I have the privilege of staying and seeing Baguio during its unspoiled finest, which was in the late 60’s to the early 80’s. An uncle of mine used to operate a small photo studio in the Baguio Hotel building along Otek Street which was later on taken over by my Mom. It was called Bayanihan Studio and it employs a number of photographers plying the trade in Burnham Park and in other Baguio spots. During summer breaks and Christmas vacations, we used to go up from Asingan via Urdaneta where we boarded Dangwa Tranco or Baguio Auto Line (BAL and later on became PNR), or Pantranco buses which come so far in between; those long wait for buses along the national highway in Urdaneta is the part that I hate the most. Later some other bus lines were added to the route including my favorite, the yellow and speedy La Mallorca Pambusco and others - including Victory Liner and Philippine Rabbit. My very first trip which was when I was about six was spoilt by extreme nausea and thus I missed to see the breathtaking view of the Kennon Zig-zag - despite exhortations from my two aunts with whom I tagged along - except for some short glimpse when I have to throw up the window… hehehe. But what I remember so vividly was the way I shivered to the bone while my teeth chattered uncontrollably as we descended from the Dangwa bus. Baguio was much, much colder then than now. And it has a certain peculiar smell which, I learned much later on, comes from the Pine Trees and mountain flowers in bloom. Otek street is just a block away from Burnham park. The circumferential road around the park called Lake Drive was then used for motorized go-carts which I watched with childish amusement because I was too small to try them. On the southern end of the park was the skating rink. That is where I usually end up, hiring and riding kiddie pedal rides and racing with other kids. On the western side, adjacent to Kisad Road, is the kiddy Playground with all sorts of see-saws, merry-go-rounds, swings, climbing bars and that centerpiece: a multi-level slide with a rocket ship shaped central frame which you have to climb to get to the top of the slide. It took me a while to try the highest level. Even then, there were ambulant vendors selling snacks from ice cream in cones and bars, to peanuts, corn on the cobs, green mangoes, drinks, etc. For 50 centavos, I can have Royal Tru-Orange with La Pacita Saltine Crackers after I’m done with the rides. Sundays could be very crowded. Picnickers and excursionists spread mats on the lawns while enjoying the view of the lake with multi colored sailboats and paddle boats; and some occasional outburst from the water fountain in the middle. I enjoy walking around inner path around the lake which is artistically paved with faux cobble stone. The outer side of the path is lined with small weeping bottle brush tress wearing their red hanging flowers on their draping green hair and interspersed with occasional trumpet flower tress. Romantic benches lie underneath with old gentlemen reading papers while shoe-shine boys work feverishly on their sunday shoes. The lake side of the path is lined with a low metal grill fence to protect the flower beds where roses, hollyhocks, daisies, sunflowers and marigolds flourish. The lawns, the hedges, the tress and the flower beds, and specially the cleanness of the place, were immaculately maintained by a special group of lady gardeners in uniform. Many unsavory things could be said about Imelda Marcos but during her times, Burnham Park was at its very best. On a lucky Sunday, one could watch PMA Cadets formation and parade on the Melvin Jones grounds just to the southern side of the park, adjoining Harrison Road. But I didn’t want to go for those kinds of stuff; it bores me. More memorable to me are summer days when the Tour of Luzon set their finish line on the Lake Drive or the Athletic Bowl just to the south of the skating rink. We would go to the grandstand very early to ensure a good view of the scramble to the finish and follow the race with a transistor radio. My man then was Cornelio Padilla, Jr. and when he retired, I switched to the then rookie Paquito Rivas who was known as the Eagle of the Mountains because of his mountain climbing prowess. Many, many times Rivas arrived at the summit all by his lonesome, his nearest pursuer at least 5 minutes behind. Another favorite is Manolito Moring, Jr – co captain of Rivas and is known for his daredevil sprinting. When the riders finish as a pack, rest assured it would be Moring by a nose! Later on the photo studio was transferred to Abanao Street, fronting the old Market where Marbay Shopping Center and Marhalika Building now stands. We were neighbors with Sunshine Grocery and Bakery, then the biggest and most popular in Baguio. Abanao was a two-lane street at that time but the sidewalks are so wide and tiled! Very neat. Cars could park on both sides. I remember the old market building just at the foot of session road with its stone pillars and tin sheet roof selling all sorts of Baguio souvenirs, wood carvings, fruit jams, everlasting garlands, Baguio brooms, etc. Inside that maze of stalls, I found a small favorite nook which I frequented with other boys renting and reading komiks along the aisle on a bangkito. Going back to Asingan for the start of June classes, I would have the time of my life regaling my barrio playmates with my stories of Baguio... Ah, those were the innocent Baguio days… The not-so-innocent ones would come much later and would justify another post.
