People (dwellers) of Quirino Hill, Baguio City, Philippines

Just after Camdas family granted the place and the Government of Baguio imposed tax declaration on it for the people’s occupancy, people from many different places came up to the place in different times and applied for themselves their lots. That was also the time when it was subdivided into political barangays. At first, most of the lots that were taken were improved to camotal lots until sometime when the major roads were constructed that the people started to build their houses for their permanent residency.

Before, Baguio was already considered as a city of different opportunities (education for one) for everyone and this without doubt the primary reason why people moved to this city, which proved to be an important quasi-historical event that contributed to the continuous development of the city itself. The majority of the people that have moved to this cool city came from the neighboring provinces or territories and established their residency as adopted people of Baguio. Thus for Quirino Hill, the first settlers were composed of people from different cultures and traditions that were easily and readily intertwined because of cultural flexibility and westernization, except the traditional practices that were being kept the obligations by those who practiced them with open acceptance from the others, which is a situation that also keep the social facet adorning the whole community with dynamic parameters shared by the residents and non-residents alike.

As of this time, the residents of Quirino Hill are being composed of two waves. The first wave was the period of settlements of the pioneer settlers and the second wave was when the children of the said group were born to this place, which signified the rooting of the community. The second wave also includes the sudden growth of population of the community due to birth, migration and landlordship. According to the National Statistical Coordination Board (NCSB), the total population of the four barangays of Quirino Hill is 8,901 as of 2004. The majority of the population is 50% that is comprised by the pupils and students. 30% is composed of parents, non-working and working individuals (including OFW’s and contractual workers), and 20% is composed of children (preps and non-preps), OSY’s and Senior Citizens. I have gotten these figures through careful observation, analysis and estimation of the community’s demography.