Bangayan, Katrina Robyn
Mercado, Markus
Sabino, Erica Asuncion
Santos, Paula Beatrice
Wong, Elise Megan
SA 21 - G
Strategy
The group primarily focused
on strategically moving from one area to another. First, we listed the various
places we needed to visit to complete the tasks based on their geographical
placement. We decided it would be more efficient to finish everything near the
starting point before moving to farther places thereafter. Second, we focused
on getting as much tasks done in as little time as possible. One example would
be asking the taxi driver to wait for us complete a task in Tam’awan Village.
In doing so, we saved a considerable amount of time inasmuch as there weren’t
enough cabs passing through the area and it was a great distance away from our
next destination. Ultimately, we tried to manage our time as practically and as
efficiently as possible.
CADETS FOR A DAY
Key informant/s: PMA Cadets Cunanan & Umali
The PMA cadets live a very disciplined and simple lifestyle. One must
have total commitment in being a cadet. The parade and the silent drill were
one of the highlights of our visit. These programs caught our attention because
they exemplified the extent of their discipline and commitment to their field.
However, when the cadets drifted away from serious matters, such as dancing to
modern music, it enlightened us that they too can have fun at times despite the
seriousness of their field. The cadets have certain rules
inside the campus, which they must strictly comply with. Some of these include:
v
No stepping on the ceremonial ground or field
unless there is an activity, because it is considered “sacred;”
v
no wearing of other cadets’ hats;
v
they must respect and follow the upperclassmen;
v
they must always be on time; and
v their
things must always be kept neatly and organized.
One of the most common notions about cadets is that they are very
uniform. The group was quite surprised to see the opposite during the mass. We
were expecting that they would all sit, kneel and stand together but that was
not the case. It serves as a reminder that they, too, are human beings and they
also commit mistakes. That was actually the only instance we saw them
unorganized. After the mass, it was astonishing to see how they all moved and
marched in unison on the way to their campus.#PMA #cadets #honorcode #rules
Sociological reflection
Charon describes freedom as one’s ability to control his or her own
life. Freedom has also something to do with having free thoughts and free
actions. It seems that the cadets’ freedom is very limited. Their thoughts and
actions are dictated by the society and their culture inside the PMA. For
example, they always need to act systematically because they are cadets and
that is how people usually see and expect them to act. Also in the case of
freedom of thought, they do not usually put it into action because they are
part of a total institution. In PMA, supervision exists in all aspects of life
- be it in education (they must not cheat), love life (they are not allowed to
have physical contact with their girlfriends or boyfriends on campus) and
activities (they must always be on time). Life is also standardized in PMA
since they follow a certain routine every single day. Because they are used to
these standard procedures, the routine becomes second nature to them already.
Gender inequality (a type of social conflict) is also
present in the PMA. They refused to accept female applicants before because
they believed that females are not capable of the harsh activities observed within the
campus. Eventually, they took a risk, female students performed to the best of their abilities and by and by female graduates have continually increased since
then.#freedom #limited #totalinstitutions #genderinequality
Personal Reflection
Our
visit to the PMA was a very fulfilling one. It was interesting to listen and
see how the cadets act inside their campus. It was also touching to see how
dedicated and passionate they are about fulfilling their dreams. This is one of
our favorite stops in the fieldwork because we were able to explore the whole
place since we were not time pressured. We also got close to the cadets who
served as our tour guide. #dedication #inspiration
"CENTRAL" PARK
Key informant/s: Locals & tourists
The frequency of locals and
tourists in terms of going on picnics are quite contrasting. The group of locals
said that they normally go on picnics twice a month as opposed to the group of
tourists who said that they only went that one time. However, their preferences
in terms of recreational activities are similar inasmuch as they include going
on picnics (eating), strolling around the park and bringing their kids to the
playground. As for the mapping, the perceptions of both groups differ. It can
be seen that the locals and the tourists have a diverse view or frame of what
is considered the center of Baguio. Also, it’s interesting to note that
tourists know as much as the locals regarding the different tourist spots in
the locality. Given that they most likely spent their entire lives in the city,
the locals should have known more about the tourist spots found in their area.
Sociological reflection
Culture is lagging and changing because of the context of time. As the
industrialization and urbanization predominate, it influences the thoughts of a
person. It can easily shift a person's actions and interests. As for the Baguio
locals, maybe instead of being focused on their place, with the technology
easily accessible now, they are given the option to do anything else besides
exploring their area. It is something they unconsciously do. The new age has
somehow shifted the focus of their interests.
