Baguio - City of Philippines

The City of Baguio is a highly urbanized city in northern Luzon in the Philippines. Baguio City was established by Americans in 1900 at the site of an Ibaloi village known as Kafagway. Baguio City was designated by the Philippine Commission as the Summer Capital of the Philippines on June 1, 1903 and incorporated as a city by the Philippine Assembly on September 1, 1909. Baguio is the seat of government of the Cordillera Administrative Region. The name of the city is derived from the word bagiw in Ibaloi, the indigenous language of the Benguet Region, meaning 'moss'. The city is at an altitude of approximately 1500 meters in a moist tropical pine forest conducive to the growth of mossy plants and orchids.

Philippine Military Academy Situated in the southern part of the city within Fort Del Pilar, Loakan, this military academy was created to train future officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The Mansion As an official residence of the President of the Republic of the Philippines, entry to the compound is restricted. The public can view the Mansion through its gate which is patterned after that of London's Buckingham Palace. It is located in the the eastern part of the city. The Mansion has also been the site of several international conferences and a working office of the President of the Philippines during his visits to the City.

Camp John Hay This former American recreational facility was converted into as a world class resort. It features a golf course, a skating rink, picnic area, and a mini golf course at the Scout Hill area. Several cottages and hotels were also built to accommodate visitors.

Teachers Camp A facility currently run by the Department of Education. I features several function halls, a museum, cottages, and a race track.

Bell Church This cluster of temples is located on the border of Baguio City and Trinidad Valley. Its exotic oriental architecture, pagodas roof, ornate gateway, dragon ornaments and Buddha - guarded windows gaze from atop a hill. The Bell Temple priest practices a mixture of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Christianity. One may even try having his fortune told.

Baguio Country Club This club was organized with funds, which were privately contributed. They built tennis courts and cottages. Today Baguio Country Club has 200 guestrooms and suites in a new building. It also boasts a beautiful 18-hole, 61-par golf course for its members and guests.

Baguio City Market Located within the central business district, this is where local products and goods from nearby towns and provinces are sold.

Baguio is a university town with 141,088 students out of the 301,926 2007 population count. It is the center of education in the entire North Luzon. There are eight major institutions of higher education in Baguio City, one of which, the University of the Philippines, is regarded as the country's premiere institution of higher learning and research.

U.P. Baguio OblationUniversity of the Philippines Baguio - the national university of the Philippines, U.P. System's flag-bearer in Northern Luzon, internationally known for its excellent record in ethnic and multidisciplinary research and Cordillera Studies
Philippine Military Academy - the national training school for future officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
Saint Louis University, Baguio City
University of Baguio
University of the Cordilleras
Baguio Central University
Pines City Colleges
Easter College
Baguio is also home to Brent International School, which was founded the same year as the city.

The languages spoken in Baguio are Kankana-ey, Ibaloi, English, Ilocano, Tagalog, Kapampangan, and Pangasinense.

Baguio's youth majority in the population has given it a distinct flavor different from those of other cities in the Philippines. Although Baguio City is very modern nowadays, Panagbenga Festival, the annual Flower Festival, is celebrated each February to showcase Baguio's rich cultural heritage, its appreciation of the environment, and inclination towards the arts.