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Friday, January 17, 2003
Baguio braces for flower fest visitors
By Ramon Dacawi
BAGUIO City has began bracing itself for the exodus of thousands of visitors coming in for the month-long Panagbenga flower festival that unfolds with an opening parade on February 1.
"Since its conception in 1995, Panagbenga has evolved into a well-loved and most sought-after festival that showcases not only the variety of flowers innate to Baguio's landscape but more importantly the rich and unique culture of the Cordillera people," Mayor Bernardo Vergara observed last week.
Vergara spearheads the festival for the first time following its turnover to the city by lawyer Damaso Bangaoet, executive vice president of John Hay-Poro Point Development Corp., who conceptualized what undoubtedly grew to Baguio's biggest tourism come-on.
Vice Mayor Betty Lourdes Tabanda, festival co-chair, said there is now greater participation of the sectors and citizens to the barangay level with the city taking the helm.
With hotels and inns already experiencing heavy bookings this early, the organizers are optimistic that next month's crowd would surpass previous editions of the festival that accents on Baguio's distinction as a city of flowers.
Statistics showed that about 140,000 domestic and foreign tourists were booked in hotels and inns in February last year. "The figure excludes those who were billeted in private houses, camped out or slept in their vehicles," Edgar Jularbal of the Department of Tourism noted.
"We estimated the visiting crowd at 300,000 every weekend for the whole month last year, consistent with an annual increase of 50,000 in arrivals for the festival," added Chris Guzman of Camp John Hay.
City Tourism Officer Benedicto Alhambra said the mayor has created a committee to list down all alternative billeting facilities to help meet the increased demand for lodging houses. The list will be available in information centers that will be set up, he added.
To prevent overcharging by lodging houses, which, together with restaurants, are the direct beneficiaries of the festival, Alhambra said the Baguio Tourism Council, led by Bong Tabora and the Baguio Association of Hotels and Inns headed by Jeanine Chan have urged member-hotels to publish their room rates.
"I hope it is all systems go for the biggest tourism event in our city," Vergara said during last Wednesday's "Kapihan" media forum at the Kalapaw Restaurant in Baguio City.
Vergara said he expects no less than President Arroyo to lead national leaders who will grace any of the major features of the festival. He earlier noted that the Presidential family's spending its Christmas holidays here also boosted domestic tourist arrivals.
Most of the chairs of the various events reported during the press conference their preparations are on schedule even as the ways and means committee is still in the thick of raising funds for the over 30 events lined up.
To cope with the traffic and security arrangements, City Police Director Francisco Manalo said his force would be backed by a 2,000-strong manpower complement from the Army, Air Force, communications groups, Red Cross and medics.
He recommended the suspension of the number-coding traffic experiment during the dates of the major activities, which are timed during the weekend since visitors are not aware of the same.
Some city officials also suggested that visitors be advised to park their vehicles outside the central business district and walk to the festival venues so as not to worsen the traffic problem.
Tabanda also assured that the city, in consultation with the Baguio Water District, is doing its best to ensure steady water supply during the festival. |
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