BLAME it on me, it is my fault. I will admit it. Yes it was during that time when Session Road in Bloom was what it is today. From a day it became two next, then the weekend, eventually the whole week. What started out as a chance to showcase Session Road after Panagbenga Street and Dance plus the Float Parade came to fore.
First there were two parades. One for the Mayor, another by the Congressman. I was the Vice then. I was also caught in between the two. Both wanted their own parade at that time. It was hilarious, the organizers each had their own sponsors. If one was Smart the other Globe. Pepsi and Coke etc. at least at that time every company had wanted to take part in the festivities.
Oh, I had to attend both parades but as a Boy Scout. At least I was neutral and not playing any favorites. Both parades of course had their own set of participants. Like DepEd we had to attend both just to be on the safe side. One was on a Saturday, the other the next day. I helped in brokering for equal stature.
Back to my story. Eventually I took the lead. As Acting Mayor, from experience and complaints from sponsors and a possible boycott or back out, decided for the sake of showing no favoritism and to allow every one equal chance for showcase. The parade was made into two. A day for street dancing the other for floats.
Coke and Smart requested that they get the chance to sponsor a day in Session Road. Well for various activities like concerts. Every one enjoyed. Soon after many others wanted one too. From a day I say, then two then three then four to a whole week. I say, true.
The plan was really to showcase a Session Road for you. Meaning, just for you and me. Let me remind everyone that at that time there was a war on our streets. A war from parking. The plan was for us to find an alternative. The alternative was hopefully to restrict any cars instead. Thus the plan for pedestrianization was being studied.
There came so much complaints, primarily those from Session Road themselves. They felt that if that was the plan, they will lose their business. I just come from an International Conference on Clean Air sponsored and as a scholar from the USAID. The conference simply focused their attention to Executives to come up with provisions for cleaner air.
La Rambla in Barcelona and Nanjing Road in Shanghai were just but a few examples. While air quality greatly improved, so did business. But as I got back home, it was such a hard sell. A study in fact targeted how bad our air quality was down below Session Road.
I wanted a compromise as businessmen in Session Road objected to pedestrianization. I proposed for downhill and closure of the other side. The plan was for Session Road to showcase Flower Shops and Coffee. Cafés all Al Fresco. Imagine just the scents of flowers and coffee?
There was also a plan to showcase our Academic Community and their own bands or chorales from performing along Session Road. Well that was the plan. Some of my "advisers" had told me that my plans were well ahead of our time and for everyone, thus all the resistance. Well that's okay. Maybe it was too fast and too soon.
Every year became a trial, as I had shared from a day then two to what it is today for a week. It soon became the norm. Everyone had seemed to enjoy from the previous year, and so it came to be.
Today, Session Road in Bloom is in Boom. Definitely a chance to showcase local produce. Well some have eventually partnered with the City like that of Marikina, still mostly local. Today I have noticed a lot from Vigan, especially their food. Still okay.
I bring my kids to school, and every day for Session Road in Bloom together with Joy. Enjoy all the culinary treats that can't be had when everything is back to normal. This are special times. I'm in foodie heaven. The Public Market just so far from reach as this is accessible for everyone.
Surely till today there are some skeptics, that's just fine. Can't please everyone. But at least I come to see my dream slowly coming. Maybe not for everyone but at least for me and all those whom I meet and greet every day along Session Road, I know that things will eventually come into place for this place.
Boom it was for the fireworks, boom it was for Panagbenga and boom it will be always for Session Road in Bloom. Now you know. Peace for now and until next. Boom!