History of Baguio
how it became a city of migrants
Rowena R. Boquiren, Ph.D.
City Travel, Baguio City, 8 August 2018
Objectives
• Explain how “Baguio” with its early settlements
evolved as a city with peculiar migration trends
- high in-migration (settlers from other
Cordillera and north-western Luzon
provinces, and foreigners since early 1900s)
- continuing in-migration; with out-migration of
locals (since 1930s “peace time” years )
- circulating migration (since 1970s)
• Surface insights to be considered in addressing
land rights issues
Background as Resource Person
• Resident for 40 years (1978) with earlier
years as constant tourist (a decade + earlier)
• Historian
• Researches and publications
• Community extension / volunteered actions
• Baguio-Dagupan Urban Planning Project
team member (BLIST Plan)
• Heritage conservationist (natural and
cultural)
R. R. Boquiren, with the Ancestral Domain Research
Network. 2008. The Nature of the Land Problem
in Baguio City.
BAGUIO ANCESTRAL LAND CASES
LEGAL SITUATIONER ON TOWNSITE SALES APPLICATION
REVIEW OF POLICIES AFFECTING THE USE AND DISPOSITION
OF LANDS IN THE CITY OF BAGUIO
A STUDY ON INSTITUTIONAL LANDS
WHAT THE NUMBERS SAY AND THE HISTORY TEXTS REVEAL
ENCLAVES OF THE RICH AND VACANT SITES
ANCESTRAL LAND CLAIMS IN URBAN POOR COMMUNITIES /
URBAN POOR SQUATTING ISSUES
R. R. Boquiren, Lead editor with L. Maranan and N.
Bennette. Researched and written by Local Research
Teams. 2017. Early Settlements of Baguio : Retrieving a
People’s Heritage. With support of the National Commission for
Culture and the Arts. Unpublished.
Fig. 1. Beginnings of Baguio, pre-1900.
porcelain,
jar, salt,
blanket
Imavodong gold
Califuguay Orengao
cattle grazing
Pidaoan
Chuyo
(Illustrated by R. Boquiren based on data from
Bagamaspad and Pawid, 1985, on map with current references)
From the slow-paced Ibaloy baknang grazing area (population of 489 in 1903),
the place soon became a busy district with some 8,000 permanent residents
by 1927, and grew thrice to 24,117 by 1933 (NCSO 1975), achieving the 1904
target population of 25,000 people. By 1960 actual population was twice the
ideal size; as of 2007 (population at 301,926, excluding the student
population estimated at minimum 100,000), the increase had reached more
than twelve times the 25,000 planned level (Fig. 2).
Patterns in the growth of Baguio
ethnic base and state control
use, allocation and management
of land
1. growth and changes in
population composition
- trends in mobility
- impact on land use and
ownership
2. changes in the character of the
urban center and bearing
on land supply
Historical trends
1. Land use and ownership
before the 1900s
“OPEN ACCESS”
USUFRUCT
PRIMACY OF ‘NATIVE TITLE”
BEFORE COLONIAL CONTROL
Ibaloy and Kalanguya in southern Benguet
Bontoc, a few Chinese and Japanese in-migrants
2. Beyond 1900s to 1940s
Kennon Rd. and Mountain Trail
- construction labor
Country Club and Camp John Hay
(Ifugao and Aplay workers)
Logging and Itogon mining (Kankanay from
northern Benguet and Pangasinan; foreigners)
Government services, urban enterprises,
education, commerce
(lowland settlers and foreigners )
3. Post WWII, 1970s, post 1990
earthquake and today
+ finance center, tourism and health
center in the north
From Bag-iw to
Baguio
PRELIMINARY PLAN OF BAGUIO,
PROVINCE OF BENGUET, P.1.
By D.H. Burnham and Pierce Anderson.
Chicago. Illinois, June 27. 1905
Evolution of the Baguio Plan, By
Parsons, 1909; 1912; 1928.
