Baguio

Baguio is a highly urbanized city located in the Cordillera Administrative Region of the Philippines.

It sits within the province of Benguet, though it is administered independently as a chartered city. Because of its high elevation, Baguio is famous throughout the country. It sits approximately 1,500 meters above mean sea level. This high altitude creates a cool climate compared to the hot lowlands. For this reason, it is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines."

The city is a vital center for business, commerce, and education in northern Luzon.

The environment in Baguio is shaped by its position in the Luzon tropical pine forests ecoregion. The cool and wet weather supports specific types of plant life. You will find many mossy plants, orchids, and pine trees growing here. These trees have earned the city the nickname "City of Pines."

The city is also a major population center. As of 2025, the estimated population is about 407,000 residents. This number grows by about 1.75% each year. The wider Baguio Metropolitan Area holds about 451,844 people.

Long before the modern city existed, the area was a vast mountain zone. It was filled with lush highland forests and diverse wildlife. This included indigenous deer, cloud rats, and Philippine eagles. The Ibaloi people lived there in a village called Kafagway. The name "Baguio" actually comes from the Ibaloi word "bagiw," which means moss.

This connection to moss is still seen in the local name for the city's annual arts festival. Indigenous groups like the Ibalois and other Igorots also inhabited these mountains.

In 1900, the United States began establishing Baguio as a hill station. A hill station is a place in the mountains used to escape heat. It was the only hill station the United States had in all of Asia. American zoologist Dean Conant Worcester led an expedition to find a cool location. In 1903, workers built Kennon Road to connect the mountains to the lowlands.

This was the first road to connect Baguio directly to La Union and Pangasinan. Other landmarks like Camp John Hay were also established during this American period.

The modern layout of the city was shaped by famous planners. Architect Daniel Burnham designed the city following the "City Beautiful" movement. This movement focuses on creating grand and organized urban spaces.

He helped plan the mountain retreat that became a chartered city in 1909. Other notable structures include The Mansion, which served as the official summer residence for the American Governor-General. This house was designed by William E. Parsons based on Burnham's preliminary plans.

Baguio faced significant challenges during World War II. In December 1941, Japanese bombers attacked Camp John Hay.

Later, the city was reduced to rubble by heavy bombing from the United States Fifth Air Force. In 1945, joint American and Filipino forces liberated the city. The Japanese forces formally surrendered at Camp John Hay in September 1945. After the war, the city recovered quickly and became a major destination for tourism.

The city also experienced periods of social and political change. During the 1970s, the Philippines was under the Martial Law administration of Ferdinand Marcos. This was a time of economic difficulty and social unrest.

Some local facilities, like the Baguio City jail and Camp Henry T. Allen, were used as detention centers. Political activists and journalists were sometimes held there. However, the city remained a central part of the nation's political landscape through the 1986 People Power Revolution.