BAGUIO CITY –
Concerned residents and cause-oriented groups here questioned finances of the
recently-held Panagbenga Festival saying the public was entitled to know how
much was spent and how these were used considering private individuals were
used for activities, including children for parades.
Over the radio, they
said the city council should conduct an investigation on the matter considering
millions of pesos were involved and the public doesn’t know how these were
used.
They said public areas
like roads were also used for money-making schemes since booths were made over
these and rented out to entrepreneurs for as high as P27,000 for five days of
operation.
A resident who
identified himself as Tony Afalla, said organizers owe it to the public to bare
finances of the event, saying these should be published in newspapers so the
public would be able to scrutinize these.
To these, Hotel and
Restaurant Association of Baguio (HRAB) officer Anthony de Leon and chief of
staff Evangeline Payno, of the secretariat said they accepted feedback for
improvements in future flower festival celebrations.
De Leon added that
taxes, at least P2.6 million were paid to the city government and Bureau of
Internal Revenue (BIR), from the Session road in Bloom and Baguio Blooms
events.
All documents
including the audited report will be submitted to the Bureau of Internal
Revenue and Securities and Exchange Commission within August this year, de Leon
said.
On other matters, De
Leon said the festival is a continuous work in progress, thus suggestions for a
longer parade route, and more landscapes at the Botanical garden and Bayan Park,
Aurora Hill will be studied.
“Miracle gardens” are
planned with a tripartite body; the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation, Inc.
(BFFFI), Dept. of Tourism and local government of Baguio.
Trainings for cultural
dancers and landscapers have been done, de Leon said, with training for float
makers and musicians on the planning board.
A Baguio Chamber of
Music is envisioned, he added.
A collaborative effort
for neighboring municipalities’ festivals is growing, with La Union and La
Trinidad festival events done close to Panagbenga.
A bigger budget for
drum and lyre competition is also seen, with more invited groups from other
places, for “cultural variety.”
Mayor Mauricio Domogan
said he envisions a more improved Melvin Jones and Athletic Bowl, both at
Burnham Park for the next festival season, fenced-in additional seats for
spectators, substantial renovation and matured grass within the running oval.
A thorough evaluation
however is needed before the improvements are done, he said.
The all-morning
local television coverage for the Panagbenga 2017 streetdancing parade shall be
worked out, he said.
Home-bound spectators
would once more witness said event, the mayor added.
DOT Regional Director
Venus Tan, during media forum , said the all-year round blooming and regreening
project would go on.
This is supposed to
start along Central Business District’s building facades, in support of
Panagbenga 2017.
Domogan, said that all
participants, volunteers, supporters including the Baguio City Police Office
personnel and other assigned personnel made Panagbenga a “resounding success.
Having a festival of this magnitude is not possible without them.”
Philippine Information
Agency Regional Director Helen Tibaldo said Panagbenga 2016 is a “community
pride,” where parochial interests are set aside.
The Baguio Flower
Festival’s accreditation with the International Festival and Events Association
(IFEA) was also delved into.
A subsidy, promotions
abroad, trainings with scholarship, and nominations for the outstanding
communication sector, participant and volunteer may be forwarded to IFEA, it
was known.
If the streak goes on,
Panagbenga would live up to its name of being the “trailblazer” and “benchmark”
festival, as earlier mentioned by Tan who said she was pleased with Panagbenga
2016’s success. -- With a report
from Julie G. Fianza
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