The Baguio Experience
Last Friday, May 5, 2007 (My birthday), I went to Baguio with my partner and friends. We left Makati at around 230am, to catch a bus in Cubao. Unfortunately, there aren’t any available. The next bus bound to Baguio was scheduled at 6am. Luckily, there was some FX in the terminal leaving as soon as it is filled. Therefore, for the price of Php400/pax we were able to get a ride and left Cubao just before 4am.
The 6-hour Ride
Not much to say about the trip since I spent most of the travel time sleeping. I would just wake up every time we reach a stop over so I could smoke and pee. I had a lot of fun looking at the sceneries as soon as we reached, I’m not sure if that was Benguet---the zigzag trail going up to Baguio. It was my first time to set foot in Baguio after so many years. The last time I was there was when I was like 6 or 7 years old, when Hyatt Hotel was still standing, just before the 9.5 earthquake destroyed the hotel.
Baguio: The City of Pines
On my first day in Baguio, we were introduced to the Santos family, the family we stayed with for the duration of our stay. My partner’s friend Mitch lives with the Santos’ in Baguio as she took permanent residence to work there and live with her partner. Mitch brought us to the bayan market as we needed to buy some stuff to cook for lunch. My hunny requested that I cook my Bicol Express to let them taste my cooking. Anyways, to cut the long story short, we went to see Burnham Park in the afternoon, had some fresh corn on cob, took a small boat ride at Burnham Lake, headed to Mine’s View and had photos taken with Beethoven (St Bernard Dog), Britney (the pink haired pony) and did some shopping. I had my first taste of strawberry taho, and it was amazingly delicioso!
After our escapades in Mine’s View, we went to SM Baguio, and my gosh! It is like Divisoria! It’s too crowded, and it’s probably like the only mall in town so everyone’s there. The temperatures freezing at that time, it was around 8pm and still many people were just hanging out, being laid back, and all.
The following day, we went to Camp John Hay. It’s nothing like how I remembered it to be. 17 Diner is no longer there. I have good childhood memories about this place, as my family used to bring me to Camp John Hay, have breakfast in 17, and I remember always ordering the same thing for breakfast---blueberry pancakes and I would eat up all the strawberries with whip cream and powdered sugar on the dessert area. We had a long walk inside the camp, taking pictures and picking up pine cones. Soon after, we went straight to the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto, famed for its 100 steps up the mountain to reach the altar of the Blessed Virgin. Then we went to bayan and rummaged thru the famous UK-UK and more pasalubong shopping.
Baguio’s Hidden Feared Secrets
That evening, as I ran out of cigs, I left the house alone. It was around 9pm and I had to go to Legarda St to look for a store where I can buy some cigs. It was a short walk from Bukaneg (place where we were staying). As I turn left at Legarda, I saw an old man, maybe in his 40s with two young men (in their late teens or early 20s) and they were recruiting young kids in the streets to be part of their “tropa”. As they chance upon me, they asked if I’d like to join them that evening for a drinking session and “gimmick”. I politely said no, and they kept persuading me to join them since it was going to be fun. I walked away and went straight to the store. They followed and the persuasion kept on. I politely said no again and head back to the house I’m staying.
I told everyone what happened, and Mrs. Santos said that it was a good thing nothing happened to me since her son died in a gruesome death because of these people. Her son was murdered by 50 people while waiting for a taxi ride in front of the victory liner station. Rex (the son) had multiple skull fractures, his brains literally fell off his head, multiple wounds, beaten to death and had 1 stab wound and was left there after being attached to die. The local government had a news black out about the incident, the murder charges was decreased to homicide, the 50 killers still free running in the streets and its been more than a year or so, and still no justice for Rex’s death. ABS-CBN covered the story, but never released the news on TV, Manila times wrote an article about the murder and the gang wars however, the second part of the article never came out, and local government ordered a news blackout about the gang wars. I was told that one of the members of CRIBS (the gang that murdered Rex) was somehow related to Baguio City PNP Chief and another member is related to former Mla mayor Alfredo Lim. Murders continue to happen in Baguio, specially in the Nevada area. Gangs loom the city streets at night, they have their own color combinations and if you’re spotted to be wearing a specific color and you’re in a specific turf, chances are, you’re gonna get killed by one of these gang people. Police aren’t doing anything about it since it’s the head of the PNP protecting them, plus the fact that some members come from bueno de familias or political clans. --- Philippine justice is still bullshit…
The Journey Home
Monday morning, my partner and I left Baguio. Php390/pax for a Victory Liner aircon bus ride straight to Manila. We left Baguio City at 11am, arrived in Manila at 630pm. It was a long way back home… Back to the traffic of the city, the exhausting heat of Manila. Back to work, back to reality… Back to the dirtiness of Manila local politics… Back to the election craze in the metropolis… Social Injustices, unjust murders, protection to murderers, all the corrupt politicians and all… This country is going nowhere. This administration has got to be the most corrupt administration in Philippine history! And no one is doing anything about it… The Makati Business club, the Chinese community, no body is taking action! The opposition's are loosing a battle since the Arroyo people are picking on them charging them with all sort of untrue, unjust crimes, while Arroyo allies are set free even if there are strong evidences for corruption against them. Whew! Philippine politics--- it’s one of a kind, the dirtiest in the world… No wonder Manila will forever be dirty… It’s hell on earth!
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