Festivity blooms in Baguio’s Panagbenga Festival
THE booming music from the loudspeakers served as the background to the whoops, cheers, yells and screams of the crowd. The normally chilly atmosphere of Bagiuo was transformed into a fiery state of excitement and revelry as the city celebrates its 16th Panagbenga Festival.
Though still a young festival, the Panagbenga Festival is making its mark in the public’s consciousness, with travelers from all over the Philippines and the world flocking to the summer capital of the Philippines to participate in the celebration. Hotels are be filled to capacity as revelers come by the busload.
The biggest highlight of the festival was the Grand Street Parade and the Grand Float Parade on February 26 and 27, respectively. During the event, the entire stretch of Baguio City’s Session Road was lined by thousands of spectators and supporters as different schools, organizations and companies worked their way down the street.
Waking up early was mandatory, as the streets of Baguio would be filled by people even before the sunlight banished the morning mist cloaking the city. One would have to make his way through to the crowd and find his spot amid the steadily increasing throng of viewers.
The anticipation and eagerness was palpable, fueling the merry atmosphere to a fever pitch. Suddenly, a cheer would erupt from the Pangbenga Park. The Grand Street Parade had begun.
The parade started with a procession of marching bands, belting out tunes from Justin Bieber, to Bruno Mars, to Lady Gaga. The trumpets, tubas and trombones bellowed out the tunes to the marching beat of the snares and toms. Some bands danced to their music in a display of pomp to the delight of the crowd.
A stream of colors flowed down Session Road as students from different schools all over the region performed to the appreciative crowd. Decked in traditional tribal garments, the children danced to the anthem of the Panagbenga Festival. The students performed traditional dances complete with the necessary props. Claps, whistles and screams of encouragement would emanate from the multitude as the performers twirled and pranced to the beat.
“It is so beautiful. Seeing the children dancing and having fun is something you do not see every day,” gushed one of the spectators.
After viewing the festival, it was time to return to The Manor at Camp John Hay. Known as the premier hotel in the city, the relaxing atmosphere in The Manor was a welcome change from the frenzied activity outside Camp John Hay. Guests staying in the hotel were treated to a beautiful view of the mountains, framed by the evergreen pine trees that Baguio is known for. The nippy breeze allowed visitors to bask in the warm sunshine as they would stroll around the park found in the rear of the hotel.
Watching the parade usually left one hungry. Here, The Manor did not disappoint. Sitting down at Le Chef, The Manor’s restaurant, diners were in for a treat as chef Billy King of Le Souffle fame whipped up hearty concoctions that promise to satisfy even the most demanding costumer.
The open layout of Le Chef allowed diners to savor both the food and the view, creating a relaxing ambiance rarely found in a restaurant. It was common to see costumers whiling away the time, enjoying a cup of coffee as the Baguio breeze wafted through the area.
The event for the following day was popularly considered the crowning occasion of the Panagbenga Festival. The Grand Float Parade showcased floats done by different companies as they vied for the top prize in the float competition.
The event started off with different marching bands that paraded down Session Road. Colorful costumes, from the classic military parade uniforms, to whimsical flower-themed, were worn by the participants. Majorettes twirled their batons, flags and sashes in graceful display of athletic skill. After the crowd was warmed up and the excitement reached a fever pitch, the floats started rolling down the road to their final stop, the Baguio Athletic Bowl.
The floats were designed in keeping with the Panagbenga Festival’s theme “The Environment and Community in Harmony.” Each one was a colorful display of different floral arrangements that wowed the crowds with their creative design.
The layout ran the gamut, from the minimalist to the full-blown extravagant, complete with moving parts and sound effects. Company logos were modeled by different flowers in every hue and shade imaginable. Various flowers such as roses, anthuriums, chrysanthemums, everlasting, sunflowers, and other cut flowers in different colors were used to spruce up the floats.
SM Baguio charmed the crowed with its life-like rabbit which was realistically shaded strategically placed pieces of flowers of varying colors. Another crowd-pleaser was a Robin Hood-inspired float which was led by a procession of dancing maidens garbed in medieval dresses with extensions made to look like fairies’ wings.
Red Horse beer’s float amused the public with its gigantic bottle made out of flowers while Choco Mucho’s lady devils had the male population gazing at them like lovestruck teenagers. Dunkin Donut’s float was a hit with the kids with the realistic depiction of their goods.
Cameras flashed and fans screamed as television personalities like Enchong Dee and Sam Milby waved to the crowd.
However, it was the final float that stole the show. The float was based on director James Cameron’s hit movie Avatar. The float was complete with moving islands of rocks that floated up and down while the Hammerhead Titanothere moved its head menacingly. The crowning piece of the float was a humongous Great Leonopteryx which had a wingspan nearly as wide as three lanes of Session Road. It was mechanically controlled and able to stretch its wing while it moved it head. Its movement would be punctuated by a loud roar from speakers hidden inside the float.
The festivities were not over as The Manor also had a fun-filled cocktail party in the evening. Guests were treated to a live band belting out reggae rendition of favorite tunes as wine flowed freely. Chef Billy King as well as managing director Heiner Maulbecker graced the event. A bonfire blazed merrily in the middle of the fire pit, a welcome source of heat to combat the chilly night. Here, guests talked, laughed and reminisced the events of the Baguio Panagbenga Festival.
The Panagbenga Festival means “a season of blooming” in the native kankanaey dialect of the mountain province and it describes both the festival and Baguio perfectly. From its humble beginnings in 1995, the Panagbenga Festival is now a major attraction, drawing more than a million tourists yearly. Much like a flower that blooms, the organizers believe that the Panagbenga Festival will grow each year, while Baguio City continues to prosper in the years to come.
Sitting near the fire and watching its merry blaze while the refreshing Baguio wind blows through the pine trees, one cannot help but feel confident that the local government and businessmen’s dream of making Baguio a progressive city is near its realization.
source: Malaya
ASAP 2012
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