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Ok Dad Vic here's another obra maestra he-he...Icarus ,Alakdan and Mr Pogi i was trully amazed that you can remember vividly the details of your early days in the city of Pines. Oh Baguio oh baguio how can i forget you,almost half of my life was spent in this green lush city atop the cordilleras, those old days smelled of pine scent. During my childhood days i spent with my lola who lived in Lexber Court Baguio....back to the caniao days those big chunks of roasted pig i just requested my friend to sliced them thinly for me for bassit ngiwat ko he-he kasatno met kasla nga binalsig ti kadakkel na :))when we left the caniao we were given a kilo of the big chunks of roasted pork. Mr.pogi rekindled the two mining communities in baguio philex and balatoc, your portrayal of balatoc mines is very accurate i say this because when i was a child i was a frequent visitor of this place i remember those bunkhouses were rent free including amenities, and just take care of the food because balatoc is a community by itself. I found my place in the sun here in Baguio, but then itutuloy ha-ha-ha!!! maybe the three of you have bumped into each other before here in cordilleras but if we did know each other life could have been different . We will be drinking buddies here ala tapey just joking wala lang akong magawa ngayon. --Rain
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I am sure Ben Soloria is your kinfolk and he is also Miggie and me's co-teacher at the DWA in Urdaneta a long time ago. Ben is also a brilliant teacher, and a good writer too. His writings were in my first publication of SUNSHINE STORIES FROM PANGASINAN..Maybe you shared the same genes..Anyway, here is a story about Ben Soloria when he was still a student in Baguio..I happened to come up to Baguio one time with some of his kinfolks. We stayed in a boarding house ran by Ben's sister. I am not sure whether it is in Bayanihan st. But it is the first time for me to meet Ben. At that time, he was also a part time photographer to a studio ( maybe that is the same studio owned by your sister ). He usually take shots of the tourists in Burnham Park. Slept in their boarding house that night, then left for Asingan the next day...Years later, I accompanied Ben to apply at the DWA where I was already teaching. He was hired.. Then a year later I left, but he stayed behind. He was a sponsor during our wedding ( Miggie and I )..We became already good buddies..I never saw him anymore for decades, until I found his name in the Asingan Board..To cut to the chase, Miggie and I went to Virginia to visit him. He showed us nice places in Virginia including the oldest University in the US. He was already a retired USN, but he was still working as a nurse in a hospital. He worked with the Medical corps while he was in the USN. He attended to some casualties aboard ship during the Persian Gulf war, that took place when George Bush Sr. was still the President. When we are in a Mall and when Miggie was out windowshopping ( and buying a few stuff ), Ben and I would have coffee and share stories of the old days in Urdaneta. We talked about girls, of course, what else is new?..:)
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Indeed, your friend Ben Soloria is my uncle. And we are talking about the same studio! It was ran by uncle Flor Aquino, a Manaoag native who was married to my Auntie Fe, Uncle Ben's sister. Their apartment which opens on the arcaded sidewalk of Otek street served as a studio on the front half of the ground floor and a boarding house on the second floor. Many Asinganians who studied in Baguio once boarded in that address. Dr Zenaida Suyat, Ms Salud Soloria and Ms Julie Delmendo were three of the more prominent. The studio then was called Noli's, named after their first born and my cousin Noli. In 1968, the family migrated to Guam and they sold the business to my mom. The name was changed to Bayanihan Studio to associate it with the famous hotel with which it shares premises. For some reason, Bayanihan Hotel(formerly Baguio Hotel)closed shop and occupants of the entire building block were asked to move out. What we heard is that the owners are persecuted political nemesis of the Marcoses. (The building still exist to this day and the ground floors were converted into Ukay-ukay stores.) Thus, the move to Abanao and this time, the boarding house and the studio went separate ways.
