Bell Church: Baguio's Hidden Temples

The Bell Church in Baguio City is located near the border of La Trinidad. In fact, if you are coming from the city center, either by a car, cab or jeepney bound to La Trinidad, the Bell Church is right before the arch that says Welcome to La Trinidad.

There is no entrance fee to the Bell Church, but the compound is open from 7 AM to 5 PM only. Within its walls are several Taoist temples intricately adorned with bells and dragons. These pagoda structures line-up the slopes of a mountain side.

Here are few of the pictures I took from the Bell Church.

Squatting. It's More Fun in the Philippines. Or Is it?

I still cannot get over the news days ago about the Php 18,000 subsidy the government is planning to give to each of the more than 19,000 squatter families along the San Juan River, Tullahan River, Manggahan floodway, Maricaban Creek, Pasig River and Esteros Tripa de Gallian, Sunog Apog and Maypajo for their relocation. I found it ridiculous that these illegal settlers, I mean informal settlers will be paid to relocate after occupying spaces that they are NOT supposed to inhabit.

Anti-Squatting Law and Its Subsequent Repeal

The Anti-Squatting Law was instituted by the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos. He penalized squatting and other similar acts under PD 772 in 1975. However in 1992, the passage of Lina Law, otherwise known as RA 7279 or Urban Development Housing Act of 1992 (UDHA) imposed a requirement of relocation before eviction. Furthermore in 1997, then President Fidel V. Ramos decriminalized squatting through RA 8368 or the Anti-Squatting Law Repeal Act. Even if the law claims it does not intend to compromise the property rights of legitimate landowners, clearly RA 8368 and the Lina Law gave our professional squatters the upper hand in settling into areas they do not own. 

Squatting. It's More Fun in the Philippines

Live by the historic Pasig River.

Cramp in ingeniously-made shanties.

Bask in the colorful waterways of the city.

Feel the heat and enjoy the beautiful chaos.

Be paid Php 18,000.

It’s more fun being 
a professional squatter.