#culture #industrialization #urbanization
Personal Reflection
We were
so thankful for the welcoming and friendly gestures of the people we
interviewed. They made this task a lot easier. We thought that we would have a
hard time accomplishing this task because of the notion that people do not want
to be disturbed when they are having fun. It was such a relief for them to
cooperate with us right away. It was also funny how some of the interviewees
wanted to take pictures of us as well. #kiligmoment #friendly #strangers
ART AT ITS FINEST
Key informant/s: Local artist
According to one of the local artists, Baguio art is branded as a local
art solely because it is made, entirely and rigorously, from materials found in
Baguio and by artists in Baguio. One can invariably distinguish Baguio art from
foreign art by discerning the type of technique and style incorporated into the
artwork. European art (or any other foreign art) is usually limited to
watercolor and oil-based paintings whereas Baguio art generally involves mixed
media. Local artists utilize materials available to them (i.e., from their
surroundings), which allow them to produce boundless possible forms of art.
Today, they have created a wide range of varieties from sketches and sculptures
to sand art and coffee paintings.
Despite this dynamic achievement, it remains difficult for the local
artists to sell their works of art. The tendency is that the products of their
time and effort are disparaged and undervalued. For this reason, the local
artists get together and settle their affairs with barter (or trade). This is
their lifestyle, the means that they live by and it merits them an identity as
a culture.#baguioart #europeanart #tamawanvillage
Sociological reflection
As opposed to Karl Marx’s theory of stratification, Max Weber claims
that there are more than just the proletariat-bourgeoisie class divisions. As a
matter of fact, according to him, the social hierarchy can be likened to a
bureaucracy. In this case, the condition of the local artists, in reference to
Weber’s argument, is one in which the individual’s class, status and power
impacts on and is determined by the affluence they’re born with, the amount of
prestige given to them by society and their actual ability to produce a work of
art. The authority that the artists have is definitely relative to society and
what society dictates. Consequently, this sociological fact is a reflection on
their socio-economic performance.#karlmarx #maxweber #socialhierarchy #class #status #power
Personal Reflection
We were so tired already as we got up to the Tamawan
village. After the long cab ride on the way there we literally just gave the
ticket booth money and took the ticket from her hands. At this point, there was
no turning back. We just looked for an available artist and asked him draw the
portrait as fast as he could. Despite him being in a hurry, he still did quite
a good job in drawing the portrait. We could see how Filipinos are very
talented and skilled when it comes to art. A number of other paintings and
portraits surrounded the place and they were just splendid to look at. Tamawan
Village was a place full of art and culture that Baguio city definitely
possesses.
DO OR DIE
Key informant/s: N/A
From the 100 names collected in Baguio’s Public Cemetery, the decades
with the highest mortality is between 1991-2010. This is due to the development
of people’s practice of burying their dead in the public cemetery instead of
disposing of the bodies in some other manner or burying them in other places.
Another reason for this decade having the highest mortality among the names
collected may be due to the accessibility of the tombstones of that decade in
that particular area. The decade with the second and third highest mortality is
1981-1990 and 1971-1980 respectively. This may have something to do with the
killer earthquake that struck Baguio City in 1990. It devastated the city and
killed as many as 1000 people.
The names on the list for all
decades are mostly Filipino and Spanish names. Baguio was influenced by the
Spanish colonization that started around 1572, which explains why the names of
most of the locals are of Spanish origin. There are also some American names,
which can also be explained by the colonization of the Americans in the city.
#baguiopubliccemetery #baguioearthquake #spanishcolonization
Sociological reflection
For the people of Baguio, the burial of their dead has been part of
their culture for many decades as seen on the tombstones, which dated back
since the early 1900s. This practice has not been lost among the locals. An
additional part of their practice is the burying of family members beside each
other or in the same area. It can be seen in the cemetery that the tombstones
located beside each other have the same last names. Also, the visiting of the
dead is not a forgotten tradition for the people. Most of the tombstones have flowers
and candles, which showed that their families still visit regularly.
The concept of social conflict is also present here. It is evident,
which people are of the higher class because they have a bigger and cleaner
tombstone. Also, these tombstones are enclosed in iron bars. On the other hand,
the lower class’ tombstones are smaller and some even seem ignored or not taken
cared of. It is unlike American cemeteries where most of the graves are uniform
or at least the same size.
