Misplaced Pages

#422577

118-581: The Baguio Midland Courier was an English-language weekly community newspaper published by Hamada Printers and Publishers Corporation in Baguio , Philippines. It served the Cordillera and nearby regions every Sunday from 1947 to 2024. The first Baguio weekly was the Baguio Banner , the city's pioneer newspaper that was born circa 1945. Banner 's proprietors entered into a joint venture with Sinai starting with

236-525: A highly urbanized city (HUC). It is the largest city in Benguet , serving as the provincial capital from 1901 to 1916, but has since been administered independently from the province following its conversion into a chartered city. Baguio is geographically located within the province of Benguet by the Philippine Statistics Authority for its geographical and statistical purposes only. The city

354-656: A protégé of former publisher Charles Hamada, printed BMC's final edition with the last July 21 headline: "BMC wraps up 77 years of journalism excellence." The 77-year-old BGM issued its final edition on July 21, 2024. Past issues of the Baguio Midland Courier are stored in their offices with copies provided to the Ateneo de Manila University and the Philippine Press Institute, while their website contains articles published since 2007. Some of its issues from

472-468: A used P20,000 printing press , which printed BMC 's first issues. The 10-centavo four-page edition Baguio Midland Courier published its first issue on April 28, 1947, by its founder Sinai C. Hamada, with his brother, Oseo managing the publication. Sinai served as its longest-lasting editor-in-chief . The newspaper's name was derived from the location of Baguio, between the highlands and lowlands of northern Luzon . An Ilocano-language counterpart,

590-466: A Japanese settlement and named it " El Puerto de Japón" after its conquest. He then reached Vigan on June 13, 1572, which had been a Chinese trading post from the Fujian province of China . In Vigan, he founded ' Villa Fernandina de Vigan ' and made it the diocesan seat of Nueva Segovia in honor of King Philip II 's son, Prince Ferdinand. Salcedo then proceeded to Laoag , Currimao , and Badoc , rounded

708-845: A centralized public school system in 1901, using English as the medium of instruction. To address a shortage of educators, the colonial government deployed 600 American teachers known as the Thomasites . By September 1902, public secondary schools had been established across the region, including institutions in Lingayen (Pangasinan), Vigan and Santa Maria (Ilocos Sur), Bauang , Bacnotan , and San Fernando (La Union), and Laoag and Dingras (Ilocos Norte) with several US Thomasites serving as educators. The Taft Commission per instructions of US President McKinley introduced free primary education, designed to prepare citizens for civic duties. Additionally, church lands were purchased and redistributed following

826-565: A chartered city and nicknamed the "Summer Capital of the Philippines". The succeeding period saw further developments of and in Baguio with the construction of Wright Park in honor of Governor-General Luke Edward Wright , Burnham Park in honor of Burnham, Governor Pack Road , and Session Road . Prior to World War II , Baguio was the summer capital of the Commonwealth of the Philippines , and

944-972: A combined population of 132,208. Many buildings, including the Agoo Municipal hall, the Museo de Iloko , the parish church of Aringay, and the Basilica Minore of our Lady of Charity , collapsed or were severely damaged. Sitio Nagpanauan in Aringay completely submerged when the sea level rose and the land collapsed during the earthquake. 100,000 families were displaced when two coastal villages sank due to liquefaction . The province suffered many casualties leaving 32 people dead. In Pangasinan, about 90 buildings in Dagupan were damaged, and about 20 collapsed. Some structures sustained damage because liquefaction caused buildings to sink as much as 1 metre (39 inches). The earthquake caused

1062-621: A crucial focal point for military operations. On October 20, 1944, the Allied forces initiated the liberation of the Philippines, setting the stage for the Battle of Lingayen Gulf in early 1945. On January 6, 1945, the U.S. Navy , supported by the Royal Australian Navy , began heavy bombardments of Japanese coastal defenses and infrastructure, lasting until January 8. Japanese kamikaze attacks targeted Allied vessels from January 7 to 9, but despite

1180-508: A decrease in the elevation of the city and several areas were flooded. The city suffered 64 casualties of which 47 survived and 17 died. Most injuries were sustained during stampedes at a university building and a theater. The Ilocos Region, situated in the northwestern part of Luzon, Philippines, encompasses a total land area of 12,840.2 square kilometers. Of this area, 810,062 hectares are classified as alienable and disposable land, while 473,957 hectares are designated as forest land. The region

1298-504: A destination for Ilocano settlers, dating back to the Spanish colonial period when it was part of the larger Ilocos Province , and later, Ilocos Sur . The inclusion of these provinces in the region was part of a broader strategy to expand Ilocano influence among the ethnic communities of the Cordilleras . On July 15, 1987, President Corazon Aquino issued Executive Order No. 220 , creating

SECTION 10

#1733084646423

1416-674: A gold deposit in the area, which he developed with hired workers and slaves. In 1755, the Augustinian Fray Pedro de Vivar established a mission in Tonglo (Tongdo) outside Baguio. Before he was driven out the following year, this rancheria included 220 people, including several baknang families. The Spanish tried to regain the mission in 1759, but were ambushed. This prompted the Governor General Pedro Manuel de Arandía Santisteban to send Don Manuel Arza de Urrutia on

1534-571: A handsome profit, and the newly-rebuilt local industry to bloom. Stonehill was later deported a decade later, in the 1960s, for tax evasion and bribery of government officials, in what would later be called the Stonehill scandal , but the tobacco industry continued to grow. Various human rights violations were documented in the Ilocos region during the Marcos martial law era , despite public perception that

