The Baguio Chronicles - Chapter 4: Minesview Park

(taken from my Multiply Blog dated May 6, 2009)

The first time I've been to Minesview Park was in 1994 or 1995, I really can't recall the year. Anyway, during that time there were Igorot children who hung by the cliff or on the steep slopes of the park. They would fetch the coins (one and five peso ones) that the visitors tossed. They were really skilfull, they had their ways and means of getting the coins that they would get. It was really amazing because they were able to see where the coins landed. It would be on trees, on brances that stuck out from the mountain-side or in small holes, regardless where it landed they still got it.

During this recently concluded Baguio trip, I was anticipating with a lot of excitement that I would encounter the same scenario once more. Unfortunately, I was unlucky. I didn't find any Igorot child hanging by the cliff or on the steep slopes. All I found was this signage and a statue of an Igorot boy holding a basket. The signage was a Memoriam of the Igorot children who once became a tourist attraction within the 1950's and 1990's. The practice was later banned by the City Government because of the risks it posed on the children and the lives lost because of the practice. The Memoriam was placed there to commemorate the children who once brought life to the park and for those who were no longer with us.

After seeing the signage I was filled with mixed emotions. First, I felt sorryfor the boys whose lives were lost. Second, I felt sorry for the loss of this attraction which gave life to the park for about five decades. Two contrasting emotions. However contrasting my feelings would be, I still believe that at every loss there is a gain. The tourist attraction may no longer be there to animate the life of the park but I know it is for the better. Better things are in store for those children than to fetch coins tossed by tourists.