THE Baguio City government has decided to hand over the keys of the Panagbenga to the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. (BFFFI), with the government deciding to cut off the subsidy normally provided for the conduct of the famed festival.
Moving forward, the BFFFI will be set to fund and conduct the festival without additional funding from the city government.
The 2023 iteration of the festival is set to be launched on Monday, December 12, at the City Hall grounds, according to City Tourism head Alec Mapalo, who said that the foundation is still finalizing the roster of activities, where the usual grand street parade of elementary and secondary schools in the city is expected not to be included.
However, many of the annual activities are still slated to be conducted such as the grand street dance and the float parade, followed by the Session Road in Bloom and the formal closing activities, according to Mapalo.
He added that the foundation and the city government are still waiting for the decision of the national government with regards to the state of public health emergency declared by the president, which lasts until the end of the year, to determine the appropriate protocols to follow for the conduct of the festival.
