This Week in Baguio (July 11 to 17, 2016)

For the week’s weather forecast, 16°C (60.8°F) will be the minimum temperature in the city and 22°C (71.6°F) is pegged to be the maximum, which is the typical temperature in Baguio, although days will be wet due to the rainy season. Most of the week will see cloudy skies on the horizon with an average of 50% chance of thunderstorms and scattered rain showers, especially in the afternoon. Monday and Tuesday will be the sunniest days of the week. Tourists are advised to check weather advisories from DOST_Pagasa Facebook Page before going to Baguio.

Once considered an eyesore, houses dotting the hillside of Barangay Balili in La Trinidad, Benguet has been made into a work of art teeming with vibrant colors. Two hundred houses were painted in bright colors and became part of a giant mural depicting giant flowers and abstract designs. The mural is called the Colors of Stobosa as it spans three sitios composed of 'Sto'nehill, 'Bo'tiwtiw, and 'Sa'djap, thus the name STOBOSA.

The project, which is a collaboration of the Department of Tourism – Cordillera Autonomous Region, the local government of La Trinidad, artists of Tam-Awan Village and the residents of Km. 3 Balili, was unveiled in a ceremony last June 23. It takes inspiration from the “Favelas” in Rio de Janiero, Brazil and aims to rededicate the mountains of the Cordilleras to flowers and trees as well as infuse environmental consciousness among residents and visitors alike. Environment-friendly paints donated by a popular paint brand had been used in the project.

Visitors can ride a jeepney going to La Trinidad and alight at Km. 3 Balili, right before or after the arc boundary between Baguio and La Trinidad. This route traverses the Halsema Highway which is the route to the strawberry fields in La Trinidad, Benguet.

Numerous on-going drainage construction and road repairs in the city cause traffic disruption this week. Main thoroughfares like Abanao Street, which leads to Baguio City Hall, and Harrison Road, which is popular for its Baguio Night Market, have one side of traffic reduced by a lane span due to excavations.

Traffic is also heavier than usual, especially during rush hour, because of the throngs of students joining the daily commuting public. More than half of the city population is comprised by students, thus earning Baguio the moniker “university town.” Eight major universities and colleges, more than a dozen minor higher education institutions, and a host of elementary and high schools are located in the city.

A popular place to have coffee and baked goodies and to keep warm in Baguio is Café by the Ruins Dua. They also serve heavy meals, which are categorized as slow foods in their menu, and sell pasalubong (food to bring home to loved ones) items such as meat products, coffee beans, cookies, jams, spreads, and honey.

On July 12, the Café will host MIRU: A Pinhole Photography Exhibit by Sam David Felix. As the event’s Facebook page states, the exhibit is a collection of photographs exploring the artist’s relationship with nature and the One who created it.