Baguio City Overview

First Class Highly Urbanized City in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines.
Recognized as the Summer Capital of the Philippines.
Elevation of 1,470 meters (4,810 feet) above sea level.
Title “The City of Pines” due to diverse flora, including moss, orchids, and pine trees.
Covers an area of 57.51 km² (22.20 mi²) with a perimeter of 30.6 km (19.01 mi).
Experience temperatures approximately 8 degrees cooler than other regions in the Philippines.
Receives the highest rainfall in the country.
Predominant dialect spoken is Ilocano.

Early expeditions by Spaniards sought to explore the region's economic potential, beginning with Juan Salcedo in 1572 and Don Q.M. Quirante in 1664.
Repeated attempts to pacify the Igorot population were unsuccessful until 1846, when Commandante de Galvey established Commandancia in La Trinidad, Benguet.
Formation of Benguet province included 31 rancherias, with Pulito of Kafagway as the first Kapitan.
The original presidentia of Baguio was located in the Campulet house and later moved to the Baguio City Hall.
Spaniards introduced order, education, churches, trails, and coffee during their rule.

American governance began in the early 1900s, with H. Phelps Whitmarsh as Governor of Benguet and Baguio as its capital.
This marked the establishment of the first provincial government in the Philippines, a year before Philippine civil government inauguration.
Notable figures supporting the development of Baguio included Dean C. Worcester and Governor General Luke Wright.
Architect Daniel H. Burnham and assistant Pierce Anderson arrived from San Francisco in 1904 to plan Baguio’s urban layout.
The “Plan of Baguio,” prepared by Burnham, adopted the Garden City concept and influenced urban planning in the country.
Although other architects like William E. Parsons evolved the plan, Burnham's layout served as a vital foundation for Baguio's organization.
From 1909, a fleet of Stanley steam autos transported over 2,000 passengers to the city each season.
The city's economy thrived with commercial centers and recreational facilities developed before the outbreak of World War II.

Camp John Hay, the city’s important military facility, was involved at the onset of World War II, with a Japanese attack on December 8, 1941.
The city government continued operations after the US Army evacuated Camp John Hay on December 23, 1941.
Baguio was declared an open city after Japanese columns advanced on December 27, 1941, governed by Chief of Police Keith without resistance.
Japanese forces set up their military administration by taking control of key locations, including Camp John Hay, and established headquarters across the city.

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