Panagbenga officers to accredit hobbyists

By Julie G. Fianza

BAGUIO CITY – Hobbyists or freelance photographers would be accredited for the 18th staging of the Baguio Flower Festival slated to start Feb. 1 next year.

This was stated in the guidelines given by the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. officials; Baguio Country Club General Manager Anthony de Leon and Freddie Alquiros during the launching of Panagbenga last Nov. 5.

The accreditation is for freelance journalists, photographers, cameramen, film makers who occasionally and/or are employed by non-news organizations.

Hobbyists intending to be on coverage during the festival must submit an accreditation form which should be with the latest photograph and a letter of endorsement or certification of membership from the applicant’s photography organization or club. For Freelancers, a letter of endorsement/assignment is needed from their employmer.  

Hobbyists should register early, the guidelines state. Notification of approval shall be done by the event organizer through e-mail or other appropriate method of being accepted or otherwise.

The selection of applicants is absolutely the prerogative of the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation, Incorporated, Panagbenga secretariat, Panagbenga Media Committee and over-all event organizer, the guidelines state.

The said bodies however reserve the right to deny, refuse, revoke or limit hobbyist accreditation during the registration as well as during the event. All requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. 

The Panagbenga organizers involved in the selection also reserves the right to request and receive writing and story samples or photographers from applicants before granting them accreditation.

Applications should be returned or submitted personally or by post or courier to: Panagbenga Media Committee, BCVB building, Jose Abad Santos Drive, 2600 Baguio City or e-mailed to accreditation@panagbenga.org. All accreditation, ID and other event passes shall be issued only by said Panagbenga Media Committee.

All inquiries as to activities, participation and accreditation are also directed to said address and committee.

Activities for Panagbenga would be the grand opening Panagbenga parade with the elementary schools’ drum and lyre and dance competition on Feb. 1.         

The market encounter and landscaping competition opens at Burnham Park on the same date and would go on until March 3.

The main activities, grand street dancing parade shall be on Feb. 23 and the grand float parade on Feb. 24.

The Let A Thousand Flowers Bloom shall be on Feb. 10 at the Melvin Jones, Burnham Park; a double feature regatta, one a 10 AM and the other at 6 PM, shall also be presented at the Burnham Lake on the same date; Session road in bloom opens on Feb. 25 after the street dancing and float parade, up to March 3; the Pony Boys’ day, with races and games on horseback, shall be on March 2, and the closing ceremonies shall be at 2 PM, March 3 at the Athletic Bowl.