
The city government of Baguio and the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. formally launched the 29th Panagbenga or the Baguio Flower Festival 2025 during the flag raising ceremony at the Baguio City Hall grounds on Monday, January 6, 2025. The festival will be highlighted by the Grand Opening Day Parade on February 1, 2025 which will also mark the opening of the Panagbengascapes or the landscape competitions and the Baguio Blooms or the market encounter at the Burnham Park area. The Grand Street Dance and the Grand Floral Float Parades would be on February 22 and 23, respectively, and are expected to be attended by thousands of locals and tourists. The Session Road in Bloom would immediately follow after the float parade. This year’s festivities’ theme is “Blossoms Beyond Boundaries.” ** RMC PIA-CAR
Mayor Benjamin Magalong and City Health Officer Dr. Celia Flor Brillantes warned anew restaurants and other food establishments in the city against non-compliance with food safety rules following a food poisoning incident in a local food joint last Jan. 5, 2025.
The mayor over the holidays ordered heightened monitoring of food and water establishments on their compliance to safety requirements to prevent a repeat of the diarrhea or acute gastroenteritis (AGE) outbreak experienced early last year which affected over 2,000 individuals.
As of January 9, 2025, the City Health Services Office said there was no spike in diarrhea and other food-borne diseases in the city during the holidays considered as peak tourist season in the city.
However, the mayor said food handlers must not become complacent and remain vigilant in their safety measures all year round.
He said a food poisoning incident reported in a restaurant along Legarda Road last Jan. 8 is proof that food establishments must keep to their responsibility to provide their customers safe food at all times.
The City Epidemiological Surveillance Unit of the CHSO said this was the fourth food poisoning case recorded since December.
The establishment was investigated by the Environmental Health and Sanitation Division of the CHSO upon receipt of the report of the incident and based on the findings was issued a sanitation order for violation of Presidential Decree 856 or the Sanitation Code of the Philippines.
Investigation showed that there was no proper labeling of food items in the restaurant’s storage areas and refrigerators. It was also found that the drinking water being served failed the safe water standard.
The restaurant was put under strict surveillance to make sure that it complied with the corrective measures as recommended by the sanitation office. ** Aileen P. Refuerzo