A BID of P13 million has been set for the Burnham trade fair.
Baguio Flower Festival Executive Committee Chairman Elmer Datuin announced as winning bidder, Maribel Chagwaten, for the month-long Baguio Blooms at Burnham Park.
“She offered the highest bid amounting to almost P13 million. Yung second placer about P10.5 million lang so clear winner si Chagwaten,” Datuin said.
Datuin said there were six bidders who participated last week and was happy the P11 million bid from last year has been topped and will earn more for the city.
“It will be better managed and there will also be new ideas and concepts to be introduced. More important is there will be more funds available for the operation of Panagbenga and to improve our institutionalized event,” Datuin added.
The skating rink area will be utilized by organizers for the opening of the Baguio Flower Festival next month which can accommodate 280 stalls and will also be venue for the landscaping competition which will showcase at least 20 entries.
Datuin said neither the Juan Luna drive nor Rose Garden will be used as earlier planned. Instead, all the stalls will be confined at the vicinity of the skating rink.
No roads will also be closed so as not to hamper traffic flow.
The city council has denied the use of Burnham Park’s Juan Luna Drive for any trade fairs to ease traffic and congestion in the Central Business District during the annual flower festival.
The grand street dancing and float parades are set on March 2 and 3.
This year, the flower festival starts February 1 and ends on March 10 with a theme “Blooming Forward.”