Back to Basic: Learning to love trees :)

Rona Dale Ortiz

Last morning...

I woke up enjoying the invigorating smell of the pines, I realized Baguio is still the finest city in the north. Baguio is known for its unique pine environment, it is almost equated to places in Korea and other cold blooded places. Perhaps this is the reason why Baguio is invaded by Koreans--- Well going straight to the point my concern is primarily the old pine trees of Baguio. I have reflected upon this several times to the point that I have joined a tree planting activity.

I used to ignore the importance of pine trees. Actually there was one point when I hated seeing pine trees because I usually connect their existence with loneliness, it’s really weird that one morning I realized their importance; upon waking up I felt invigorated; it’s a feeling that usually makes my day--- and a friend of mine who is also a UP Mountaineer, influenced me greatly on giving importance to a certain tree. It happened 2 years ago before formally constructing the Human Kinetics Building, particularly the university court--- I remembered my friend- Deo Onda to be initializing a petition against the cutting of an old pine tree in giving way to the construction of the university gymnasium. Pine trees are already a part of Baguio- aside from making Baguio a pleasant place it is also important because it simply gives oxygen people, and their roots help in absorption of water, preventing flood and ensuring safety to people who are living at the mountainside. Back to cutting of the old pine trees, actually the act itself is illegal , in cutting a certain old pine tree there should at least be a proper permit issued by the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR) The second case that I have encountered is, another university reason--- and it happened in Saint Louis University, the administration also said that they have incurred proper papers in lieu of cutting the pine tree, and aside from that the University in return has also launched a tree planting activity in order to at least revive the impression, in lieu to the cutting of the old pine tree and in order to renew what has been taken away from nature.

From school, I usually walk down town, session and I usually walk at the side of the new building beside people support, the blue glass building shall become a prominent structure in the city, because of using high industrialized materials , glass, iron steel and 2 pine trees these are the elements the site however, the pine trees were prevented from existing naturally because they are already implanted with steel and iron--- the last case and the most celebrated one is the case of SM construction project and how many pine trees were deforested? The SM management has also promised to plant more pine trees in order to replace what they have taken.

How many pine trees have given way to so many establishments--- I wish that they can just plant pine trees and abide to what they say--- because at this point Baguio is near to the risks of erosion and landslides--- trees are needed, I just wish that when I’m older, upon returning to Baguio I’ll see more pine trees they are beautifully made to keep the city vividly close to worldwide theme of vacation spot--- and to be able to stand with the title as the summer capital of the Philippines

BerY Rainy Months?

-Rona Dale Ortiz

It’s such a wonderful feeling, hassle free and stranded in the house. It’s been 3 days and the rain still pours vigorously It’s like the first quarter of the year. Baguio is again at the range of 11-14 degrees centigrade--- aside from the fact that ber months are approaching, well what else can I say? Taking a bath, upon waking up is a burden--- No matter how you heighten the hot range for shower nothing happens, after a few moments coldness strikes my outer skin--- well why this season is happening? I don’t even have an answer with the matters of dry spell , and the reason why last quarter ( pertaining to the Ber months) become the trend of rainy season----

The first two quarters this year became the season of the dry spell or the so called El Nino phenomenon, the said phenomenon brought about great damage to the areas of Nortern Luzon such as Isabella and Cagayan Valley. La Trinidad which is also a part of the Cordillera region was affected with the said phenomenon. Crop production was not easy, and the selling point of the vegetables went down; due to low production on farming.

Things went running on my mind, why did the weather pattern changed?
Ber Months became the typhoon months, and the rainy months became the season for dry spell?

Climate change worlwide is caused by the sudden drop of the icebergs, there is already a worldwide threat, whatever happens to the ice regions at the north and south poles , there is an effect to every region world wide. So whatever happens to a certain place, it just shows that thing is always a part of its whole.

For the case of the Philippines, experiencing the dynamic transition of seasons---experts have certainties on giving guidelines about the weather, and the climate that has been taking for long, but then PAGASA; doses their methods in tracking high and low pressure areas that can bring about monsoon rains.

For our forcast--- bring your umbrellas, rain or shine it could help. :)

An Assessement of Baguio's Tourist Destinations

By: Pam Gutierrez and Leslie Tagala

Baguio City’s mix of natural beauty, refreshing climate, and distinctive physical endowments continue to appeal to tourists, whether foreign or domestic.

Art Alahambra, Tourist Information Center Officer said that tourism in the City continues to flourish.

“From what I know, the City Council has various ordinances and resolutions to be able to maintain these tourist destinations,” he said.

He cited an ordinance about making Botanical Garden a tree nursery and also mentioned that he knows of a resolution as well that was espoused by Councilor Perlita Chan-Rondez regarding the landscaping and preservation of Burnham Park.

He added that tourist spots are declared based on three standards. First, it must be well funded, well attended, and there must be many resources.

Last October 3, Wednesday, we had the chance to visit Botanical Garden, Burnham Park, Mines View, and Wright Park. We strolled around to take time off our busy academic lives and at the same time observed how these places are doing in terms of maintaining the beauty of its environment.

After the short visit we paid to these places, we have concluded three things.

First, they are not as colorful as before. Second, its resources have been diminishing, and lastly people are still visiting these places but they are not well attended.