#culture #burial #socialconflict
It was a bit tiring roaming around the cemetery since it was our last stop. The tombstones seemed cramped together and, in a way, ‘disorganized’. It was nice to see that even the small tombstones had flowers or candles on them. It showed that the people really make an effort to visit their dead relatives and friends. While listing down names, we stayed close to the edges of the cemetery because it felt creepy being there late in the afternoon when the sun was almost setting. #laststop #raceforfirst #pressure #scary
"FAMOUS" STEPS
Key informant/s: Local vendors
The famous local products offered by Baguio can be divided into two main
categories namely food and decoration. For the food, there are a variety of
products such as strawberries, ube jam, peanut brittle and lengua de gato. As for the decoration, there are various items like
flowers, baskets and wooden keychains. These products are actually similar in
such a way that the raw materials used in making these are abundant in the
city. Also, one raw material can yield to a variety of outcomes. For example,
because there are many strawberries in Baguio, they can make many products out
of it such as strawberry jam, strawberry taho and strawberry wine.
Most of the products offered
by the Baguio public market are also found in Manila. However, these products
are sold at a much higher price in Manila. The price difference usually ranges
from 10-25 pesos.
#baguiopuclicmarket #food #strawberry #ubejam #peanutbrittle #yummy #decorations #baskets #keychains #pasalubong
Sociological reflection
Using the Structural
Functionalist theory, we can say that the market is also a system, made of
different parts that have their own responsibility to make the whole system
operate as a whole. Its manifest function is to be able to allocate goods at a
certain place, making it accessible to locals and tourists as well. In a
market, everything is arranged accordingly, starting from the delivery of goods
to the market having divisions (a place for all meat, seafood, fruits,
vegetables, goods, etc.). As for the latent function, it provides more jobs and
additional income for the locals. Also, it is a way of showcasing the different
products that Baguio has to offer. Dysfunction may happen if the vendors won’t
dream of something bigger for themselves. They might settle for whatever they
earn and no longer progress to other jobs. Another is that buyers may not want
to visit other places in Baguio since most of the products are already sold in the
market. A few examples are buying strawberries in the market as compared to
visiting the strawberry farm and buying pasalubongs in the market instead of
seeing the real tourist attractions.
There is somehow a global culture in the context of the Baguio public
market. The cultures of the world become more similar that is why Baguio
products cannot solely be found in Baguio, not merely in Manila and not limited
within the Philippines, but in other countries as well. Due to the popularity
of its products, they have to keep up with its demands. Exportation of these
products is one of the reasons why it is sold at a higher price in other
places. Sociologically speaking, it is a global culture in a way because of it
has become a widespread commodity.#structuralfunctionalist #market #system #globalculture
Personal Reflection
This task is one of the few
that we breezed through. We did not have a hard time looking for products and
asking for their prices. This was so because all the ‘tinderas’ or vendors were
kind enough to show us the way to all their products. This was most likely part
of their strategy or their personality so that they could sell more goods. In
the market, the group rushed around to ask for the different products. Another
thing that made it easy was the neatness and the organization of the place.
Markets in the city are kind of far from the Baguio Public Market. It was a
very well organized and nice place to look for different ingredients. In
addition to that, there were a few products and produce there that could rarely
be found in the city. It is either they cannot be found or it is much more
expensive. One example of which is the broccoli and strawberries. In the city,
the price of these produce are twice than that was found in Baguio. There are
also much fresher since it does not have to go through a long travel time
because of the delivery.
#hoorayfornicepeople
#organized
SABID & JIMMY
Key informant/s: Sabid & Jimmy
Sabid is 92 years old, an ardent Catholic, a mother and a grandmother.
Her voice was subdued and barely comprehensible; nonetheless, she was making an
effort to respond to our group’s queries. She used to be active in farming and
agriculture. However, as nature caught up with her and as urbanization and
industrialization gradually took place, she decided to discontinue her agrarian
lifestyle and settle into her life now. Sabid explains to us essence of her
costume and how it mirrors their culture. She explained how their costume is a
representative of the Igorot culture. In other words, it is their identity.
Sabid gives two constituents of her native attire: one of which is known as the
Agongo, which is used to keep their hair tidy and uncluttered and another one
is called the Pitay which is basically their bottoms. 
Moreover, Sabid is a mother and a grandmother. Her children and
grandchildren are no longer wearing the traditional costume she grew up wearing
and no longer practicing the same rituals she has been accustomed to.