Early settlements Tublay
La Trinidad
Sablan
The Mansion Mine’s View
Deck
Baguio
Cathedral
Burnham
Park
Loakan Camp John Hay
Bakakeng Aspiras-
Irisan Palispis
Highway K
Camdas e
Itogon
Camp 7 n
n
Leonila Hill o
n
Tuba Lion’s head R
d Fort Del Pilar
Fig. 1. SITE OF EARLY SETTLEMENTS IN BAGUIO BEFORE 1909.
Source : RRBoquiren 073017 with Google map as base map.
Table 1. Families in revisited history of Baguio’s early settlements.
Site Cited in earlier works Surfaced through the Descendant families/
current project settlers from lowlands
Loakan Baroy Kalias, Tofeng, Damon, Carantes, Makay, Tagley
Batil, Bay-osan, Savong, (Tagdi), Binay-an and more
Shashoy, Dangeg, Shadin,
Boncog
Bakakeng Kudnil, Bangsi-il Pacalso, Palispis, Buyoc, Binay-an, Kiswa, Baday,
(Crystal Cave area) Taktak, Calsi, Parisas, Kitma, Bangsi-il, Demot,
Batil, Pucay, Joaquin Guanso, Smith, Kiang and
Smith, Mariano, Pistula more
Irisan Bilag, Smith, Ngimol Na’ngis, Sepic, Bavay, Pucay, Tacay, Ingosan,
and Campolot Pilay, Biray, Soley, Gabol, Apsi, Shalisis,
(in Benin section) Amistad Awisan and more
Camp 7 Barot Binay-an, Binay-an, Amistad, Pocdo Cariño, Carantes, Parisa,
Tongkok Palispis, Chinese and lowlander-
Amistad settlers
Old Lucban/ Piraso, Camdas, Piraso, Camdas, Camdas, Carantes,
Camdas Dangiapo Pinaoan, Chinese- and
lowland settlers
Leonila Hill Shepday Eladios/ Reyes, Navarro,
Javier, Viloria, Quinto
STORY of LOAKAN
Beaulah Pistola Cayetano and Edouard Pistola Cayetano with Nora Bendaen,
Jackson Chiday, Helen P. Esnara, Vicky Macay, Rebecca Mataba, Marilyn Palispis
and Kathleen T. Okubo
Loakan as resettlement area for baptized
Igorots ( the 1755 report of Fray Pedro de
Vivar where Loakan was first cited, next
in 1833 report of Fray Jose Torres of
Mangaldan, Pangasinan who went to La
Trinidad passing
Tofeng (whose son Kalias is said to be
the founder of Loakan) and Damon;
Batil, Savong, Shashoy; Dangeg,
Shadin and Boncog (children of Saguid
and Sa’bot) as earliest remembered
residents.
Barrio of Tuba, then of Baguio
Torrens titling 1904; titling of agri. lands
Camp John Hay 1903, Mansion
Military reservation 1907 expansion
Government expropriation (air strip) 1926
Mining 1930s, in-migrants from northern
Benguet, Mt. Province, Ilocos,
Pangasinan; PMA 1948, TI, BCEPZ, NFA
• Maridit - Ugnayon, Shuntogan, Bayeng, Chacchacan (descendants of Damon)
• Pidawan - (within PEZA area) Teckel, Catao, Viscaya (descendants of Damon)
• Pidawan - (on the south side) Chacchacan
• Crown - Ticuan (descendant of Bayeng – Damon)
• Coral - Keschel who married Maguna (relative of Kalias), Dingan and Bayeng (descendants of Damon and Batil),
• Tali’ti - Pingkisan (adopted father of Maingpis), Cosil, Pilanta (descendants of Damon)
• Suyoc - Tagle (descendants of Kalias)
• Cudirao- Chacchacan (descendant of Batil)
• Bubon - Mil-an/Agmaliw (descendants of Damon and Batil)
• Sadjo extending to Bisil – Bilad, Pilanta, Shaun, Bugan (descendants of Kalias)
• Mangkha/Arupong – Bunga, Besky, Tangkhud Palispis, Bawas, Cumdad a.k.a. Ekh’ig (descendants of Batil and
Damon)
• Badiwan - (now Dagsian, used to be part of Loakan) Binay-an, Palispis (descendants of Damon)
• Pongian - Chacchacan, Oradja, Dengan, Camid, Pilay (descendants of Batil)
