BAGUIO City Government will now directly handle all payments from income-generating activities of the Baguio Flower Festival 2018.
Councilor Leandro Yangot said a meeting with Mayor Mauricio Domogan, Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Incorporated chairperson, on Thursday night assured all payments from the Session Road in Bloom and the Baguio Blooms Exhibition and Exposition events will pass through the coffers of the city.
Yangot said Domogan has amended his previous Administrative Order to stipulate the specific functions of the City Treasurer’s Office in the festival.
“The functions have been delineated with the city treasurer in charge of collection of all activities involving payments,” said Yangot.
Yangot has appealed to all those interested to participate in the events to inquire at the City Hall for payments and information on the events they want to participate in.
The city official said another meeting on the 27th is set to put into place the design and arrangement of the activities for guidelines to be set and later opened for applications.
Yangot said stronger government participation is now up for the 2018 festival in accordance to Commission on Audit recommendations which have to be followed least be subject to a case.
Domogan has since appointed Councilor Elmer Datuin as Baguio Flower Festival chairman, taking the reins of the executive committee which runs the annual festival backing the decision to have government actively participate to quell fears from the public as well as to conform to the COA.
Yangot has also been included as a member of the executive committee with Freddie Alquiros as co-chairman and members Anthony de Leon, Councilors Michael Lee Lawana, Peter Fianza, Dr. Federico Martin, Philippine Information Agency regional director Helen Tibaldo, Department of Tourism Director Venus Tan, The Manor general manager, Ramon Cabrera, city hall officials and private citizens, Evangeline Payno, Renato Rondez, Leticia Clemente, Carlos Canilao, Moises Cating and engineer Edgar Victorio Olpindo.
Yangot said transparency is assured in the new composition and thrust of the festival to have government participate in the planning and execution of the events.
The alderman said the question of solicitations will also be transparent as government partners are included in the committee.