Monday, October 30, 2006 Baguio to have only one Panagbenga in 2007: mayor
ONLY one Baguio Flower Festival (BFF) or Panagbenga would be staged next year and it would be handled by the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. (BFFI), said acting Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr.
"Definitely, we will have only one Panagbenga this time so there will be no disunity and our efforts will be focused on only one activity to ensure its success once more," said Bautista in a media briefing.
He said his stand is based on Resolution 294-2005, which returns to the foundation the authority and responsibility to organize and manage the crowd-drawing event.
Bautista also issued Administrative Order (AO) 141 last October 13 requesting and authorizing the BFFI to immediately commence the planning and preparations for the Panagbenga 2007.
In his order, Bautista stressed the activity must be managed "as a community-based, private sector-led and government-supported tourism activity in accordance to and consistent with the norms and conduct of the festival as originally conceptualized."
"As shown and proven in the past, the success and acceptability of the flower festival is further enhanced by our residents and visitors' perception that the activity is community-based, private sector-led and government-supported," he noted.
The BFFI, through president Damaso Bangaoet Jr., has begun preparations for the event, which would be announced in a press briefing Monday. (AR)
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