A foreigner is showing his love for Baguio by helping in the city’s beautification, for free.

German Frank Georg said he wants to see Baguio the way it was. He arrived in the city in the mid-‘90s following his marriage to an Igorota.

“My dream for Baguio is to see it go back to what it used to be – beautiful and full of trees.”

He is a volunteer landscaper for the city government for two years now. He plants flowers in the gardens surrounding the city hall.

“I just plant anything that would bear flowers. I get the plants around and place twigs to protect them from invaders,” Georg said.

He said after the city hall grounds, he wants work on and maintain the garden and park at the post office area.

He said he finds joy in volunteering, adding this takes away the stress of daily life.

Georg, a former boarder police in Germany who became an anti-terrorism expert in his country and served many governments, said plants and flowers used to give him fun and enjoyment as a young policeman.

When he came to Baguio, he fell in love with the place. “I’d like to stay here for the rest of my life so I want to give my time to contribute something for Baguio.”

He said he wants to share the things he does for the city to the Baguio people and those from the city who are now abroad.

“I want them to realize that we should give back our love and care for Baguio. I am not a local in this place. I am not a Filipino but I know that I can do something and I am doing it to set an example to the others.”

Most of the time, Georg can be seen tilling the soil and fetching water for the plants as early as 7 a.m.

Councilor Peter Fianza who first saw him said that his attention was caught by the foreigner who was doing a measly job for the city.

“I really appreciate what he does. He is a foreigner and he cares for all of us. It is just so surprising that he continues to volunteer without anybody helping him.”

The councilor said he is hoping others would follow Georg in his advocacy and help him in his dream for Baguio to go back to a beautiful, clean, and a city full of trees.