The Baguio City Movie Theaters of Old

If you want to watch a movie in Baguio City, there's only one place you can go. And that's SM Baguio. You have no other options. 

But there was a time when Baguio City was home to several independent movie theaters. These included the following:

1. First Cinema

2. Pines Theater 

3. Plaza Theater

4. New Baguio Theater

5. Aurora

6. Session Theater 

7. Empire Cinema

8. Garden Theater

9. Cinestar 

10. Holiday Theater 

11. Maricel

12. Prince Albert Cinema 

13. Oro Cinema

14. Center Mall Cinema 

I snapped this photo of the Empire Building this morning (September 26, 2025). It was home to Empire Cinema which was one of the few movie theaters remaining before SM Cinema eventually took over the whole market. 

Empire Cinema, Prince Albert Cinema, and Center Mall were the last theaters to close.

Cordilleran Content Creators and Political Neutrality

The silence of many Cordillera-based vloggers, influencers, and content creators on the rampant corruption plaguing the country is disappointing. Some of them defend themselves by saying "ayaw namin makisawsaw sa pulitika, neutral kami". Okay, that's an understandable position on the matter since personal choice naman talaga maging vocal sa mga ganitong bagay.

But here's the thing...

Many of them were politically-active during the recent election campaign. Ang sipag nilang mag-promote at mag-plug ng mga kandidato, pulitiko at party-lists. Yung iba, halos araw-araw ang pag-promote. Now that the election is over, they don't want to engage in political issues at ang rason nila is "neutral" sila.

That's not how neutrality works. 

Anyway, to the creators who have been vocal and active in the calls for accountability and transparency, kudos to you.

The Only Cordilleran Politician/Congressman to Become House Speaker

With the election of Bojie Dy of Isabela as the next House Speaker, I got curious if a statesman from any of the Cordillera provinces was ever elected as House Speaker. Well, according to the history books, there's only one (1). 

And that would be Quintin Paredes. He's the only politician from the Cordillera region to become Speaker of the House of Representatives. Paredes was born in Bangued, Abra. His mother was the daughter of an Itneg tribal leader. 

Paredes served as House Speaker from July 16, 1934 to November 15, 1935. 

Paredes was a congressman from 1925 to 1936 and a senator from 1941 to 1945 and then from 1949 to 1961. 

#cordillerahistory #abra

The Gimata: A Traditional Transport Equipment by Igorots of the Cordillera Region

The "gimata" (Kankana-ey) is a traditional transport equipment in the Cordillera region. It's a wooden shoulder yoke with two large baskets attached on both ends. It's mostly used for transporting agricultural produce like rice, sweet potatoes, and vegetables. It's also often used in transporting meat during community events and rituals.

The wooden yoke is called an "assiw" or "aksiw". 

The "gimata" is still used today. Some farmers have become creative and made "gimatas" with end-baskets constructed from steel wires. These steel-wire "gimatas" can carry more load than the old "gimatas" made from wood, rattan, and bamboo. 

It takes a lot of practice to be able to carry a heavy load using the "gimata". Learning to balance the load is key. You also need to learn how to effectively transfer the yoke from one shoulder to another.

The Kankana-ey Word for Yero or Corrugated Iron

"Sisim" is the Kankana-ey word for corrugated iron. Yero in Filipino. I wonder where the word "sisim" originated (or how). This is a modern term, a newly-coined word because corrugated iron was introduced to the Philippines by the Spaniards. We didn't have a word for it pre-colonialism.

Nostalgia for Mt. Ugo in Tinongdan, Itogon, Benguet

Mt. Ugo in Tinongdan, Itogon, Benguet. This grassy clearing serves as the campsite for overnight hikers. Hikers would pitch tents and spend the night here. They'd rise very early in the morning and wait for the sunrise.

However, not many hikers these days camp overnight in Mt. Ugo because the original trail has been significantly changed. 

Back in the day, we would often start the hike to Mt. Ugo in Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya. The long walk can take half a day or more to get to Domolpos, the sitio just below Mt. Ugo. Today, because of the new road, a vehicle can ferry hikers all the way to sitio Domolpos. From there, it will take about just an hour to get to the summit of Mt. Ugo. 

The descent from the Mt. Ugo summit to Tinongdan has also changed. Years ago, there was no road going up to sitio Lusod. Now, there's a wide road there. So the hike can be greatly shortened by having a vehicle pick up hikers in Lusod instead of the hikers walking all the way down the mountain. 

I am among the lucky ones who hiked Mt. Ugo at a time when it had pure trails going up and going down.

I DNFed M.L. Stedman's "The Light Between Oceans"

For every reader, there's always a particular genre that he never finds satisfaction in reading. In fact, he hates that genre. For me, that genre would be romance novels. I've tried countless times in the past to read romance novels. I never finish any of them. 

I tried again with this book by M.L. Stedman called "The Light Between Oceans". I've seen it being recommended by a lot of people. So I gave it a chance. 

Again, it's a DNF for me. I didn't even make it halfway through.

This genre is really not for me. 

*Oh wait, there's one book in this genre that I actually finished and liked in some way. "The Bridges of Madison County" by Robert James Waller. I liked this book. One reason is that it's probably because it's a thin book. You can read it in a single seating.

