THIS coming December, Silahis ng Pasko sa Baguio will celebrate its 45th anniversary celebration with a series of Christian caring and sharing activities. Like in the past, the month-long presentation of special events were carefully designed to generate the bayanihan spirit of the Christmas season, for newly born babies, the growing children, the teenagers, the young adults, the parents and grandparents and even for our handicapped brothers and sisters, specially from the cosmopolitan residents of our beautiful city and the Cordilleras. The pool of religious, cultural, sports, tourism and other humanitarian programs in the multi-awarded Silahis ng Pasko offering is first and foremost, anchored on the Christian spirit and the biblical history of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ in Bethlehem.
The NCCB-CSWDO sponsored Christmas Season gift package kicks off on December 1 with the colorful "Children and Parents Christmas Mardigras," showcasing some 4,000 City Social Welfare and Development Day Care Center pupils together with their parents clad in various handmade costumes portraying Christmas characters, giant Christmas cards and decorated gift boxes, flower designs, animals and many more. From top of Session Road the paraders will go down the main street, to end at the Melvin Jones Grandstand at Burnham Park for the grand opening program with City Mayor Mauricio Domogan and Congressman Mark Go giving their respective Christmas inspirational messages.
In the afternoon, the presentation and coronation rites honoring the Miss Little Silahis ng Pasko sa Baguio and her escort will be held at the Justice George Malcolm Square. A talent show by a select core of Day Care Center children will follow after the coronation ceremonies.
On December 2, the Share a Joy for mothers little helping hands will take place with a plaro at the Malcolm Square. Immaculate Conception festivities at the Shrine of the Brown Madonna along Km. 7, Asin Road will be held on December 8.
On December 9, the most awaited "PMA Cadets Day the Park" is scheduled at the Burnham Park. An elite Silent Drill Company from the Long Gray Line will display its talent and skills in manual of arms, razor sharp marching formation maneuvers and many more surprises, with the PMA Band providing the musical score. The annual show, which started with Silahis ng Pasko in 1973, is courtesy of the Philippine Military Academy and AFP. A band concert by the PMA Band is part of the PMA Day activity.
From December 7 to 10, the NCCB Quest for the Baguio-Benguet Lucky Foreign Visitors program will be on centerstage. This is a comeback on the trail edition with the primary objective to help popularize the City of the Pines and the province of Benguet as premier tourist destinations for foreign travelers as well as our countrymen. A four-day welcome reception spread with free accommodations, sight-seeing tours to places of interest, fellowship get together socials, the Pinoy way, awaits the lucky ones. The quest committee is headed by Tom Picaña, a veteran mediaman and publisher of Amianan Ngayon with program executives and coordinators Primo Agatep of PNA, NCCB VP Romy Gonzales of DZRM Radio, Manila; Zaldy Comanda of Manila Bulletin and Balita, Dobie de Guzman, anchorman of ABS-CBN Northern Luzon and CBA President Edong Carta. The special tourism bonanza, hopefully, will be co-sponsored by the CAR Tourism Office and other civic minded organizations and individuals.
The Baguio City National High School "Singing and Dancing Christmas Tree" is billed on December 9 at the Malcolm Square under the joint sponsorship of Bamarva and the SLU SVP Housing Cooperative headed by retired Dole Judge Emitt Manantan.
The Special Day for Special People (PDWs) is set on December 15, featuring a palaro, a chess tournament for the blind and an amateur singing and dancing contest with handsome prizes.
On December 25, the Search for the Baguio Lucky Christmas Baby at the BGHMC will highlight the day's celebration. The affair is hosted by Baguio Balikbayan Jossie Delanila and family, with BEA Member organizations supporting the project.
On December 27, the Silahis ng Pasko sa Baguio Holy Mass, sponsored by the Saint Vincent Parish Church in Barangay Campo Filipino lead by Rev. Fr. Jeffry Habado, will be held at 4 o'clock in the afternoon at the Malcolm Square.
The Baguio Balikbayan Day Program, honoring the city's balikbayans, will be staged on December 29, to be held at the city's Sunshine Park beside the Baguio-Mt. Province Museum. The day's program of activities will, for the first time, also feature the presentation of KKISLAP (Kafagway-Kordi International Awards Program) to the most outstanding international athlete-achievers from Baguio and the Cordilleras and to the 12 Most Outstanding Elderly (Senior Citizen) Luminaries from the Pines City and the Province of Benguet in the field of government service, education, medicine, tourism and special events, agriculture, business and trade, PNP-Military service, art and culture, social-civic service, journalism and sports. A special quest committee for the big event is composed of tri-media practitioners. The awardess must be outstanding in leadership in their respective profession and must be active in community development efforts as volunteers.
On January 1, 2019, the search of the Baguio Lucky New Year Baby, hosted by US Navy retired Angel Villalarvo and family and BEA, will climax the Silahis ng Pasko sa Baguio 2018 program, known through the years as the longest and most meaningful Christmas season program in the city and the Cordilleras.
Join us in the celebration. Be a part!