BAGUIO CITY – Participants from Rosario and Pugo in La Union province will join the 29th Panagbenga Flower Festival opening on February 1. They will compete in the drum and lyre and street dance competitions during the opening parade, as confirmed by Evangeline Payno, chief of staff of the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation’s Executive Committee.
Panagbenga, derived from the Kankanaey word for “blooming” or “blossoming,” is one of the biggest crowd-drawing and popular tourism events in the country. Street dance and drum and lyre participating groups, from elementary to college levels, will receive a PHP100,000 subsidy. The cash prizes for first to third place are PHP150,000, PHP100,000, and PHP70,000, respectively.
This year, college students will again participate in the drum and lyre and street dancing competitions, with the event theme “Blossoms Beyond Boundaries.” At least 13 cultural dance groups will join the opening parade, with cash prizes set at PHP100,000,PHP70,000, and PHP50,000 for the top three winners.
For the high school and college festival dance category, the first to third placers will receive PHP200,000, PHP100,000, and PHP70,000, respectively, while others will get a PHP50,000 consolation prize. Payno noted that more out-of-town performers are expected for the grand street dancing parade on February 22.
This year also sees an increase in the prizes for the flower float winners. The first place for the large float category will receive PHP600,000, with second and third placers getting PHP400,000 and PHP300,000, respectively. For medium-size floats, the top three winners will get PHP350,000, PHP250,000, and PHP150,000. Small float category winners will receive PHP100,000, PHP50,000, and PHP30,000 for the first, second, and third places. A subsidy is provided for float participants to ensure quality participation, with a rule that 90% of decorations must use fresh flowers and potted plants, while 10% can be other materials.
The festival, which concludes on the first Sunday of March, features various activities, allowing tourists to join the festivities beyond the grand parades. The annual fluvial parade at Burnham Lake, where boats are decorated with flowers, is set for February 27.
Comments