As homage once more to Baguio’s status as a Unesco Creative City, this near-sighted Ibaloy writer shares this poem by my poetic twin, Gabriel Baban Keith, titled, “New Baguio.”
Here goes: “Maybe Baguio should not be/ called Baguio anymore./ How can a beloved land/ no longer possessed by its/ original people still be called/ a name that’s no longer fitting?/ Should it be Kafagway?/ How about Bag-iw? What about New Baguio (not the former cinema those old and horny enough will remember)/ but like New York that spat out its/ own proud native people/ into reservations?/ Maybe it should have no name at all/ and just be that tiny patch of congested/ and professionally-squatted land/ in the mighty Cordillera where/ its diminishing pines trees/ and vanishing sidewalks/ are missed and lamented more/ than its disappearing/ original people./ Maybe Baguio should not be/ called Baguio anymore.”
In line with the celebration of this year’s National Human Rights Consciousness Week with the theme, “Youth standing up for human rights,” the Commission of Human Rights-Cordillera spearheaded the conduct of several activities on Dec. 10 to culminate the event.
CHR-Cordillera Director Rommel Daguimol said the activities were held in partnership with the Baguio City Human Rights Action Team and the Young Women Initiatives and Kilusan Para sa Pambansang Demokrasya.
Cheers!
We’re on air Wednesdays, 8 a.m., over K-Lite 96.7 FM, with Fiona Quinn and every last Tuesday of the month at 3 p.m. for “City Hall Hour” over SkyCable, DZEQ Radyo Pilipinas, and Big FM.
May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continue to bless and keep us all safe.
