Children in Baguio & Sagada

Baguio may not be a bustling metropolitan city but it is a relatively busy city with its own standards of living and attractions. In the Philippines, a large majority of its population live in poverty. This is not an exception in Baguio as well. One of the things that stand out is the number of street vendors selling their goods by the roadside. Even more noticeable is the crowd of children asking for money in the streets or some selling goods with their parents.

It is not unusual for parents to bring their children along while they wait patiently by the roadside for someone to buy their items. Many children are seen loitering around the whole day, with nothing to do but to help their parents to gain more business. Some of the parents, mainly women, would be cradling a baby in one hand and guarding the stall while their children wander off to get people to buy their things. A couple of children who were selling plastic bags in the market approached me to buy their bags.


Another common sight would be of the children asking for money with their arms outstretched. They have nothing to sell but sometimes they would exchange your money for services. Personally, I come across some that would sing Christmas carols to you or others that offer to carry your bags or groceries for a donation from you.

Similarly, when we arrived in Sagada, we were also greeted with sights of children on the streets. The only thing different here is that the children are playing among themselves, creating their own activities and basically acting like how children should be. This was unlike in Baguio where the children sometimes take over the mother’s role of selling the goods while she takes care of her baby.

The children here enjoy gathering, just talking or playing. One of the activities that caught my eye is a game of baseball played by an all-girls team. They were all relatively young, probably in their pre-teens. There were not enough members to form a proper team and not even the lack of equipment could deter them from playing. Armed with bats and a pine cone as the ball, they cleverly altered the rules of the game to suit their numbers.

Here, the children seemed much happier and contented although the life is harsh and simple. They have the freedom to follow their parents around or to mingle with the other children. Unlike in Baguio, most of those who take to the streets do not even have that choice in the first place. Probably this is the difference between living in a cold and relatively fast paced city and a quieter, more community based village. Nevertheless, the children from these both places have their own charms and uniqueness.

By Pooi Yarn

Contact Zones

I have always dreamt of having friends from foreign lands. I have always thought that having some would be both exciting and challenging primarily because of several self-imposed requisites, one of which is learning their language. Extra effort must be exerted in acquiring sufficient knowledge on a language you were not born to learn. But if you are eager enough to establish a good rapport with them, regardless of their cultural origin, language will not really be a barrier. Not only can the mouth do the talking anyway.

When Maya compelled me to write my own story about the whole experience of being a student guide of Malaysian collegians from Monash University, I started remembering a lesson from an undergraduate writing class. The lecture was actually about intercultural communication and the art of interacting with people from different cultures. My head was beginning to ache when I finally remembered the term I was thinking about- contact zones. According to the author of the article (which I totally forgot) [Ed: I searched through the amazing internet and found the author to be Mary Louise Pratt], contact zones are specific spots where two or more cultures meet. They may refer to material places or edifices, or to immaterial aspects such as state of mind, emotion, point of view, etc.

While on my way home from Ayuyang bar where we bade our final goodbyes, everything that the group had gone through flashed clearly in my mind. From the moment we all met up to the time when we danced madly at the Oblation Plaza. I came to realize how fruitful the entire experience was. It all started with the "balut." Almost everybody tried it and enjoyed it. Then, there were the slow and shaky jeepney rides. We all indulged in Filipino food of all sorts. We traveled on bus along the rough roads of Mountain Province. We explored the exotic beauty of the Sumaging Cave (where Max lost his glasses). We walked through the narrow and muddy footpaths along the rice paddies (where Alia almost fell). We discovered the night adventures at "Gagamba" (which Aron and Maxine enjoyed the most). Maureen and I tried the Bollywood experience. And everybody did their craziest moves at the UP Baguio's Christmas Program. The very moment the Filipinos and the Malaysians met was also the meeting of two distinct cultures. The balut, the jeepney, the Filipino dishes, the rough roads, the scenic spots, the muddy paths, the adventures and the dance moves were only a few of the contact zones where each found an arena to express his/her unique way of living.

Soon after being a guide of our colleagues from Monash University in Malaysia, one of my biggest dreams in life came true. I now have pals from foreign lands. Yes, I found the experience very exciting and challenging at the same time although there were moments when I felt indolent to speak in their tongues since English is not my first language. But more than words, my smiles, laughter, gestures, nods and expressions of affection did the talking. We might have been segregated by geographical distance, language and modes of life, but we are unified and binded by one special thing- friendship.

Cheers to the start of good relations, which all began in the contact zones.

By Rommel

Sang Sarap Food!!

Culture can be experienced through a country’s culinary offerings and when travelling through Baguio and Sagada, that was what we did. Eat our way through! Balut was one of the more exotic and weird food that we tried. A half formed duck embryo still in the egg, it turned out to be quite a surprise as it was delicious!

