BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — The City Government of Baguio and the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. (BFFFI) set in motion the 2024 Panagbenga festival with the unveiling of the calendar of activities during the December 18 flag raising ceremony at the City Hall Grounds.
BFFFI Board of Trustees headed by Frederico Alquiros, and Chairman for Life Mauricio Domogan with city officials headed by Mayor Benjamin Magalong and Congressman Marquez Go, led the launching of Panagbenga 2024 with the theme, “Celebrating Traditions, Embracing Innovation.”
The BFFFI, a private entity which spearheads the annual staging of Baguio’s Flower Festival, promises new and more creative events and activities for Panagbenga 2024.
The 28th staging of Baguio’s Flower Festival, popularly known as Panagbenga, will have its grand opening day parade and ceremony on February 3, 2024.It will showcase cultural, festive and innovative events and activities.
The highly anticipated Panagbenga Grand Street Dance and the Grand Float Parade will be on February 24 and 25, respectively while Session Road in Bloom will run from February 26 up to March 3.
Other featured events are the month-long Baguio Blooms: A Market Encounter that will feature flora and flavor fair at Burnham Park, the PanagbengaScapes, a Garden Exhibit and Competition ; the Kite Flying Challenge; Let A Thousand Flowers Bloom (Art painting activity) and the Handog ng Panagbenga sa Baguio Family Fair at the Melvin Jones on Feb.11, and the Fluvial Parade at the Burnham Lake and the Cultural Dance Competition at Melvin Jones Football Ground on Feb. 18.
Other traditional events included in the Panagbenga calendar are the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) on Feb. 10, the Philippine Military Academy Grand Alumni Homecoming on Feb. 15 to 17, and the school based – floral and landscaping competition.
Domogan said the annual staging of Panagbenga was conceptualized to provide an opportunity for the people of Baguio to thank the Lord for the blessings, and for the people of Baguio, regardless of tribal origin, to feel that they are members of one community and of one family. It is also an avenue to showcase and preserve the city’s (and also the other parts of Cordillera) unique culture and tradition, and primarily to entice visitors, locally and from abroad, to boost Baguio’s economy and tourism industry.
Magalong and Go, in their respective inspirational messages, expressed gratitude to the BFFFI and all of the other partners, for sustaining the grand Panagbenga festivities for the people of Baguio and its visitors, highlighting the importance of the flower festival in promoting Baguio as a UNESCO Creative City and the rich and diverse cultures that define the city.
“Today, we gather to celebrate the rich tapestry of our culture, the beauty of our traditions, and the spirit of unity that defines the heart of the people of Baguio. The Panagbenga Festival is a testament to our commitment to preserving and promoting the unique identity of our beloved City of Pines,” Magalong stressed.
“Although there is no denying the economic benefits that our city gains, Panagbenga serves as a gateway to appreciation and understanding of our culture,” Go added. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)
