Baguio City is one of the unique destinations in the Philippines, located in Benguet Province in Cordillera Region on top of the mountain. It is a favorite place for the locals especially during summer time because of its whole year round cool and cold temperature different from the rest of the country (temperate). Baguio is just around 3-hours drive from Clark International Airport and 5 to 6 hours from Manila City, Metro Manila.
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| Baguio City |
Dubbed as the ‘City of Pines’, because of its location; ‘Summer Capital of the Philippines,’ because of its cool weather; and ‘Flower Garden City of the North’, or rather Flower Garden City of the Philippines, Baguio City, aspires to be the ‘Tourism Mecca of the North,’ hosting one of the most popular and renowned festival in the country called Panagbenga (a Malayo-Polynesian term mean 'blooming flower or season of blossoming’). The festival is one of the nation’s most awaited events of the year, where the place is swarming with throng local folks and foreign visitors during a long month with daily activities which extending up to five weeks. This occasion boosts the tourism economy of the city.
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| View from the Mines View Park |
The feast being held every February was started in 1995, through the proposal of a lawyer named Atty. Damaso E. Bangaoet, Jr (source). Since then the event is celebrated annually and now on its 22nd year this 2017. It showcases not only the blooming of flowers, history, traditions and values of Cordillera Region but also as a tribute to the rise up of the city from the devastation brought about the Luzon earthquake in 1990.
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| Strawberry fruit picking is one of the activities tourists can enjoy |
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| 'Sundot Kulangot or Coconut Candy Boogers' one of the favorite delicacies in the north |
The most favourite and perhaps the best portion of the festivity is the Grand Float Parade, where floats were dressed in different themes and covered with flowers are being processioned on the streets plus the roads are filled with lively music, dancing and colourful costumes depicting flowers all in bloom and spectators local and foreigners joining the celebration.
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| Photo of the Grand Parade |
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| Photo of the Grand Parade |
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| Photo of the Grand Parade |
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| Photo of the Grand Parade |
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| Photo of the Grand Parade |
Other activities include flower exhibits and expositions, lectures, garden tours, floral contest and fireworks display.
An approximate of 2 to 3 million of spectators arriving in Baguio City every year to experience the Panagbenga or Flower Festival.
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grand float parade is among the most awaited events at the Panagbenga Festival.
ReplyDeleteIndeed! :)
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