1652-494: A key part of Baguio's cultural landscape. Several retail outlets and dining outlets are situated along Bonifacio Street, Session Road , Teacher's Camp , Mines View Park and Baguio Fastfood Center near the market. The areas of Session Road , Harrison Road, Magsaysay Avenue and Abanao Street, comprise the city's trade center, where commercial and business structures such as cinemas, hotels, restaurants, department stores, and shopping centers are concentrated. The City Market offers

1770-572: A large retail industry, with shoppers coming to the city to take advantage of the diversity of competitively priced commercial products on sale. The city is also popular with bargain hunters; some of the most popular bargaining areas include Baguio Market and Maharlika Livelihood Center . The city is home to numerous shopping centers and malls catering to increasing commercial and tourist activity; these include: SM City Baguio , Baguio Center Mall, Abanao Square, and Tiong San. Various food and retail businesses run by local residents proliferate, forming

1888-495: A punitive expedition, which resulted in the mission being burned to the ground. During Spanish rule in 1846, the Spaniards established a command post or a comandancia in the nearby town of La Trinidad , and organized Benguet into 31 rancherías , one of which was Kafagway, a wide grassy area where the present Burnham Park is situated. Kafagway was then a minor rancheria consisting of only about 20 houses; most of

2006-499: A return of the tobacco industry to the Ilocos Region. Ever since the end of the tobacco monopoly, tobacco production had declined in the Ilocos as Filipinos started shifting from locally made cigars to foreign made cigarettes. But after reading a feature article series by Maximo Soliven which explained why Virginia tobacco would grow well on Ilocos soil, businessman Harry Stonehill was convinced to invest extensively in rebuilding

2124-700: A significant hub for early Ilocano trade. In the southern part of the region, the pre-colonial polity ( panarian ) of Caboloan (modern-day Pangasinan), located in the Agno River basin and delta and near the Lingayen Gulf , with Binalatongan as the capital, also became a center for maritime trade. Gold mined from the Cordillera Mountain Range was transported along the Aringay-Tonglo-Balatok gold trail and traded in settlements like Agoo . At

2242-588: A significant reputation as a tourism venue and earning significantly from tourism even though it ceased to be the official "Summer Capital of the Philippines" in 1976. In the wake of the Snap Presidential elections of 1986 , antidictatorship organizers were based largely in the Azotea Building midway up Session Road, and in Cafe Amapola further up Session, on its intersection with Governor Pack Road. Because

2360-542: A strain on the city's budget. In early 2018, the city government started using its garbage transfer station in the city outskirts near Marcos Highway , drawing protests from residents of the nearby town of Tuba , who cited the facility poses health hazards to their communities. As of 2019, the Philippine National Oil Company has offered to test a waste-to-energy technology as a possible solution to its garbage woes. Baguio's waste water treatment plant

2478-513: A wide array of locally sourced goods and products, usually from Benguet province, which includes colorful woven fabrics and hand-strung beads to primitive wood carvings, cut flowers, strawberries and "Baguio" vegetables. The term 'Baguio vegetables' often denotes vegetable types that thrive in the cooler growing climate. Strawberries and string beans —referred to as Baguio beans across the Philippines—are shipped to major urban markets across

SECTION 20

#1733084646423

2596-522: Is Masjid Al-Maarif , which is a centre of Islamic studies in the Philippines. The city also has smaller numbers of Buddhists and atheists , along with members of other faiths. Poverty incidence of Baguio Source: Philippine Statistics Authority As a melting pot of different peoples and cultures in the Cordillera Administrative Region , numerous investments and business opportunities are lured to Baguio. Baguio has

2714-407: Is a predominantly Christian city, as of 2015; Roman Catholics at 74% (254,716), Evangelicals ( Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches ) at 7% (24,236), National Council of Churches in the Philippines at 5% (17,968), and Iglesia ni Cristo at 4% (13,897). As of 2015, Muslims comprise 1% (3,269) of the city's total population. The largest mosque in the area

2832-460: Is also eyed for an expansion as it has been unable to fully cater to the city's needs; wastewater which the plant could not accommodate were dumped in the Balili River , leading to its high coliform levels —even higher than that of Manila Bay 's. Baguio is also a planned city. American Architect and Urban Planner Daniel Burnham was commissioned to design the new capital; his design for the city

2950-548: Is composed of 129 barangays . Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios . A proposed merging of the city's 129 barangays had not been implemented since its inception in 2000. Several local officials stressed that many of the city's barangays did not comply with the minimum requirements in the Local Government Code of the Philippines that a highly urbanized city must have a certified population of least 5,000 inhabitants. According to Mayor Mauricio Domogan, in

3068-440: Is mostly of contemporary architecture. Baguio's contemporary architecture is largely of American build, since Americans were the ones to establish a station here. A few examples include those built at Teacher's Camp and Camp John Hay, previous American installations in the city as well as the current Baguio City Hall. Some buildings are also influenced by Spanish building concepts, such as Porta Vaga Mall and La Azotea . One of

3186-507: Is now Ilocos Norte , Ilocos Sur , Abra , La Union , and parts of Mountain Province , as his estate. He was also given the title Justicia Mayor de esta Provincia de Ylocos (Province Mayor of Ilocos). By the end of the 1700s, Ilocos had a population of 44,852 native families, 631 Spanish Filipino families, and 10,041 Chinese Filipino families. Despite Spanish efforts, the Ilocanos in

3304-536: Is one of the cities with the dirtiest air in the Philippines, according to a 2014 WHO report; a slight improvement in the city's air quality was cited in 2017 by the DENR 's Environmental Management Bureau. In a 2018 WHO report, the city was listed as having the most polluted air among 8 other local cities ( Cebu , Dagupan , Davao , Manila , San Carlos, Urdaneta and Zamboanga ). Eco-vehicles and Euro 4 compliant vehicles have been tested whether or not they are suited for

