SIDE TRIP 20: Bagyong Baguio
Baguio was designed for a population of 30,000 – playground for American GIs on R&R. Streets were meant to be narrow and residential lots wide enough for lots of pine trees.
Now it has a population of 300,000 - half of them students from the lowlands. Streets are choked with traffic and entire mountains are crammed with houses made out of corrugated iron sheets. Pine trees are being felled down at an alarming rate to give way to outlandish buildings and structures all in the name of development.
It pains me to watch Baguio, the city of my dreams, slowly but surely sliding into urban decay. I loved it enough to want to live there permanently. It wasn’t meant to be, but for six wonderful years in the 90s, I lived in this mountain hideaway and count those as among the happiest in my life.
Last weekend I came home to Baguio and there atop Session Road, the abominable concrete pine tree still stood, mocking the few remaining trees that lent Baguio that unique pine scent I so loved. I hate that concrete tree. That’s what we get when we elect morons into office. Their gamunggong utak are able to come up only with the most idiotic ideas with which to spend their pork barrel on.
And who can ignore that monstrous structure called SM? King of the mountain, it towers above all else. Just how many pine trees were cut to give way to development, I don’t ask anymore. The same is true with Camp John Hay that is fast being developed into some exclusive playground for the rich and famous. Several hundred pine trees were cut so there can be more buildings.
People flock to Baguio for the trees and the cool climate. With an economy hinged primarily on tourism, I doubt if there is going to be any trees left to see a few years from now.
I wonder when politicians would learn to leave well enough alone. That less is more.
Then again, that would like wishing for the moon.
SMELL OF THE PINE
SERENITY
WHERE HAVE ALL THE PINE TREES GONE?
Now it has a population of 300,000 - half of them students from the lowlands. Streets are choked with traffic and entire mountains are crammed with houses made out of corrugated iron sheets. Pine trees are being felled down at an alarming rate to give way to outlandish buildings and structures all in the name of development.
It pains me to watch Baguio, the city of my dreams, slowly but surely sliding into urban decay. I loved it enough to want to live there permanently. It wasn’t meant to be, but for six wonderful years in the 90s, I lived in this mountain hideaway and count those as among the happiest in my life.
Last weekend I came home to Baguio and there atop Session Road, the abominable concrete pine tree still stood, mocking the few remaining trees that lent Baguio that unique pine scent I so loved. I hate that concrete tree. That’s what we get when we elect morons into office. Their gamunggong utak are able to come up only with the most idiotic ideas with which to spend their pork barrel on.
And who can ignore that monstrous structure called SM? King of the mountain, it towers above all else. Just how many pine trees were cut to give way to development, I don’t ask anymore. The same is true with Camp John Hay that is fast being developed into some exclusive playground for the rich and famous. Several hundred pine trees were cut so there can be more buildings.
People flock to Baguio for the trees and the cool climate. With an economy hinged primarily on tourism, I doubt if there is going to be any trees left to see a few years from now.
I wonder when politicians would learn to leave well enough alone. That less is more.
Then again, that would like wishing for the moon.
SMELL OF THE PINE
SERENITY
WHERE HAVE ALL THE PINE TREES GONE?
posted by Miki at
9:05 AM
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