BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — Eight floral floats thematically designed to portray famous sites and destinations in Baguio City and the Cordillera, delighted Baguio folks and visitors in the Panagbenga 2025 Fluvial Parade at the Burnham Park Lake on February 27.
The Department of Tourism-Cordillera led activity featured six floral fluvial floats showcasing the famous Lion’s Head along Kennon Road, the Baguio Cathedral, the Botanical Garden, Wright Park, Mines View Park, and the ‘the Axis of Baguio City’ featuring the Hall of Justice, City Hall, Rizal Park, the Rose Garden of Burnham Park, Baguio Convention Center and the Supreme Court
The two other entries featured the Bell Church along La Trinidad, Benguet and the famous Ifugao Rice Terraces.
There were also two non-competing fluvial floats – the “Queen of the Lake” , the swan boat that was used in a rescue mission during a flooding incident in Cagayan, and the float with Baguio City Police Office mascots SGT. To-po and Ba-fi.
All the entries were winners in the eyes of the crowd but eventually after the judging, the Swan Boat’s Botanical Garden won first place, with the Golden Seahorse’s Axis of Baguio City in second place, and the Blue Boat’s King of the Jungle: Lion’s Head in third spot.
The top three fluvial floats received cash prize of P20,000, P15,000 and P10,000, respectively. All participating entries got a subsidy of P25,000 from the DOT-CAR to help them in designing their respective floats.
DOT-CAR Regional Director Jovita Ganongan thanked all the participating entries and their partners for the success of the 4th Panagbenga Fluvial Parade.
The fluvial parade is part of DOT’s tourism recovery program initiated in 2022 after the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to support the boatmen at Burnham Lake while enhancing the tourism experience in the heart of Baguio City.
“Next year, we will do this again, we will make it bigger, brighter and more vibrant”, she said. (JDP/CCD with Klaud Kaniteng & Chelsea Mas- PIA CAR – SLU Interns)
