BAGUIO CITY—Panagbenga took its name from the Kankana-ey term for blossoming of flowers which is panagbenga in native dialect considering that the flower festival is being done in time for the blossoming of flowers in the city and surrounding municipalities of Benguet Province
The annual festival that drew thousands of local and international tourists and visitors to the City of Pines has been nominated as one of the five finalists for The Best Festival Category in Choose Philippines Awards 2016 organized and presented by the Digital Media Division of ABS-CBN Corp.
Choose Philippines is ABS-CBN’s online content hub will be celebrating its fifth year this 2016 and the program wants to commemorate the milestone through a special celebration through the Choose Philippines Awards.
Dedicated to promote Philippine tourism locally and internationally—and to share the breathtaking beauty of the country, meaningful experiences that can be shared with the people, the delicious delicacies that is offered and the priceless memories that people get from every local travel—the awards is the company’s way of recognizing the efforts being together by communities and its people.
The flower festival is usually conducted on the first week of February up to the first week of March and it is the longest festival in the country that lasts for more than a month compared to other prestigious festivals in the different parts of the archipelago.
Panagbenga had been reaping national and international awards for the orderly and disciplined conduct of the major events for the festival which are the grand street dancing parade and the grand float parade that serves as an avenue for participating contingents to display their dynamic and sterling performances along the parade route and the flower-decorated floats appreciated by the local residents and visitors.
Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan in a statement said that “being nominated by a prestigious program of a respected media company as a finalist for the Best Festival category is a welcome development.
“We are proud of the nomination and we hope for the best for Panagbenga. It will be an added feather to the cap of the organizers of the flower festival and the people of Baguio and as well as, the Benguet Province.
Domogan expressed his optimism for the festival’s chance of bagging the coveted recognition. “This nomination will be an added boost for the festival to continue moving on to greater heights,” he enthused.
For next year, the Panagbenga will be held from February 1 to March 5 with the theme “Inspired by Beauty, Nurtured by Nature.”
Awards Night is scheduled on Dec. 1, 2016 at the Dolphy Theater, ABS-CBN Compound, Quezon City.