Listening to the stories of what Panagbenga looked like in its early days compared to the Panagbenga of today seemed like a stuff of legends from the past. The Panagbenga that we younger people know of is the massive festival that attracts people from all over the nation, one that demands the attention of the entire city and even its neighboring areas, big enough to shut down the major roads, and pulls over so much people that the locals themselves stay inside their own houses.
This month-long festival has truly outgrown the expectations that it would only stay as a small and local festival.
The prizes have ballooned into life-changing amounts. Several organizations have joined the bandwagon and become vital stakeholders. And the crowd it attracts at its apex cannot even be possibly contained within this small city.
Amidst this metamorphosis of what was once a small and local festival into an international-level celebration demands a need for protection of its core values.
Festivals are meant for the public, especially the locals. But so often are things built by the people to attract so much attention it gets hijacked by private interests and its soul taken away.
No doubt the festival can reach an even higher level of prestige, attraction, revenue, and fame. Before its essence is taken away and becomes just another festival, as all eyes are attracted and distracted by the colorful flowers, the locals, the creators of this important festival must always remain vigilant, lest they get the carpet pulled from under their feet and have their precious creation be stolen away. **