

Ramon S. Dacawi

BAGUIO CITY -- Expect waves of toddlers and their parents exploring the city’s landscape within the year, on prodding of their day care center workers, fifty of whom undertook recently the walk-through of Baguio’s landmarks and history under the “Urban Heritage Walk” educational program for children.

           

The all-women group of pre-school teachers started out at the Baguio Convention Center, built for the 1978 World Chess Championship, then caught a glimpse of the mini-forest of a thousand balled pine that the city and the new leadership of the Government Service Insurance System spared from being turned by giant mall chain Shoemart into a high-rise condotel and commercial complex.

           

“I’m so proud that my husband, Roberto, was one of those who planted trees (beside the) Convention Center when he was hired at the UABAC forestry (office),” noted AngelitaTomeldan, who is assigned at the city hall day care center.

           

The trees, then the size of Christmas trees, were balled and then replanted to provide an instant environmental landscape to the center in time for the chess series between title-holder Anatoly Karpov and Viktor Korchnoi.

           

“We learned that Casa Vallejo is one of the oldest buildings,” another day care worker wrote.

           

Recently restored as a hotel, Casa Vallejo is one of only two buildings standing from the complex then called the Government Center built by the American colonial government to prepare Baguio as the Summer Capital of the Philippines and as a chartered city in 1909.

           

“The urban heritage walk made us aware of the history of our city,” said Susana Tudlong, assigned to Lower San Carlos Day Care Center, after the group made a stop-over at the historic Baden Powell Hall.

           

Now also a  hotel, Baden Powell Hall provides the answer to why the city’s inclined main street was named “Session Road”.

           

From the main street, the teachers turned left to the Veterans Park where their guide, city councilor Peter Fianza, asked them to identify familiar names on the roster of heroes on the wall.

           

A grandniece identified that of Lt. Eugene Pucay, the diminutive Ibaloi patriarch of Guisad Valley who fought under the 66th Infantry, the Filipino guerrilla force that, together with the United States Army,  liberated Baguio on April 27, 1945.

           

Before ending up at the picnic grove of the Burnham Park, the teachers took on a guided tour of the main park, specifically to identify the various tree species, courtesy of a team led by forester Luciano Bato of the clonal nursery of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

           

“The presence of trees at Burnham Park encourages us residents to value them and to plant some more for the next generation,” said Connie Labon  of Lower Lourdes Subdivision-Middle Rock Quarry.

           

“May I suggest to the property authority the labeling of all the different trees at Burnham for familiarization,” recommended Lucia Dumpis, assigned otPurok 15 Day Care Center in Irisan.

           

“From this (walk) , we can now tour our day care children to the different landmarks of Baguio,” said Corazon Casallo of South Sanitary Camp.

           

Schools, youth and other groups who would like to undertake the walk through Baguio’s urban landscape and history may ring the information division of the city mayor’s office. 

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The city’s biggest barangay  again stood tall last week, besting 24 other finalists in the city’s search for the most outstanding  in terms of settling minor cases under the “LupongTagapamayapa” system.

           

Irisan barangay, with a population of  24,064 as of 2007 and an area of 669.62 hectares, led the field for the  top prize of P30,000. As such, it will represent the city in the regional level of competitions of the annual awards program.

           

Punong  barangay Thomas Dumalti, one of this year’s outstanding village chiefs under the  Rotary Club of Metro Baguio search for best-performing leaders in the grassroots level, led the members of the Irisan “Lupon” at the awards rites infront of the city hall last Monday morning.

           

Imelda Barangay led by punong barangay Arturo Rapelo, also a Rotary honoree, received P20,000 for finishing second, while Middle Quezon Hill under punong barangay Edita Ibarra, received P15,000 as third-placer.

           

Lourdes Subdivision under punong barangay Benjamin Macadangdang was good for P10,000 cash prize as fourth placer while Loakan Proper led by punong barangay JesusaVizcaya, took P7,000 as fifth-placer.

           

Rounding up the top 11, with each receiving P5,000, were Upper Rock quarry under Luis Badecao, Holy Ghost Proper led by James Mastinggal, City Camp Proper under Aurora Abellera, Fairview under JustinaAndaya, Pinget led by Teresita de Guzman and Pacdal under Roberto Medina.

           

Also honored by city officials led by mayor Mauricio Domogan were finalists Kabayanihan, Dontogan, Middle Quirino Hill, Upper General Luna, Hillside, Sto. Nino, Puliwes, West Bayan Park, Upper Quirino-Magsaysay, South Drive, Alfonso Tabora, Pinsao Proper, LoakanApugan and New Lucban Barangays.

           

Assistant city prosecutor Edwin Brian Sagsago, lawyer Elnora Tabdi of the Baguio City Police Office, Juliet Gumangan of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Nerissa Bayan of the Association of Barangay Councils and AlbertoTomas of the Special Services Division (SSD) of the city mayor’s office served as board of judges.

The SSD headed by Noel Mabutas served as the secretariat of the annual contest.