When I first visited Mirador Hill in October 2020, just when the city was starting to loosen up with Covid restrictions, it was still known to most as the Mirador Jesuit Villa and Retreat House. At that time, there were already plans to create a bamboo forest and an eco-park surrounding this haven of tranquility.
At Peace with Nature at Mirador Jesuit Villa Retreat House and Eco Park | Baguio City
After the war in 1945, Jesuits from other parts of Asia went here to study because Jesuit teachers would often stay here during the summer. The current retreat house—the third one built by the Jesuits in the City of Pines—was designed by Gines Rivera, the same architect who designed the Administration Building of Ateneo de Manila, in 1952.
In 1876, Don Manuel Scheidnagel, the governor politico-militar of Benguet, gave the hill its current name, El Mirador, after the Spanish word for "lookout" or "vantage point," because of the breathtaking view it provided of Lingayen Gulf, La Union, and the South China Sea from its peak. Fr. Miguel Roces, rector of Manila's Ateneo Municipal, proposed establishing a sanatorium for Jesuits in the province of Benguet in 1890. For Jesuits, the cooler weather in the highlands was seen to be a panacea to the energy-sapping humidity of Manila.
An Idyllic Place for Meditation
We were told that Mirador was frequently used by the Jesuits for their annual retreats and the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) held their discussions here a few times, as well as hosting random individuals seeking to rediscover their spirituality.
Walking across the grounds brought up memories of a high school retreat I had undertaken. The exact location of our Baguio retreat house had eluded my memory to this day. What I recalled were the parallels between that and Mirador, particularly the sense of seclusion despite being located in a densely populated city.
There was a beautiful view of the Benguet mountains from the common area, as well as a tiny chapel, private prayer rooms, and a variety of rooms to choose from for sleeping and relaxing. I could see people coming here to enjoy the peacefulness of nature and the pleasant temperature.
If you did decide to venture out of Mirador Retreat House, you'll still find plenty of beautiful natural areas in which to immerse yourself in silent contemplation and really embrace your spirituality.
Mirador Heritage and Eco-Spirituality Park
Fast forward to December 2021 and I was back again in Baguio City, this time with my friend Missy. On our second day, we made sure of going to Mirador Hill since I was curious to see how the Heritage and Eco-Spirituality Park complemented the historic Retreat House.
Worried that the swarm of tourists snapping Instagram images on the newly manicured bamboo forest would intrude on the hilltop’s serene vibe, I eventually felt that it wasn’t the case.
First, the park spread five hectares divided into different sections and attractions, thus providing a place for anyone to be alone in silence and prayer.
At first, the decision to landscape a bamboo grove and construct a Torii gate, which was a traditional Japanese gateway emblem, seemed odd to me. Once I learned that what it symbolized was related to the history of Mirador Hill, I couldn't help but appreciate its existence there—and also because it made for a striking photographic subject foregrounding the sweeping views of the mountains.
Facing the direction towards the Lingayen Gulf, the Torii gate, a fixture in Shinto shrines in Japan, symbolized the transitioning of energies from an ordinary to a sacred space. A fitting spiritual belief considering Baguio and Japan were intertwined by the horrible events of World War II.
The bell that hung on the Torii gate itself was from an unexploded bomb meant to kill Japanese soldiers who took refuge within the walls of the Jesuit’s Monastery near the end of the war.
“From the mundane suffering of the war to a sacred place of miracle and humanity,” as if the Torii gate was meant to convey.
While the presence of tourists might make the once secluded Mirador Hill feel like any other Baguio landmark, the Zen mood that had existed for so long on this hilltop spot of seclusion persisted. Most especially, those who appreciated time with nature as a moment well spent would surely want to go back, perhaps for a lengthy reflection time. Count me among those who wanted their Mirador Hill experience to be more than just a walk in the park.
