Monday, January 14, 2008

Remembering Baguio

I went to Baguio over the weekend on a business trip as part of an organization I belong to. I first went to Baguio when I was still working for a multinational, which was more than 4 years ago from now.

The first time I went there I was all excited, and in my excitement I forgot to bring my jacket. The chill of the winds were like needle pins striking at my skin. Since then, I've never forgotten to bring a jacket (hehe), and of course, always remember Baguio as a quaint vacation place.

Before I ventured for that first trip years ago, my parents would tell me stories of the zigzagging road leading up to the place in the mountains. My mother even told me to take some anti-dizzying meds because of the winding roads. Well, that is farther than fact.

Maybe the roads during their time weren't as paved as they are today.

Baguio is 250 kms from Manila. I once asked a rent-a-car company for the reference point of "Manila", and they told me it was the Rizal Monument at the Roxas Boulevard. Based from the same reference for the Rizal Monument, it is stated there that it is Kilometer 0, i.e. the reference point for all distances measured in the archipelago.

However, I am a bit distraught because this reference, states that the city of Baguio is 330 kilometers from Manila. The official website of Baguio states that it is just 250 kms. A difference of 80 kilometers? In any case, I am not here to discuss distances.

When I think of the commerce, life and potential of Baguio, I can't help but compare it to Hong Kong. My primary argument is that both are cities built upon once barren rocks. I'll make a series of entries cornering that and what the relevance is, at least to me, on why and probably how, change in Baguio will likely spread to the way we do (small) business in the country.

After all business IS a form of investment. See you again!

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