G-STRING (Baguio Midland Courier published on Jan. 11, 2015) GABY B. KEITH Double-bladed sword The humongous volume of tourists who trekked to this tiny corner in the boondocks during the Yuletide Holidays only confirms the status of Baguio as the “one and only” Summer Capital of this beautiful archipelago of delicious coconuts, smiling carabaos and blushing strawberries. Contributing to this surge of visitors is the dip in temperature, the near completion of the TPLEX (Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway) cutting travel time from Manila to Baguio and even the popularity of a telenovela being shot in the locality. This near-sighted Ibaloy writer surmises that an improving economy, the extra-long vacation and bonuses received also conspired in encouraging more people to spend their Christmas and New Year Weekends in the City of Pines. Seeing the situation thru a positive lens or rose-colored glasses, this is a good thing since more tourists mean more income for the local economy and more jobs created. In a less optimistic view, the deluge of visitors also meant monstrous traffic jams, a “carmageddon” if you will, mounds of garbage and other problems. Baguio’s status as a popular tourist destination can be described as a “double-bladed sword” with a good and not so good side. The trick is enhancing the positives and erasing or decreasing the negatives. In line with this, we support Mayor Mauricio Domogan’s call for the conduct of a traffic summit with representatives from various sectors aimed at formulating solutions to the city’s traffic situation especially during weekends and peak tourist seasons. We also hope that the BLISTT (Baguio, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay) project aimed at decongesting the city, among others, would finally come into fruition in the very near future. Let’s all continue to do our part for a better, brighter, cleaner, greener and more peaceful Baguio. FYI: The number of international tourists grew by five percent worldwide during the first ten months of last year and will hit a new record by the end of 2014 with over 1.1 billion tourists travelling the world in a single year according to the latest United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) World Tourism Barometer. In a news article, it was revealed that by region, the strongest growth was registered in the Americas (plus 8 percent), followed by Asia and the Pacific (plus 5 percent) and Europe (plus 4 percent). By subregion, North America (plus 9 percent) and South Asia (plus 8 percent) were on top, followed by Southern and Mediterranean Europe, North-East Asia and Northern Europe (all plus 7 percent). “This is encouraging, not in the least because tourism is one of the sectors that is best able to deliver on employment at a moment when job creation is a priority,” UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai, was quoted as saying. The happiest of birthdays to the greatest mother in the world, Dr. Emma Baban Keith, who turned a year lovelier today. Mama is a retired professor of Benguet State University and founder of its ethno-linguistic museum, a writer and even a singer during her younger years. When not bothered by health problems, she is active in church work and even joins a prison ministry where she preaches about the Word of God. We love you, Mama! High-fives to the staff of the Baguio City National High School medical-dental clinic who are all Baguio Midland Courier readers. Special thanks to Dr. Jocelyn de Jesus. Cheers! A Magandang Baguio! welcome to visitors of this former Ibaloy pastureland. Let us continue to keep Bag-iw clean and green, strictly observe its anti-littering, smoking, smoke belching and anti-graffiti campaigns and other rules and regulations. Baguio is our home. Baguio is in the heart. We’re on TV, Fridays, 10 a.m., over Skycable Channel 12 for Usapang turismo and regularly do reports on local radio stations. Visit the tourism and special events division, Baguio Convention Center or call 442-1007 for assistance or information. Here’s “The Room” by Jun De La Rosa: “In your room/ there are only a few hours/ to memorize a face./ It lives by the day,/ takes no care as to what/ happened days ago/ what will happen years later./ The sheets with all the stains/ all imprints of curves/ the feel of fallen hair/ are changed every day --/ there is no space to look back on./ Anyone who enters here/ becomes something soft/ gathered to your side at bedtime./ They close their eyes/ to contain thoughts of you,/ lock you inside them --/ someone whose body is formed/ with a hundred flitting wings.” (from “Crowns and Oranges” Works by Young Philippine Poets edited by Cirilo F. Bautista and Ken Ishikawa) Until next week and may our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continue to bless and keep us all safe.
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 10:02:28 +0000