BSU Management Endorses Solidarity Event After Initially Discouraging Students to Participate In It

Public pressure works. Yesterday, the BSU management released a public statement saying that they have "𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥" the scheduled walkout event on November 18. This event which will be participated in by universities in Baguio City (UB, SLU, UC, UPB) plus BSU in La Trinidad is a protest against education budget cuts, a call for higher state subsidies for the educational sector, a call for quality education, a protest against corruption, a call for accountability, etc. 

People voiced out their disagreement with the BSU management's stance. Students, alumni, and even faculty members defended the rights of students to protest. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗮𝗻, the official student publication of BSU, released a statement supporting the rights of students to protest. The 𝗕𝗦𝗨 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 released a similar statement of support. 

Today, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗮𝗻 reported in an update that Kenneth A. Laruan, the president of BSU, has now endorsed and approved of the event. It will be held starting at the frontage of the BSU Library from 12 noon to 1:00 PM on Tuesday. 

Colleges and universities in Baguio City will be doing similar events. Participants from the involved schools will then hold a centralized program at Malcolm Square, Baguio City starting at 5:00 PM. 

This change in tune of the BSU management is a testament to the power of public pressure through the collective voice of the people. If people didn't protest online to voice out their concerns, this change of stance probably wouldn't have happened. 

Public pressure works. It's effective. And what drives public pressure? 𝗔𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿: Protests, both offline and online.

Protesting Is One of the Highest Forms of Critical Thinking

Many are disappointed with the recent statement by the Benguet State University about the scheduled walkout and protest by students of universities in Baguio City and La Trinidad this coming Tuesday (November 18). The BSU administration's statement is a veiled attempt to discourage students from participating in the event.

The university's statement also tells students to exercise "𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙮𝙨𝙞𝙨" about such events.

But here's the thing:

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴. People who protest know what's up. They are aware of the injustices. They've done their research. They are aware of the flaws in the system. And they know something needs to be done. That's critical thinking. That's thoughtful analysis.

The upcoming walkout protest is a call for: 

 1. Increased state subsidy for educational institutions. 

2. An end to the budget cuts for educational institutions. 

3. The upholding of quality and affordable education. 

These are real issues that badly need real solutions. Also, the activities are in observance of International Students Day.

Historical Landmark for the Philippine Commission First Sessions in Baguio

Not many people are aware of it but this historical marker erected beside the parking lot of the Baden Powell Hotel along Gov. Pack Road marks a very important site in Baguio City's history. It was here that the Philippine Commission held its first sessions in Baguio for a couple of months in 1904.

Here's what the historical marker says: 

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, 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 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.

#baguio #baguiohistory

Suklong or Saklong: Traditional Igorot Woven Hat

This traditional woven hat is called a 𝙨𝙪𝙠𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 or 𝙨𝙖𝙠𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜. There are other terms for it depending on where you are in the Cordillera region. 

It's often customized with adornments like feathers, beads, or clam shells. 

#igorotculture #igorottraditions

Dapilan: A Traditional Wooden Machine Used to Extract Juice from Sugarcane

This is called a 𝙙𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙣 in Kankana-ey. It's among those displayed at an art exhibit at the Baguio Convention and Cultural Center. This is not a replica. It's a real 𝙙𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙣 reassembled in the exhibition area. 

The 𝙙𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙣 is used to extract juice from sugarcane. Its main components are the two wooden cylinders that squeeze juice and the large pole attached to the cyclinders as a turning mechanism. A carabao or a cow is hitched to the pole. The beast walks around in circles thus turning the cylinders. 

A person pushes sugarcane stalks between the cylinders. The squeezed raw juice is collected and cooked in a 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝘆𝗮𝘀𝗶 to produce a variety of products like muscovado sugar.

For many areas in the Cordillera region, harvesting sugarcane and extracting juice from them at the 𝙙𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙣 is a community event.

Sunrise in Mt. Tabayoc, Ballay, Kabayan, Benguet

A beautiful sunrise over a sea of clouds as seen from the summit of Mt. Tabayoc in Ballay, Kabayan, Benguet. Standing at 2,842 meters or 9,324 feet, Mt. Tabayoc is the second highest mountain in Luzon and the sixth highest in the country. 

Mt. Tabayoc is listed as an inactive volcano by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

There are two routes to the summit of Mt. Tabayoc. You can either climb from the side of Tinoc, Ifugao or from the side of Kabayan, Benguet. Most hikers climb from the Kabayan side. 

#mttabayoc #kabayanbenguet

Contemporary Art Exhibit in Baguio City

A contemporary art exhibit has opened at the basement of the Baguio Convention and Cultural Center. Curated by Clinton Aniversario, the exhibit features Cordilleran artists working in various medium. So painters, sculptors, weavers, photographers, and experimental artists are well-represented in this exhibit. 

The exhibit is called 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝘂𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀. It's among the events lined up for the ongoing 𝗜𝗯𝗮𝗴𝗶𝘄: 𝗕𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹. The art exhibit will run until November 31. No entrance fee.

#Ibagiw2025 #CreativeBaguio #TraditionsRootedFuturesRouted #BaguioCreativeFestival #IbagiwFestival