For those who love the yolk, this is the dish for you as it is rich and bursting with the taste of chicken broth and a strong yolky taste. One has to first peel of a small section of egg shell then suck the juicy liquid and finally attack the foetus. Yum!


Lovers of fried goodies should try the “one-day old chicks” sold by roadside vendors. These chicks are marinated and deep fried into a golden crunchy goodness and its taste and texture is equivalent to deep fried burung puyuh (pigeon). There are a variety of sauces to dip your bird into, ranging from sweet and salty, to sour and spicy. Besides that, there are also fish balls, chicken balls, pig’s innards and cuttlefish to choose from.

Mc Jolly Bee is a stall that sells delicious barbequed meat ranging from a variety of fish, chicken, and pork. The meats are excellently marinated and tender, leaving one yearning for more. This stall is situated near the wet market and the hawkers nearby sell top notch burgers that taste a lot better than most fast food chains. One can choose from a variety of fillings such as ham, sausages, eggs, homemade burger patty and this is all topped off with a sauce that taste like thousand island dressing, and fresh veggies. The buns are extremely soft and fluffy and are different from the buns found in Malaysia.

When the night is cold and one has growling tummy but on a shoestring budget, head to the roadside vendor crowded with youths digging-out from Styrofoam bowls. These bowls contain yellow noodles swimming in minced pork soup and for 10 pesos only, the soup is bottomless! One can refill until contented. You can chose to add seasonings like chilli, fish sauce, vinegar etc. The perfect anecdote for a cold night in Baguio and not to mention the youths, especially the extremely friendly boys!

Other snacks available from vendors are sticky gooey rice cakes, caramelised bananas, lumpia, and prawn fritters. Fresh but extremely sour mangoes are also sold by the roadside but try this only if you are into extremely sour food. Japanese pancakes are also sold here but unlike in Malaysia which uses chocolate, red beans or peanut butter as fillings, here, it is filled with cheese. Pork crackle or chicharon is also a favourite snack amongst Filipinos and this crunchy, high cholesterol goody can be eaten spiced with vinegar for more ‘kick’.

How can one come to the Philippines and not be bombarded by Jollibee adverts inviting you to savour its westernised local delights? I have to say the food here is good and should not be dismissed as just another fast food chain. The cheese fries are definitely catered to cheese lovers like me, and there is this bee-hoon dish that is covered in brown sweetish gravy garnished with an egg, cucumbers and fritters. Taste vaguely like rojak. Its delicious fried chicken is either served with fries, rice and gravy, or spaghetti. Wonton soup is also available here.

Another local fast food chain here, Chow King is also very popular, every time I pass by, there is always a long queue. The food here consists of “Chinese food” and local delicacies such as deep fried bangus with rice and veggies. Halo-halo is also served here which is a something like our ice-kacang except that it is richer with the addition of jackfruits, ube and mango ice-cream, bread and butter pudding, and various other goodies. This dessert is hard to miss as it is very colourful and attractive looking.

Goldilocks is a local bakery that sells a range of cakes, cookies and snacks and it is a heaven for those with a sweet tooth. The goodies are wrapped individually and are perfect for those who want to bring it back to their home country.

When in Sagada, do not leave without trying the yoghurt at Yoghurt House which is freshly made and served with fruits and a drizzle of honey. Unlike Baguio, the food in Sagada is generously garnished with fresh crisp vegetables, albeit being a tad pricier due to its mountainous location.

My appetite is definitely bigger than my stomach and due to time constraints I did not manage to try as many local delicacies as I had wanted to such as dog meat. Hopefully my next trip to the Philippines will reveal new culinary adventures!!

By Erica

Baguio Public Market: The Heart of Baguio

A wise Monash student once said that in order to truly understand the city you visit as a tourist, you have to visit the local market. Baguio’s Public Market truly embodies the local experience. Situated at the end of Session Road, the Baguio Public Market is the heart and pulse of this university cum tourist city. The market is the newer establishment of the previous market place which was burnt down in the 60s.

If Session Road draws the largest crowd of students, tourists and local folk, then the market is where all of them throng to get everything under the sun. Mornings at the Baguio Public market is a sight to behold. The Baguio Public Market ‘experience’, as I like to refer it as, comes in two parts. The first part is the actual market itself which sell local fruits, vegetables and best of all, local delicacies and popular food items like week-old chicks (tiny chicks strung up on sticks like our Malaysian satay), grilled fish and different types of glutinous rice.


Although the Baguio Market is in many ways similar to Malaysia’s dying legacy of old markets, it proved to be truly fun coming across things that you couldn’t find anywhere in Malaysia. One example are the fresh strawberries laid out as common as mangoes back home. Another is the wide array of gorgeous potted flowers. Truly, both are the little-spoken benefits of being in a temperate climate.

