Baguio City
On July 16, 1990, Baguio City became more famous worldwide than it had ever been before. The reason: on that date, the city was struck by a devastating earthquake. On all continents, pictures of the crumbled buildings in the city made it onto the TV screens and the front pages of newspapers. Preferred motif was the collapsed heavy concrete structure of the formerly leading hotel in the city, the Hyatt Baguio.
The quake brought a severe set-back to Baguio's prime industry, tourism, as well as all other economic activities. The reason was not only the damaged infrastructure in the city herself but also the disruption of most road connections for many months.
Unfortunately, we had done a complete, extensive up-date on Baguio just a few weeks before the earthquake. As the quake had changed the situation completely, much of our work in Baguio that we did for a whole month became partially invalid. Furthermore, as Baguio is being rebuild rapidly, any research that would be done in 1991 or even 1992 would provide accurate data for just a few weeks.
Therefore, we have left much of the Baguio information as it applied in 1990 before the quake and only modified the most salient points; while a few establishments may elect not to open again after the damage caused by the quake, most will try to operate soon again on a level as before the quake.
History, Economy
Few attempts have been undertaken to give an account of the earliest presence of human settlements within what is known today as the region of Baguio City. They all remain highly speculative due to a lack of reliable authentic evidence. However, there is wide agreement that the area was inhabited before several waves of Malayan tribes arrived. Intermarriage and socio-cultural adaptation finally led to the formation of a new tribe calling itself "Ibaloi".
Their society consisted of a network of independent village-communities, so-called barangays which interacted through a barter system among themselves and with neighboring lowland-settlements. The highlanders exchanged their products, chiefly gold and even slaves for iron, salt, livestock, cotton cloth and other materials from the plains and the coastal regions.
In 1571, Spanish troops occupied Manila. Soon, news about huge gold deposits allegedly located in the mountainous areas of northern Luzon went the rounds within the ranks of the invaders. A contingent of Conquistadores moved to the northern coastal areas, where they undertook the first military expedition to the interior. Their target however, the legendary "gold mines", remained largely elusive. Chronicles report a series of subsequent inroads into Igorot territory in 1576, 1589, 1591, and 1594. These reports contain descriptions of murdering and plundering bands of soldiers, leaving behind a path of death and destruction, before being forced to withdraw under the pressure of the local warriors' fierce resistance. Finally, Spanish strongholds which were put up around 1600 had to be abandoned after a few years.
The Roman Catholic Church took over the subsequent initiative to mobilize forces for a new onslaught against the mountain tribes. The Church which turned out to be the most brutal and efficient tool of colonization in the history of the Philippines , acquired in an artful way the profit from the greed for gold. A "christianization drive" organized by the Church united religious fanatics and adventurous treasure hunters.
In November, 1619 representatives of the Dominicans, Augustinians and Franciscans met to declare war against the Igorots. They were, however, unable to substantially encroach upon the region. For at least 200 years, the Spaniards "governed" the interior of Northern Luzon from Agoo without exerting a tight administrative control.
More on Baguio City:
History, Economy
Statistical Data
Accommodation
Middle Class Hotel
Middle Class Hotel, continued
Simple Hotels and Pension Houses
Simple Hotels and Pension Houses, continued
Simple Hotels and Pension Houses, continued
Simple Hotels and Pension Houses, continued
Simple Hotels and Pension Houses, continued
Simple Hotels and Pension Houses, continued
Simple Hotels and Pension Houses, continued
Restaurants
Restaurants, continued
Restaurants, continued
Convention Facilities
Convention Facilities, continued
Entertainment
Casino
Sightseeing
Shopping
Sports, Health
Offices
Transportation
Bus Terminals & Destinations
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