1. Baguio is congested and has little appeal as a place to buy property. There are some good facilities in this town because of the historic US presence, and the town has a wonderful cool climate and the healthiest and broadest choice of vegetables in the country. Compared to the crappy vegetables you buy from SM or Robinsons in Manila, these are far better and MUCH cheaper. Baguio's markets are also very good for buying things. I bought a second-hand backback for Y300 and a new pair of black shoes for a wedding for just Y400 ($US8).
We drove on to Buguias (still in Benguet Province). This town of 40,000 people struck me as a great place to buy property if you are interested in a relaxed, rural life. There are several appealing aspects:
1. Foreclosed properties are available from the Rural Bank of Buguias
2. The region is scenic
3. You are fairly close to Baguio, though its a torchuous windy road, so you might die before you get to hospital treatment
4. There is a very cheap and bountiful market for fruit & vegetables in the town market
5. Good transport services like everywhere else in the Philippines
6. Cool climate - makes it a pleasure to live there
7. High rainfall - its always green, and if you are interested in generating hydro electricity from a small microhydro scheme, then I can think of few better places because this area receives high rainfall almost year round. I would not be surprised to find out if the load factor on the plants here are over 60-70%, when 50% is considered good. A local lady tells me a local waterfall only stops flowing for one month in the dry season, however I'm not sure how reliable that information is. If I was a balikbayan interested in helping the local community, I'd be building micro-hydro schemes for $2000-5000. Why?
1. The Philippines power is amongst the most expensive in the world - still some capacity is oil-fired
2. The high load factors
3. The free energy after construction
4. Improvement in self-reliance and grid stability
5. The ability to increase disposable income for Filipinos by giving them free electricity, as opposed to paying for them to go out to some takeaway.
Unfortunately I doubt may Filipinos in the Mountain Provinces have relatives abroad...so it all comes down to philanthropy. Anyway, for the right person, I thought this was a great area. I personally liked the town of Sabangan more. It was more scenic, and I love the kayaking, though it is very isolated. Sagada has a lot of foreigners living there. I'm not sure of the attraction. It is a tourist area, its cool, but not much else there, and its more isolated.
The other appealing aspect of this area is the fact that the roads are constantly improving. The main Baguio-Bontoc road is currently being concreted, though after completion it will still remain a VERY windy road, so it will only attract the most dedicated tourists from Manila. The Dept of Tourism is upgrading facilities. The only shopping malls for a while will remain in Baguio. Unlikely to see one in Buguias for another30 years...unless you don't mind the commute, though I would not mind it if I never saw another franchise city. Expect a Jollibee in Sabangan within 10 years. I do believe this area will open up. It does have tourist potential, and the govt is getting their act together.
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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com
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