The Iconic Ginebra San Miguel Label Was Designed by Fernando Amorsolo

Did you know that every time you hold a Ginebra San Miguel, you are looking at an artwork originally designed and painted by a young Fernando Amorsolo?

The iconic label was a homage to St. Michael the Archangel and it was originally called "Marca Demonio". Amorsolo was commissioned to create the artwork in 1917.

The Pudong: The Traditional Igorot Way of Making a Sign or Marker

This is called a "pudung" or "pudong" in Kankana-ey. The leaves of a reed grass are tied into a distinctive knot. It's a traditional way of making a sign which can translate into several meanings. 

Such meanings include:

1. Don't pass or don't trespass. The "pudong" is used during "ngilin" or similar village rituals and observances wherein people aren't allowed to enter or exit a village. 

2. Don't enter. It means don't cross if placed beside a river or body of water. 

3. Beware or there's danger ahead. For example, a "pudong" will be placed near a dangerous cliff or landslide area to warn people. 

4. Don't touch or don't get. The "pudong" is placed near goods or other materials to tell people that these are already owned or claimed thus they shouldn't touch nor get them. 

This is commonly practiced to this day in many parts of the Cordillera region. In some parts of Eastern Mountain Province, they call it "pochong". 

What do you call the "pudong" in your place?

Stickers on Signages in Baguio City: Vandalism or Art?

Should the city of Baguio allow the posting of stickers on signages within the city? The two signages in these photos are along Session Road. One is beside Skyworld and it's known as a tourist hotspot on its own because it's probably the most photographed signage in the city. The other signage is near the stairs going up to the main entrance of the Baguio Cathedral.

Both are often covered with stickers from vloggers, content creators, businesses, organizations, travel organizers, religious groups, etc. 

These are also often cleaned up by the city but it's just a matter of time before they're once again covered with stickers. The signage beside Skyworld has been recently cleaned as evidenced by the white residue left behind. But someone has already posted stickers with what looks like Hebrew writings on them. Who knows what these writings mean.

Some defend the posting of stickers on these signages as a form of expression. Harmless and can be considered artful, they say. 

What do you think? Should this be allowed? Or should it be prohibited?

Bakit Mas Busog Chicheria Nila sa Baguio?

"𝘠𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢 𝘯𝘪𝘭𝘢 𝘴𝘢 𝘉𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘰, 𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘰𝘨." This is a common observation by tourists coming from the lowlands. The question is why do chips here in Baguio look more inflated compared to those in Manila and other lowland areas?

Here's the science (physics) behind it:

The bags of chips are sealed at lower altitudes with higher air pressure. When these bags of chips are taken to higher altitudes like Baguio City, the air pressure inside the bags remains constant but the air pressure outside the bags decreases. This creates what is called a pressure differential. 

Because there's less air pressure outside the bags when they're taken to higher altitudes, the trapped air inside the bags expands. This causes the bags to inflate and puff up.

In short, when you take a bag of chips from the lowlands to Baguio City, the air pressure outside the bag decreases as you go higher. Air pressure decreases with increasing altitude. This change in pressure causes the air inside the bag to push ouwards causing the bag to inflate.

Common Sunflower (𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘶𝘶𝘴) at the Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad, Benguet

This is a common sunflower (𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘶𝘶𝘴) growing on the side of a road at the Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad. It's the species commonly used in gardens and farms meant to attract tourists because of their much larger flowers. 

It's a different species to the Mexican sunflower (𝘛𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘢) which you see everywhere in Baguio City and Cordillera provinces.

Like the Mexican sunflower, the common sunflower isn't native to the Philippines. It was brought and introduced here from North America.

Benguet Farmers Giving Away Vegetables Is the Height of Unfairness

Today, sacks of carrots and radishes were given away for free at the Baguio City hall grounds. According to the city's public information office, the mayor's office received a call from a person (or persons) from the trading post in La Trinidad that they have farm produce they want to donate. So the sacks were brought to the city hall grounds and given away. 

Those who donated the free vegetables are being celebrated as good samaritans and heroes, as they should be. Giving away free farm produce is a commendable gesture to the community.

However, it once again highlights a couple of chronic problems that Benguet farmers have been facing for so long. One, smuggled vegetables from outside the country that buyera often prefer because these are cheaper. And two, Benguet farmers are at the mercy of the market and they have no cushion when prices go very, very low. They often have no other choice but to give away their goods or dump them on the side of the road. 

The farmers who gave away these sacks of carrots and radishes did a great thing. Kudos to them. 

But this shouldn't be happening at all if there's any fairness in the system. It should not come to a point where farmers have to give away the products of their hard labor.

Maybe, not only is this a "good samaritan" gesture, maybe it's also a cry for help. For the people in power to notice them and their problems. For the people in power to help them find solutions to these problems.

Let's hope these people in power are listening, watching, reading...

[Photo source: Baguio City Public Information Office; Rheamae Dumo ]

Who Brought Wild Sunflowers Into Baguio City and the Cordillera Region?

The wild sunflower (𝘛𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘢) which you see everywhere in Baguio City is not native to the Philippines. It was actually imported from Mexico (hence its common name of Mexican sunflower). It's believed to have reached the Cordillera region in two waves. 

It was first brought into the country by the Spaniards through the Galleon Trade, the shipping route that connected Manila in the Philippines to Acapulco in Mexico. The plant was brought here as an ornamental plant. The American missionaries and teachers during the American period further introduced the wild sunflower into the Cordillera interior. 

These sunflowers are now everywhere in Baguio City and Cordillera provinces. 

There are various local names for it: 𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘁, 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘀𝗶𝘁, 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗶𝘁, 𝗸𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘄, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗮𝘄𝗲𝗹. 

What do you call this flower in your local language?