X’mas bazaar for Miss Universe visit approved

By Dexter A. See 

BAGUIO CITY – The city council approved the request of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio (HRAB) for a month-long Christmas bazaar from Dec. 1 to Jan.1 to generate funds for expenses to be incurred during the visit of some 24 beauty contestants of the Miss Universe beauty pageant to our city on January 18, 2016.

The grant of the request of the HRAB to hold the Christmas fair at the Melvin Jones grandstand was anchored on the fact that the city government is one of co-sponsors of the 24-hour visit of the Miss Universe contestants to the city, a once-in-a-lifetime event and that the funds generated bazaar will be used for the said visit as the local government will no longer shell out funds for the hosting of the beauty contestants.

However, HRAB will still be required to submit a detailed project proposal to the local government for this bazaar, guarantee the cleanliness and orderliness within the football grounds during the duration of the event, the theme of the bazaar should be Christmas in time for the celebration of the Yuletide season, restore the damaged portions of the football grounds after the bazaar, submit a financial report after the event and guarantee that the funds to be generated will be used for the hosting of the Miss Universe contestants to the city.

Andrew Pinero, HRAB media officer, reported organizers will be submitting to the local government the design of the stalls, program of activities, layout of stalls, among others, for review of local officials.

Last week, Anthony de Leon, HRAB president, and Ramon Cabrera, HRAB treasurer, were in Manila to sign the contract for the planned visit coupled with the initial payment of P7 million as down payment for required fees to Miss Universe organizers.

Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan endorsed the request of HRAB to the local legislative body for approval considering urgency of the matter as time is too close and for the local government to have a stake in the visit of the Miss Universe contestants to the city.

The council unanimously voted in favor of the request of the Mayor allowing the HRAB to conduct the Christmas bazaar.

The council expressed confidence that the locals will understand that the council approved this HRAB Christmas bazaar as the city’s contribution to the visit of the Miss Universe contestants without spending public funds.