Christmas Garden at Baguio Botanical set last week November

By Jordan G. Habbiling

The Baguio Botanical Garden will soon delight locals and tourists with a Yuletide-themed backdrop, portraying Christmas celebrations in other countries as well as our local Christmas traditions. 
    With the theme, “Christmas around the World,” the Baguio Botanical Christmas Garden is tentatively set to be opened to the public on the third or fourth week of November of this year.
    The project will highlight Baguio’s sister cities that are featured in certain areas in the Botanical Garden. These are Hangzhou, China; Taebaek, South Korea; Vaughan and Ontario, Canada; and Karuizawa and Wakkanai, Japan. Other areas in the Botanical Garden to be adorned with Christmas decorations are the Thailand Friendship Park and the Cordillera Village.
    The City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) has already laid the groundwork for the project.
    Atty. Rhenan Diwas, CEPMO head, said the proposed project aims to provide tourists and locals additional attractions in the Botanical Garden, making their experience there more “worthwhile”, just in time for the holiday season.
    To highlight the essence of Christmas, Diwas said the Christmas Botanical Garden will also include the portrayal of the Nativity of Jesus Christ. 
    Furthermore, there will be performances to complement the Christmas-themed garden such as busking and Christmas carols.
    Diwas revealed that the Botanical Garden is set to have its separate entrance from 6:00 to midnight for the “Christmas-around-the-world” experience. 
    The project proposal states that the Botanical Garden is eyed as a “new Christmas avenue” in the city that will draw tourists away from one Christmas destination, thereby reducing overcrowding and heavy traffic therein. 
    Diwas explained that, aside from the proposed installations that need funding, donated Christmas lights and decorations as well as existing materials owned by the city will be maximized to achieve the desired outcome of the project.
    According to the project proposal, an amount of P997,981.00 is estimated for the procurement of needed materials.
    He disclosed that this is the first phase of a year-round plan to promote the Botanical Garden. The second phase will be in line with the celebration of Panagbenga or the Flower Festival. The third phase will be themed after the Saleng Festival.