Panagbenga 2014 closes withaplomp, color, drama

By Julie G. Fianza

BAGUIO CITY – The Panagbenga 2014 closes today (March 2) with aplomp, color and drama with performance of winners for streetdancing, floral float, and elementary drum and lyre category at Athletic Bowl, Burnham Park.

According to Baguio Flower Festival Foundation, Inc. executive committee chair Anthony de Leon, the country’s premier military school, the Philippine Military Academy presents a silent drill, after which a synchronized fireworks display will be done at 8 p.m. at the Rose Garden, 2 areas of Melvin Jones, Athletic Bowl, all at Burnham Park, and Cathedral grounds.

Business establishment SM has its own pyrotechnics display at the same time, it was known.

In a press conference earlier, Mayor Mauricio Domogan, together with hotelier de Leon and Execom co-chair Freddie Alquiros expressed appreciation to the academe, participants, volunteers, sponsors, barangay officials, peace and order agents, the local community and all who worked hard for the success of the festival.

According to the Panagbenga executives, the Panagbenga as a whole is “very successful, well-planned, peaceful, orderly and efficiently managed through teamwork.”  

The flower floats made of 85% real blooms were greatly improved in quality, “with variety but very good,” the mayor said. Streetdancers and drum and lyre participants gave very impressive performances, he added.

Members of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) headed by PSupt Jesus Cambay were lauded for the easy moving traffic specially after the two parades. “Vehicular traffic moved immediately, there was no standstill,” it was known.

Numerous volunteers from the universities, and schools, and different civic groups were also on hand for assistance, the BFFFI executives said.

The chosen judges for the streetdancing and the flower float parade were of unquestionable reputation as to the results, they being members of the World Flower Council, Mayor Domogan said.

As announced during the press conference, winners for the elementary drum and lyre are: Jose P. Laurel in 5th  place, with a cash prize of  P50,000; 4th  place, Quezon Hill Elementary School, P70,000; 3rd place, Baguio Special Education,  P90,000; 2nd place, Baguio Central School, P110,000; and first place, Mabini Elementary School, P130,000.00. Participating schools screened at the opening parade last February 1 get P40,000 each.

In the open category street dancing contest where six groups participated, Kamora National High School garnered the plum prize of P200,000. It is noted that since 2012, the Kabayan, Benguet -based school has been consistently winning the top prize with their portrayal of local folklore through choreographed dance. Adjudged as hall-of-famer, the group may opt not to join the contest next year. There however is a suggestion that hall-of-famers join again as there is a noted diminishing number of contestants in the streetdancing category.   

The Baguio City National High School (BCNHS) and Pinsao National High School are awarded second and third prizes with P150,000 and P100,000 cash prizes, respectively. Both portrayed Cordilleran customs and practices, with costumes, accessories, and stage sets. All participating groups get a token amount of P30,000 each. 

For the flower float category, the International Pharmaceuticals, Inc., from Cebu, won first place with P200,000 as plum prize, the Department of Agriculture garnered second place with P175,000 cash prize, and third place with P150,000 cash prize is Manila North TC.

The Handog Ng Panagbenga sa Baguio contests had the BCNHS, University of Baguio and University of the Cordilleras awarded with P50,000 each, while the kite-flying contest had three winners awarded Five, Four and Three thousand each.

All events were anchored on the theme, “Inspiring the Community for a Greener Tomorrow.”

The traditional event, Pony Boys’ day featuring Gymkhana or games on horseback was witnessed yesterday at the Athletic Bowl wherein cowboys from Pacdal, Mines View, John Hay and neighboring areas of La Trinidad, Tuba, and Itogon participated. The landscaping entries at the Market Encounter/Baguio Blooms along Burnham Lake Drive ends today, as with the Session Road in Bloom where the whole stretch of the city’s premier street is a promenade area. It was noted that recyclable materials were used in the activities, which was hailed as an improvement from the past years.

During the press conference, the BFFFI Panagbenga executives said they look forward to running Panagbenga 2015 with comments and requests from other sectors through the media.  

For next year, it is suggested that all participants including city and barangay officials, or out-of-town guests join the choreographed dancing to the tune of the Panagbenga Hymn, which is patterned from the steps of the IbaloiBendian. Neighboring or any interested town specially those from the La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba and Tublay (BLISTT) towns are being urged to join the festival with their own streetdancers or float contingents. Members of the academe who were hall-of-famers should be persuaded to join again, it was known. Early negotiations should be done for international media coverage for the 20th version of Panagbenga, local counterparts said.

More provisions for parking, housing or camping spaces should be given more thought for the next flower festival it was urged, as it was observed that more tourists, and some locals have opted to set up tents and experience more of Baguio’s chill.

A more detailed report shall be given a week after the closing, the BFFFI executives said.