Taking a respite in the mountains during the holidays was the perfect choice for longtime family friends who brought along their children and grandchildren to Baguio to welcome the new year. This Baguio New Year’s countdown tradition probably started a generation or two ago.
With the city filled to the brim, one of the best places to be in was the 111-year-old Baguio Country Club that was originally built by then Governor General William Cameron Forbes. It started with a simple grass-roofed shack in the middle of a pasture with a three-hole golf course for American soldiers, executives, and tourists. The 1905 “Americans only” club was finally opened to us Filipinos after World War ll ended and General Yamashita formally surrendered in Baguio City.
Now a premier destination, the club stands out with two championship golf courses, a heated swimming pool, rooms with outstanding views and a newly constructed convention center that can accommodate over 2,000 persons as it awaits the Miss Universe 2017 candidates as its first guests.
Even the newly arrived US Ambassador Kim Sung and his daughters decided to take a short break to enjoy Baguio’s cool air. Dropping by the club on New Year’s Eve to have a private dinner with a small group of members, everyone agreed that this prosecutor-turned-diplomat of Asian origin was the perfect choice to refresh Phil-American ties.
As we awaited the 2017 countdown, two dear friends shared their love of this city:
Conchitina Sevilla Bernardo: “As a child, I would spend three months in Baguio for summer and all vacations during the year. I got married here (50 years ago). When I had a family, I did the same thing: spent Christmas, Holy Week, and holidays in Baguio. My son got married in Baguio, too. Now, my grandchildren are repeating the tradition. My home among the pines is a treasure of happy memories!”
Malou Gopengco Rodriguez: “I love going to Baguio due to the cold weather — lots of pine trees surrounding our mountainview house that has the same view as my grandfather’s (Don Gonzalo Puyat) home where I grew up. I enjoyed my teen years with friends and my husband Oscar. Now, it’s a place to enjoy with our grownup children and their families as we relive our childhood through them. The peace and quiet of our Baguio home makes it an ideal place for praying, reading, communing with nature and God.”
* * *
For comments and ideas, please email: jacinto.fa@gmail.com.