However, the gem of the market has to be from the basement of the Maharlika shopping complex, which is connected to the public market. This second part of the market is undeniably a tourists’ paradise. One of the highlights in Maharlika’s basement are the numerous stalls selling woodcarvings that dot the floor. Although popular woodcarvings are statues of the traveler (no guesses why, for tourists!) and the Ifugao community’ Rice God (to represent a good harvest), one of the main items displayed are the dozens of Catholic-inspired statues and ornaments, a reflection of the Catholic stronghold here.


Nestor Celi Mamarli, who owns one of the woodcarving shops (where I purchased my Bolo) explains that his business, which he has taken over from his father, Pedro, has been in existence for over 50 years. The woodcarvings from his shop like many others, are from Asin, Ifugao, Banaue and even Manila. Albert, his assistant, explains that suppliers from these various places go to those places every three to five months to sell their products. From small ornamental wooden pipes to huge wall displays, the wooden products are mainly made from acacia, ebony or mahogany. Needless to say, I was rather impressed to discover that the Rice God statue I bought was made from mahogany wood!

No market anywhere in the world would be complete without ‘freaky’ souvenir knick-knacks. In the Baguio Public Market, the prize for the most unusual tourist souvenir would hands-down, go to the key chains and purses made from original frog skin. A ‘manang’* who sold a fearsome-looking one told me that the frog skins are made from bullfrogs and supplied from Pangasinan.


If the promise of frog skins and lovely woodcarvings are not enough to draw you to Baguio’s public market when you stop by, you don’t know what you are missing. It is a place that marries the rich local culture from all parts of the Philippines with practical tourist consumer culture. If anything, you will learn to haggle and do it well because the communicating with the locals is all part of the unforgettable ‘Baguio Market Experience’.

*manang: polite Illocano term to address older women. In Tagalog, 'ate' is commonly used for the same reason. (Thanks Maya!)

By Maxine

Day 6: Drama in Sagada

Since arriving in the Philippines, the days have really passed us by. After a day of caving and hiking yesterday, the whole gang (or most of us!) have been suffering from muscle ache due to the intensive workout we had trawling all over Sagada. There was nothing hilarious about the painful condition we were in but it was just so funny each time someone goes down a flight of stairs, followed by moans of “owws” and “oohs”. I myself am guilty of that, going down the steps while tightly hanging on to the railing for support. Honestly, I could not decide which was worse; going up exhausted or coming down and feeling the pain.

Later, the first drama of the day began. When visiting the Sagada National High School, despite the less well-off conditions of the place, they still find it in their hearts to extend their hospitability and kindness to us. The gesture of serving us with biscuits and drinks touched all of us. Mindy was so welled up in emotions that her tears just flowed out. It was then that everyone decided to chip in and presented them with a token of our sincerity.

The second drama began shortly after we returned to our cottages. Max and Maxine were caught dancing Bollywood style in the garden outside. Zeck appeared and both were engaged in a “very violent” and fast paced fist fight while Maxine could only watch helplessly at the side. Later, even Dr. Yeoh got involved and was doing his part in “beating” Max up. Sounds fun? Remember to catch the latest production from Aron, with his film Kadhal Sagada :)

After completing the short film in record breaking time, we all gathered again in Aron’s cottage, this time to play werewolves and vampires. No, it does not involve any painful transformation or physical biting. Instead, it was a suspenseful and strategic game of forming alliances and winning. Very survival material minus the physical challenges and mental exhaustion. The whole game was full of drama, right from the part where many were led on to suspect the other and concealing one’s true identity to me having been “killed off” yet again before the end of the third round of each game.

Phew! What a day! Tears, violence, love, betrayal and suspense all rolled into one. This journey so far has indeed been a rollercoaster of emotions. Not bad, I actually feel a little more grown up and independent :) By the way, kudos to Feeza for her hawk-like observations and excellent reasoning! ;)

By Pooi Yarn

A Social Guide to UP Baguio.

UP Baguio is a noticeably fun university. Despite being not as financially and technologically endowed as Monash University, it is bursting with life. Maybe there are those amongst us Malaysian students who are considering doing their Masters in UP Baguio.

Based on my observations at UP Baguio and through the comments of our gracious and perceptive student guides, I have prepared a guide for anyone who wants to fit in at UP Baguio. This guide is simple to use. Just select your preferred group and follow the steps to ensure full integration into its bevy.

There are the groups known as the Legally Blondes. These are the beautiful girls of the university who hang out together. There are also the sportsmen who can be spotted being surgically attached to their UP Baguio jackets. (Ed: this group sounds like the jocks and cheerleaders we see on American TV shows.) If you are not blessed with beauty or sporting talent you may want to join a political group.

