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Graduates and students down Baguio’s memory lane
It will soon be graduation time. It is not easy to predict the future for graduates. That is especially true in these troubled times. If it can be a precedent, let us looking back, however, at the example of the graduates and students half a century ago.
In 1951, about a couple of hundred students graduated from the Baguio Colleges (it is now called the University of the Cordilleras). Compared to the hundreds that Baguio law schools now produce annually. There were only six law graduates then. Among them were: Onofre Alabanza, Federico Cabato, Guillermo de Guzman, and Tomas Macaranas. Federico Cabato was the president of the Baguio Colleges Barrister’s Club. He became a judge, inspiring two of his children to follow suit decades later. Tomas Macaranas would also join the judiciary. “Memoy” De Guzman became a leading law practitioner. Onofre Alabanza would be the Register of Deeds. Law students in 1951 were: Alfredo Lamen, Pedro Claravall, Guillermo Bandonil Sr., Luis Hora, Vicente Crisologo, Ben Rillera, Carlos Bareng, Romeo Florendo, Protacio Tangalin, Federico Mandapat, Filomeno Biscocho, and Paulino Orden, among others. Francisco “Ping” Paraan graduated that year with a Business Administration degree. He was the senior class president and the editor-in-chief of the Baguio Collegian. He would later become one of the best mayors the city has had.Among the Associate in Arts graduates were: Emilio Fallarme, Primitivo “Steve” Jularbal, and Teopisto Rondez. Fallarme was a member of the student council, Steve Jularbal was president of the Glee Club, and Teops Rondez was the Corps Commander of the ROTC. All three would later become practicing lawyers.Graduating with Education courses were: Damaso Bangaoet and Bartolome Lamug. Both would be among the much beloved educators Baguio produced. The student council was headed by Fred Lamen, with Florence Clapp as his vice president. Fred, like his classmate Luis Hora, would represent the Mountain Province in Congress. Among the members of the student council were: Geronimo “Gerry” Evangelista, Jose “Joe” Florendo, Gaudencio “G-bert” Floresca, and Benjamin Rillera. All would become permanent fixtures of Baguio media in later years. And why not? Their adviser at the Baguio Collegian was the one and only Cecile Afable; while that of the Gold Ore was Sinai Hamada. The ladies men (ehem), Ping Paraan and Teops Rondez, will tell you that the campus beauties of their time were Emma Pangilinan and Elizabeth Saxton who were Corps sponsors, and Virginia Rudquist, Ping’s classmate. Students of law were guided by faculty members that included: Gene de Guia (mayor & vice mayor of Baguio), Sixto Domondon (city fiscal and later Court of Appeals Justice), Felix Claustro (would become Law Dean of St. Louis University), Luis Lardizabal (who would become city mayor), Francisco Reyes and R. Resurreccion (Baguio’s leading law practitioners), Sinai Hamada (first Ibaloi lawyer and prizewinning journalist) and my late father Pablo Sanidad (who would become congressman of Ilocos Sur). Other colleges would have the likes of Leonora San Agustin, Libertad Quetulio, Dativa Roque, Dr. Ernesto Abellera, Aurea Lopez, Luz Yandoc, Fr. A. Van Oberbeke (who would later be Rector of SLU) and many others.
Those were the days when the hangouts on Session Road were the Star Café (it is now on the wrong side of the street), and the now gone Dainty, Session Café, and SkyView; and the long forgotten Utopia, La Casita, Paquitas, Rendezvous Café, and Hole-in-the-Wall.
Shopping was at Assandas, Bheromulls, Bombay, Pohumuls, Valirams, Tiong-San, and even Bob’s Dry Goods. Souvenirs and postcards were at the Old Stone Market, Munsayac’s, Mondiguings’s, or Contemprate’s. Sporting goods were at Youngsters of Dr. Cheng, or the Fil-Indian. Shoes you could get ready-made at Gregg’s, made to order at JoeMac, and repaired at Benguet Shoe. School supplies were at Cid or Pang-Hoi. Haircut at Koken’s. The ladies had their hair done at the shop of Nana Nonay, the mom of Justice Ayson.
Long before the Panagbenga, the Baguio flower was everlasting. Aside from brooms, tourists would buy garlands of everlasting to prove they came to Baguio. Foodstuffs were at the City Bakery, U-Need, D&S Fine Foods, Baguio Superette or Sunshine. Medicine you got at the Botica Cabrera of Doc Abellera. Plaza Radio sold 78’ and 45’ music records.
