Baguio Botanical Garden

BAGUIO BOTANICAL GARDEN

The Botanical Garden is located just 1 kilometer from Session Road, along beautiful Leonard Wood between Teachers Camp and Wright Park.

Baguio Botanical Garden is also a favorite venue for tribal gatherings and rituals, open-air concerts and other community activities. It is also my favorite quiet and peaceful place in the City of Pines.

A huge piece of land that is owned by the Philippine government, Botanical Garden, like Burnham Park is one of those prime pieces of real estate that provides priceless peace and tranquility to a city that is in danger of becoming an urban jungle.
Said to have been at one time a zoo and actually named the Botanical & Zoological Garden, the Baguio Botanical Garden has been known, officially and unofficially by many names -- Igorot Village (for the different Cordillera huts and statues that decorated the park, Imelda Park (who was for a long time the First Lady of the country) and, most recently, Centennial Park in celebration of 100 years of the Summer Capital of the Philippines.

Then there are the different relics from Botanical Garden's Igorot Village days with large statues depicting different Cordillera tribesmen and symbols, Cordillera huts that have seen better days that visitors used to be able to climb into to get a glimpse of the different cooking implements and home fixtures.

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Burnham Park

BURNHAM PARK

Designed by and named after premier American architect and urban planner, Daniel Hudson Burnham, who also designed the original plan for Baguio City. Burnham Park remains, to this day, one of the Philippines' most well known and best-loved parks.

The park retains much of Daniel Burnham's original design and layout a century ago, with a few features added, in true Filipino fashion, to make it a vibrant center of activity for everyone to enjoy.

The very heart of Baguio City in the Philippines
Burnham Park truly is the very heart of Baguio City. With an area of 32.84 hectares its central location makes it the most valuable piece of Baguio real estate.

Burnham (1846-1912) was one of Chicago's greatest architects and planners, whose Philippine resume includes Dewey (now Roxas Boulevard) in Manila, Philippines as well as Baguio City itself, which was both a bustling mining and and recreational town!

Mr. Burham had grand  visions for everything he designed. In 1904, the Philippine capital city of Manila, he developed the areas outside the walled city of Intramuros, with a great emphasis on classic-al buildings and wide open spaces, taking into consi-deration the Philippines' Spanish influence as Spain had just six years before turned the Philippines over to the Americans.

For Baguio, he 'forced' a splendid geometric pattern amid rolling hills and wind-ing roads, which is what we know now as Burnham Park, around which the rest of the city was built.

My gracious hostess thoughtfully took me up to Baguio on the second or third day after I arrived and I felt I had discovered the most perfect spot in the world.

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Camp John Hay

CAMP J

CAMP JOHN HAY

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 for the exclusive use of  the US Military and Department of Defense in the Far East. This U.S. base, 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.

Located on the south eastern side of the Summer Capital of the Philippines, its Main Gate is now located on Loakan Road, a 5-minute drive from its old location at the Upper Session Road-Loakan Road-South Drive rotunda.

Camp John Hay has a second entrance accessible via the Baguio Country Club road, which is closer to the other major tourist attractions of the City of Pines.
This former rest & recreation facility for American soldiers in Asia is a tourist  destination in itself.

Much has changed since it was converted into a privately-run resort, as the private developer chose to remove all the favorite haunts and landmarks and substitute them with modern structures instead (for example, the old world Main Club used to be where Camp John Hay Manor now stands) although there are many areas still accessible to the public for free.

And yet Camp John Hay's charm remains the same with its pine tree-lined roads, beautiful landscaping, quaint cottages and wide open spaces. The place remains a "must visit" for tourists.

For Camp John Hay is what makes Baguio, Baguio. 

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Sungang View Point

SUNGANG VIEW POINT

The viewpoint affords a majestic view of the valley villages and mountains of Tinglayan, Tanudan, Tabuk and Lubuagan. A very good view of the Tulgao and Dananao Rice Terraces can be seen at the viewpoint. 

Presently, Kalinga is fast emerging as an Eco-tourism Discovery of the Cordilleras since its operation as a regular and separate province on February 14, 1996.

The name Kalinga is derived from the Ibang and Gaddang Kalinga, which means headhunters. In the past, headhunting was considered noble and it symbolizes bravery. Tattoos, a status symbol which men respect and which women admire, are given to warriors as reward. Thus a mingol or warrior enjoys a high status in Kalinga society.

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Ugid Maling Subterranean River

UGID MAING SUBTERRANEAN RIVER

Located four kilometers away from Poblacion, Balbalan and a good three and half hours ride from the Capital Town. It is a maze of cavernous boulders and rocks atop each other forming a cavern. 

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Mt. Mating-oy Dinayao (Sleeping Beauty)

MT. MATING- OY DINAYAO (SLEEPING BEAUTY)

These fabled mountain ranges in the border of the municipalities of Tinglayan and Tanudan and they take the form of a sleeping lady supinely lying at its back. A vantage view of the profile can be seen from the Sungang view or from Basao. 

