New Mall in Baguio...

A few days before the end of the month of November, I received word that the very popular retail store had opened its doors in Baguio.

Occupying a 79,763 square meter property that once was a site of the former Pines Hotel at Session Road, SM City Baguio has 6 floors and of which the design was inspired by the very famous, Rice Terraces. During my last 2 visits – July and October 2003 – the mall was still under major construction and I could remember the time that I complained because great dust was being created from its construction.

I heard from a friend cadet at the Philippine Military Academy that the new mall has a viewing deck wherein you can see the entire glory of Baguio. I wonder if that is true. I will ask my brother about that when he arrives tonight. He had left Manila for Baguio since Thursday.

The mall may be considered a welcoming change for this glorious city but I cannot bring myself to accept the fact that 200 old pine trees were cut down just to accommodate this new entertainment center. When I first visited dear, old Baguio as an adult which was last November 2001, I already noticed the traffic jam that was starting to beset the city. This usual metropolis problem seems to aggravate every time I visit Baguio. With the new mall, I am greatly expecting traffic jam big-time. I just hope that this cold city will not easily lose its own acclaimed grandeur.

So much for the prize of the so-called industrialization.