3422-608: Is strategically positioned with direct access to international sea lanes and features diverse geographical landscapes. It is bordered by the South China Sea to the west and the Central Cordillera Mountain Range to the east. In contrast, Pangasinan occupies the northwestern section of the vast Central Luzon Plain, with the Zambales Mountains forming its natural western boundary. The region's highest peak

3540-555: Is the center of business, commerce, and education in northern Luzon, as well as the most populous and seat of government of the Cordillera Administrative Region . According to the 2020 census, Baguio has a population of 366,358. Baguio was called Kafagway by indigenous peoples. The name Baguio originated in the American period and is derived from the Ibaloi word bagiw ( moss ), which was then Hispanicized as Baguio. A demonym for natives of

3658-481: The 1986-87 coup d'état which tried to unseat the democratic government set up after the 1986 People Power Revolution . Both Bueno and Pedro were later honored among the first 65 people to have their names inscribed on the wall of remembrance of the Philippines' Bantayog ng mga Bayani , which honors the martyrs and heroes who fought the dictatorship, and Pedro was listed among Filipino Catholics nominated to be named Servant of God . The integration of provinces into

Baguio Midland Courier - Misplaced Pages Continue

3776-507: The 1990 Luzon earthquake , and during the nationwide lockdowns resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines . The COVID-19 pandemic proved very difficult for the Courier , though, as the loss of ad revenue forced it to let go of some of its hours and to reduce its hours of operations. In 2022, it had 25,000 weekly circulation. In its June 30, 2024, issue, the publishers announced that

3894-432: The Baguio Midland Courier will end its operations starting July 22, 2024, attributing the closure to high publishing costs and a diminished demand in the city for traditional print media. At its closure, its editorial board was composed of editor Harley Palangchao assisted by staff Jane Cadalig, Rimaliza Opiña, Hanna Lacsamana and Ofelia Empian, all under publisher Gloria Antoinette Hamada. Editor Harley Palangchao,

4012-477: The City of Baguio ( Ibaloi : Siudad ne Bagiw ; Ilocano : Siudad ti Baguio ; Tagalog : Lungsod ng Baguio ), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region , Philippines . It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines", owing to its cool climate since the city is located approximately 4,810 feet (1,470 meters) above mean sea level, often cited as 1,540 meters (5,050 feet) in

4130-491: The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). This order transferred Abra, Mountain Province, and Benguet from the Ilocos Region to the newly established CAR, recognizing the unique cultural and historical identities of the Cordillera's indigenous peoples. As of today, the Ilocos Region consists of four provinces: Ilocos Norte , Ilocos Sur , La Union , and Pangasinan . Meanwhile, Abra, Mountain Province, and Benguet are part of

4248-568: The Cordillera Central mountain range in northern Luzon . While the downtown core ranges from 1400 to 1500 meters above sea level, elevations within Baguio's administrative boundaries extend from about 900 meters (along the Bued River ) to almost 1,700 metres (5,600 ft) (around the Busol watershed). Mountain peaks on the outskirts of Baguio reach over 2,200 metres (7,200 ft) above sea level,

4366-625: The Courier during the earliest days of martial law was that the Hamada family bought back Governor Palispis' shares in Baguio Printers and Publishers Corporation, putting control of the Courier firmly back in the hands of the Hamada family one year after the establishment of martial law. It was also in 1974 that the Courier purchased the La Union-based newspaper The Lowland Herald , which it then renamed The Lowland Courier . The Lowland Courier

4484-485: The Courier was its first customer before it started accepting commercial print jobs. The first issues were only four pages and had a print fun of only 200. The first headline involved the reopening of the Benguet Road (which would later be renamed Kennon Road ) route to Baguio at the end of World War II, and some of the earliest stories were the arrival of the first batch of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) cadets for

4602-538: The Imperial Japanese Army used Camp John Hay , an American installation in Baguio, as a military base. The nearby Philippine Constabulary base, Camp Holmes , was used as an internment camp for about 500 civilian enemy aliens, mostly Americans, between April 1942 and December 1944. President José P. Laurel of the Second Philippine Republic , a puppet state established in 1943, departed

4720-615: The Kankanaey and Ibaloi in the southern highlands, who arrived during the first wave of migration. The second wave brought the Ilocanos , who settled in the northern coastal areas, alongside the Pangasinans , Bolinao and Zambals , who established communities in the southern and southwestern coastal zones. With the establishment of commercial trading routes in Southeast Asia, settlements in

4838-674: The Lowland Courier , was published in La Union during the 1970s. The history of the Courier is closely entwined with that of its printing press, which was originally established Baguio Printers and Publishers Co., Inc. in 1946, a year before the Courier . It started out with a secondhand printing press purchased in Manila, and two platen presses purchased from the Episcopal Mission in Sagada ; and

Baguio Midland Courier - Misplaced Pages Continue

4956-615: The Luzon tropical pine forests ecoregion , which also makes it conducive for the growth of mossy plants, orchids and pine trees, to which it attributes its other moniker as the "City of Pines". Baguio was established as a hill station by the United States in 1900 at the site of an Ibaloi village known as Kafagway . It was the United States' only hill station in Asia. Baguio is classified as

5074-536: The Spanish–American War , Baguio was selected to become the summer capital of the then Philippine Islands . American zoologist Dean Conant Worcester headed an expedition in 1900 after convincing U.S. Secretary of State Elihu Root to order an expedition to a cool place in the northern mountains of the Philippines. Governor-General William Taft , on his first visit in 1901, noted the "air as bracing as Adirondacks or Murray Bay ..." On November 11, 1901,