Tailors were Limpin’s, Lambino’s, Bronx, Narverg’s, and Espina’s. Graduation pictures were taken by Espinosa, Pines, La Suerte, or Mountain Studios. You could eat at Mido, Rice Bowl, Plaza Lunch, Manila Café, Taimong, or at the Bontoc Café. Students dated at the Pines, Session, Plaza theaters, and occasionally at the John Hay Base theater. Only the brave would go a-courting at Maryknoll, Holy Family, or St. Theresa’s. The rich “bad boys” were at the Baguio Military Institute. The foreigners were at Brent. Differences among high school students were settled with fisticuffs at Mount Mary.
There were no extrajudicial executions or enforced disappearances. Thieves in government did not run away with millions or billions. Soldiers and policemen were honorable and generally trusted.Camp John Hay was under the Americans. Those with gate passes could eat American ice cream at 19th Tee. Baguio locals developed a taste for “stateside” drinks at Half Way House and Main Club. Of course, the standup liquor stores at Abanao offered a cheaper alternative. Aside from Pines Hotel, the Casa Vallejo was still considered fashionable. The rich went to the Baguio Country Club. Local tourists preferred Patria or the Baden Powell Hall. The only home shop was Pineda Furniture, across the street from Ong King, where you got car parts. VW Beetles began to appear on Baguio roads. There were no planter’s boxes in the middle of Session Road. Buses were Dangwa or BAL (Benguet Auto Line). “Garage” cars brought you to the railroad station in Damortis.
Sundays were spent boating, biking or riding for-hire Vespa or Lambretta scooters at Burnham Park. GROs were called “hostesses.” They were at the Homestead, TipTop, Vista, and Tropical.Students bet against each other in bowling games at the Olympian and Strike & Spare Lanes. Comic books were for hire at Dicang’s or Zarate’s. Crystal Cave was cleaner. The more adventurous went to Mummy Cave, and outings were at the Asin Hot Springs. Baguio was then a small, cozy, friendly, and homey place. Everybody knew almost everyone else. It was “easy” for determined graduates to make a mark. The graduates of today find an over-crowded Baguio that seem much larger, less friendly, less disciplined, and more complicated. That perhaps is where the challenge is.
Graduates and students down Baguio’s memory lane
It will soon be graduation time. It is not easy to predict the future for graduates. That is especially true in these troubled times. If it can be a precedent, let us looking back, however, at the example of the graduates and students half a century ago.
In 1951, about a couple of hundred students graduated from the Baguio Colleges (it is now called the University of the Cordilleras). Compared to the hundreds that Baguio law schools now produce annually. There were only six law graduates then. Among them were: Onofre Alabanza, Federico Cabato, Guillermo de Guzman, and Tomas Macaranas. Federico Cabato was the president of the Baguio Colleges Barrister’s Club. He became a judge, inspiring two of his children to follow suit decades later. Tomas Macaranas would also join the judiciary. “Memoy” De Guzman became a leading law practitioner. Onofre Alabanza would be the Register of Deeds. Law students in 1951 were: Alfredo Lamen, Pedro Claravall, Guillermo Bandonil Sr., Luis Hora, Vicente Crisologo, Ben Rillera, Carlos Bareng, Romeo Florendo, Protacio Tangalin, Federico Mandapat, Filomeno Biscocho, and Paulino Orden, among others. Francisco “Ping” Paraan graduated that year with a Business Administration degree. He was the senior class president and the editor-in-chief of the Baguio Collegian. He would later become one of the best mayors the city has had.Among the Associate in Arts graduates were: Emilio Fallarme, Primitivo “Steve” Jularbal, and Teopisto Rondez. Fallarme was a member of the student council, Steve Jularbal was president of the Glee Club, and Teops Rondez was the Corps Commander of the ROTC. All three would later become practicing lawyers.Graduating with Education courses were: Damaso Bangaoet and Bartolome Lamug. Both would be among the much beloved educators Baguio produced. The student council was headed by Fred Lamen, with Florence Clapp as his vice president. Fred, like his classmate Luis Hora, would represent the Mountain Province in Congress. Among the members of the student council were: Geronimo “Gerry” Evangelista, Jose “Joe” Florendo, Gaudencio “G-bert” Floresca, and Benjamin Rillera. All would become permanent fixtures of Baguio media in later years. And why not? Their adviser at the Baguio Collegian was the one and only Cecile Afable; while that of the Gold Ore was Sinai Hamada. The ladies men (ehem), Ping Paraan and Teops Rondez, will tell you that the campus beauties of their time were Emma Pangilinan and Elizabeth Saxton who were Corps sponsors, and Virginia Rudquist, Ping’s classmate. Students of law were guided by faculty members that included: Gene de Guia (mayor & vice mayor of Baguio), Sixto Domondon (city fiscal and later Court of Appeals Justice), Felix Claustro (would become Law Dean of St. Louis University), Luis Lardizabal (who would become city mayor), Francisco Reyes and R. Resurreccion (Baguio’s leading law practitioners), Sinai Hamada (first Ibaloi lawyer and prizewinning journalist) and my late father Pablo Sanidad (who would become congressman of Ilocos Sur). Other colleges would have the likes of Leonora San Agustin, Libertad Quetulio, Dativa Roque, Dr. Ernesto Abellera, Aurea Lopez, Luz Yandoc, Fr. A. Van Oberbeke (who would later be Rector of SLU) and many others.
