Celebrities enliven Panagbenga grand float parade 2023

Baguio City, Philippines – As the Panagbenga Festival returns full blast this 2023 after a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, flower floats carried celebrities who enlivened the grand float parade on Sunday, February 26.

Celebrated every February in Baguio City is the annual flower festival called “Panagbenga,” a Kankanaey term that means “season of blooming.” This festival reflects the history, traditions, and values of Baguio and the Cordilleras. It lasts over a month long and flourishes through community spirit involvement, explained the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation, Inc. (BFFFI) on its official website.

This year, the former basketball star who is now an actor Benjie Paras was with his son Andrei in one of the 24 flower-laden parade floats.

Cristine Reyes, Lovie Poe, Marco Gumabao, Kyle Belino, Emma Tiglao, 2020 Miss Universe Philippines Rabiya Mateo, Tanya Garcia, and Albert Nicolas also stunned the crowd which was estimated to be at 48,000 to 50,000 in total.

Likewise, Senator Lito Lapid and his son Mark who happened to be the chief operating officer of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority boarded a well-decorated float.

The much-awaited grand float parade followed the usual route beginning at Upper Session Road, down Session Road to Harrison Road, and ending at the Melvin Jones Grandstand and Grounds for the program and field demonstrations.

During the program, Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the vibrant colors and energy of the festivity serve as a call for unity and reiterated Panagbenga as a celebration of culture, community, and natural surroundings.

“The flowers in the float are not just ornamental decorations, they are symbols of our connection to nature, to our environment, our reverence for its beauty, and our commitment to preserve and protect him for our future generation,” he said.

Meantime, the whole stretch of Session Road will be closed to vehicular traffic from February 27 to March 5 to give way for what is dubbed as “Session Road in Bloom” wherein entrepreneurs can showcase and sell their products to the public.

This year's Panagbenga Festival theme, “A Renaissance of Wonder and Beauty” underscores the Summer Capital’s journey toward tourism revival after the onslaught of the pandemic.

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