“Would you believe it’s been one year already since the last Green Ride?” said Jim Ward as he biked up to my house from Bliss Cafe a few weeks ago to hand me the letter for the 2nd bike run.

As I was editing a thousand photos and hours of video footage that Nico Cawed braved the crowds, climbed down fences and climb up buildings for in the past few days, while I played host to many guests who came up for the Panagbenga Grand Parades this weekend, giving them tips on how to navigate the City of Pines during the Baguio Flower Festival, buying pasalubong items for them when they did not have time to do it themselves, news comes in at almost 3 am that the a fire hit the Baguio City Market — yet again.

Mr Anthony de Leon, chairman of the Baguio Flower Festival going on this month in the City of Pines, issued a statement to the press recently that the Baguio folk do not like politicians joining the Grand Parades of the Panagbenga, and I lauded him for this bold statement, for what would be considered by many as “bravery” (in the Philippine setting) for expressing the true sentiments of the people, risking the possible displeasure of the powers that be.