Local traditions and culture in Baguio City

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This festival, which is celebrated every fourth week of February, is a thanksgiving celebration of the locals for Mother Nature. It is the time of the year where the flower harvest is most abundant. There are colorful flower floats paraded in the streets, and lots of merrymaking, which is highlighted by the streetdancing featuring local tribes and schoolchildren wearing their native costumes, a local version of the Mardi Gras. It is truly a sight to behold!!!

The Ifugao tribe of Baguio built the famous rice terraces more than 2000 years ago.

When visiting Baguio, you will see descendants of this tribe garbed in their native costumes - the women wearing colorful woven textile and the men wearing their g-strings and headrests. Either they are selling their woodcrafts and yummy delights, or just wanting to earn a few pesos by posing with you for the camera. I must admit I did wear the Ifugao G-string before during school presentations - hehehe - and it is surprisingly comfortable! LOL

These people do live very simple lives, although a lot of the Ifugaos have become educated and made a name for themselves in the city.

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happens every last Saturday of February. highly recommendable if you want to experience Filipino festivals. different student group from different schools all around the country show their cultural or even non cultural dance show which starts from SM Baguio. Microtel Inn is ideal hotel during the Panagbenga parades.

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Most Baguio folks speak Tagalog and English. You can approach them to ask for directions. A simple "thank you" and/or smile will express your appreciation for their help. A firm handshake will even emphasize your gratitude for their help/assistance.

Show appreciation for the beauty of plants/flowers only by viewing or taking their pictures, not by picking them. Never pick even the dried flowers (to get the seeds) or cut branches without the owner's permission.

Show respect for the property or people by always keeping clean the places you go to. Use trash cans provided for, or if there is none in the vicinity, keep your candy/snack wrappers in your bags.

Always ask permission before taking pictures of private individuals, and if they agree, thank them with a smile and thumbs-up after your shot.

When you go to Baguio, everyone who knew you've been there will only ask one thing. Pasalubong. It is something (anything) that you bought there for people left in the city. The most common pasalubong is food (of course with Pinoys passion for food especially sweets). But not all food will pass as pasalubong from Baguio. Though there are many choices, its limited to only this that are originally from Baguio and noticeable by its plastic jars with yellow lids. Choco or strawberry crinkles, ube (taro) jam, lengua de gato (milk biscuits), strawberry jams, peanut brittle (most popular), oatmeal cookies, chocolate fudge bars, chocolate covered cornflakes and lots and lots and lots more.

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made by tartland company.Spanish influence is evident in many of the names of local Filipino baked goods, though the actual product differs from the Spanish original, which include lengua de gato, polvoron, leche flan, and brazo de mercedes.Lengua de Gato in the philippines differs in Spain since in Spain it is shaped like Ladyfingers and in France, is called Langues de chat, which are classic French cookies are oval buttery cookies, with a blonde center and lightly browned edges while in the philippines, it's a deliciously rich, tongue-shaped butter cookie. Hence, the literal translation "Cat's Tongue."

The Best Lengua De Gato in the Philippines are made by Tartland Baguio and is available everyhwere in baguio city. a 500 gram pack costs 120 Pesos ($ 2.55)

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Made by Mikasan!

Pinipig (Roasted rice puffs) is a filipino rice dessert made from immature glutinous rice that is harvested and pounded into what look like colorful (depends on the food color or additive) flakes . The flakes are moist and redolent with a fragrance that is simply unique. They are almost the quintessence of rice. These flakes can be eaten raw but it can be also eaten boiled or roasted. Pinipig rice is used for rice-based convenience food products in which no rice ingredients are packed separately and mixed only during heating. It indicates that a significant amount of protein, vitamins and minerals. This version of Pinipig which I like is coated with either chocolate or vanilla. This version is made by Mikasan in Baguio City and a 500 gram container cost about 120 pesos ( $ 2. 55) and is available everywhere here in Baguio City.

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Made by Romana Company!

Brittles are confections, usually very hard and brittle, made of caramel, or near-caramel sugar syrup, and nuts. Peanut brittle is one of the numerous varieties of nut brittles, which consist of flat broken pieces of hard sugar candy mixed with nuts.

A mixture of sugar and water is heated to the hard crack stage corresponding to a temperature of around 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Peanuts are mixed with the caramelized sugar. At this point spices, leavening agents, and often peanut butter or butter are added. The hot candy is poured out onto a flat surface for cooling, traditionally a granite or marble slab. The hot candy may be troweled to uniform thickness. When the brittle cools, it is broken into pieces.

Romana's have some of the yummiest peanut brittle I have ever tasted. Finely chopped peanuts in a delicious wafer thin caramel and flavored with just a touch of butter that is cut and expertly packed into cylindrical plastic bottles and sell for 100 Pesos ( 2.20 US$) for 800grams… what a deal

Available everywhere in Baguio City!