Grand streedance, float parade winners hailed
City officials congratulated and commended the winners in the 27th Panagbenga or the Baguio flower festival grand streetdance competition and grand float parade.
Under Resolution NO. 140, series of 2023, local legislators stated that the grand float parade was participated in by some 7 non-competing floats, 9 competitors in the small float and 9 competitors in the big a lot categories.
The winners for the big float category were the State-owned Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) as the adjudged champion with the Avilon Zoo float landing in second place and the float of Sitel Philippines placing third, while the float of Zaparitas Garden was adjudged the winning float in the small float category with the float of Mang Inasal landing in second and the float of Benguet Province placing third.
The annual celebration of Panagbenga or the Baguio Flower Festival started last February 1, 2023 under the auspices of the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation, Inc. (BFFFI) and supported by the city government and concerned government agencies.
The council stipulated that Panagbenga or the season of blooming reflects the history, traditions and values of the city and the Cordilleras being home to well-preserved culture and traditions.
Further, the festival is usually highlighted by the grand streetdance parade competition and the grand float parade that draws thousands of foreign and domestic visitors to the performances of street dancers and the flower-decorated floats.
In this year’s grand street dance parade, 32 contingents took part in the 3 categories; 11 groups joined the festival streetdance category, 17 groups in the cultural category and 4 contingents in the drum and lyre category.
The winners in the festival streetdance category were the St. Louis University (SLU) Center for Culture and the Arts which bagged the overall champion in the festival dance category, followed by Tribu Rizal of the Rizal National School of Arts and Trade that placed second and University of the Cordilleras (UC) landing in third; the champion in the cultural dance category was the Saeng Ya Kasay cultural ensemble of UC followed by Uggayam Turayan cultural group of San Vicente in second place, and the Labban di E-Lagan Indigenous Peoples Organization of Lagan, Sabangan, Mountain Province that placed third, while Baguio Central School topped its class in the drum and lyre competition by bagging the first place, followed by surprise second placer Tuba Central School and Josefa Carino elementary School that settled for third. Placing fourth in the said contest was Lucban Elementary School. – Dexter A. See
