Panagbenga opens with culture rites sans parade

Amid corona virus scare, icy weather  

By Pamela Mariz Geminiano and Pigeon Lobien  

BAGUIO CITY-- This mountain resort city officially kicked-off the month-long Panagbenga celebrations Feb. 1 with a simple program where traditional and religious prayers were done without the opening parade which was canceled.

This, as the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) recorded the lowest temperature here at 10.6 degrees Celsius around 6 a.m. during the opening.

The opening parade and other crowd-drawing activities set for the Panagbenga were either postponed or canceled as a preventive measure to avoid the spread of illnesses especially the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) affecting various places worldwide.

The opening parade was supposed to be the elimination of the street dancing and drum and lyre competition, which will determine which among the groups will perform at the grand parades on Feb. 29 and March 1.

The ecumenical prayers were highlighted during the opening ceremony, with Fr. Rosito Pedro who led the Catholic prayer; Uztadh Rohalas Muripaga with the Islamic prayer; and an “uggayam” (prayer delivered by chanting in local dialect) by Baguio Councilor Vladimir Cayabas.

Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. (BFFFI) chairman and former mayor Mauricio Domogan, led the Day-eng (native Prayer).

Domogan asked the creator to bless the month-long activities and to be successful despite the nCoV threat.

"I also pray that the Panagbenga will continue to become an instrument in bringing progress to the city," he prayed in a local dialect.

Meanwhile, Cayabas also prayed that the city and its residents will be safe from the virus as they appreciate the simple celebration of the Panagbenga.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the health and safety of the public is a paramount concern.

"We will still astound the world with our cultural heritage, our city being hailed as one of the UNESCO's creative city. Let  the Panagbenga flourish again," he said.

In his welcome message, Domogan recalled the first-ever staging of the Panagbenga 25 years ago.

He said with just a P2 million budget, the founders of Panagbenga were able to stage the Flower Festival 25 years ago.

This year's Panagbenga celebration carries the theme "Blooming through the years.” 

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the opening parade of the month-long Panagbenga or the Baguio Flower Festival was cancelled here to help in preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus (nCoV) that has killed more than 170 people in Wuhan, China with thousands contracting it.

“After series of deliberation with health officials, we cancelled street parade on Feb.1, the CARAA (Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association) meet and all events that will draw crowds in the next three weeks,” said Magalong with health, education officials and Panagbenga organizing committee members in a press conference.

The opening parade is set every Feb. 1 while the city’s hosting the CARAA will be from Feb. 16 to 21.

Magalong said Sunday opening of Session Road was canceled but said the street parade and float parade on February 29 and March 1, the Panagbenga’s main events will remain until the Department of Health-Cordillera (DOH-CAR) advises otherwise.

Magalong called the emergency meeting after the DOH confirmed last week the first case of nCoV in the country.

He said he has created a task force to monitor and respond to any health issues the virus may bring about.

The task force will include the DOH-CAR, the Health Services Office, the Baguio Tourism Council, the police and military as well as emergency groups, among others.

Panagbenga organizing committee chief of staff Evangeline Payno said most of the events in the Feb. 1 opening like the Baguio Blooms, the landscaping, and exposition, however, were held as planned.

She, however said the drum and lyre competition will be part of the grand street parade on Feb. 29 because students worked hard for it and had been for months practicing.

She also called on all volunteers, the police and emergency groups, that their services will not be needed anymore.

Andrew Pinero of the Panagbenga organizing committee said all events of the FlowerFest were just postponed and not canceled and that Baguio is open to tourists who want to enjoy the cool weather which is at its finest this time of the year.

Dr. Thea Cajulao, the Baguio General Hospital Medical Center (BGHMC) expert on infectious disease, said nCoV thrives under the cold condition of the city now, which has recorded a low 11 degrees centigrade the past days as the tail of the “hanging amihan”.

“Baguio and the Cordilleras is a hot spot for nCoV but including influenza virus, thus the number of pulmonary diseases during this time of the year,” she said.

Dr. Ricardo Runez Jr., BGHMC’s medical director, said the primary hospital of the city and Northern Luzon is equipped to deal with nCoV cases as they have competent personnel and facilities.

They are also awaiting the arrival of testing kits early this coming week.

DOH-CAR acting director, Dr. Amelita Pangilinan, meanwhile, advised the public to take extra precautions, avoid crowds, practice proper hygiene like hand washing, covering one’s mouth while sneezing and avoid kissing anybody.

Department of Education-Baguio division assistant superintendent Soraya Faculo said she will ask the CARAA board to convene to relay mayor Magalong’s declaration.

She will also inform all school divisions of the latest update that the Feb. 16-21 sports meet cannot be staged due to the fear that the virus will spread.

Magalong, however, said his declaration did not include the Philippine Military Academy alumni homecoming on Feb. 14-16 as it is beyond his authority.

The PMA graduate of 1982, said it will be up to the PMA Alumni Association to declare if it will cancel the annual celebration of former cadets in Asia’s premier military academy.

Magalong, however, revoked an earlier issued executive order canceling classes for college students on Feb. 1, for the opening of the festivities. (PNA)