• Ongasan - Tangkhud Palispis, Pilay, Bayeng, Duencia (descendants of Damon)
• Salat - Chacchacan (descendants of Batil)
• Cangisi - Chacchacan (descendants of Batil)
• Buken - a communal ricefield became a property titled after Bugan (daughter of Kalias)
• Ma’aebat - (now Purok Magsaysay, end part claimed by Carantes) Cuidan, Tagley (descendants of Kalias and
Batil)
• Mabiyeow - (communal lagoon or pidawan) now part of Loakan-Apugan
• Ulat- Shala’oy - communal farm now called Atok Trail Barangay
• Jage’si - Viscaya (descendants of Damon)
• Ngalngal - creek from Badiwan to Bued River – Bilad-Carantes (descendants of Carantes), Shodang
(descendants of Damon)
• Mohiat - (Kadaclan Village now) -descendants of Ignayon and Ekig (Damon)
• Uc-uhan- (Springhills) - descendants of Damon
• Arupong - Aguyus Puus (adopted by Kalias)
BAKAKENG : STORY OF ITS PAST AND TOMORROW’S CHALLENGES
By Gina Binay-an Kiswa and Rose Camilo Calatan (†)
Chuyo (Baguio-Tuba) Green Valley area, Camp 7, Bakakeng Norte,
Shalshal and Tiking (now in Bakakeng Central), Bengao and Balacbac
In the mode of
development and
process of migration, the
concept of land as a gift
held in stewardship for
future generations has
essentially disappeared,
if not totally gone.
Public Land Act 1903
Atab Catholic School
SLU-SVP Housing
Project, 1971
Settlers from lowlands
and other Cordillera
provinces
Business investors 1990s
Some of the early settler families
• Pacalso and Kintana (whose descendants are the Mat-an, Bartolome and
Demot families)
• Palispis/Palos and Ahudaw (whose descendants are the Binay-an and Kiswa
at what is now the Bakakeng Proper; also Baday at Lower Shalshal and
Kelvan families)
• Buyoc and Payat (whose descendants are the Parisas families in Bakakeng
Proper)
• Calsi and Shamja (whose descendants are the Balong and Damsis families)
• Batil and Bitnay (whose descendants are the Mariano and Bangsi-il
families)
• Taktak and Shahunsay (whose descendants are the Kitma and Bangsi-il
families at Upper Shalshal)
• Basawan and Suyep (whose descendants are the Palos, Chapis and Camilo
families)
• Pucay at Upper Shalshal and eventually transferred to the Abanao area and
later moved to Guisad
• Cados, Caltan/Pistula, Demot, Cuanso and Kawili families in Bengao
• Guanso/Kwanso ( at Lower Shalshal)
• Madiano/Mariano owned the areas around Shal-shal ( Chaparal and the
current Justice Village along Marcos highway). Joaquin Smith/Esmek, who
was originally from Atok and married one of Cariño’s daughters, Kenya.
They settled in Balacbac and Chuyo (Green Valley) that were wide
pasturelands.
FROM RURAL CENTER ISHISHAN TO URBAN IRISAN
Herminia P. Gaydowen, Ligaya Awakan, Rizalin F. Retuya, Marites Fagayan, Teresita
Aping-Luna and Balbina Apilas Ernesto
A rancheria before 1900s, under township
called Twin Peaks, then as Tuba in 1911,
became part of Baguio in 1930
Na’ngis and Incolon as first settlers,
late 1800s
Pilay, Biray and Soley in a grazing
place and for uma (swidden farm).
Subli in Shotshot (now San Carlos
Shalishis and Sabtan in Amistad
Kinshey
1920 settlers include Putong from Bugias
and married a woman in Baguio, Tolero
from Kapangan and lived in Asin and
Tolingan, Menecio and Esperanza.
