BAGUIO CITY, Philippines? He has not yet filed his certificate of candidacy as a presidential candidate of the administration party, so former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr.?s appearance at the city?s Wow Philippines parade on Sunday still doesn?t count as the start of his official campaign.

But Teodoro, the standard bearer of Lakas-Kampi-CMD, certainly went through the motions.

He was introduced as the hope of the country?s future in a speech delivered in Ilocano by Baguio Rep. Mauricio Domogan, Lakas-Kampi-CMD Cordillera coordinator.

Teodoro was also asked to drape on an Ifugao woven blanket and wear a Bontoc cap. He was also given a spear and shield to establish his connection to the Cordillera.

Speaking in Ilocano, Teodoro traced his roots to Baguio starting with his great grandfather, J.J. Murphy, who was the paymaster of Gen. Lyman Kennon, builder of the road that bears his name.

He said the Murphys later settled in Baguio and built the city?s first cinema.

Teodoro was also made to drink tapuey (rice wine) with Cordillera officials at Burnham Park, where Cordillera products were displayed in native huts and tents.

The Department of Tourism and the Baguio Centennial Commission staged the two-day festival highlighted by a street dancing parade and cultural performances.

Purificacion Molintas, DOT Cordillera director, said the events should erase all memories of the recent calamities that hit the Cordillera.

More than 300 people, most of them in Benguet and Mt. Province, were killed in landslides triggered by rains dumped by strong typhoons in October.

Acknowledging this sentiment, Teodoro, in his speech, said: ?Baguio should not be isolated again. No community must be stranded at any time.?

Teodoro said maintaining the roads to the Cordillera would immediately lead to peace and order.

He also called for a reformulation of the city''s land use plan and the ecological rehabilitation of the city.

Molintas said the hotels in the city have been booked for the weekend due to the opening of the 60th edition of the Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament, the nursing board examinations and the long weekend.

?There were no rooms left. We even had difficulty booking hotel rooms for even our congressmen and other government officials," Molintas said.

She said that December was usually the start of the tourism season and this
crowd drawer was an auspicious way of starting it. (With a report from Vincent Cabreza, Inquirer Northern Luzon)