Baguio Insider

I know that Panagbenga 2008 has just been concluded. But in order not to lose momentum, and especially since 2009 is Baguio Centennial Year, we should already plan for a better Panagbenga 2009 even now.

As one who has been in Baguio for all 13 Panagbengas, participated in the Baguio Flower Festival as judge, competitor and observer since the beginning (during my Halfway House by Alfredo’s days), I believe I have enough insight into this event to be able to make the following recommendations:

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Although I live in Baguio, the Panagbenga Parade weekend started with a long drive up from Manila at 1:30 a.m. on January 23, just like any other tourist making a long trek up to Baguio. A normal car ride takes us 4 hours without stops, driving leisurely. We got to Baguio at 9:00 a.m. This makes me appreciate Baguio visitors so much, because they brave all that, at great expense too (time and money), to visit our beautiful city.

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The Market Encounter is one of the pillars of the Panagbenga. As is the Landscape Exhibit. These two are the first salvo and last the length of the festival, and are located at Burnham Park. The highlight of course would be the Parade weekend that attracts tens of thousands of visitors, while the highlight for Baguio residents would be the week-long Session Road in Bloom.

Join me in this journey from this:

to this:

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 The whole country has been waiting with bated breath for the Panagbenga 2008 Schedule of Activities. I have posted the tentative schedule emailed to me by the Panagbenga Secretariat at the Go Baguio! Festivals and Events Page.At the risk of sounding surly, I want to call everyone’s attention to the fact that despite:

• knowing the Panagbenga is held yearly in February,
• the Baguio Flower Festival now is on its 13th run,
• the knowledge that tens of thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) of visitors will flock to Baguio for the colorful and exciting activities,
• the opening ceremonies being less than three weeks away

the Panagbenga Schedule of Events is released very late, as it is every year that it is not organized or run by its founder Attorney Damaso Bangaoet. For goodness’s sake, while I appreciate a prompt email response to my request for the Panagbenga 2008 Schedule of Events, why was I sent on January 8 just a TENTATIVE SCHEDULE? (more…)