At present, the lineage of some of the old
residents is traced to their relatives in La
Trinidad, Tuba, Sablan and from other
barangays in Baguio like Loakan, Camp 7,
Camdas and Bakakeng.
CAMDAS
Mylene Baniwas Babsa-ay and Rowena R. Boquiren
Camdas and Lucban are both recognized as common references to the
settlement area that had beginnings at the turn of the century from the
1890s to the early 1900s.
The settlement core got its name from the original owner of the widest part of the land,
an Ibaloy named Dampuyas Camdas, but an even earlier name of the larger settlement
was Old Lucban in 1920s
The start of the settlement was
associated with Piraso and wife
Davinget as earliest ancestors to
whom the Camdas family was
related, as well as Filomena Agabog,
from the earliest generation of the
Dangiapo family (from Besao)that
resided in Bagyu.
Samuel Lee (Chinese)
Ibaloy, Kankanay, Chinese
intermarriages 1920s-1930s
Expansion of multi-ethnic area
1950s
CAMP 7 BARANGAY
By Mike Esteban, Paddy Fingleton and Steve Hamada(†)
Pre-1900s, no Camp 7 yet, with “3 original fmilies”
Amistad at Ningning (the sound of murmuring pine needles)
Pocdo in Naibiliw
Binay-an at Pias (water)
Followed by Sioco and Jose Carino (1928)
Parisa and Juan Carantes (1932)
The labor pool that worked on
Kennon Road included the Chinese
and Japanese who married into the
local ladies; eventually had
properties in Camp 7.
Growth of professional services
New settlers since 1950s
Real estate development since 1980s
PANIKPUTAN - LEONILA : HILL ALONG A HILL
By Eden T. Ang
Place names have respective
contexts in time, space and
society.
Panikputan, Aurora Hill (Bo.
Obrero before in 1938) then
Leonila Hill (since 1950s) and
Bayan Park (1990s) West are place
names of the earliest settlement
northeast of Baguio and adjacent
to the next town.
Shepday and Camuray
His parents transferred to La Trinidad
sometime in 1822
Barrio Obrero, 1938
Sunrise Subdivision 1950s
Aurora Hill 1957
Cordillera Administrative Region > Benguet > Baguio
Cordillera Administrative Region > Benguet > Baguio
Forest , Park, watershed
Vision in 1990 : 60%
Actual
1990 : 30% (est.)
2012 : 10.32%
Forest Cover
1988 : 43.14
1998 : 26.45
2009 : 15.84
(Estoque & Muruyama)
Seriously reduced forests in Baguio over the years
LEGAL SYSTEM CUSTOMARY LAW* STATE LAW**
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BASIS prior, vested right “Regalian doctrine”
(native title)
HISTORICAL Pre-1900s to present Late 19th c. to present
PERIOD
AREAS OF LAND CLASSIFICATION I DISPOSITION,
CONFLICT ACCESS, USE, OWNERSHIP,
COMPLICATING
FACTORS
URBAN TRENDS
WEAKENING COMPETING WEAK
ETHNIC LAND USES INSTITUTIONAL
SOLIDARITY CONTROL
DECREASE IN COMPETING
LAND SUPPLY LAND CLAIMS
Source:
R. R. Boquiren,
The Nature of
SOME EFFECTS DISPOSSESSION TRANSFERS CONSOLIDATION the Land
* Directly involving the domain of customary law, viz., the indigenous communities Problem in
** Directly involving the domain of state law, viz., the Philippine government Baguio City.
Fig.1. Baguio’s Urban Land Problem (Basis, Structure and Effects).
Issues beyond migration status and land rights . . .
Formal land sector
State (Public lands)
Private land (A&D)
Informal land sector
Actual occupants
AL claimants
TSA claimants
Lowland settlers
Fig. 2. Competing land claims, Baguio City.
Source:
R. R. Boquiren, The Nature of the Land
Problem in Baguio City.