For instance, Burnham Park and Wright Parks’ surroundings have been unpleasant as of late. Meanwhile, in Botanical Garden and Mines View, it seemed like nothing has changed but as observers, we could say that the aura of the places are better before.

We thought, “Is this the so-called flourishing of tourism in Baguio?”

It cannot be denied that Baguio is still one of the prime tourist destinations in the country even though through the years it has suffered problems of urbanization resulting to the degradation of the environment.

Somehow, the City Government of Baguio has been implementing measures to be able to revive these tourist spots.

However, are they effective so far?

Based from an observers’ point of view, efforts need to be doubled and eventually the City’s diverse attractions could be colorful as it was before.

Plastic Bags, Anyone?

By: Ariane Erin Amparo

A feature story originally submitted for my Journ 108 [Environmental Journalism] class.

Bili na suki…… May tawad pa………..Dito na kayo sa mas sariwa. Sales talks like these are commonly overheard in the public market of Baguio City. But what catches the market goers more attention are the child vendors who are oftentimes seen chasing customers to offer the plastic bags of bigger sizes they sell. They do this without thinking of the hazards the market has.

Boy Bawang (as he is fondly called by fellow child vendors because of his addiction for the corn bits brand) has been selling plastic bags for two years now. He laughingly admits that he only used a single line when selling his products, that is “Gumatang ka metten ah maam” (Please buy from me , Maam). When I asked him if he knows about the city ordinance that encourages the use of bayongs in replace of plastic bags in the city more particularly in the public market, he quickly replied, “Adiay laengen garud ti ilakok ah”(Then that’s what I’m going to sell now).

Boy Bawang whose real name is Jessie Pang-ot gladly accepted my invitation to join him while he goes around his kingdom, the public market. Our starting point….his family’s six square meter residence. He and his family are not natives of Baguio City. They came all the way from Lagawe, a place he proudly refers to as “Idiay ak inyanak “(I was born there).

It was in 2005 when his mother and two other siblings went to Baguio City to pay a surprise visit to his father who works for a mining company here since they only get to see the head of the family every other two months. But when they heard that their place (which they illegally occupied) in Lagawe was being demolished by the true owner, that’s when they decided to stay in the city. Life in Lagawe was not that hard according to his mother, Leticia and it only became so hard since their migration. Jessie fondly recalls that in Lagawe, he walks for roughly an hour to get to school and he never complained at all. Their environment gave everything they needed, from food to clothing and shelter.

All these changed since then. At the age of nine, Jessie stopped schooling while his two other siblings aged six and seven continued to go to school. According to Jessie, it was his own decision to stop and help his mom who has gotten sick for almost a year now by selling plastic bags in the market. Not all they need can be provided by the environment not unlike in Lagawe.

Jessie gets up from bed (or from the mat since they don’t have mattress) at six o’clock to prepare his siblings’ things. At seven he sends them to school then goes back home to sleep again. But since I was doing an investigative sort of thing, he willingly stayed up to answer my questions.

After an hour or two chitchatting, Jessie said it’s time to do his business to which I gladly replied, “Ok, Kokey”. “Anya kunam?” (What did you say?), he asked. I realized I forgot that he doesn’t get to watch the newest addiction of kids his age since they don’t have television in their house.

After reaching he and his fellow child vendors’ meeting place who, like Jessie stopped schooling to help in the family, their business automatically started. Jessie’s place was the wet section of the market.They started to chase each other to get more customers. Jessie jumped from one buyer to the other. He poses a big smile when he sees local and foreign tourist because according to him, they sometimes pay extra penny for his plastic bags. But the tourists he saw were unfortunately, not generous enough. He and his fellow child vendors had a common sign language to signal the time to rest. The rest meant running around while playing the game “mahuli taya”. In that whole day, Jessie only managed to eat two pieces of cinnamon bread he bought in Master Hopia and a bottle of water he brought as his baon.

At three o’clock, he stopped selling and decided to go home early because he is also in charge of fetching his siblings from school. I asked him how much he earned from selling, he replied in a joking manner “Adda ka gamin isu nga wan lakok tatta” (You were there so I did not earn that much). Normally, Jessie earns from thirty to fifty pesos a day but on the fateful day, he only earned fifteen pesos to which he referred to as enough to buy a can of sardines.

When we reached their house, he immediately cooked rice and opened the can or sardines which we bought while walking to the school where his other siblings Junie and Jeng studies. They invited me to join in their dinner but I refused. Jessie only made a remark. “Kastoy ti biag min manipud idiay immalis kamin, subra rigat na, han nga kasla diay Lagawe nga haan nga dakkel a banag ti kwarta. Ditoy gamin ket am amin ket gatangenen”. (This was our life since then, it’s so hard not unlike in Lagawe where money is not a big deal. Here in Baguio, it is.) It becomes shocking to me that Jessie at his age talks like an adult already.

I bid Jessie and his family goodbye after a cup of coffee his mother prepared for me. To my surprise, Jessie said “Ok Kokey “as he waved his hands to me.

Truly, the environment has changed a lot. It doesn’t provide us anymore of the things we need because of our own wrong doings; we abused it. It then becomes a survival of the fittest.