BAGUIO CITY – After more than a month of festivities, expositions and exhibitions, competitions, the grand street and float parade, and pony boys’ day, came the closing and awarding ceremonies of Panagbenga 2017 Sunday at the Melvin Jones Grandstand, Burnham Park.
The winners, as announced during the Kapihan at Session Road were awarded cash prizes during the ceremonies. For the small float category, Maybank garnered first place with a P150,000 cash prize; second place was the Coke float and third place was 1-atomic Marketing Solutions Zen phone, with P120,000 and P100,000 prizes, respectively.
The big float category was won by the Manila National Tollways Corporation (MNTC) with the plum prize of P200,000, with the Sitel float in second place with a P180,000 prize. The Department of Tourism (DOT-CAR) Rev-bloom float won the third place with a P150,000 cash prize.
The streetdancing competition’s first time winners are: Pugo (La Union) Catholic School, first place; Lubuagan (Kalinga) performing group, second prize and Virac (Itogon, Benguet), third prize, in the open category.
For the high school category, Baguio City High School (BCHS), Saint Louis High School and Pines City High School (PNHS) won the first, second and third prizes, respectively.
Mabini Elementary School, Baguio Central School and Aguinaldo ES danced their way to be the first, second and third placers in the elementary category, with cash prizes.
Sponsors willingly came for all the activities, Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc., officer Freddie Alquiros admitted. The spirit of volunteerism showed itself from the start of Panagbenga; coupled with the efforts of the secretariat, and all working committees, including the media; we grew by “leaps and bounds” this year, Alquiros said.
Anthony De Leon also admitted that Panagbenga is “a work in progress.” We have a lot more to improve in, with details to look into, he said. We should have a continuous appraisal and improvement for the festival to be an enjoyment at the least inconvenience of the citizens of Baguio, he added.
For the streetdancing and float parade, there was an estimated 700,000 visitors in addition to locals who patiently waited and watched the performances, from Panagbenga Park to the Athletic Bowl, and Melvin Jones Grandstand, Burnham Park.
Mayor Mauricio Domogan, during the regular Ugnayam deemed the Baguio Flower Festival or Panagbenga 2017 as a very successful endeavor, saying it was the “fruit of teamwork,” He also expressed gratitude to all volunteers, the academe, civic organizations, the Baguio City Police Office and the provincial police office, the participants and the whole community.
Volunteers and students were in all places for assistance during the parades.
The running of the Panagbenga is not a one-man show, but a collective work of each one, and all sectors; the BFFFI officials said.
A planning session with key officials is being scheduled with a Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay (BLISTT) centered festival in 2018. A festival for each area with overlapping activities is part of the vision and mission of Panagbenga as conceptualized 23 years ago, Mayor Domogan informed the audience.
A grand fireworks display in five stations, capped the closing ceremonies ** juliegfianza
