Baguio LGU, BFFFI gear for 20th Panagbenga Festival
Vol. XVIII No. 7 (Nov. 22-28, 2014)
BAGUIO CITY – As early as now, schedule your vacation in the Summer Capital next year in time for City’s Panagbenga 2015 with the City Government of Baguio and the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. (BFFFI) preparing for a grander staging of the 20th Baguio Flower Festival.
Panagbenga Chairperson and Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio (HRAB) president Anthony De Leon advised this during the formal launching of the 2015 Baguio Flower Festival at the City Hall this morning.
Panagbenga 2015 which adopts the theme, “Across 20 Years of Blossoming Together,” will be a five-week Panagbenga treat from February 1 to March 8.
De Leon bared that they will be lifting the “Hall of Fame restriction so that past winners of the grand street dancing and grand float parade can prepare to battle out with the rest of the best.
The nearby Benguet municipalities of La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay, which together with Baguio forms the BLISTT, have confirmed their participation in this year’s Panagbenga.
Panagbenga 2015 will open on February 1 with the street dancing and the drum and lyre competition – elementary division to be followed by the opening ceremonies at the Athletic Bowl.
On the same day, Baguio Blooms Exhibition and Exposition will also open at the Lake Drive of Burnham Park and will run for five weeks.
The much awaited Grand Street Dancing is set on February 28 while the Grand Float Parade is on the next day, March 1.
Other traditional events for Baguio Flower Festival 2015 will be the “Handog ng Panagbenga sa Pamilya Baguio” on February 15 at Melvin Jones which showcases the “Let a thousand Flowers Bloom”, family painting activity, a Kite Flying challenge, variety show and fireworks display.
On February 19 will be the Chinese Spring Festival and on February 20 to 22 will be the Philippine Military Academy Grand Alumni Homecoming.
On March 1 to 8 will be the Session Road in Bloom wherein the most popular street in Baguio will be closed to vehicles so people can enjoy a walk as well as the various products, food and non-food and entertainment.
On March 7 will be the Pony Boys Day which will also feature entertainment, horse-back riding shows and competition. It will end with grand fireworks display on March 8.
Mayor Mauricio Domogan enjoined all stakeholders – the City government and it different departments, the city council, the BFFFI officials and staff, business establishments, civil society organizations and most importantly all the people of Baguio, to continue to work together and make Panagbenga 2015 more meaningful.
“As we celebrate a new milestone in the Pangbenga History, let us work for a continuing partnership in pushing for a more blossoming Baguio Flower Festival. Let us work as one in pushing for happiness, peace and progress for Baguio and its people”, he said.
Over the years, Panagbenga continues to be is the biggest crowd drawer in the city./JDP/CCD – PIA CAR
