Panagbenga grand float parade wows 1-M crowd

FILE: A total of 23 floats made of 90 percent fresh flowers and ornamental plants again amazed the estimated one million crowd who watched today’s grand float parade which lasted for almost three hours. (Photo: susancorpuz90/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)

BAGUIO CITY — A total of 23 floats made of 90 percent fresh flowers and ornamental plants again amazed the estimated one million crowd who watched today’s grand float parade which lasted for almost three hours.

The city government’s float, the first float to parade from the Panagbenga park in Military Cut-off down to Session Road, Harrison Road and straight to the Melvin Jones football field was followed by the hall of fame title holders Baguio Country Club, SM Baguio and NLEx.

All coming in different designs and themes using a variety of flowers with different colors and sizes, 11 big floats joined the competition for the big float category while eight joined the small float category.

As in the past, the GMA network and ABS-CBN floats came as favorites especially with the cast of the television series “Probinsiyano” on board the float. Among them were lead characters “Cardo” played by Coco Martin together with Lito Lapid, Angel Aquino, Michael de Mesa and other casts, who provided entertainment to the public.

GMA’s float, on the other hand, carried Miss World Megan Young, Michael Daez, Glaiza de Castro, Ruru Madrid and other stars of the “Kapuso” network.

The other participants in the big float category include the Department of Agriculture, International Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Jollibee Food Corporation, Kambal Pandesal of San Miguel Mills, MC Master Siomai Hut, M. Lhuillier Financial Services, Montañosa Pastoral Resource Corporation or Porta Vaga Mall, Sitel Philippines and Taloy Norte Farmers multi-purpose cooperative.

The small floats were those of Coca-Cola, Igorot Man, IPC-APTS, Maybank, Palawan Pawnshop and Palawan Express Pera Padala, Pradera Verde: Lubao International Balloon and music festival, Saleng Garden and Universal Robina Corporation.

The winners in the float competition will still be announced on Wednesday.

The float parade is the most awaited and the biggest crowd-drawing event of the month-long celebration of the Baguio Flower Festival or Panagbenga. It usually brings in hundreds of thousands of tourists to the city.

The 23rd Panagbenga carries the theme “Celebration of Culture and Creativity,” to promote the city’s inclusion in the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) creative cities list.

Baguio Flower Festival parade chairman Anthony de Leon earlier said that they are expecting the crowd to double during the flower float parade to see not just the elaborate and grandiose floats adorned with varying fresh flowers and ornamental plants, but also the celebrities on the floats of the two giant networks.

Baguio City Police Office director Senior Supt. Ramil Saculles estimated the crowd to be between 1 million to 1.2 million.

He said the estimate is based on an average of five to six persons per square meter area.

“Makapal ang tao kanina, marami talagang nanood magkabilaan ng Session Road at Harrison,” Saculles said.