5192-544: The American colonial government expropriated lands in Baguio owned by the Ibaloi people, who were forced to sell their lands. In 1903, Filipinos , Japanese and Chinese workers were hired to build Kennon Road , the first road directly connecting Baguio with the lowlands of La Union and Pangasinan . Before this, the only road to Benguet was Naguilian Road , and it was largely a horse trail at higher elevations. Camp John Hay

5310-521: The Battle of Dagupan against the Spanish army. By August 1898, the revolutionaries had driven Spanish forces out of several towns, including Laoag, Ilocos Norte, marking a turning point in the revolution. On June 12, 1898, General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed Philippine independence and became the first president of the Republic of the Philippines. The American colonization of the Ilocos Region began following

5428-599: The City Hall as a national heritage site. The construction of the City Hall park was finished in May 2019 as was said to define the city's new moniker as a creative center for crafts and folk arts. The original inhabitants of Baguio are the Ibaloi people (natively pronounced as "Ivadoi"). When the Americans established the city in the early 1900s, early settlers in the city included members of other Igorot tribes ( Igudut in Ibaloi ),

5546-552: The Cordillera Administrative Region. The Ilocos region has produced 3 more Philippine Presidents in the years since the 1986 People Power revolution : Pangasinense Fidel V. Ramos , Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (Ilocano on mother's side), and Ferdinand Marcos' son Bongbong Marcos . The southern parts of the region were severely hit by the 1990 Luzon earthquake . Five municipalities in La Union were affected: Agoo , Aringay , Caba , Santo Tomas , and Tubao with

5664-525: The Ilocos Region has evolved over time, shaped by political decisions aimed at administrative restructuring and cultural integration. In 1973, Presidential Decree No. 1 , issued by President Ferdinand Marcos , transferred the province of Pangasinan from Region III ( Central Luzon ) to Region I (Ilocos Region). This realignment was intended to strengthen Ilocano influence in Pangasinan, a province that had already experienced an influx of Ilocano settlers during

5782-460: The Lingayen Gulf region and began advancing into the heart of Luzon, paving the way for the liberation of Manila and the eventual defeat of Japanese forces in the Philippines. The Ilocos region produced two presidents of the Republic of the Philippines within the first two decades after the recognition of Philippine independence: Elpidio Quirino and Ferdinand Marcos . This period also marked

5900-641: The Lingayen Gulf region, which remained under Japanese control for three years, until it was recaptured by Allied forces in 1945. During the occupation, the region was part of the Japanese-controlled puppet republic led by President José P. Laurel . The local population endured widespread atrocities committed by the Japanese Imperial Army , including gang rape, sexual slavery ( comfort women ), torture, and other human rights violations. These brutal acts sparked significant resistance movements across

6018-586: The Martial Law era who came from Laoag was Catholic layperson and social worker Purificacion Pedro , who volunteered in organizations protesting the Chico River Dam Project in the nearby Cordillera Central mountains. Wounded while visiting activist friends in Bataan, she was later killed by Marcos administration soldiers while recuperating in the hospital. Another prominent opponent of the martial law regime

SECTION 50

#1733084646423

6136-557: The Pangasinense port of Agoo, where porcelain and ceramic or pottery fragments were found during renovations of the Catholic church. These artifacts are now preserved in the Museo de Iloko . Japanese fishermen later established one of their first settlements in the Philippines in Agoo, introducing advanced fishing techniques and technologies to the local population. Another notable aspect of

6254-527: The Spaniards as Baguio . During the Philippine Revolution in July 1899, Filipino revolutionary forces under Pedro Paterno liberated La Trinidad from the Spaniards and took over the government, proclaiming Benguet as a province of the new Philippine Republic . Baguio was converted into a "town", with Mateo Cariño being the presidente (mayor). When the United States occupied the Philippines after

6372-453: The Spanish arrived in the Philippines, the area was never fully subjugated by Spain due to the intensive defense tactics of the indigenous Igorots of the Cordilleras . Igorot oral history states the Benguet upper class, baknang , was founded between 1565 and the early 1600s, by the marriage of a gold trader, Amkidit, and a Kankanaey maiden gold panning in Acupan. Their son, Baruy, discovered

6490-527: The Spanish colonial era in the 19th century. Migration policies under Marcos further encouraged Ilocano settlement in Pangasinan, sometimes to the detriment of the native Pangasinense population. Prior to this decree, Pangasinan had not been part of the Ilocos Region. During the same period, the provinces of Abra , Mountain Province , and Benguet were also included in the Ilocos Region. These provinces, traditionally inhabited by indigenous groups, saw increased Ilocano migration. In particular, Abra had long been

6608-479: The United States' Armed Forces Radio and Television Network station at Camp John Hay was transmitting news from Manila, they learned early on that the People Power Revolution had begun in Manila. Deciding that their locations were too unsafe, they encamped in the courtyard of the Baguio Cathedral , which was located on higher ground. They were later joined by Lt. Benjamin Magalong , of the Philippine Constabulary detachment in Buguias, Benguet, who had defected from

6726-433: The advanced aesthetic traditions, burial, trade practices, and social structures of ancient Filipino communities, offering valuable insights into the region's precolonial culture and history. A year after Miguel López de Legazpi declared Manila the capital of the Philippines on June 24, 1571, Spanish colonization efforts expanded to Northern Luzon to "pacify the people." Spanish conquistador Martín de Goiti began

6844-410: The ancestors of indigenous groups in the Cordillera Central mountain range . Subsequent migrations introduced additional Austronesian populations, along with agricultural practices, which eventually supplanted the languages of earlier inhabitants. These Austronesian settlers included the Cordilleran ( Igorot ) groups, such as the Itneg (Tingguian) and the Isnag in the northern highlands, as well as

