BAGUIO Flower Festival Executive Committee Chairpersopn Elmer Datuin is calling for a meeting on the conduct of the annual market encounter.
Datuin said he has asked Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan, chairman for life of the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Incorporated (BFFFI), to call for a meeting among the working committees to iron out details of the market encounter which is set to open in the first week of February.
The city official said a bidding of the event needs to be done just like last year, where the city earned P11 million from the event alone.
Datuin said bidding of the event must be done at this point to have a seamless opening of the annual trade fair.
The flower festival starts February 1 and ends on March 10 with a theme “Blooming Forward,” as changes eyed for the annual city event on its 24th year.
Datuin said Burnham Park’s Juan Luna Drive will not be used for the festivities this year to ease traffic and congestion in the Central Business District.
The lawmaker added the skating rink is eyed for the market encounter but Anthony De Leon, executive committee co-chairman, said a possible site has been identified outside Burnham Park.
The grand street dancing and float parades are set for March 2 and 3, instead of the traditional February schedules.
As an added attraction, the Panagbenga open cultural dance competition will be included in the month long festivities, giving a venue for Cordilleran songs, dances and attires.
The launching of the BFF started rocky with Datuin, blasting organizers for failing to coordinate with city officials.
Datuin lambasted colleagues, saying it is the responsibility of those in government and in the private sector to coordinate and respect each other, adding there are many talented and able personnel in the city hall who could have helped in the preparation.
Councilor Mylen Yaranon also reminded organizers of the distinction of the city by Unesco as creative city.
Yaranon said the said logo of the festival should have been designed by local artist and floats and street dances should add a criteria on the use of local craftsmanship and materials “to promote our weaves, wooden and metal crafts”.
She also suggested Session Road in Bloom should have a designated space for local artists to sell their crafts curated by them for free like the middle portion of the road.