Mt. Patukan is rich in both legend and culture. The mountain is considered the forehead of what is known as the "Sleeping Beauty", a mountain range in the Kalinga province so colorfully named as such. It was the Lubo tribes that christened the mountain as 'Patukan'; these Lubo tribesmen are known for their hospitality. Strangers in their land are considered as their guests, and you can stay at the house of a bodong holder, or the barangay captain or anybody's house. You will be considered one of the tribes once you are under their territorial land, anything that happens to you is their responsibility.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain, the equally-friendly natives of Tinglayan town call the mountain 'Mt. Mating-oy Dinayao'. A beautiful, romantic tale is behind this name: Once upon a time in the village of Dacalan, there lived a beautiful maiden named Dinayao. The exceeding charm and virtues of the young lady reached the ears of Binsay, a dashing and charismatic lad of Luplupa Tinglayan. So he traveled to Dacalan to see Dinayao. They fell in love at first sight; Binsay promised Dinayao that he will return at meet her at the summit of Mt. Patukan. However, when he returns home, he found out that his tribe is preparing for an imminent invasion of the village by warriors of another tribe. On the day that Binsay and Dinayao were supposed to meet at the summit of Mt. Patukan, a fierce battle took place in Binsay's village and he had to help defend his tribe. Meanwhile, at the summit of the mountain, Dinayao is very eager to wait for Binsay. But instead of seeing her lover, it was Binsay’s brother who arrived, and he tells her that Binsay have been killed in the battle. Dinayao decided to stay in the mountain, he vowed to take her love till death to Binsay, so she lay down at the summit until her death. Perhaps she is the 'Sleeping Beauty' that forever dreams of the memory of her beloved Binsay.

This legendary mountain has only begun to be discovered, thanks to the pioneering efforts of Sir Nathaniel Dalanao and the group he formed, the Kalinga Mountaineering Society. He is the source of information for this article.

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Grabriela Silang Monument

GABRIELA SILANG MONUMENT

Gabriela Silang, popularly known as the "Joan of Arc" of the Ilocos, led the Ilocanos' resistance against the Spaniards in 1763, after her husband Diego Silang was treacherously shot on May 28, of the same year. Today, her monument stands at the town plaza of Pidigan to remind every one of the gallant stand and the ideals she and her husband fought and died for.

On the way back down to Ilocos Sur, I stopped by the Gabriela Silang Monument in San Quintin. As we all know, Gabriela Silang was an insurgent leader who led the Ilocano freedom movement after the assassination of her husband Diego Silang on May 28, 1763. She was captured and executed by the Spanish on September 29, 1763.

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Abra River Irrigation Project

ABRA RIVER IRRIGATION PROJECT

A project of the church in Abra and the National Irrigation Administration designed to irrigate approximately 3,900 hectares of farmland in the municipalities of Tayum, Bangued, Pidigan and Penarrubia. This project enables the people of the said municipalities to harvest crops twice a year. 

The province of Abra is a fast growing tourist destination in the Philippines and one will surely enjoy discovering the unspoiled beauty of the province. It also offers many tourist attractions that only nature can give. At the end of your visit, you will find the tour well worth it after experiencing the province's unique attractions.

Abra is hemmed in by the towering mountain ranges of the Ilocos in the west and the Cordillera Central in the east. It has an extremely rugged terrain, with mountains and hills rising along its perimeter and interior. The plains are drained by the Abra River, which flows northward from Mt. Data in the Mountain Province.

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Victoria National Park

VICTORIA NATIONAL PARK

This is located atop a hill overlooking the town of Bangued and neighboring municipalities of Tayum, La Paz, Pidigan and Penarrubia. A shrine of the blessed mother cradling Infant Jesus was built near the reservoir of Bangued waterworks. A swimming pool is also available for swimmers. 

I underestimated the act, I thought it was as easy as A-B-C. I have been wanting to gain lean mass but I usually fail, so retaining some body fats to gain body volume is my task. It was in Bangued, Abra's Victoria Park that made the day so tiring. You gotta ascend to the road going uphill and step your feet forward and upward to the long static but escalating concrete stairs. At first it was easy because it looked to be easy.

But hey! Going upward, trees are everywhere and the air gets cooler that gave me instant relief. I love the immersion to nature although I know I still have to take a more than hundred of steps to concrete stairs that will lead me to the top of the hill.

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Ambuwaya Lake

AMBUWAYA LAKE

Legend says that the area was once a large sitio that became a lake because some children killed and made fun of the leeches in the spring. The lake is deep and good for swimming and boating. The shaded surroundings is an ideal place for picnics. It is now the site of a research on fishing culture. The lake is four (4) kilometers from the town center of Kiangan and can be reached by four-wheel drive vehicles. 

A few kilometers east of the town proper of Kiangan, this small body of water and its forested environs are a favorite trekking and picnic destination during dry days.

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General Yamashita's Surrender Site

GENERAL YAMASHITA'S SURRENDER SITE

House relics memorializing the end of W.W. II in the Philippines. Details of the surrender and signing are available. From here, General Yamashita was brought to Baguio for his formal surrender to the victorious Allies.  

Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita of the Japanese Imperial Army in the Philippines surrendered on 02 September 1945 in this Home Economics building of the Kiangan Central School. He was then taken to Baguio City where his formal surrender was staged, tried for war crimes, and hanged in Los Banos in 1946.

