Panagbenga showcases flowers, floats, stars

BAGUIO CITY – Movie stars graced floats during Panagbenga Festival’s grand parade last March 3 with a nationwide money transfer chain and a farmers cooperative coming out the big winners.

The winners of the float contest were announced by Mayor Mauricio Domogan during a media forum Wednesday.

There were 29 floats each designed distinctively using flowers, vegetables and ornamental plants that competed in the contest’s two categories.

There were 13 entries in the big float category and 11 in the small float category.

Joining the parade were three Hall of Famer floats and floats of the city gov­ernment and Department of Tourism.

The big float winner was the entry of M. Lhuillier Financial Services which won P500,000. SITEL Philippines came in second and Generika Drug third.

In the small float category, the grand champion was the Lubao Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative which won P200,000, followed by Igorot Treasure and Lubao International Balloon and Music Festival in Pradera Verde.

M. Lhuillier, which was second last year, made a strong impression with the judges as it showcased the lives, custom and traditions of Igorot ethnicity.

The M. Lhuillier float featured Brand Ambassadors Melai Cantiveros and Jason Francisco.

Other entries drew big cheers from the thousands that lined the parade route because entertainment personali­ties were aboard them.

The ABS-CBN float bannered the casts of the television series “The Gener­al’s Daughter,” led by Angel Locsin, Paolo Avelino, JC De Vera and Loisa Andalio.

Not to be outdone, the GMA float had Kylene Alcantara, Janine Gutier­rez, Tom Rodriguez, Therese Malvar, Manolo Pedrosa, Tekla and Boobay.

Comedian Benjie Paras and his son Andre were on the Palawan Pawnshop float. Polo Navales, Jeffrey Santos, Kiray and Amay Bisaya rode the RJ7 Entertainment float.