G-STRING GABY B. KEITH (Baguio Midland Courier published Sept. 28, 2014) Baguio’s diversity Since its inception as a Chartered City a little more than 105 years ago, Baguio has literally and figuratively transformed by leaps and bounds and is now a melting pot of various local and international cultures united in its diversity. To give importance to their contributions to our society, we celebrate Fil-American, Fil-Japanese, Fil-Chinese and other Fil-Whatever Days in this nation of delicious coconuts, smiling carabaos and blushing strawberries. Here in Baguio, we will soon be having a Korean Day slated on October 11 by virtue of a city council measure that seeks to recognize the Korean community’s contributions to the city. In fact, the Korean staple Kimchi has become a favorite dish of many local residents and Korea-novelas and K-Pop are all the rage nowadays. Maybe in the future, we can also have a Pangasinense Day, Ilocano Day, Tagalog Day, Bisaya Day, Bicolano Day, Batangueño Day, Kapampangan Day, Kankana-ey Day, or whatever other days. The more, the merrier and everybody is happy. By the way, the city has also been celebrating Ibaloy Day every February 23 these past few years now at the Ibaloy Heritage Garden at Burnhan Park. It’s nice to be reminded once in a while especially for those who still do not know or who simply refuse to see or accept the fact that Baguio’s original residents were, are and will always be the Ibaloys. When it comes to cultural diversity, it’s more fun and cooler in Baguio! FYI: Seeing the black and white photographs and memorabilia has been a moving experience for many who have already been to the award-winning WWII Travelling Exhibit of the Philippine Veterans Bank at the Baguio Convention Center that is open free to the public until October 7 this year. Dubbed, “War of Our Fathers”, this near-sighted Ibaloy writer couldn’t help but feel teary-eyed since it brought back memories of my late grandfather, Brig. Gen. Pedro Baban of PMA Class 1940 and the country’s first Igorot General, who fought valiantly during WWII as part of the mighty 66th Infantry that liberated Baguio. Even my late father, Atty. Gabriel Pawid Keith, who was a young boy then, carried ammunition for the Filipino and American forces to earn a little money and help feed his family since his father, my grandfather James Keith, was not in good health. They, and many others like them, truly belong to the greatest generation. The exhibit is in cooperation with the local governments of Benguet and Baguio and is part of the city’s 105th Charter Anniversary celebration. Good News: There were zero casualties in the Cordillera region during the rampage of typhoons Luis and Mario according to the Office of Civil Defense-Cordillera Administrative Region (OCD-CAR) headed by Dir. Andrew Alex Uy. He attributed this wonderful development to the cooperation between concerned agencies and various provincial and municipal disaster risk reduction and management councils. The OCD-CAR has been providing regular updates, precautions and preemptive actions to local government units, PDRRMCs and MDRRMCs and the media. May this “bayanihan spirit” of cooperation and helping one another continue on and never falter. Kudos to the National Library of the Philippines that recently opened a Chinese corner at the Baguio City Library located just across Burnham Park Children’s playground. The project is in cooperation with the city government and the Baguio Filipino Chinese Community and aims to foster the exchange of publications and reference materials between libraries and other institutions of China and the Philippines. Opened on weekdays from 8 am to 5 pm, let us make it a habit to visit the city library regularly. High fives to my colleagues at the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas Baguio-Benguet chapter who recently planted more than 200 pine tree seedlings at the Emerald Mountain, Kias Barangay and to Philippine Information Agency regional office personnel headed by Dir. Helen Tibaldo, who planted 100 callandra saplings within the PIA grounds. Let us practice what we preach when it comes to protecting and caring for the environment. A Magandang Baguio! welcome to all 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 give reports on local radio stations when needed. Visit the tourism and special events division, Baguio Convention Center or call 442-1007 for assistance or information. Here’s “A Pity – We Were Such A Good Invention” by the Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai: “They amputated/ Your thighs off my hips./ As far as I’m concerned/ They are all surgeons. All of them./ They dismantled us/ Each from the other./ As far as I’m concerned/ They are all engineers. All of them./ A pity. We were such a good/ And loving invention./ An aeroplane made from a man and wife./ Wings and everything./ We hovered a little above the earth./ We even flew a little.” Until next week and may our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continue to bless and keep us all safe.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 01:05:05 +0000
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