Baguio has always been a mecca for avid travel enthusiasts here in the Philippines. Dubbed as the “Summer Capital of the Philippines” mainly due to the continuous presence of cold weather all throughout the year, this highly urbanized mountain town situated in the Cordillera Administrative Region, proudly boasts as a melting pot of various cultures, wherein the socio-cultural scene has been vastly enriched brought about by the overflowing diversity of indigenous ethno-linguistic groupings.
The Larga-Bistas Mountaineering Group has always been a staunch supporter of the wonders of the outdoors, as well as uplifting lives of underprivileged communities through travel as a way of sharing our blessings from the Almighty for several years.
As tourism advocates, this group has successfully promoted various regions, mostly in the island of Luzon, through discovering and exploring several customs and traditions in their own little way, and what would be more fulfilling than to obtain a golden opportunity in assisting a well-known town on its thrust towards resurrecting its tourism potential due to the unfortunate onslaught of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Alas, it only took a friendly prodding from Dr. Ginger Opulencia, a member of my hiking group (yes, I am the head), to provide me with enough push to participate in the #MyBaguioStory Photo Contest, concocted by the Baguio Tourism Office, which started accepting entries on June 18, 2020.
The idea for the said contest is for the participants to share their best Baguio travel story or memory and share their Baguio scenic photos of their previous visit in their social media account.
With just a few days to spare towards the new submission deadline on August 31, 2020, my entry was sent last August 20, 2020. The winners of which will enjoy a 4days/3 nights red carpet treatment in the City of Baguio, inclusive of accommodation, meals, city tour, land transportation (Manila-Baguio-Manila) and a courtesy call with City officials. Only one winner will be awarded in the “Couple”, “Family”, and the “Barkada” (obviously I joined this one) categories.
The continuous rise of COVID-19 for the next several months though prompted the City Government of Baguio to enforce strict safety protocols, barring tourists from entering the city.
A huge smile suddenly descended on my face on March 2, 2021 as Ms. Rachel Montoya, the Tourism Operations Officer II of the Baguio Tourism Office, contacted and relayed to me that my entry won in our category to the delight of my family, relatives, and colleagues.
After registering our profiles and submitting our travel requirements, through the Baguio Visita website, we were then all set to experience Baguio anew after successfully obtaining entry approval.
Thus, our journey began…
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