6962-454: The archipelago. Ilocos Region The region comprises of four provinces: Ilocos Norte , Ilocos Sur , La Union , and Pangasinan , along with one independent city, Dagupan City . The regional center is the City of San Fernando in La Union, which serves as the administrative hub of the region. The largest settlement in terms of population is San Carlos City in Pangasinan. The 2020 Philippine Statistic Authority census reported that

7080-531: The city on March 22 and reached Taiwan eight days later, on March 30. The remainder of the Second Republic government, along with Japanese civilians, were ordered to evacuate Baguio on March 30. General Tomoyuki Yamashita and his staff then relocated to Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya . By late March 1945, Baguio was within range of the American and Filipino military artillery . Between March 4 and 10, United States Fifth Air Force planes dropped 933 tons of bombs and 1,185 gallons of napalm on Baguio, reducing much of

7198-403: The city to rubble. A major offensive to capture Baguio did not occur until April 1945, when the USAFIP-NL 's 1st Battalion of the 66th Infantry, attached with the United States Army's 37th Infantry Division , the USAFIP-NL's 2nd Battalion of 66th Infantry, attached with the US 33rd Infantry Division , and the USAFIP-NL's 3rd Battalion of the 66th Infantry, converged on Baguio. By April 27, 1945,

SECTION 60

#1733084646423

7316-417: The city was liberated and the joint force proceeded to liberate the La Trinidad valley. In September 1945, the Japanese forces in the Philippines, headed by General Yamashita and Vice Admiral Okochi, formally surrendered at Camp John Hay's American Residence in the presence of lieutenant generals Arthur Percival and Jonathan Wainwright . With the end of World War II, Baguio recovered quickly, earning

7434-445: The city's population has swelled to 366,358 persons as of May 2020. The city has a very young age structure as 65.5 percent of its total population is below thirty years old. Females comprise 51.3 percent of the population as against 48.7 percent for males. The household population comprises 98 percent of the total population, or 245,000 persons. With an average of 4.6 members per household, a total of 53,261 households are gleaned. During

7552-411: The city's steep slopes in line with efforts to modernize its Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs). PUVs, specifically jeepneys , have been pushed for its modernization, in line with President Duterte 's PUV modernization initiative . Another problem that plagues Baguio is its garbage and waste disposal. The city has been dumping its garbage in a landfill in Urdaneta City, but rising costs are putting

7670-438: The city, Ibagiw, is also derived from it. It is also the name for the city's annual arts festival. Baguio used to be a vast mountain zone with lush highland forests, teeming with various wildlife such as the indigenous deer, cloud rats , Philippine eagles , Philippine warty pigs , and numerous species of flora. The area was a hunting ground of the indigenous peoples, notably the Ibalois and other Igorot ethnic groups. When

7788-459: The combined forces of the Col. Kanno and Gen. Shizuichi Tanaka Detachments advanced south along Route 3. After overcoming Philippine defenses in Bacnotan , they reached San Fernando , La Union, by December 22. The Japanese 14th Army, commanded by Lieutenant General Masaharu Homma, had also landed at Lingayen Gulf, gaining control of key areas in Pangasinan and La Union . This marked the beginning of Japanese occupation of Northern Luzon, including

7906-400: The conclusion of the Spanish-American War in 1898, when the Philippines was ceded to the United States under the Treaty of Paris . This marked a period of profound transformation for the region, which came under American colonial administration after the Philippine-American War (1899-1902). On November 18, 1899, American forces landed in the Ilocos Region in pursuit of Emilio Aguinaldo,

8024-463: The conquest of Pangasinan and established several Spanish settlements between 1571 and 1573. By April 5, 1580, Pangasinan became an administrative and judicial district of the province, with Lingayen as its capital. However, its territorial boundaries were first delineated in 1611, with the area originating from the Spanish settlement in Manila through Pampanga . On May 20, 1572, a year after Goiti's conquest, conquistadores led by Juan de Salcedo ,

8142-467: The damage, the U.S. Navy maintained control of the Gulf, securing it for the imminent invasion. On January 9, known as S-Day , Gen. Douglas MacArthur and U.S. Army forces from the Sixth Army landed on a 25-mile beachhead between Lingayen and San Fabian . The landings, supported by over 800 ships and extensive air support, faced light resistance, as the Japanese had concentrated their defenses inland. By January 15, 1945, Allied forces had firmly secured

8260-510: The disestablishment of the Catholic Church, further signaling the shift in socio-political structures under American rule. In 1901, several towns from Nueva Ecija including Balungao , Rosales , San Quintin , and Umingan were annexed to the province of Pangasinan. On November 30, 1903, additional municipalities from northern Zambales such as Agno , Alaminos , Anda , Bani , Bolinao , Burgos , Dasol , Infanta , and Mabini were transferred to Pangasinan. These towns, originally part of

8378-439: The division of Ilocos into two provinces (Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur) on February 2, 1818. The Pangasinans in the south were the last to resist Spanish rule. During the Philippine Revolution of 1896-1898, General Manuel Tinio allied with Emilio Aguinaldo to lead the revolution in Northern Luzon (Ilocos Siege), alongside General Francisco Makabulos . Makabulos led his forces to liberate Pangasinan and led revolutionaries in

8496-399: The establishment of a Filipino civilian government under American oversight. Civil governance was introduced in the Ilocos Region, as well as the rest of the Philippines, on July 1, 1901, with William H. Taft serving as the first Civil Governor. The position was later renamed Governor-General by the U.S. Congress on February 3, 1903. One of the most notable reforms was the establishment of

8614-415: The fallen buildings were built on or near fault lines; local architects later admitted structural building codes should have been followed more religiously, particularly regarding concrete and rebar standards, and "soft stories." Baguio has been rebuilt with aid from the national government and international donors such as Japan , Singapore and the United States . Baguio is a highland city nestled within

