Baguio Minute 6

It's a wet VD week in Baguio. Since VD also means venereal disease, the Health Center said that there were two cases of HIV infection in the city within the year. One is a 17-year-old boy. The ones who made money the most during Valentines were the taxi drivers who knocked on all the motels in the city only to be told that there would be No Vacancy. So many couples spent their dates on the taxicabs with a P200 trip literally around the city. Should have just tipped the drivers. Hmmm. Speaking of motels, Cafe by the Ruins had a ritual last week to drive away evil spirits especially that Hotel Sogo is going to be built beside it. HS is supposed to be a hotel so the zoning ordinance that it is located in front of City Hall despite its ill repute is legally fine. So now we know where the City wheelings and dealings would be. Hmm. A Valentines murder: A 30-year old woman from Samar was stabbed to death last Feb. 14 after entering a motel at Lower Gen. Luna Rd. The suspect in the rape and murder of a young UB Nursing student in Balacbac was nabbed. He belongs to a famous family. The other suspect, the alleged boyfriend, remains at large. The Philippine Export Processing Zone, the city's cash cow, remitted only P7 million in the 3rd Quarter of last year. In the first two quarters, the PRPZ remitted P20 million per quarter. This has a huge effect on the city's budget which is now close to P1 B. The city closed down 20 nightclubs in the city for being too noisy.