Flowerfest Launched Nov. 17
VOL. XVIII, NO. 6(Nov. 15-21)
BAGUIO CITY- Panagbenga 2015 shall be launched this Monday, November 17 during the regular flag ceremony at the city hall grounds, Mayor Mauricio Domogan announced last Wednesday.
On its 20th staging next February, Panagbenga or the Baguio Flower Festival is expected to have traditional activities; opening childrens’ parade on Feb. 1, market encounter, street dance parade and flower float parade on the third weekend, Session Road in Bloom, sports exhibition and competition, Pony Boys’ day, and a grand closing program with fireworks in various venues.
According to Mayor Domogan, the opening parade serves as elimination round for the drum and lyre and elementary streetdancing parade category.
The city is allotting P4M for the festival’s prizes and other expenses, the mayor added.
The mayor broached the idea of having four street dance categories; elementary, high school, college and open category. The number of participants dwindled due to some participants’ consistent winning of top awards, thus placing them in the hall of fame. Mayor Domogan said fall-of-famers are urged to join the competitions again.
In a press conference after Panagbenga 2014, several suggestions were given for the next festival, including having city and barangay officials, participants from the La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay (BLISTT), out-of-town or regional contingent-guests join with choreographed dancing to the tune of the Panagbenga Hymn, as patterned from the steps of the Ibaloi Bendian.
Contingents are also encouraged to join with their own flower floats. Invitations for media coverage for the 20th version of Panagbenga should be floated early, local counterparts said.
Considering that the festival entices more visitors than what could be provided sufficient housing, provisions for parking, housing or camping spaces should be given more thought for Panagbenga 2015, it was urged. It has been observed that more tourists and some locals have opted to set up tents and catch up with Baguio’s February chill./juliegfianza
