MAYOR Mauricio Domogan stressed the conduct of the annual flower festival is a partnership with the private and government sectors.
“It was founded 23 years ago by Damaso Bangaoet and myself as community and city partnership, if we violate that, we will have a problem,” said Domogan.
Domogan sits as chairman emeritus of the Baguio Flower Festival Incorporated, organization in charge of the festival composed of a multi-sectoral group.
The chief executive stressed the full audit of the Session Road in Bloom (SRB) from both the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio (HRAB) and the Liga ng mga Barangays.
Domogan said irregularities in size and products sold in the Liga area has reached his office, as well as the participation of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) in the one week trade fair at the Central Business District.
In reaction to complaints on the look and set up of the stalls at the SRB, Domogan said a comparison of stalls by the Liga and the HRAB is in order to assess whose areas have complied with the guidelines.
The Liga has asked to handle streets during the festival, expanding the Assumption and Perfecto streets they annually handle to include Calderon, portions of Lower Session Road from Mabini Session Road Intersection downwards and portions of Governor Pack while the HRAB has taken control of the rest of the areas in Session Road.
Special Events Council committee chair Elmer Datuin, meanwhile said more innovations are expected for the next staging of the Baguio Flower Festival, including its institutionalization. This would be realized through a council ordinance, which would fast-track and simplify events preparation at least six months before the festival.
Partnerships between the public and private institutions would be forged earlier, and even within the BLISTT area for better coordination while neighboring municipalities’ participation in the festival, including provisions of fresh flowers and accommodation for tourists, has always been articulated by Architect Joseph Alabanza, a BFFFI trustee.
A coffee table book and a saleable video presentation was also suggested for Panagbenga 2019, and a calendar featuring the 24 floats and street dancers in their finery.
The festival was also compared to other known Filipino fiestas, with the social media as standard of measurement. Filipinos overseas expressed appreciation through different electronic media, Mayor Domogan said.
According to Panagbenga officials Anthony de Leon and Freddie Alquiroz, there is a need for skillful floatmakers, and venues for float construction. As observed through the years, only a few floatmakers could manage requests from business establishments.
It was also known the Baguio City Jail had its own version of the Panagbenga. They toasted the beauty of the flowers within the confines of their compound. the theme for this year is “Celebrating culture and creativity.” with a report from Julie Fianza