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Baguio Flower Parade

February 26, 2012

The Panagbenga started with just an idea that Baguio City should, like other towns and cities in the Philippines, have it's own "fiesta" or festival celebration.

Having been created a city by the Americans during their occupation of the Philippines, Baguio did not start as a town during the Spanish colonial period that had a patron saint with a feast day.

Its charter day anniversary is on September 1, which falls right in the middle of the country's rainy season, which does not allow for parades and other outdoor activities that usually are the highlight of such celebrations.

In 1995 when Atty. Damaso E. Bangaoet, Jr., proposed the idea of organizing a flower festival to be held in February to the directors of the John Hay Poro Point Development Corporation, his suggestion received their immediate approval.

Thereafter the idea was presented to the different sectors of Baguio society and their response, also warm and immediate, eventually grew as a wellspring of community support.

An identity was created that was to reflect the rich cultural heritage tof Baguio City and the Cordillera region. The official logo was selected from among those submitted by the students of all levels at the Camp John Hay Art Contest. Trisha Tabangin's winning entry of a spray of wild sunflowers was selected.

The festival hymn was composed by Saint Louis University (SLU) Professor Macario Fronda, which was learned by all the school children. It is still that music that wafts in the air all thoughout the festival more than a decade later, especially during the parades.

The core events remain the same: The Parade of Floats, Steet Dancing & Band Competitions, Session Road in Bloom, Market Encounter, Pony Boys Day, etc.

The original Barangay Community Garden competition participated in by the different local government units, which was one of Atty Bangaoet's most brilliant ideas that was designed for the city to have as many pocket gardens and mini parks as there were barangays, sadly no longer figures in the Panagbenga.

Many other events have been added with civic organizations holding privately run and funded activities, too..

In the beginning, the Panagbenga was a series of celebrations that were held over a period of 10 days encompassing two weekends: the first being the launching ceremonies, the weekdays being Session Road in Bloom and the last weekend was when the Grand Parades were held.

Source: http://www.gobaguio.com

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