Burnham Park Fence Project Opposed

The Burnham Park Fencing Project was inititated by the group of Baguio Benguet Bishop Carlito Cenzon and businessman Vic Agcaoili. The fencing project was envisioned to make the park safer for visitors and residents. The project started in 2009, with of donations collected by the bishop’s group for the fencing the park. After the project was stalled due to lack of sponsors President Benigno Aquino III released the needed funds through the Department of Public Works and Highways in 2011 to complete the fencing of Burnham Park. Acting Mayor Mauricio Domogan said the Public Works department released P25 million for the fencing of Burnham Park.

At the completion of the fencing project last year, this drew the ire of Councilor Perlita Chan-Rondez who claimed the park should be an open space and free from obstructions.The lady councilor in a council session then added the fencing project was overpriced and not in accordance with the Burnham Park Master Development Plan spearheaded by the University of the Cordilleras.

Now as the project finalizes the gates being put up in front of Rizal Park, social netizens have taken their opposition to the placing of gates at Burnham Park through social networking sites Facebook and Twitter. A group of Baguio residents have stepped up their efforts to protest the placein of gates in Burnham Park to control public entry.

 

Burnham gate in front of Rizal Park

Karlo Marko Altomonte, a playwright and director and a staunch organizer of the biggest environmental rally in the history of the Summer Capital, has taken his cause online by calling on local officials led by Mayor Mauricio Domogan and the City Council to keep the 32.88-hectare Burnham Park green, open, and beyond the commerce of man.

The petition was placed online through the website Change.org and garnered more than 1,400 signatures to date since it was placed in the website last June 6 under the topic:  “Baguio Mayor Domogan: Keep Burnham Park Green, Free from commercialization. According to the petitioners, the park remains as the most accessible and affordable amusement facility for majority of the residents of the city, and placing gates in the park would discourage the public from further enjoying the space.

“The petitioners oppose the planned concreting of portions of the Melvin Jones Football Grounds. Burnham Park is the only remaining green space in the Central Business District of Baguio City and such is essential to the well-being of the community. What Melvin Jones Football Grounds needs is the improvement of the pitch by clearing of it of debris and the maintenance of the grass cover for the enjoyment of both local athletes and families for activities such as picnics, etc. Perhaps the funds allotted for this can be used instead to re-pave the badly dilapidated biking area, the installation of gates for it will serve no practical purpose and will only be a waste of precious public funds. Security concerns may be better addressed with the addition of more security personnel and lighting. The group “opposes both ongoing and further commercialization of Burnham Park, including the proposed privatization of the Athletic Bowl, which must remain beyond the commerce of man for the welfare of the general public. Even the skating rink has for some time now been limited to those who can afford to either rent skates from or pay a rink fee to the concessionaire, which should be free and open to the public.”

Almonte is calling for Filipinos nationwide to sign the online petition and tweeted “Make Baguio one of the APEC cities in 2015. Hmm. Doubt it unless you fix up your city first. KEEP BURNHAM.”

South Koreans, find home in Baguio City Philippines.

Now Baguio sees more foreign nationals than ever before and most of them they come from only one country — South Korea. We first saw them in telenovelas, now we see them in person in our streets. They walk in droves, with their trademark chinky eyes and off-white complexion, speak with their distinct accent, and wear colorful garments. The influx of Korean nationals has caught some attention. Baguio now is host to almost 10,000 Koreans. At first, only teenagers came here to study the English language. Most of them stayed for two months during their vacation from school in Korea. Then they started to study full-time in Baguio universities. Before long the Koreans started coming to Baguio with their whole families. 

Some factors that attracted them are 1)Due to the cool climate that equals the Spring and Autumn seasons in Korea, as well as the terrain being a mountainous region with lots of pine trees.  2) Low cost of living is a particular attraction to Korean retirees. 3)  Aside from students, Korean Christians from Busan and Incheon have come to spread Christianity. 

South Korean fashion and entertainment have also become trendy in Baguio. Korean fashion accessories can now be bought from many establishments including the famous SM Baguio. Some Filipinos are following suite in using Korean products ranging from earrings, beauty products, clothes, shoes, including electronic gadgets. 

Entrepreneurial Koreans have a good chance to do good business as importers of their own products. Those who were granted alien certificates of residence in the Philippines already acquired vast amount of real properties. They have already made their presence felt, establishing exclusive schools for, resorts, restaurants, and hotels for Koreans.

Baguio is like a warm-up exercise for Koreans. They come here before they advance their communication skills in other countries such as Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. In 2009, the leading private agencies in Korea recommended the Philippines, particularly Baguio City, as the ideal destination for a short-term English course. Koreans are here to stay and language schools will continue to grow. Parents put much premium on education. This is why Korean men are known for working long hours to support their family.

Koreans usually get into the following business:

1. Financing. With more cash at their disposal, they can fund projects that will earn them some cash profit. Retirees use their money to set up businesses and to buy property in the Philippines.  

2. Education. They like setting up English Academies. Filipino teachers can be equally fluent and the students are more interested in the actual “two-way verbal communication skills.” It can help students to pass the highly competitive entrance exams for the University of Seoul, that almost guarantees a good job in big companies like Samsung after graduation. Canada is one of the few places where they plan to migrate after their parents retire.

3. Restaurants, Retail Stores and Spas. Though they like to try other foods, they like to eat their own food. Many local groceries import ingredients and food items that are usually spicy. There are at least six Korean restaurants that are doing very well in Baguio. They love their own products and put up their specialty stores for groceries, cosmetics, and health care. They have imported specialized equipment from their own country as though they never left home.

4. KTV Lounges. Norebang is one of the most popular entertainment activity of Koreans. They like to sing and belt it out to their favorite songs. Listening to the booming sound inside these music rooms is really enjoyable.

5. “Homestay.” Some entrepreneurial businessmen rent private homes, and convert them to dormitories for their countrymen.

6. Golf. Koreans have a passion for golf. They like to rent whole golf courses or market golfing vacation packages.

7. Computer-based English learning. They hire language coaches to teach those who cannot come to the Philippines via the Internet and charge the students by the hour.

8. Consultancies for Immigration, TESDA and DTI. These are government agencies that facilitate papers of individuals who wish to stay, study or do business in the country.

So next time, when you visit Baguio City. It is not unusual to meet South Koreans around you. They are friendly people. Who knows one of them could become your friend.