Modern Tinguian Woman Wearing a "Tinali"

The girl on the far left is wearing on her right arm a "tinali". This is a traditional arm ornament among women of the Itnegs/Tinguians in Abra. The "tinali" is composed of strings of colorful beads tied together to form a sleeve. 

I thought the "tinali" was only worn on the lower arm. But as the photo shows, it's also worn on the upper arm. I checked historical photos of Itneg/Tinguian people to verify and yes, the women indeed wore the "tinali" on the biceps as well.

📷 Photo by Elmer Tadeo

Traditional Backpack of the Igorots: Sangi, Pasiking

The traditional backpack of the north. There are various terms for it, the most common of which are "sangi" and "pasiking". Although it's woven using 100% plant materials (bamboo, rattan), this pack is very sturdy and can last for decades. Because of the pack's longevity, it can be passed on for multiple generations. 

Back in the day, it's the pack of choice for Igorot hunters and traders. It can withstand the elements such as rain and intense heat. Whether hunting for deer in the Cordillera mountains or travelling to the Ilocos lowlands to trade, the Igorots would often use these packs to carry their belongings and supplies.

Weaving a pasiking requires skill and patience. It can take days or even weeks to weave just one pack. Miniature versions of these packs are commonly sold as tourist souvenirs.

Comelec Should Also Be Held Accountable for the Anomalous Flood Control Projects

Comelec should also be held accountable for the corruption issues plaguing the country. Many of the congressmen tagged in the corruption issues are from party-lists. The party-list system was devised to supposedly represent "marginalized sectors". 

Ang nangyari, kung anu-anong party-list ang nagsulpotan. And the Comelec failed the nation when it comes to screening these party-lists.

Many party-lists seem to have been created solely to benefit their representatives and the businessmen who backed and financed their candidacy and campaigns.

The party-list system is a great idea on theory. And there are party-lists out there that are really doing great work for the Filipino people. 

Unfortunately, marami din umaabuso sa party-list system. They are using it to amass power and wealth.

"Baguio Trail", a Painting by Fernando Amorsolo

This is an oil-on-canvas painting by Fernando Amorsolo which he finished in 1937. Amorsolo titled it "Baguio Trail". It's a rural scene featuring a family of Igorots on a mountain trail. The woman is carrying a "kayabang" while the man is carrying a "dagi", a traditional backpack. The man is also holding on a leash four domesticated dogs.

This is just one of several paintings that Amorsolo made featuring Cordillera scenes. The painting was auctioned last year by the Leon Gallery with an opening bid of 4 million pesos. It reportedly sold for nearly 10 million pesos.

Who Brought "Sili" to the Philippines?

These raw and powdered sili being sold at the Baguio City Public Market reminded me of a recent article on their origins by Stephen Acabado, an anthropologist. Sili is not native to the Philippines. They were introduced to the country hundreds of years ago by the Spaniards or by Malay merchants. 

The origins of the sili were traced to Central and South America. They are believed to have been cultivated initially in Mexico. 

There are two main theories on how sili reached the Philippine archipelago.

1. Through the Spaniards. When Miguel Lopez de Legazpi established a settlement in the Philippines in 1565, the Manila-Acapulco gallen trade was also established. The theory goes that sili crossed the Pacific Ocean from Acapulco, Mexico into the Philippines in the pockets and supplies of sailors and settlers. 

2. Through the Portuguese and Malay merchants. Sili may have reached the Philippines even before Magellan landed here. The Portuguese were already trading in Malacca (now a part of modern-day Malaysia) before Magellan's Philippine adventure. There's the possibility that the Portuguese brought sili in Malacca. Malay maritime traders then introduced the sili to the Philippines. 

So yeah, the sili which is a very common sight in Cordilleran kitchen tables is actually not native here. 

Baguio Trail Runner Finishes UTMB for the 2nd Time

This is Miguel Carranza after finishing one of the toughest mountain races on the planet. Carranza, a police officer born, raised, and based in Baguio City was one of the nearly 2,500 runners who ran the UTMB (Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc) in Chamonix, France this past weekend. 

Often described as the Super Bowl of trail running, the UTMB is a mountain ultramarathon that takes runners through three countries in Europe. Sections of the race loop through France, Italy, and Switzerland. The race route is 100 miles long (more than 171 kilometers).

With a total elevation gain of 10,040 meters (32,940 ft), the UTMB is one of the most difficult races in the world. While the fastest runners complete the loop in slightly less than 20 hours, most runners take 30 to 46 hours to reach the finish line. Many runners will have to run through two days and two nights in order to complete the race.

Many don't finish the race at all. These are called DNFs (did not finish). The DNF rate for UTMB is quite high. In 2024, the DNF rate was 36%. Out of the 2761 runners at the start line, 1001 of them did not finish the race. 

This is Carranza's second time to run the UTMB. He ran it the first time in 2017.

"It’s a humbling and rewarding experience to have finished twice one of the most iconic and mythic trail running races in the world—the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB)," Carranza wrote in an update on Facebook after completing the race. 

UTMB 2025 was won by Tom Evans of the United Kingdom (male division) and Ruth Croft of New Zealand (female division). 

📷 Miguel Carranza