2009, September 1. Baguio Centennial
Litho Offset.
Amstar Company, Inc. Perf. 14
Se-tenant Strips
of 4, Sheets of 36 (12 x 3); Souvenir Sheets
of 4
Se-tenant Strips of Four (28,800)
7p Mansion House
7p
Mines View Park
7p Baguio Cathedral
7p
Kennon Road
Souvenir Sheets of Four (6,000)
First Day Covers: Manila;
Baguio City
BAGUIO CITY CENTENNIAL
“Fostering a Culture of Caring” is the theme of Baguio City’s
centennial celebration. Philpost issued a set of stamps and souvenir
sheets featuring well known landmarks of the city:
MANSION
HOUSE. The official summer
residence of the President of the Philippines. It is located in
Baguio City, Philippines. The majestic and palatial Mansion House
was built in 1908 as the official summer residence for the U.S.
Governors-Generals. It was badly damaged during the Second World War
and was rebuilt in 1947. Since then, it has served as the holiday
home and working office for each President of the Philippines during
his or her visits to Baguio. The name is derived from the summer
cottage in New England of Governor-General William Cameron Forbes
during whose administration the original Mansion House was built. In
1921, the Second Philippine Legislature met at the Mansion House for
three weeks. More recently, the Mansion House has been the site of a
number of international conferences. Mansion House consists of an
elegantly-designed main building and guest house. The elaborate main
gate, made of ornate ironwork, is said to be a replica of one of the
main gates at Buckingham Palace, London. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mansion_House,_Baguio_City)
MINES VIEW
PARK. The Mines View Park
is one of the most popular and most visited parks in the city of
Baguio. The observation deck of the Mines View Park offers the
tourists a breathtaking and panoramic view of the Benguet’s gold and
copper mines and it is here where the surrounding mountains unfolds
before you. It is perhaps because of these gold and copper mines
that the park got its name as the Mines View Park. It’s a splendid
sight and worthy enough to behold and should not be missed when you
are visiting Baguio. (http://www.asiarooms.com/travel-guide/philippines/baguio/parks-and-gardens-in-baguio/mines-view-park-baguio-city.html)
BAGUIO
CATHEDRAL. The rose-colored
Baguio Catholic Cathedral, located on top of a hill in the heart of
the city, is one of the more familiar and most visited landmarks of
Baguio. This beautiful structure has twin spires and is one of the
most photographed buildings in the city. From Session Road it is
accessible by pedestrians who ascend a long concrete stairway of
more than a hundred steps. Visitors and churchgoers who would rather
avoid the difficult climb drive vehicles through an access road
which passes behind the nearby post office building. The
construction of the cathedral by phases was begun on a hill which
was originally referred to as "Kampo" by the native Ibalois. It was
later called Mount Mary by a Belgian Catholic Mission headed by Fr.
Carlu, CICM, who was then the parish priest. The cathedral was
finally consecrated in 1936 and dedicated to Our Lady of Atonement.
During World War II it became an evacuation center and withstood the
Japanese carpet bombing of the city in 1945, thereby saving
thousands of lives. (http://www.cityofpines.com/catholiccathedral.html)
KENNON ROAD.
Kennon Road connects Baguio City with the town of Rosario, La Union
in the Philippines. Finished in 1903, it was originally called the
Benguet Road and was later named in honor of its builder, Col. Lyman
Walter Vere Kennon of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Unknown to
many is the fact that its initial construction way back in 1903 was
cutting across the mountains of Benguet with the combined efforts of
Filipinos, Americans, Filipino-Chinese and Japanese nationals. Aside
from Filipino engineers and U.S. Army Engineers headed by Col. Lyman
Kennon, one thousand five hundred Japanese immigrant workers
persevered to accomplish the difficult road project. The Japanese
workers contributed substantially in the construction effort until
its completion in 1905. Kennon Road is also one of the most
hazardous roads in the country especially during the rainy seasons
when most of the road accidents occur.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennon_Road)