A long story from Baguio

It’s that time that my darleng Mary Ann and I have been looking forward to over the past three years. We’re asked to be judges in the annual Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Weekend, now in its third year, organized by the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio (HRAB). We just can’t resist the lure of the cool mountain air, good food and fine company.

Held this year at the Baguio Country Club (BCC), the competition has grown from its infancy by leaps and bound in scope and stature, with more than 50 schools and establishments competing in the student and professional divisions coming from the Ilocos and Cordillera provinces, Pangasinan, Quirino, Metro Manila, Pampanga, and as far as Iligan City and Cagayan de Oro City in Mindanao.

Seminars were also conducted on varied subjects like personality development, food safety and handling, flower arrangement, float making, human resources, etc. The HRAB has now close to 300 members and is still growing.

This year’s impressive highlight was the parade and display that featured "Baguio’s Original and Longest Longanisa." The event met all expectations with a dance number by 700 HRM students.