Urban Heritage Walk Teaches Youths History,Care for the Environment
Vol. XVIII No. 7 (Nov. 22-28, 2014)
BAGUIO CITY – Having a healthy walk around the city can teach you a lot about Baguio’s historical heritage sites, and on the importance of caring about the environment.
Around 60 sixty out-of-school-youth and students learned this when they joined the Urban Heritage Walk last Sunday spearheaded by Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club (BCBC) past President Ramon Dacawi, Dhobbie De Guzman of ABS – CBN Northern Luzon and Art Tibaldo of the Cordillera News Agency (CNA).
The Urban Heritage Walk participants first gathered at the mini – forest park beside Baguio Convention Center, there they were given a briefing on how the park was saved from a building construction project, the advocacy to reforest it and what tree species are within the area.
The participants then walked to several Baguio Heritage sites that are within the heart of the city while picking up loose garbage or thrash along the way.
First on their itinerary was Casa Vallejo along Upper Session Road, a declared heritage site that is among the oldest building in Baguio.
At Casa Vallejo, Tam Jewel Tibaldo, an Urban Heritage Walk and Eco-walk supporter, give a on the history of the building and on the importance of the participation of youth like them in knowing the importance of preserving such historical sites. She pointed-out that as the young adults, they will soon carry the task to pass-on Baguio’s rich history and heritage sites to the younger generations.
From Casa Vallejo, the participants proceeded to the Session road Rutonda, wherein Dacawi showed them the eight rock formation art design installed by Igorot Stone Sculptor Gilbert Gano, which represent the eight members of the Philippine Commission who used to hold their summer sessions in Baguio in the early 1900s.
Next was the Philippine Historical Institute installed marker at the Baden Powel Hotel area, where the Philippine Commission held its first session. This is where Baguio’s famous thoroughfare, Session road, got its name.
Walking down Session Road picking trash along the way, they stopped about midway, infront of Sky World where there was once a historical marker. Michelle Bacalla Garcia, another young environmentalist, gave a briefing on the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan which includes keeping away vehicles in most part of Session Road and have the Baguio folk enjoy a walk in the historical road.
The group finished their urban Heritage walk at the Veteran’s Park along Harrison road and was treated with a lunch along Luisa’s Café, a favorite hang-out of media practitioners./JDP/CCD–PIA CAR