8732-647: The first 15 years of its existence, the Courier was fiscally dependent on the printing press for its continued existence. But by 1963, the Baguio Midland Courier 's circulation had gone up to 7,500 sold copies in Baguio City and the Cordilleras, and its circulation would remain the highest among the printed regional newspapers in Northern Luzon throughout its lifetime. The Courier itself was able to continue its publication run after President Ferdinand Marcos placed

8850-643: The government, gone to the nearby Central Police Station in Baguio, and disarmed its personnel to prevent any untoward incidents while Baguio residents continued to gather at the cathedral to protest the abuses of the Marcos administration . The Baguio Cathedral, and Session Road adjacent to it, thus became the center of the People Power revolution in Baguio - paralleling similar protests in Cebu , Davao , Bacolod , Manila , and other major Philippine cities, eventually leading to

8968-474: The grandson of Legazpi, ventured northward with eight armed boats and 80 men. They sailed to Lingayen Gulf and landed at the mouth of the Agno River . In 1574, Limahong , a Chinese pirate, fled to Pangasinan after his fleet was driven away from Manila. Limahong attempted to establish a colony in Pangasinan but failed as an army led by Salcedo chased him out of the region after a seven-month siege. Salcedo then continued his journey to Agoo , where he discovered

9086-541: The highest being Mount Santo Tomas in Tuba . Enclosed by the province of Benguet , the city covers a small area of 57.5 square kilometres (22.2 sq mi). Most of the developed part of the city is built on uneven, hilly terrain of the northern section. When Daniel Burnham drew plans for the city, he made the City Hall a reference point where the city limits extend 8.2 kilometres (5.1 mi) from east to west and 7.2 kilometres (4.5 mi) from north to south. Baguio

9204-411: The historic buildings from the 19th century that had been preserved in reasonably reconstructible form were nonetheless eradicated or otherwise left to deteriorate. The 1990 Luzon earthquake further devastated Baguio's old buildings, which include 28 collapsed buildings such as hotels, factories, government and university buildings, and many private homes and establishments. Baguio's current landscape

9322-594: The home of the Philippine Military Academy . As such, it was very important in military and political terms. Philippine President Manuel Quezon was even in Baguio when the war began. On December 8, 1941, 17 Japanese bombers attacked Camp John Hay , as part of the first Japanese air raid on Luzon. Baguio was declared an open city in December 27. Following the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in 1941,

9440-579: The homeland of the Sambal people, were reassigned due to their geographic distance from their original provincial capitals. Despite resistance from local communities, this decision has remained unchanged. Under the Philippine Organic Act of 1902 , the Ilocos Region experienced significant political, economic, and social changes. Infrastructure development flourished, with the construction of public schools, bridges, railways, airports, and ports, enhancing

9558-455: The inadequate honorarium of barangay officials. As a city with varying terrain, Baguio features a tropical monsoon climate ( Köppen climate classification : Am ) and a subtropical highland climate ( Köppen climate classification : Cwb ), depending on the local elevation. The city is known for its mild climate owing to its generally high elevation. The temperature in the city is usually about 7 to 10 °C (13 to 18 °F) cooler than

9676-494: The industry, establishing the Philippine Tobacco Flue-Curing and Redrying Corporation (PTFCRC) in 1951 and recruiting farmers from throughout Region 1 to produce tobacco. The following year, La Union Congressman Manuel T. Cases filed a bill to "limit the importation of foreign leaf tobacco," which was eventually signed by President Elpidio Quirino as Republic Act 698. This allowed Stonehill's investments to make

9794-537: The landing was delayed by bad weather and American air attacks, which damaged Japanese ships and caused casualties. By December 11, the Japanese forces had successfully captured Vigan and dispatched additional troops to seize Laoag and its airfield. As American forces retreated, Lieutenan Gen. Masaharu Homma left a small garrison in Vigan and redirected the main forces to support operations at Lingayen Gulf . By December 20,

9912-454: The lands in Kafagway were owned by a prominent Ibaloi, Mateo Cariño , who served as its chieftain. The Spanish presidencia , which was located at Bag-iw at the vicinity of Guisad Valley was later moved to Cariño's house where the current city hall stands. Bag-iw was the Ibaloi toponym of the town, an Ibaloi term for "moss" which was historically abundant in the area. This name was spelled by

10030-564: The late 1940s to the early 1950s are accessible through a digital platform hosted by the University Library, University of the Philippines Diliman. In their closure announcement published on June 30, 2024, publishers of the Baguio Midland Courier announced that they would be looking for ways to preserve its past issues. In 2017, the Baguio Midland Courier received numerous awards from the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) that it

10148-485: The leader of the Philippine resistance. While American troops swiftly occupied towns, they faced persistent resistance in the rural areas (barrios), where guerrilla forces led by Gen. Manuel Tinio continued the struggle. Tinio, a veteran of the 1896 Philippine Revolution against Spain, orchestrated a widespread guerrilla campaign, harassing American forces in the countryside. One of the most iconic events during this period

10266-464: The lowland temperatures near sea level. Average temperature ranges from 15 to 23 °C (59 to 73 °F), with the lowest temperatures occurring between November and February. The lowest recorded temperature was 6.3 °C (43.3 °F) on January 18, 1961; in contrast, the all-time high of 30.4 °C (86.7 °F) was recorded on March 15, 1988, during the 1988 El Niño season. The temperature seldom exceeds 26 °C (78.8 °F) even during

10384-440: The lowlander Ilocanos ( Iduko ), Americans ( Merikano ), and mestizos . A significant number of Chinese (both Cantonese and Hokkien ) and Japanese laborers were also hired to build Kennon Road , many of whom later settled in the city. Baguio is an overpopulated city, having a population density of more than 6,000 people per square kilometer. Originally planned by Daniel Burnham to accommodate 25,000 to 30,000 people,