Joining a political group will make you part of the activist clique. One of the benefits of selecting this group is that it is kind on your pocket. If you are male, you can save money on haircuts and shaving cream as members of the activists tend to have long, messy hair and beards. Keeping dread locks may also ensure quicker initiation. The preferred form of foot wear is slippers so be sure to stock up on these. Your hang-out area is known as the Kiosk Plaza. There are 3 main political groups that you can choose from: Cadua, ACS and United UP.

For the women who are not too keen on shaving, the women’s advocate groups are probably a good option. Some of the feminist groups are: Men in Purple and Gabriella.

If you are up for it, you may want to think of joining a fraternity or a sorority. The frat brothers and sorority sisters tell me that there is absolutely no discrimination practiced while recruiting members. As long as you are willing to go through the secret initiation rites, you may become a member. There are three stages you must go through: the presentation stage, the baptismal stage and the final stage.

You may also choose to be part of an academic organization. There are 6 of these to choose from. These groups hold activities to promote their respective disciplines. These disciplines include History, Literature, Languages and etc.

There are also the dance groups that you may become a member of. Try to wear bright, sporty looking clothing. Owning a portable CD player may also make you a very popular member of the group as dance practices on campus grounds are very necessary. Having the ability to dance could also be an added benefit. If dance is not your thing, there are singing groups such as the Tinig and the Amianan.

If all fails and you find yourself desperately left out and lost, there is always room at the bottom of the social ladder – the Anime HQ. By being part of the anime group, you can watch anime films and talk about anime till Naruto comes home. In order to fit in you should ideally equip yourself with some Japanese style clothing.

By Grace

The Lighting of the Twig of Education

The Sagada National High School is located amidst the high mountains of Northern Luzon Island with an amazing backdrop of lush greenery that is almost foreign to urban schools. (Ed: It’s located on a mountain that was ‘hacked’ away to make space for the school and it’s extra high location has it overlooking the town of Sagada, very cool concept I dare say) It was established back in 1996, hence it is considered to be the youngest high school among the other 5 schools in Sagada.

As the school mainly caters to the local indigenous people and is located at approximately 400km from Manila, one would expect the school to be in need of amenities and its students lacking the sophistication of their city counterparts. In contrast, an average of 2–3 students from the Sagada National High School gains entrance to local universities.

Their curriculum consists of English, Tagalog studies, Math, Science, Technology and Livelihood education, Social Studies, Physical Education and Values (Ed: part of which Father Jerry Bolinget the local priest tells us to be Respect, Responsibility, Identity and Service. Four very main values that is taught as a curriculum to students!). There is an array of activities to help stimulate the student’s mental and physical abilities such as a sport and science club, and a basketball team in which the members are part of the waste management team.
Students have won numerous trophies from maths and writing contest and sports. This is due to the dedication of the teachers such as Sir Joseph Kaligton and Cherr Umaming who even though restrained in terms of resources, try their best to instill as much knowledge as possible to the children of Sagada.


The main form of transportation for the students is by foot and the longest distance that a student has to walk is 30 minutes. This indeed sounds like a feat to us spoilt city kids! In the advent of a typhoon, students will be warned via radio announcements, text messages and through the yelling of neighbours.

High school here is different from Malaysia. The school buzzer buzzes every hour, unlike ours which is only at intervals of 40 minutes. They have 7 hours of classes each day which is almost the same as us. Most students bring their home cooked food to school during break or go home for lunch if they live nearby while you will see the Malaysian students pushing their way through the queue to purchase their meals from the canteen.

As Sagada is an agricultural province, the students are also involved in farming. Therefore, during harvesting season some students will be absent from classes to help their parents in the farm and a written letter is needed from the parents to affirm that. According to Sir Joseph, there are times when students who stop their schooling to farm would not return to school indefinitely but the number has slowly dropped as students become more aware of the importance of education.


Sexual education has also recently been introduced to the students but this has lead to some minor conflicts with some parents as the Igorots are a conservative people. The Catholic Church has also strongly opposed sexual education by boycotting the arrival of text books meant for the school and the reason given is that sexual education promotes the use of birth control.

The dedication and devotion that the teachers have for their students is admirable and is a far cry from our local teachers. The teachers are sincerely concern with the welfare of their students while ours are just teaching us for the sake of getting paid.

In Sagada National High School, it is where we see the stories about teachers who change the lives of students, coming true. As quoted in their website, the Sagada National High School is committed to:

E: Equip the students with necessary skills to prepare them for competitive life
A: Advocate the development of core values
G: Guide students to discover the relevant talents and skills for maximum productivity
L: Link the community with programs geared towards the preservation and development of indigenous cultures
E: Enhance the individual’s creativity and critical thinking through academic excellence.

The teachers in Sagada National High School truly offer a personal touch in the education of the future generations of Sagada to ensure a bright future for the region and its people.


By Erica & Jojo