RELOCATING to another country means starting anew and perhaps going back to your country of origin will only be for a vacation.
But for this year's recipients of the Search for Lucky Balikbayan, their return to the Philippines or Baguio City for that matter is not only for a short vacation.
It is instead a reminisce of what was left of the old Baguio, the re-introduce of the Filipino culture to their children, and to share their victory for winning a competition, abroad.
For Florentino "Bok" David, his visit to Baguio was a mixture of fun and sadness.
Fun because he got to play golf again during the Fil-Am golf tournament and visit his favorite watering hole, the Luisa's Café.
Sadness, on the other hand, since John Hay Air Base (JHAB) Fire Station where he worked for many years before he moved to Florida, USA, is gone.
"I was surprised it was torn down," David said reminiscing that before the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) and later private developers took over, JHAB Fire Station not only supplemented the Baguio Fire Department, but firemen then were highly involved in the training and education of students and Baguio residents in fire prevention.
David is the recipient of the Lucky Balikbayan individual category.
For retired US Navy Corpsmen Chief Petty Officer Romel Caburian and wife Florence, their visit meant visiting relatives, familiarizing, and touring Baguio with their daughter Erika Dawn.
Having grown up in the US, Erika, a sophomore at the Vista Murrieta High School in Murrieta, California, was able to see a glimpse of her parents' place of birth.
The Caburians are the recipients of the Lucky Balikabayan Family category.
Baguio-based Japanese businessperson Masahiro "Hiro" Okuda meanwhile was awarded the Balik nang Balik Balikbayan award.
A native of Hiroshima, Japan, Hiro has been in Baguio for the past 12 years. Baguio was his first choice when he decided to relocate here.
The climate and Baguio's friendly people made him stay. He only spends a few months in Japan for a vacation.
Wushu bronze medalists in the Beijing Olympics Marian Mariano and Benjie Rivera were also given recognition by the event's organizer, the National Correspondents Club of Baguio (NCCB). They brought glory to the Cordillerans.
The Search for the Lucky Balikbayan started 35 years ago with guests from Hawaii as the first recipients, said NCCB chairman Narciso Padilla.
The balikbayans came in six buses and were billeted at Teacher's Camp. (Rimaliza Opiña)
