Magalong: Baguio's Panagbenga to go full blast in February 2023

After a long hiatus, the Panagbenga Festival in Baguio City is expected to return on full blast in February 2023, Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong said Monday.

“Ito na ‘yung festival na talagang full blast na kami. Kung ano ‘yung mga ginagawa dati namin noong pre-pandemic, lahat ng features noon kasali na rin pero nadagdagan pa ng iba pang features,” Magalong said during the public briefing.

(This is the festival where we will go full blast. What we were doing pre-pandemic, all the features there will be included but we will also add more.)

Magalong said there will be performances and concerts from Filipino folk singer and composer Noel Cabangon and other local singers.

“So magdadagdag pa kami ng ibang, mga siguro, meron pang mga additional na three or four na mga events pa to complete ‘yung events dito, ‘yung entire month ng February,” Magalong said.

(We will add more, maybe, an additional three or four events to complete the events here for the entire month of February.)

“At the same time, pakikipag-ugnayan namin sa Philippine National Police (PNP) at sa ating mga health and emergency services para sigurado tayo naman na secured, safe, at maayos itong pag-celebrate namin ng Panagbenga,” he added.

(At the same time, we will coordinate with the PNP and our health and emergency service so we can be sure that the celebration will be safe, secured, and orderly.)

Magalong also said that more tourists are expected to watch the festival.

To address possible traffic problems, he said the local government created new routes for vehicles.

Meanwhile, asked if tourists help or cause problems in the city, Magalong said that it is both.

“Well, both, ano, both, na nagkaproblema kami sa traffic but at the same time nakakatulong ng malaki sa ating ekonomiya dahil siyempre nakikinabang ‘yung ating mga businessmen, ‘yung mga vendors natin, ’yung mga markets namin. Malaking bagay,” Magalong said.

(Well both… because we experience problems with traffic but at the same time it is a big help to our economy because our businessmen, our vendors, and our markets are benefiting from it. It makes a big difference.)

Magalong said traffic congestions also cause irritability among the local population.

“Pero we are a victim of our own successes. Every time we create a better Baguio, pinapaganda namin ‘yung Baguio, pinapalinis namin ‘yung Baguio, siyempre ‘yung mga tao, mga bisita, word spread na ay gumaganda ang Baguio, akyat tayo sa Baguio,” he said.

(But we are a victim of our own successes. Every time we create a better Baguio, we make Baguio beautiful and clean, visitors spread the word that 'Baguio is getting better, so let's go.')

“Kaya lang hindi mo rin puwedeng pigilan. Alangan naman harangin namin ‘yung mga kuwan,” he added.

(But you cannot stop tourists from visiting.)

Meanwhile, the Baguio mayor said that they have notified the PNP about the identity of rental house scammers based on their postings on Facebook. 

“Maraming nagpapanggap pero tuloy-tuloy ang aming pagpo-post, tuloy tuloy ang aming — nagbibigay kami ng advisory at tignan nilang mabuti ‘yung mga nagpo-post diyan,” he said.

(There are many scammers but we continue to notify the public, and we continue to give advisories that they should carefully look at Facebook posts.)

According to a report on Unang Balita on Monday, more than 1,000 police officers will be deployed for the Panagbenga festival as tourists are expected to flock to the event.

The grand opening parade of the Panagbenga festival will be held on February 1.

Meanwhile, the awarding and closing ceremony as well as the grand aerial fireworks will be held on March 5. —KG, GMA Integrated News