Chi Balmaceda Gutierrez gives us some background on the “uglification” of Baguio. Chi has a blog here and a photo site here. Thanks Chi for sharing your thoughts on this issue.
—-
Chi Balmaceda Gutierrez:
When Steve Hamada coined the word ‘uglification’ for the Skylandnews — (which was popularized later by his cousin Jack Cariño, Skylandnews publisher, for the 2007 elections) — the term didn’t at all pertain to the congestion of Baguio per se.

What was being alluded to, first and foremost, was the proliferation of kitsch (objects/realities/ manifestations borne out of taste worse than “baduy.” Bad-uy, take note of the etymology. Ha-ha).

Precisely, both of them meant it as “the over-commercialization of every single square meter of land in the city.” (Go figure the implications, greed, even corruption…).

Continue reading Chi Balmaceda Gutierrez on the Uglification of Baguio →