Nevertheless, they continue to exercise their culture of prayer. Clearly, the
sanctity of religion is considerably more influential against tradition.
Jimmy is 24 years old. He no longer practices his mother’s culture and
his ancestor’s tradition. According to Jimmy, along with the modernization of
society is the blending of cultures and beliefs which thereafter, somehow,
dissolves his and many of his peers’ traditionalism to a certain extent. He
also reveals that despite this massive change, he still continues to practice
certain rituals involving dance. This is indicative of pious dogmatism, to
their culture as well as religion.
Sociological reflection
Sabid and Jimmy and other members of their culture are essential
elements in society as an aggregate. Their relationship with people outside of
their culture can sometimes be associated with ethnocentrism. People often
judge them according to their own culture, as much as they judge people
according to their own culture, thereby creating disparities. Similarly, Jimmy
is a representative of a new generation. He mirrors how various cultures are
beginning to globalize. Suddenly, as modernization takes place, the cultures of
the world become more similar. As mentioned above, the blending of the cultures
somehow creates a global culture.
Just
looking at the Igorots you can see the rich culture they possess. Just through
the garments they are wearing you can feel that they have a rich history and
they have gone through a lot of things. Even their stories portray the rich
culture they have. One difficulty we had was looking for an Igorot in casual
clothes. Luckily, there was a vendor nearby who apparently was an Igorot. We
interviewed him and asked him if he still took part in these cultural
traditions. He said not as much anymore, just a few. #richculture #amazing
Key informant/s: Security guard
While
running along Session Road, the group asked locals what the oldest
establishment was. Some were clueless about it while some were unsure if it was
the Porta Vaga. A man on his way to visit the cathedral said that it was surely
the Porta Vaga, which was also once called “the heart of Baguio”. Upon seeing
the building, we noticed how it was like an old mini mall. According to the
guard, the establishment did not earn as much and the rate of customers
decreased when SM Baguio opened. The guard did not elaborate in detail what
exactly happened, but he knew the general idea of its instant decline.
Sociological reflection
This is an example of Conspicuous consumption, wherein people buy products because of the statements made on social positions. In this case, locals and tourists would rather visiting the newer, bigger, and more modern nationwide well-known “SM” than the Porta Vaga. We see a sudden shift of preference in the society, maybe because staying in “SM” would give them a better statement on their social position even if most the businesses were similar like food, clothing and other concessionaires. #conspicuousconsumption #socialposition
Personal Reflection
The group actually passed by the Porta Vaga on
the way to the cathedral. Some lady told us that the fourth floor leads to the
cathedral immediately. So, we ran along the escalators and saw what was really
inside but nothing about the building caught our attention. Little did we know
that it is one of the oldest establishments along session road and that it used
to be “the mall” of the locals. We understood why SM Baguio was the new
in-thing. The idea of a mall to people nowadays does not look like that.
However, It still remains in the memories of the locals as the “heart of
Baguio.” #puzzled #baffled #memories
BULOL, GUARDIAN AND PROTECTOR
Key informant/s: Food vendor
Bulol is a carved figurine made of wood shaped to resemble a human since
it is said to be a dwelling place for their ancestors. Local Ifugaos pray over
the bulols, which are usually placed in their homes or offices, to ask for
guidance and protection.#Figurine #toys #anitos #protection
Sociological reflection
Bulol is an example of a material culture within the society of Ifugaos,
a physical representation of good fortune. However, it took the group a couple
of times asking people around before someone knew what it really meant in
Baguio. For most of the locals we asked, bulol was just the common Tagalog
definition of a person who has a hard time speaking, which is indicative of a
declining material culture.#materialculture #Ifugao #goodfortune
Personal Reflection
We kept on asking “ano po ibig sabihin ng bulol?”
and whenever someone says the wrong answer, we end up saying “ah okay salamat
po.” It was difficult looking for someone who knew what it meant in the
Benguets. All the more difficult it was understanding what the Pinikpikan
vendor was trying to explain. She had to clearly explain in detail how it looks
like since the group could not totally picture what a bulol without a real
figurine at hand.
HUNGRY FOR PINIKPIKAN
Key informant/s: Pinikpikan vendor
Pinikpikan is a familiar dish
to most locals. Whenever we would ask them about it, they sound amused or
excited, however, some did not know where to find a place serving pinikpikan.
