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 Unpublished.

gold

porcelain, jar, salt, blanket

cattle grazing

Fig. 1. Beginnings of Baguio, pre-1900.

(Illustrated by R. Boquiren based on data from Bagamaspad and Pawid, 1985, on map with current references)

Chuyo

Califuguay

Imavodong Orengao

Pidaoan

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

Country Club and Camp John Hay (Ifugao and Aplay workers)

Government services, urban enterprises, education, commerce (lowland settlers and foreigners )

Kennon Rd. and Mountain Trail - construction labor

Logging and Itogon mining (Kankanay from

northern Benguet and Pangasinan; foreigners)

2. Beyond 1900s to 1940s

3. Post WWII, 1970s, post 1990 earthquake and today + finance center, tourism and health

center in the north

Evolution of the Baguio Plan, By Parsons, 1909; 1912; 1928.

PRELIMINARY PLAN OF BAGUIO, PROVINCE OF BENGUET, P.1. By D.H. Burnham and Pierce Anderson. Chicago. Illinois, June 27. 1905

From Bag-iw to

Baguio

Fig. 1. SITE OF EARLY SETTLEMENTS IN BAGUIO BEFORE 1909. Source : RRBoquiren 073017 with Google map as base map.

Tuba

K

e

n

n

o

n

R

d

Aspiras-Palispis Highway

Sablan

La Trinidad

Tublay

Baguio Cathedral

Burnham Park

Bakakeng

Loakan

Irisan

Camdas

Camp 7

Leonila Hill

Lion’s head

Itogon

Fort Del Pilar

Camp John Hay

The Mansion Mine’s View Deck

Early settlements

Site Cited in earlier works Surfaced through the

current project

Descendant families/

settlers from lowlands

Loakan Baroy Kalias, Tofeng, Damon,

Batil, Bay-osan, Savong,

Shashoy, Dangeg, Shadin,

Boncog

Carantes, Makay, Tagley

(Tagdi), Binay-an and more

Bakakeng Kudnil, Bangsi-il

(Crystal Cave area)

Pacalso, Palispis, Buyoc,

Taktak, Calsi, Parisas,

Batil, Pucay, Joaquin

Smith, Mariano, Pistula

Binay-an, Kiswa, Baday,

Kitma, Bangsi-il, Demot,

Guanso, Smith, Kiang and

more

Irisan Bilag, Smith, Ngimol

and Campolot

(in Benin section)

Na’ngis, Sepic, Bavay,

Pilay, Biray, Soley,

Amistad

Pucay, Tacay, Ingosan,

Gabol, Apsi, Shalisis,

Awisan and more

Camp 7 Barot Binay-an,

Tongkok Palispis,

Amistad

Binay-an, Amistad, Pocdo Cariño, Carantes, Parisa,

Chinese and lowlander-

settlers

Old Lucban/

Camdas

Piraso, Camdas, Piraso, Camdas,

Dangiapo

Camdas, Carantes,

Pinaoan, Chinese- and

lowland settlers

Leonila Hill Shepday Eladios/ Reyes, Navarro,

Javier, Viloria, Quinto

Table 1. Families in revisited history of Baguio’s early settlements.

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 before and moreso after the earthquake . . .

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

SOME EFFECTS DISPOSSESSION TRANSFERS CONSOLIDATION

* Directly involving the domain of customary law, viz., the indigenous communities ** Directly involving the domain of state law, viz., the Philippine government

Fig.1. Baguio’s Urban Land Problem (Basis, Structure and Effects).

URBAN TRENDS

WEAKENING ETHNIC

SOLIDARITY

WEAK INSTITUTIONAL

CONTROL

COMPETING

LAND USES

COMPETING LAND CLAIMS

DECREASE IN LAND SUPPLY

Source: R. R. Boquiren, The Nature of the Land Problem in

Baguio City.

Formal land sector

State (Public lands)

Private land (A&D)

Fig. 2. Competing land claims, Baguio City.

Informal land sector

Actual occupants

AL claimants

TSA claimants

Lowland settlers

Issues beyond migration status and land rights . . .

Source: R. R. Boquiren, The Nature of the Land

Problem in Baguio City.