Those were the days when the hangouts on Session Road were the Star Café (it is now on the wrong side of the street), and the now gone Dainty, Session Café, and SkyView; and the long forgotten Utopia, La Casita, Paquitas, Rendezvous Café, and Hole-in-the-Wall.
Shopping was at Assandas, Bheromulls, Bombay, Pohumuls, Valirams, Tiong-San, and even Bob’s Dry Goods. Souvenirs and postcards were at the Old Stone Market, Munsayac’s, Mondiguings’s, or Contemprate’s. Sporting goods were at Youngsters of Dr. Cheng, or the Fil-Indian. Shoes you could get ready-made at Gregg’s, made to order at JoeMac, and repaired at Benguet Shoe. School supplies were at Cid or Pang-Hoi. Haircut at Koken’s. The ladies had their hair done at the shop of Nana Nonay, the mom of Justice Ayson.
Long before the Panagbenga, the Baguio flower was everlasting. Aside from brooms, tourists would buy garlands of everlasting to prove they came to Baguio. Foodstuffs were at the City Bakery, U-Need, D&S Fine Foods, Baguio Superette or Sunshine. Medicine you got at the Botica Cabrera of Doc Abellera. Plaza Radio sold 78’ and 45’ music records.
Tailors were Limpin’s, Lambino’s, Bronx, Narverg’s, and Espina’s. Graduation pictures were taken by Espinosa, Pines, La Suerte, or Mountain Studios. You could eat at Mido, Rice Bowl, Plaza Lunch, Manila Café, Taimong, or at the Bontoc Café. Students dated at the Pines, Session, Plaza theaters, and occasionally at the John Hay Base theater. Only the brave would go a-courting at Maryknoll, Holy Family, or St. Theresa’s. The rich “bad boys” were at the Baguio Military Institute. The foreigners were at Brent. Differences among high school students were settled with fisticuffs at Mount Mary.
There were no extrajudicial executions or enforced disappearances. Thieves in government did not run away with millions or billions. Soldiers and policemen were honorable and generally trusted.Camp John Hay was under the Americans. Those with gate passes could eat American ice cream at 19th Tee. Baguio locals developed a taste for “stateside” drinks at Half Way House and Main Club. Of course, the standup liquor stores at Abanao offered a cheaper alternative. Aside from Pines Hotel, the Casa Vallejo was still considered fashionable. The rich went to the Baguio Country Club. Local tourists preferred Patria or the Baden Powell Hall. The only home shop was Pineda Furniture, across the street from Ong King, where you got car parts. VW Beetles began to appear on Baguio roads. There were no planter’s boxes in the middle of Session Road. Buses were Dangwa or BAL (Benguet Auto Line). “Garage” cars brought you to the railroad station in Damortis.
Sundays were spent boating, biking or riding for-hire Vespa or Lambretta scooters at Burnham Park. GROs were called “hostesses.” They were at the Homestead, TipTop, Vista, and Tropical.Students bet against each other in bowling games at the Olympian and Strike & Spare Lanes. Comic books were for hire at Dicang’s or Zarate’s. Crystal Cave was cleaner. The more adventurous went to Mummy Cave, and outings were at the Asin Hot Springs. Baguio was then a small, cozy, friendly, and homey place. Everybody knew almost everyone else. It was “easy” for determined graduates to make a mark. The graduates of today find an over-crowded Baguio that seem much larger, less friendly, less disciplined, and more complicated. That perhaps is where the challenge is.
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