The Changing Sentiments Towards Baguio City's Taxi Drivers

If you've been paying attention on social media, particularly in localized 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗯𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗻 forums, there's a constant flow of complaints and rants directed towards Baguio City's taxi drivers. 

- Namimili ng sinasakay.

- Bakante naman sila bakit hindi sila tumigil nung pinapara namin. 

- Bastos.

- Nanghihipo. 

- Naninigaw ng pasahero.

- Naniningil ng extra. 

These are some of the complaints you'll read online. Majority of the city's taxi drivers are not like this. Most of them are honest, kind, and patient drivers. Still, the growing number of complaints is serious matter especially the complaints from female passengers. 

It doesn't help that the city's traffic problems seem to be getting worse. These can be very frustrating, not just to commuters, but to drivers of taxis and PUJs as well. These frustrations often lead to heightened emotions, lapses in judgments, and angry reactions.

Baguio Midland Courier Signage

The signage of the old offices of the Baguio Midland Courier is still there. The paper shut down in July last year after being around for 77 years. 

Around this time of the year, for their year-end issue, the paper would publish their highly-anticipated list of year-end awards. The list would instantly become the talk of the town. It was an amalgam of who's who and what's what. For a person, making it to the list can either be a source of pride or of shame.

This would be the second year that we'll miss out on reading that always-controversial list. 

#baguio #baguiocity #baguiohistory #communitysharing

Baguio City Council to Deliberate Today the Proposed Redevelopment of the Public Market

Today, December 22 at 2:00 p.m., the Baguio City council will once again deliberate on the proposed redevelopment of the public market through a public-private partnership (PPP) with SM.

This will likely be one of the last deliberations, if not the final deliberation, on the proposed project. The city council has until January 9 to either accept or reject the proposal of SM. 

The proposed Baguio City-SM deal has been controversial from the very beginning. From the day SM submitted their unsolicited proposal to the city, it was met with opposition from concerned individuals and groups. 

In the past few months alone, petitions, signature campaigns, and street protests were held in the city to oppose the SM deal. Their message was: yes to development, no to mallification. 

PHOTO: Signs put up by the Save the Baguio Market Movement at a section of the public market. 

#baguio #baguiocity #publicmarket #localcommunity

Tallupak, Togwak, Upak, Ubak: Banana Stalks as Food Plates

Using banana stalks as food plates is a tradition that used to be very common in Cordilleran community gatherings. These are now rarely used. Most people now prefer using plastic and paper plates. 

These are called 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘂𝗽𝗮𝗸 in some parts of Mountain Province. 𝗧𝗼𝗴𝘄𝗮𝗸 in parts of Ifugao. 𝗨𝗽𝗮𝗸 or 𝘂𝗯𝗮𝗸 in parts of Benguet. 

#indigenous #traditions #cordillera #culture

Is There a Cordilleran or Igorot Word for Rainbow?

A nice little rainbow appeared after today's afternoon rain. It's not very often that you see rainbows in the valley. 

Are there local words for rainbow in any of the Cordilleran languages? I'm Kankana-ey and I can't recall a Kankana-ey word for it.

I posed this question on Facebook and some commented suggesting the words "fungakan" and "bagkong". It's my first time to hear of these words. Will need to look more into them and their origins.

Pasiking and Sangi (Igorot Traditional Backpacks) on Display for an Exhibit at the Baguio Museum

There are dozens of 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨s or 𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘴 (traditional Cordilleran backpacks) that are currently on display at the Baguio Museum as part of the exhibit called 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: 𝘽𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙣 𝙋𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨. 

The exhibit also includes backpacks with modern twists like the ones made from plastic and the ones covered with python skins.

The exhibit opened on December 13. It will run until January 6, 2026. Go see the exhibit and learn more of the ingenuity and craftmanship of our people.

#baguiomuseum #igorothistory #cordillera #pasiking #sangi #indigenousculture

Organic Baguio: The Shops That Give Baguio City Its Heart and Soul

This binatog stall is one of the many small and low-key shops in Baguio City that give color and a certain uniqueness to the city. It's home-grown shops like this that makes Baguio what it really is. 

I remember reading an essay years ago where the writer refers to two separate cultures in Baguio with regards to its commerce: 

1. organic Baguio

2. manufactured Baguio

𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗼 refers to businesses that are imported into the city. Think of the likes of Jollibee, McDonalds, Starbucks, KFC, Greenwich, National Bookstore, Ace Hardware, etc. These aren't unique to Baguio. You can find them all over the country. 

On the other hand, 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗕𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗼 refers to shops (big and small) that were born and raised in Baguio. Think of the likes of Good Taste, Jack's Restaurant, Rose Cafe, Katipunan Restaurant, carinderias at the Slaughterhouse compound, Bookends, BooksNook, CID Educational Supply, Luisa's Cafe, the stalls at the public market, etc.

This small binatog stall in a corner of the Maharlika Livelihood Center is part of 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗕𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗼. Shops like them are the heart and soul of the city.