The Baguio Tourism Council (BTC) initiated formal discussions with the Fil-Am Chamber of Commerce from Colorado, USA on October 19, 2024, marking the start of talks aimed at establishing a Sister City partnership between Baguio and Colorado Springs. The meeting, led by BTC Chair Gladys Vergara, was attended by key city officials, including Samantha Hamada, Chief of Staff for the City Mayor, City Supervising Tourism Operations Officer Alec Mapalo, Assistant City Administrator VJ Cawis, and BTC representative for Heritage, Arts, Culture, and Media, Ferdie John Balanag. Representing the Colorado Fil-Am Chamber of Commerce were President Florian de Castro, Executive Director Jonas Gonzales, Vice President for Membership Lenie de Castro, Vice President for Programs and Events Anne Gonzales, and Vice President for Trade and International Relations Marcial Dumlao. Discussions covered potential collaborations in key areas such as smart mobility, waste management, traffic solutions, and MSME development through incubators and accelerators for young entrepreneurs. The dialogue also emphasized eco-tourism, sports tourism, academic exchanges—including J1 visa programs for Hospitality and Tourism Management (HRM)—and certification programs for allied medical services. “This meeting sets the stage for building a solid framework toward a Sister City agreement,” Vergara remarked. “We are exploring various partnerships that will benefit both cities, particularly in tourism, trade, culture, and environmental sustainability.” The BTC and Fil-Am Chamber of Commerce also deliberated on strategies to enhance skills development, arts promotion, and manpower training, aiming for long-term cooperation between Baguio and Colorado Springs. Vergara emphasized the significance of this partnership in expanding Baguio’s global network, noting the mutual benefits to both the city’s economy and its international relations. The next step in this initiative will be a formal meeting between the mayors of Baguio and Colorado Springs, a crucial milestone in finalizing the Sister City agreement.

Baguio City officials recently congratulated and commended Vicky S. Macay for being the first Filipino and one of the six global recipients of the Indigenous Women Educators Award from the Indigenous-Led Education Network (ILED Network) last September 5, 2024. In a resolution, local legislators stated that Macay, whose recent achievement of being honored and celebrated for her contributions in advocating for education and preserving indigenous knowledge, has once again proved her valuable role to the Ibaloi community, as well as to the city. ILED Network, which was established and created in 2020, is a growing collaborative network organization in support of education led by indigenous peoples, to harness the power of indigenous-led education and to make indigenous communities, especially indigenous children and youth, more resilient for the future. Further, the ILED Network is being managed by the ILED Support Team consisting of three northern-based organizations, Both Ends from the Netherlands, Forest Peoples Program from England and Rutu Foundation from the Netherlands. The role of this team is to facilitate, coordinate and support the work of the ILED Network and grassroots initiatives. On September 5, 2024 in celebration of International Day of Indigenous Women, the ILED Network launched the Ingenious Women Educators campaign to celebrate the exceptional stewards of life and highlight their contributions to education. The selection process was based on nominations made by several network partners, reviewed by the network’s regional facilitators, secretariat, and a small group of indigenous women members who were not involved in any nominations which ultimately led to the selection of six women from all over the world, one of which is Macay from the Philippines. Macay is a 70-year old Ibaloi leader from Loakan. She is a respected community leader, educator, indigenous peoples rights advocate, volunteer worker and an award winning author. Macay is one of the key leaders of the Onjon ni Ivadoy, author and co-author of several books, a member of the Council of Elders of Baguio and Chairperson of the Baguio-based nongovernment organization Partners for Indigenous Knowledge Philippines (PIKP). She has been teaching Ibaloi traditional knowledge, values and practices to schools, communities, government and non-government organizations, as well as advocating for ancestral land rights. The council claimed that Macay’s commitment to preserving Ibaloi traditions as well as the recognition of ancestral land claimants has made her one of the pillars of the Baguio Ibaloi community Copies of the proved resolution will be transmitted to the offices of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples–Baguio City Desk and the NCIP central office and to Macay for information, guidance, ready reference and further needed action.(Baguio- PIO)      

By Gaby B. Keith “Sustainability is all about fulfilling the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of future generations.” Thus, declared Mayor Benjamin Magalong during a Bingo Scorecard Eskwela Caravan and Stakeholder Consultation, Sept. 25, at the University of the Cordilleras where he encouraged young people to take an active role in achieving the city’s sustainable development goals. The Caravan is a city project that encourages barangays and educational institutions to participate in building a sustainable and resilient city based on environmental, livability, and disaster risk reduction plans, which are all part of the city’s initiatives and plans to address urban decay. “You, the young people, are our future generation. That is the reason why we want to bring out the best in you and empower you this time,” he stressed. The Mayor said there are three ways to empower the youth: By allowing them to take the lead; allow them to participate in decision making; and that adults or elderly should find time to listen to the youth. “Young people now have amazing mindsets and thoughts. They can practically understand what is happening in the environment today,” he added. In his State of the City Address last September 1, Mayor Benjamin Magalong underscored the importance of programs and activities focused on developing youth leadership and empowering them to take part in good governance and development. He also emphasized the need to listen to the voices and ideas of young people when it comes to making important decisions that will affect the community. “It’s about time to allow young people to take the lead and please, let us listen to them,” the Mayor said.