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Ben is such a nice friend to me during those years at DWA. I resigned from DWA in the beginning of the school year to spend a whole year in Asingan "bumming" around. In the meantime Miggie was still teaching there and in my absence, Ben acted as a "go-between", "a cupid" etc. on my behalf for Miggie. .I think he did a good job..:D...I think we had a courtship period only of about 2 months; I never believed in prolonged engagement. Something will eventually happen if you wait that long, esp. in the Philippines..After we got married, Miggie opted to stay behind in DWA Urdaneta for a few more months, while I started my Editorial job in Los Banios Laguna. Getting married in one weekend then going separate ways a week after is no good way of starting a marriage.We stayed in Pila, Laguna for a week long honeymoon.That week end, she had to leave back for Pangasinan, and I had to stay behind. I brought her to the La Mallorca bus station in Cubao. It was a real heart breaking good-bye...From then on, I had to go home every week end just to visit my new bride. And it's a hell of a long distance from Los Banios to Asingan. I went home Friday nights and go back to Los Banios Monday dawn...In the mean time, Miggie stayed at home in Asingan. Every morning, she went to work riding on a passenger jeep owned by an Asinganian. Ben was still teaching at the DWA and he rode in the same jeep with Miggie. According to Miggie, each time she rode on the jeep, a "love smitten" DWA student would like to sit down beside her on the front seat but Ben would tell him, "that's my spot!" just to make the guy go away. The student would smilingly oblige because 1) Ben was a teacher and 2) Ben has bigger muscles. So, that was the traveling arrangement every working day with Miggie while she was still in Asingan. Everyday until she decided to join me several months later. She finally quit her job to leave for Laguna because 1) Fr. Harwardt, the school director, advised her it is not good for married people to be separated and 2) she is already pregnant with our first child, Oliver....:)
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NUMBER THAT POP UP IN MY LIFE..If you examine your life, sometimes you find a number that pops up: in my case, it is THE number 4. Might be my lucky number, I do not know. I was married on July 4, 1971, I receieved ourCanadian visa approval on July 4, 1975, 4 years later...I worked in Pangasinan for 4 years, 2 years teaching in RA, 2 years teaching in DWA. I am the 4th child of a family of 5, my dad belonged to a family of 4 siblings...I have 4 children, 3 biological and 1 adopted..:) And I think you know who the adopted one is..I met her online 4 years ago...:)And oh yes, I worked in UP Forestry for 4 years: 1971 to 75. I quit working there after receiving my Visa approval..I lived under the shadow of Mt. Makiling for 4 years. Sometimes after work on Friday afternoons, I would go up a hike towards the peak, but I never really got up there to the summit. In the afternoon, the forest in the UPCF building is filled with shrill singing of cicadas punctured by an ocassional song of a wild bird. Somehow, I sometimes imagine the bird to be the fabled Adarna made famous by the Francisco Balagtas poetry..There is a river beside the College of Forestry: going down to the rocks one would be astounded by the big roots of certain trees. So beautiful. They are twisted, irregularly shaped and you would be amazed that beauty sometimes comes out of ugliness..I do not now if it still exists, but there was also a tree whose fruit look like yellow candles..I have still to see a boa constrictor which some people hereabouts say are abound in the Makiling forests. But there are smaller snakes which sometimes cross the roads. If a jeepney driver see a snake crossing the road, he would try to run it over ..Miggie was almost bitten by a snake in one of our walks in there. And she was pregnant with our 2nd daughter Michelle. We were crossing a grassy patch in the UPCF campus. She was about to put down her sandaled foot when I saw there was a moving thing: it was a green colored snake.She missed stepping on the tail and I still get the shivers thinking what could have happened if she stepped on it. At that time, there were no snake bite antidotes in the Campus hospital. The nearest place to get snake bite serum was a laboratory few towns away going to Manila...Some snakes there are not poisonous. One time, one of the children of our landlord there saw a snake and she tried playing with it. The snake bit her and she ran to her Mom crying. Fortunately, she did not show any kind of adverse reactions, so she was okay. The snake bite was non lethal.
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Starting life as a married couple is as unforgettable as your first kiss, first date, first whatever..On the day we decided to go for it ( Marriage Life or bust )Pare Alex Romero offered his mini jeepney and we hired it to bring us and a few worldly goods to Los Banios. One dining table, two chairs, pillows, etc. clothes etc, packed into the empty passenger section of the vehicle...The Father director of DWA gave me this very profound advice inside his office on that afternoon when I visited him. "There can never be two Queens inside one house," he said. The two Queens were my wife and my Mom. He was always right, of course.Miggie can never work yet because of her pregnancy, so I must rely on my paycheque from UPForestry for everything we need at home. Our first one bedroom apartment was 75 pesos/month and that was already expensive at that time. But we are just newcomers, and as soon as we get settled for a bit, then we will look for other lodging places. We heard of certain places that go for 50 pesos a month,including utilities...It was a real cozy one bedroom newly constructed apartment unit. Newly painted too. It overlooks the beautiful Laguna de Bay which could be reached by a brief hike...We are right between the rustic town of Los Banios ( which some months ago was the location of a Fernando Poe Jr. movie ) and the International community of College, Laguna where very important people involved in Asian agriculture were living, teaching, doing some research. Come to think of it, my stay in the UPLB community changed a lot of my outlook towards life. Plus it was the initial place where I started to build my family, alone, just by myself, without much help from my own or my wife's family..