10502-404: The major ethnolinguistic group composition of the region is predominantly made up of Ilocanos (58.3%), followed by Pangasinans (29.7%), Tagalogs (4.1%), and various Cordilleran ( Igorot ) indigenous groups. The region is renowned for its rich natural and cultural attractions, featuring historic and UNESCO World Heritage sites, surfing spots, pristine beaches, island-hopping adventures, and

10620-472: The more modern buildings in the city is SM City Baguio , established in 2003. Moves by various groups with the goal to preserve these buildings have been made. As a historic building, the Baguio City Hall has faced opposition to renovation of its grounds, since that may be against laws on national cultural heritage sites; the renovations, however, continued as there has been no documentation supporting

10738-529: The northern parts of the region were less easily swayed and remained resistant to Spanish rule. These resentments led to several uprisings throughout the region's history, including the insurrections of Andrés Malong in 1660, Palaris of Pangasinan in 1762, Pedro Almazán in Ilocos Norte in 1661, Diego Silang and Gabriela Silang in 1764 and Basi Revolt in 1807. After the Basi Revolt, tensions culminated in

10856-558: The ouster of President Ferdinand Marcos on February 25, 1986. On July 15, 1987, President Corazon Aquino issued Executive Order 220 which created the Cordillera Administrative Region, and made the highly urbanized city of Baguio its seat of government. Various attempts at legally turning the Cordillera Administrative Region into an autonomous region have been pursued, but failed to gather enough public support in two separate autonomy plebiscites . The 1990 Luzon earthquake ( M s = 7.7) destroyed some parts of Baguio and

10974-559: The past, benefits granted to local governments were based on the number of existing barangays; this led former local officials to create as many barangays as possible in the city in order to acquire additional benefits from the national government. The proposed merger, which will reduce the barangays from 130 to about 40 to 50 by merging adjacent ones, is believed to solve several issues concerning barangay boundary disputes, seemingly biased allocation of funds for larger barangays in relation to barangays with lesser area and population, as well as

11092-496: The peak of the annual tourist influx, particularly during the Lenten period , transients triple the population. Crime in Baguio is concentrated in theft and vehicular accidents. Crime in the city is also directly related to its changing demographics and unique criminal justice system. The illegal drug trade is also a problem of the city as 24 of its 129 barangays are considered as drug affected as of December 2017. In 2018, Baguio

11210-461: The region flourished both culturally and economically through maritime trade. The Ilocanos , known as Samtoy in pre-colonial times, actively traded goods and products with local and foreign merchants, including the Chinese and Japanese . One notable coastal trading post was Bee Gan (Chinese: 美岸; měi'àn ; bí-gān ), meaning " beautiful shore ," which is now the city of Vigan . This site served as

11328-565: The region was supportive of Marcos' administration. In Ilocos Norte, various farmers from the towns of Vintar, Dumalneg, Solsona, Marcos, and Piddig were documented to have been tortured, and eight farmers in Bangui and three indigenous community members in Vintar were " salvaged " in 1984. Ilocanos who were critical of Marcos' authoritarian rule included Roman Catholic Archbishop and Agoo, La Union native Antonio L. Mabutas , who spoke actively against

11446-461: The region's early history is the discovery of the Bolinao Skull , which dates to the 14th or 15th century and is associated with the early inhabitants of Pangasinan. The skull is particularly notable for its dental ornamentation , with teeth inlaid with gold . It was found alongside 67 other similarly adorned skulls and trade ware ceramics from the early Ming Dynasty . This discovery highlights

11564-777: The region's history. American colonization ended on July 4, 1946 in WWII's aftermath gaining Philippines Independence from the United States. The Japanese invasion of the Philippine Commonwealth began on December 8, 1941 during World War II , when Japan launched an attack on U.S. military installations and residential areas, following the attack on Pearl Harbor . Just two days later, the Japanese Kanno Detachment landed in Vigan, Ilocos Sur , aiming to secure airstrips for further military operations. Although initially unopposed,

11682-521: The region, with several guerrilla groups forming to oppose the Japanese occupation. One prominent leader of the local resistance was Captain Candonino Villalon Gaerlan , who led a successful ambush against Japanese forces in Candon, Ilocos Sur , symbolizing local defiance against the invaders. By 1944, with the United States beginning its campaign to liberate the Philippines, the region became

11800-411: The region’s connectivity with other parts of the country. However, these developments were accompanied by local unrest. Reports of war crimes, forced relocations, extrajudicial killings , and destruction of property by American forces fueled discontent among the population. While the introduction of modern governance and infrastructure brought progress, these human rights abuses left a lasting impact on

11918-626: The reopening of the Philippine Military Academy, and then their later move to the new PMA campus at Camp Henry T. Allen . Soon after the Courier was established, a private citizen named Ben Palispis bought most of the shares of Baguio Printers and Publishers Corporation. Philippine media historian Crispin Maslog notes that Palispis had "practically had full control of the corporation" for many years, even as Palispis became Mayor of Tuba, Benguet, from 1964 to 1967, and from 1986 to 1974 while he

12036-463: The summer to escape Manila's heat. The Mansion was designed by architect William E. Parsons based on preliminary plans by architect Daniel Burnham . Burnham, one of the earliest successful modern city planners , designed the mountain retreat following the tenets of the City Beautiful movement . In 1904, the rest of the city was planned out by Burnham. On September 1, 1909, Baguio was declared as

