THE re-scheduled Baguio Flower Festival or Panagbenga will still be dependent on Department of Health (DOH) advisories.
Andrew Pinero, Baguio Flower Festival Incorporated (BFFI) media head, clarified the two main events of the flower fest remain dependent DOH advisories amid threat on the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019–nCoV).
“We will be monitoring closely the DOH advisories and will act accordingly,” he said.
The BFFI previously confirmed the grand opening parade is scheduled on March 21 while the grand street dance parade set on March 28 followed by the grand float parade on March 29 while the Session Road in Bloom is slated March 30 extending to April 5.
Pinero added the scheduled Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association (Caraa) meet will also be included in the activities of the BFF with awarding of athletes to be done during the parade highlights at the Athletic bowl.
The ongoing Baguio Blooms Exposition and Exhibition has also been requested by the BFFI to be extended until April 15 citing the health issue over the 2019 – nCoV as a factor to a dip in sales and participants.
Pinero said the extension will not add fees to the already cash strapped tenants who suffer low sales within the Baguio Convention Center.
The events still falls low on participation by exhibitor traders as the city earlier announced indefinite postponement of high impact activities for the flower festival, now on its 25th edition.
Pinero said the BFFI has been refunding tenants who have opted to pull out of the event.
The City Council has summoned the BFFI for next week’s meeting to shed light on activities, events as well as the previous audit of the festival.
Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan said there the City Council has yet to receive the audit of the previous flower fest and cites it as an important matter to be resolved.
However Pinero said the audit has been submitted and published as of December 2019.