The Home Economics building of the Kiangan  Central School was the place where Yamashita physically surrendered to the Americans on September 2, 1945 after he  came down from his hideout in the Hungduan-Tinoc area.

Yamashita’s surrender took place in Kiangan’s forested and once-entrenched Nabulaguian Hill where he and his remaining forces were holed up before they eventually yielded to the Allied forces on Sept. 2. 1945, following almost a month of bombardment.

After an overnight stay in Kiangan with his remaining battle-weary forces, Yamashita was brought on Sept. 3, 1945 by helicopter to Baguio City, where he formally signed surrender documents before American forces at Camp John Hay.

Dubbed the Tiger of Malaya during the war, Yamashita, 60, was tried and sentenced to death for war crimes in December 1945 by an American military tribunal in Manila. He was hanged on Feb. 23, 1946, at Los Baños Prison Camp.

The provincial government said that instead of calling Sept. 2 as “Yamashita Fall,” it is more aptly called as “Victory Day” because the fall of the Japanese general also marked the beginning of the liberation of the Philippines after almost five years of Japanese rule.
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“The celebration of Victory Day in the province of Ifugao also promotes interest and pride in our history as a people, forges closer bonds of unity and renews our resolve to secure true and lasting peace,” the presidential proclamation said.

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Apo Anno Cave

APO ANNO CAVE

 It is a potential natural attraction found in Natubleng. It is a burial cave where the mummified body of the great Apo Anno, a legendary hunter was laid. After a long search for the mummy stolen from his ancient burial cave sometime in the 1920s. Apo Anno has come home to his final resting place in Nabalicong, Natubleng. 

The plight and preservation of these Mummies are very real, against vandalizing visitors and thefts that would lead these revered Ibaloi ancestors to the black market. It's good to know that our government pays a close watch, we were only allowed as it is to visit these caves along the slopes of Mt Timbak, it is known that these caves century old as they were, that dates back even before the Spaniards came to colonize the Philippines and spread Roman Catholicism. The Mummy caves of Mt Timbak are famous along  to with many other sites in Benguet Province, simply because it is here that these sacred Mummies where opened to the public's awareness, hence the looting and vandalism came. I've heard accounts of Mummy caves even in Mt Pulag, and knowing that most of these caves are unprotected, it serves well that the elders of the Ibaloi tribes kept mum of these sites.

The Mummies fascinated me, seeing the human remains of a revered Filipino ancestor. I only have but utmost respect, safe in fetal position in their wooden coffins, with prayers offered by our guide before they were opened to us.

Perhaps one of the most famous Mummy from Benguet is Apo Anno, a true  legend of folklore and is even thought to be a son of a goddess. His remains is now safe in it's sealed cave in Natubleng, Buguias, Benguet.

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Opdas Cave (Kabayan)

OPDAS CAVE (KABAYAN)

Imagine yourself being with skulls, hundred of skulls in a cave. How would you feel? I believe that your minds is full of questions, “How did this come about?” It’s the same question I had in mind until my eyes set on these hundreds of skulls and I got the chance to interview people who were knowledgeable enough to tell me the history of this place

Located about 300 meters from the municipal building is a spot that cannot be missed. Considered as one of the biggest burials caves in the municipality, it has 200 skulls and bones neatly piled on ledges reminiscent of the catacombs of Rome.

This is Opdas Mass Burial Cave found in Kabayan, Benguet. It is called Mass Burial Cave because obviously, too many skulls and skeletons are buried here thousands of years ago. Kabayan is known for its famous practice in the olden times – mummification of their dead. They usually bury their dead in caves or mummify them, put them in small and hefty wooden boxes and place them somewhere. This is a sign of respect for their ancestors. What you see here are said to be 500 – 1, 000 years old.

Getting there is very easy. You’ll see a sign “Opdas Cave” on the main road. Just follow the stairs going down and you’ll see a green house, it’s actually a store, and that’s where the cave lies. It’s a private property so you’ll have to ask permission first.

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Strawberry Picking

STRAWBERRY PICKING

Strawberries sold in Baguio City come from the farms in La Trinidad, a 15 minute jeepney ride from Baguio. During harvest season, these farms are open to the public where one can experience actual picking of the fruit.

Since the farms are tilled/owned by different farmers, improvised fences were put up as boundaries/separators. However, they have standard price per kilo or basket (but you can always try to haggle). Pre-picked strawberries cost P100/kilo, while it costs P200/kilo if you will be the one to pick the strawberries. The 100% difference is the price you have to pay for the "experience".

Due to the heat, pickers only reach the easily accessible farms near the entrance. Hence, they were almost saturated; what's left are small, unripe strawberries. As a tip, go to the "inner" farms where you'll find bigger & ripe fruits.

 An activity which aims to focus on the rich products of Benguet. Strawberry is a fruit so much associated with Baguio City and Benguet.

Picking fresh strawberries is one of the most awesome experiences on the outskirts of Baguio. It is a fun activity for your family, especially for the kids. :) They also get to appreciate and learn where strawberries come from.

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