12154-476: The surrounding province of Benguet on the afternoon of July 16, 1990. A significant number of buildings and infrastructure were damaged, including the Hyatt Terraces Plaza, Nevada Hotel, Baguio Park Hotel, FRB Hotel and Baguio Hilltop Hotel; major highways were temporarily blocked due to landslides and pavement breakup; and a number of houses were leveled or severely shaken with numerous casualties. Some of

12272-482: The time, Agoo's coastal shape made it an ideal harbor for foreign vessels. This trade network connected the region to maritime routes spanning the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea . Goods exchanged included porcelain , silk ( inabel ), cotton, beeswax, honey, gemstones, beads, precious minerals, locally crafted burnáy (stoneware jars), and particularly gold. Evidence of this trade has been uncovered in

12390-464: The tip of Luzón, and continued to pacify the Bicol Region . In 1574, Salcedo returned to Vigan with soldiers and Augustinian missionaries to initiate the evangelization of the Ilocos region. He established a Spanish city to control the neighboring territories and convert the native population to Catholicism . As a reward for his services, Salcedo was granted the province of Ylocos , covering what

12508-472: The torture and killings of church workers. Other La Union natives who fought the dictatorship were student activists Romulo and Armando Palabay of San Fernando, La Union , whose torture and death in a military camp in Pampanga would lead them to being honored as martyrs in the fight against the dictatorship in the Philippines' Bantayog ng mga Bayani memorial. In Ilocos Norte, one of the prominent victims of

12626-418: The warmest part of the year. Like many other cities with a subtropical highland climate , Baguio receives noticeably less precipitation during its dry season. However, the city has an extraordinary amount of precipitation during the rainy season from June to October. The city averages over 3,914 mm (154 in) of rainfall annually, the highest in the country. Baguio suffers from air pollution and

12744-476: The well-preserved Spanish baroque churches and colonial city of Vigan . The region was originally inhabited by Negritos as early as 30,000 BC but over time, these early settlers were displaced by successive waves of Austronesian migrants who arrived via the region's narrow coastal areas using traditional boats known as balangay boat (referred to as biray or bilog in Ilocano). The migrations are explained by

12862-419: The whole country under martial law in 1972. Although some of the Courier 's staff were jailed, particularly Ibaloi activist Kathleen Okubo , who became a political detainee at Camp Holmes Internment Camp (later renamed Camp Bado Dangwa). Even after her release, Okubo had to report weekly in person to her former detention center throughout the martial law years. One of the notable changes that took place in

12980-408: The widely accepted " Out of Taiwan " hypothesis, which posits that Neolithic Austronesian peoples migrated from Taiwan , forming the ancestral populations of contemporary Austronesians. Austronesians are believed to have originated from Southern China or Taiwan and arrived in the Philippines through at least two major migration waves. The first wave, approximately 10,000 to 7,000 years ago, brought

13098-469: Was Governor of Benguet . The Courier was deeply involved in community advocacy work from its inception. It promoted the interest of the Cordilleran peoples and development of what would become the Cordillera Administrative Region , spoke out against squatting in the city of Baguio, advocated for the development of a water system in the city, and called for adequate public services for its citizens. For

13216-469: Was based on the City Beautiful movement , which features broad streets and avenues radiating out from rectangles. During the Second World War, Baguio was razed to the ground during the Japanese forces' invasion and the subsequent shelling by American forces during the liberation. After the liberation, rebuilding began and most of the historical buildings were thoroughly reconstructed. However, some of

13334-531: Was distributed throughout the Ilocos Region , but was eventually phased out in 1983. In 1984, Sinai and his son Stever launched his second publication, the Cordillera Post , while Oseo solely managed Midland Courier . In 2007, its website was launched, while its Facebook page had 130,000 followers. The Courier was also able to maintain its continuous publication despite the devastation of Baguio during

13452-535: Was elevated to the PPI's Hall of Fame. By then, it had received awards for Best Edited Weekly Newspaper five times, Best Editorial Page seven times, and Best in Science and Environment Reporting three times. Baguio Baguio ( UK : / ˈ b æ ɡ i oʊ / BAG -ee-oh , US : / ˈ b ɑː ɡ i oʊ , ˌ b ɑː ɡ i ˈ oʊ / BAH -ghee-oh, -⁠ OH , Tagalog: [ˈbaɡjo] ), officially

13570-590: Was established in October 1903, after President Theodore Roosevelt signed an executive order setting aside land in Benguet for a military reservation for the United States Army to rest and recuperate from the lowland heat. It was named after Roosevelt's Secretary of State , John Milton Hay . The Mansion , built in 1908, served as the official residence of the American Governor-General during

13688-473: Was human rights advocate and Bombo Radyo Laoag program host David Bueno , who worked with the Free Legal Assistance Group in Ilocos Norte during the later part of the Marcos administration and the early part of the succeeding Aquino administration. He would later be assassinated by motorcycle-riding men in fatigue uniforms on October 22, 1987 – part of a wave of assassinations which coincided with

13806-503: Was listed as one of the safest cities both in the ASEAN region, ranking sixth with a crime index of 40.57 and safety index of 59.43. The Baguio City Police Office also has the highest crime solution efficiency nationwide of 84%, compared to the national 77% and the region's 70%. In May 2019 BCPO also reported a drop of 27% in crimes, from 1,150 in 2018 to 834 in 2019. The BCPO was awarded as the country's best city police station in 2018. Baguio

13924-500: Was the Battle of Tirad Pass on December 2, 1899. Gen. Gregorio del Pilar and his 60 soldiers faced over 300 troops of the U.S. 45th Infantry Division, led by Gen. Peyton C. March . Despite a valiant defense, the Filipinos ultimately lost their position, marking a significant, albeit symbolic, moment in the resistance against American forces. The Philippine-American War officially ended in 1902, following years of intense conflict, with

#422577