This was the difficult part and it became more confusing when some would give
us instructions to distant places with pinikpikan. Along Session road, they
were talking about a place called Sagada Lunch but it took us a lot of tries
before we could finally arrive at the said place since it was located beneath
small side streets.
We asked the cashier about the
dish, who was at first hesitant to tell us about the process of cooking it.
Eventually, she explains that Pinikpikan has been a long tradition in Baguio
because of the unique way of cooking the chicken. In contrast to the usual way
of butchering a chicken, the Pinikpikan chicken is put to death by burning the
chicken along with the feathers and it is lightly beaten. This special
technique gives the chicken its distinct flavor. It will then be washed,
chopped and boiled with salt, pepper, ginger, sayote, pechay and other
ingredients to make a rich tasting soup. It is always present during fiestas
but there is no Pinikpikan festival, only an Utag festival, which goes along
well with the pinikpikan and makes it taste even better.
Sociological reflection
Analyzing the Pinikpikan using the sociological imagination, we can say
that because of this particular process, the dish has been an important
tradition to the locals that dates back to the early tribes. By understanding
it in a social context through history and society, we can see that Pinikpikan
has a deep history since it was used to be prepared during rituals and it is
still significant in their society at present as a common delicacy served on
any occasion.
Personal Reflection
Searching for “sagada lunch” turned out to be
memorable for most of us. Because it is concealed along the side streets, we
had to ask A LOT of people to make sure we were going the right way. One of
them, a man, literally led us to the place. He was the only one who accompanied
us since he said that we might not be able to find it. We felt touched with the
man’s kindhearted deed that when we didn’t know what to do with the pinikpikan
we ordered, we had it wrapped to go and gave it to him to show gratitude. He
was bewildered and speechless at our gesture but mainly because he didn’t
expect anything in return. As we said our goodbyes, both our group and the man
left with smiles and big hearts because of being of service to others. #awe
#loving #warmhearted #newfriend #allsmiles
SPOOKY
Key informant/s: Taxi driver
Baguio is one of the cities in
the Philippines that is rich with history and consequently, haunted places. The
White House, Hyatt Terraces Plaza, Nevada Hotel, Philippine Military Academy,
University of Baguio and the public cemetery are only some of the many places
in Baguio, which are said to be haunted. Most of these places are “haunted” partly
because the strong earthquake that occurred in the year 1990 affected it.
Because of this, many people died in the places mentioned. Basically the
pattern is that the older establishments are more likely to be “haunted.”#baguio #scaryplaces #freaky #ghosts
Sociological reflection
Baguio
being a place full of haunted places is a belief. It is easy to believe that
there are ghosts lurking in those places once you have really seen it. But for
those who haven’t, why is that they are drawn to horror and in believing the
same? This is so because people hold it to be true. In other words, the society
dictates the beliefs. For the Baguio natives, this is a good thing because it
means that their place is interesting and is rich with history. There will
always be a story behind each place, which adds thrill and excitement to each
visitor.#belief #society
Personal Reflection
The Haunted House was probably the place we spent the
least time in. We just literally jumped out of the taxi and stormed to take a
photo outside the house. Even just outside the house, we could feel the
different aura of the house. It felt like an old and sad place.
Nevertheless, for sure whatever used to happen in that place they should
be now resting since it is now used an art gallery which tourists visit every
now and then. #hauntedhouse #scary #artgallery
UKIN NANA!
Key informant/s: Food vendor (female) & taxi driver (male)
It was generally manageable to ask the locals the curse word in Ilocano
although it appeared to be more vexing for them to give a “proper” response.
The women were usually hesitant, skeptical even, when confronted with the
matter, as opposed to the men who were more communicative, almost blunt, when
asked regarding the curse word.
#cursing #ilocano
Sociological reflection
The curse word is part of their language. Despite its meaning, it
is still a way for the people to communicate and convey their thoughts and
feeling to one another. It may also be used as a symbol by the way the people
react to it. For example, the women were hesitant, showing that the word
represents or conveys something reproachful or unkind.
#language #communication #meaning
Personal Reflection
At first, we were unsure of how to ask for a curse word in Ilocano so
we were a bit awkward with it. The taxi driver we asked was more open and
answered us as soon as he thought of one so we felt more relaxed about it.
However, when we asked another woman just to confirm the word the driver told
us, we had to initiate it because she seemed uncertain if she should tell us or
not. We also felt shy afterwards because she looked and sounded surprised after
we told her the word. #taxiride #estranged
Overall Personal Reflection
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