City councilor Pinky Rondez, former chair of the city council committee on tourism, said this assessment was based on the fact that even the affluent youths and families here went instead to Boracay Island or Cebu City last week.

“We have limited facilities for the youths and more adventurous groups. For sure, we have the boating facilities at Burnham Lake, the world-class golf courses of Camp John Hay, the horseback riding at Wright Park and few others. But these are no longer enough to sustain the excitement of our would-be tourists,” she explained.

She disclosed that local hotels and inns only registered an average of 90 percent occupancy rate during the Lenten Season compared to other years when many transient homes were opened to summer visitors.

There is yet no official figure as to tourist arrivals here during the Holy Week except the estimates from various police precincts of some 25,000 to 30,000.

“It is however heartening to note that because of the diffused development of our resorts especially along the shores of the country, our visitors have gone to practically all over the Philippines for our vastly improved eco-tourism facilities,” Rondez said.

She said they are still thankful that for the month of February, “our city was also the number one destination of tourists during that period when we have our flower festival.”

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Anthony de Leon said with such expectations, all sectors here, especially the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO), are now prepared for those big events which in the last 13 years have drawn a crowd at an average of one million.

He assured that because this year’s flower festival edition is timed for the city’s observation of 100th foundation anniversary.

“We see to it that several innovations will further make our streetdancing and float parade the best in 14 years,” de Leon said.

He said that aside from the hotels and restaurants’ readiness for the expected influx of visitors, the local police and volunteer groups have already conducted dry run in directing traffic flow, crowd control and the full security of the visitors and residents.

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According to Gabby Keith of the city tourism office, while the percentage of actual occupancy and reservations of the more than 40,000 hotel rooms here is still being determined, “the hotel and restaurant business has again come into full swing.”

Since 1993, the month-long event has become the greatest tourism stimulus here, attracting an average of a million local and foreign visitors coming especially for the street dancing and flower floats parade — the main features of the festival.

Last Sunday, more than 3,000 students of 28 elementary and high schools in Northern Luzon took part in the field demonstrations and dancing contests. Their respective bands also participated.

It was also last Sunday when the traffic rerouting scheme was tested by the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) in anticipation of heavy vehicular flow along routes which do not lead to the central business district area where most of the festival activities are being held.

So far, Police Senior Superintendent Wilfredo Franco, director of the BCPO, said that the traffic scheme was able to maintain moderate to heavy traffic flow.

He said that aside from the traffic assistance, the policemen and other law enforcers were able to keep the opening of the month-long festival very peaceful and orderly.

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BFFFI ’09 Executive Committee co-chairmen, Anthony De Leon of Baguio Country Club and Frederico Alquiros of Camp John Hay, assured that despite the looming global financial crisis, they are will doing their best to come up with more, better and quality events with the assistance of their sponsors.

As part of the Baguio Centennial celebration, De Leon claimed the Panagbenga this year would have more and bigger events with lots of surprises for the locals and visitors to enjoy. Add to this the very cool temperature in the City that is expected to last until next month, that would be experienced by the local and foreign tourists.

During the launching of Panagbenga, Amboy Guevara, Chief of Staff for Panagbenga 2009, announced that the grand opening will be on February 1, with a parade, and Street Dancing Competition. There will also be a free concert at 6pm at the Melvin Jones Football Field, featuring an all female performer group from Manila called “Sani Pilif”. The opening day will be capped by a fireworks display in the evening.

During the free concert, there will also be a raffle draw, wherein holders/buyers of raffle tickets will have a chance to win a 3days/2nights trip to Singapore or Macau or Boracay – for two. Raffle Tickets cost P250 each and are now available at Mario’s, Cantineta, Baguio Country Club and the Secretariat Office.

Some major events lined-up for the Panagbenga 2009 are: Fluvial Parade at the Burnham Lake on Valentine’s Day, February 14 – which includes a presentation in the middle of the lake, circus performers going around/dine-in places around the lake and a fireworks in the evening.

The much awaited Grand Street Parade will be February 28 and a Float Parade is on March 1. De Leon reported that some street dancing groups from the lowlands have signified their intentions to participate.

We have targeted 50 floats this year, higher than last year’s 33 floats. Basically because we have waived the registration fee that the committee should be collecting from the participants, De Leon explained.

Also included as major events are: “Market Encounter” and a Landscaping contest in Burnham Park; “Session Road in Bloom” from March 2-8 wherein Session road will be closed for vehicular traffic and open for revelers for a week; Abanao Nights – February 26-28. Other major events are still being coordinated as of press time.

Numerous minor events throughout the month-long celebration, are also lined-up at the SM City Baguio, and in other venues in the city like the Baguio Convention Center, Melvin Jones, Burnham Park and the Athletic Bowl.

More than one million visitors are expected to come up to Baguio City which would be a great contribution to the income of business establishments and primarily to the economy of the city, De Leon said.

Meantime, Baguio City Police Office chief PSSupt Wilfredo Franco assured maximum deployment of personnel and maximum BCPO operations, to ensure the safety of Panagbenga visitors and revelers, and to manage traffic situation in the city. The BCPO already released a traffic and route/re-routing advisory for the Panagbenga 2009 Opening, Grand Street and Float parades and the “Session Road in Bloom” event.

“Panagbenga” or Baguio Flower Festival is a brain child of Mr. Damaso Bangaoet. It was first staged in February 1995. Now on its 14th year, it remains the biggest crowd drawer in Baguio City.

City mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. led the ceremonies in conjunction with the observance of the scouting week pledge which says “in February next year, visitors of our city will once again notice great improvements of our yearly summer spectacle.”

Baguio congressman, Mauricio Domogan, on the other hand, said that the grand parade which will usher the month-long festivities will “reflect our unity in diversity even as we belong to different tribes and nationalities. We will once more manifest our cooperation and unified stand in assuring success of our festival.”

The 14th edition of the festival known as “Panagbenga” has for its theme: “Our festival…Yours, Too”.

The Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc., will lead in the festival launching with grand fireworks display at the Melvin Jones Grandstand at Burnham Park, followed by a free concert.

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