The Baguio Flower Festival is an annual pageantry showcasing the best of the Cordillera Administrative Region's cultural, historical and natural bounties. It was inspired by the city's flourishing tourism industry. Camp John Hay Development Corporation and Poro Point Development Corporation teamed up to nurture the seed of an idea that has grown into a huge income-generating tourism project. For the year 2002, the first day of the festival started on February 23 and it lasted for eight days all the way up to March 3.
A year after it all first began in 1995, the organizers headed by lawyer Damaso Bangaoet as chairman and backed up by the Department of Tourism, succeeded in exploiting the festival's full potential so that more sponsors joined the following year. On its second year, Baguio City launched a bigger and better festival that organizers chose to dub the event, "Panagbenga," a Kankanaey word meaning "a season for blossoming, a time for flowering." Since then, groups from various community sectors including the government, education, business, media and civic organizations have expressed strong commitment to hold the festival every year. Thus, the birth of a tradition in the City of Pines.
Initially, Panagbenga featured only a few activities which included the search for the Festival Queen, a floral parade, a market encounter or an exhibit of Baguio's native products, and the barangay beautification contest. The celebration was kicked off by school children dancing in the streets and wearing a variety of flowers as headdress. Session Road, the city's main artery, was literally transformed into a sea of flowers swaying to the heightened beat of drums and trumpets.
The creative talent of those who came up with floats decorated with beautiful flowers has amazed the multitude of people who came to watch the floral parade. An estimated crowd of 300,000 patiently watched the 3-hour morning floral parade along Session Road and Harrison Road last Feb. 24. Not only the Baguio City residents are attracted to watch the Panagbenga. People from as far as southern Luzon and nearby neighboring provinces come to the city for this festival. It was learned that local and foreign tourists have made advance reservations in Baguio's hotels months before the festival was held.
( Photographs provided through the courtesy of Ms. Delma Lavarias.
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Aside from this spectacular flower parade, the second most important festival activity was the “Market Encounter” at Camp John Hay where flower arrangements and landscaping items were sold by local flower growers and landscapers. A 20-minute fireworks display culminated the day’s event held at Burnham Park.
On its third year, Baguio City burst with energy and vibrant colors. Sidewalk cafes mushroomed along the main roads. Establishments joined in full force by showing off sunflower-themed banners and streamers cheering the season. "Session Road in Bloom" was then added to the list. It showcased the Cordillera's ancient and colorful art of weaving called "ikat," which was conceptualized and popularized by Narda Capuyan. There was also the Flower Tee Golf Tournament that complimented John Hay's rolling carpet of greens. As a sampler of Cordillera's favorite fares, the Baguio Association of Restaurants was tapped to sponsor a food festival.
This annual festival of the City of Baguio has grown bigger in magnitude because of the new activities that have been added and the continued and strong support received from various participants and contributors. Some foreign contingents started to take part which added international flavor to the festival. The festival has continued to devote a particular day for a floral parade to give the participants due recognition for their efforts in beautifying their respective floats. It has been said that the continued success of the Baguio Flower Festival is largely attributed to the people of Baguio who have been very supportive of the project since its inception in 1995.
The Panagbenga is now a major event not only in Baguio's tourism calendar but for the country as well. There is no doubt that Panagbenga has become a yearly tradition of a festival that is uniquely Baguio in color, scope, substance and character. The festival enhances tourists arrivals and strengthens national interest in what our people are capable of doing. To make the floral festival a cherished tradition, the organizers took steps by institutionalizing it. Thus, the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation was established to operate, manage and perpetuate the festival which is now symbolized by the yellow sunflower. The Panagbenga flower festival is without doubt like no other.
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