Research

THE HISTORY OF BAGUIO CITY

SUBMITTED BY: GROUP 3

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Introduction
Baguio City, often known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines".
It is an urbanized, scenic, and culturally rich city in the northern
province of Benguet on the island of Luzon. Baguio, is located in the
Cordillera mountain range at an elevation of around 1,540 meters above
sea level. It is also known for its moderate environment (with
temperatures ranging from 15°C (59°F) to 23°C (73°F) throughout the
year), pine-covered hills, and bright sceneries, making it an ideal
tourist destination. Baguio City is established by the Americans in the
early 1900s as a hill station. The city has grown into a vibrant
city recognized for its diverse culture, educational institutions, and
tourist sites such as Burnham Park, Mines View Park, and the annual
Panagbenga Flower Festival.

History

The area now known as Baguio City was first called Kafagway and
occupied by the Kankaney and Ibaloi tribes of the Cordilleras. The name
of the city is derived from the word "bagiw" in Ibaloi, the indigenous
language of the Benguet Region meaning "moss."

Spanish Occupation

During their occupation of the Philippines, the Spanish colonizers

conducted a series of expeditions, led by Juan Salcedo in 1572 and Don Q.
M. Quirante in 1694 to the cool mountains of Benguet. A series of failed
attempts to conquer the natives were made until foothold was finally
gained by Commandante de Galvey in 1846, when he was able to establish
a commandancia or military garrison in a beautiful stretch of fertile
flat land. This he named after his wife, and is now known as La Trinidad.
Galvey went on to establish the province of Benguet with 31 'rancherias'
(camps or rural settlements). The area known as Kafagway was then a small
rancheria composed of about 20 houses. La Trinidad remains the capital of
Benguet province to this date. The 'presidentia' (civil government) was
first established in the Guisad Valley area. It was later moved to the
present site of the Baguio City Hall. One of the notable contributions of
the Spanish era was the introduction of coffee, of the arabica variety,
which is still grown in this area and known as Benguet coffee.
American Occupation

When the Americans arrived in Baguio, after Spain ceded the entire
Philippine islands to the United States of America for $20,000.00, they
found the pine-covered hills and the cool heights ideal for retreats from
the sweltering heat of the lowlands. In what was termed a "supreme feat
of engineering" they carved Kennon Road from the mountains surrounding
the Bued River Canyon, connecting Kafagway to the Pangasinan and Ilocos
lowlands. Early in 1900’s the Americans established their government with
H. Phelps Whitmarsh as the first civil governor appointed for the first
provincial government established in the Philippine Islands, Benguet. At
that time, the Philippines was still under the U.S. Military Government.

Baguio was then the capital of Benguet, and the American's best
administrators and teachers were fervent boosters and promoters:
Worcester, Wright, Forbes, Pack, Barrows, Eckman and others who together
with Filipinos committed to make the place a virtual heaven on earth. It
was set up as both a mining town and a recreational facility. The
mountains surrounding Kennon were mined with camps erected from the base
to the plateau that Baguio sits on. In 1903, Camp John Hay was developed
for the rest and recreation of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Baguio City was designed by premier American architect and urban

planner Daniel H. Burnham, who also master-planned Chicago's One
Magnificent Mile and Manila's Roxas Boulevard. American missionaries came
and "Christianized" the natives and English became the lingua franca.

PHILIPPINE COMMISSION'S FIRST SESSION IN BAGUIO

This is the site of the building where the Philippine Commission held its
first Session in Baguio from April 22 to June 11, 1904, inclusive,
initiating use of Baguio as the Philippines' Summer Capital. The
Commission was composed of Governor-General Luke E. Wright, President,
and Commissioners Henry C. Ide, Dean C. Worcester, T. H. Pardo de Tavera,
Benito Legarda, Jose R. de Luzuriaga, James F. Smith, and W. Cameron
Forbes. In this Session, 74 Acts and 273 Resolutions were approved. 1940"
Japanese Occupation

After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor the war in the Pacific broke out
and the Philippines, being the only colony of the United States, became a prime
target. The Japanese bombed Baguio on December 8, 1941 and occupied it on
December 27 of the same year, setting up their headquarters at Camp John Hay.
However, the war eventually changed course and on September 3, 1945, General
Yamashita formally surrendered to the Americans at the US Ambassador's residence
in Camp John Hay, after which, Baguio immediately set to the task of
rehabilitation.

Philippine Independence

When the Philippines was granted independence in 1946, Baguio City resumed its
role as the Summer Capital of the Philippines, with Camp John Hay being retained
by the Americans under the RP-US Bases Agreement.

During summers, the whole of the Philippine Government conducted its business in
the City of Pines, a tradition that is continued today only by the Philippine
Supreme Court. This partly accounts for the ownership of a lot of beautiful
vacation homes by the country's oldest families in areas like Leonard Wood Road,
Park Drive and South Drive. Most of the prime property in Baguio City is owned by
the national government: Cabinet Hill, Engineer's Hill, Supreme Court Compound,
Court of Appeals Compund, Comelec Compound.

Baguio was the Philippines' top tourist destination from 1946 until July 16,
1990, when a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit the city, after which it rebuilt
quickly and all traces of the devastation removed.

Camp John Hay was turned over to the Philippine Government on July 1, 1991
simultaneously with the turnover of all U.S. Bases in the Philippines, and was,
in turn, awarded to a private developer in 1997 on a long-term lease contract.

Today, the city is the seat of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR),
composed of the provinces of Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Apayao and Mountain
Province, and kept the monicker "Summer Capital of the Philippines."
Law that created Baguio City

The law that established Baguio as a chartered city is Act No. 1963,
also known as the "Charter of the City of Baguio", enacted on September
1, 1909, by the Philippine Commission during the American colonial
period. With The Mansion as the residence of the American governor-
general during the summer to escape Manila's heat. The Philippine
Commission held its session in Baguio City, in the area on top of what is
now known as Session Road.

 Purpose: The act provided the legal framework for the organization
and administration of Baguio as a chartered city, making it distinct
from other municipalities in the Philippines.

 Governance: The law outlined the structure of the city's local

government, including the appointment of city officials such as the
mayor, city councilors, and other key positions.

 Special Features: Due to its status as a hill station and "Summer

Capital," Baguio City had special provisions under this charter,
such as exemptions from certain taxes and customs duties, to
encourage its development as a health resort and administrative
center.

Act No. 1963 laid the foundation for Baguio’s growth and development as a
premier city in the Cordillera region and established its unique identity
in Philippine history.