BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — A family of seven from Pasig City has been chosen as this year’s Baguio Lucky Summer Visitors and got the chance to visit tourist destinations and have fun in the city and other nearby Benguet towns for free.
Couple Ricardo Celestino Jr and Carolyn Andrews Celestino who are celebrating their 34th year anniversary, decided to have a family bonding in Baguio City during the Holy Week break.
Along with their son Jerome Celestino and his girlfriend Jellyn Bautista, daughters Eunice (13 years old) and Julia (11) and grandson Eugin (3), they were chosen by the selection team while aboard a Baguio-bound public utility bus morning of Holy Thursday.
The Search for Baguio-Benguet Lucky Summer Visitors is an annual Holy Week project of the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club (BCBC), the oldest media club in the city.
They select first-time Baguio visitors and provide them with red carpet treatment with free accommodations, tours and food, among other amenities until Easter Sunday.
The Celestino family, who were aboard the ninth bus that the BCBC selection team flagged down along the highway of Pugo in La Union, after confirming that they are first time Baguio visitors and agreeing to the terms of LSV program, were immediately transferred to the bus of the city government and along with representatives from the Department of Tourism, the City Tourism Office, Land Transportation Office and the Philippine Information Agency, were motorcaded up to Baguio City.
As part of a tradition, the LSVs’ first stop is the municipality of Tuba, the first Benguet town leading to Baguio City.
There they were welcomed by Tuba officials headed by Mayor Clarita Sal-ongan and Vice Mayor Maria Carantes with cultural performance, historical briefing and local delicacies.
The LSVs were then brought to Camp Peppot, the BCBC’s annual Holy Week Camp at Burnham Park, to meet the other club officials and members.
They had a courtesy call with Mayor Benjamin Magalong before their check-in at Hotel Supreme, the sponsor for their accommodation.
For their Baguio City tour, the LSVs visited the Lion’s Head, Dragon Treasure Castle, Burnham Park, Camp John Hay, the Wright Park, the Mansion House, Pugad ni Art, Tam- awan Village, Baguio Cathedral and the SM City Skyranch.
For the Benguet tour, they were brought to the Northern Blossoms in Atok, Benguet, Beacon Eco-park and Pollig Farm in Tublay, Benguet.
They also experienced strawberry picking at the Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad.
The LSVs also met Benguet Congressman Eric Yap, Governor Melchor Diclas and Vice Governor Erickson Felipe and Tublay Mayor Armando Lauro.
For the send-off program at Camp Peppot in the afternoon of Easter Sunday, the Celestino family expressed gratitude to the BCBC, their partner LGUs, program sponsors and other stakeholders, for giving them the experience of a lifetime.
“Marami pong salamat. Kami po ay sobrang saya na ito po ang napili naming lugar na i-celebrate iyong aming 34 years anniversary. Ito rin po iyung first-time namin na pumunta sa Baguio. Napakasaya po. Wala kaming pinagsisihan, napakagalak ng aming puso as a whole family, sobra po napakasaya po naming,” Carolyn Celestino said.
“Maraming salamat po sa bumubuo ng BCBC sa pag-assist sa amin, naging VIP kami, ito pala ang feeling ng artista. Bihira lang ang ganitong pag-kakataon. We are grateful po na na-experience naming ang ganitong feeling, ung journey na maging VIP, once in a lifetime. I hope hindi po ito ung last na makapagpasaya kayo ng maraming tao. Sana mas lumawak pa ang club, ang group na ito. Pagpalain po kayong lahat,” Jellyn Bautista added. (CCD/PIA CAR)
