Panagbenga crisis hurts tourism 06-01-15

	NORDIS WEEKLY January 15, 2006
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Panagbenga crisis hurts tourism
*Unified celebration urged* BAGUIO CITY (Jan. 13) — While Mayor Braulio D. Yaranon asserted during the Ugnayan sa Bayan on January 12 that the city-led Panagbenga activities will prevail, and the other group reassured the public of one Panangbenga celebration, the hospitality sector was dismayed over the apparent lack of unity in the holding of this year’s flower festival. Nevertheless, they appealed to the parties concerned for a unified celebration. Represented by the Baguio Hotels and Inns Association (BAHAI), Baguio Association of Restaurants (BAR) and Hotels Restaurants Association of Baguio (HRAB) in a press conference at the Golden Pine Hotel here, the restaurateurs expressed the dilemma of supporting any of the two groups contemplating to manage and run the prime tourist-drawing event in the city. Two groups, the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation, Inc. (BFFFI) and the Baguio Panagbenga Flower Festival Association, Inc. (BPFFAI) launched the Panagbenga in two separate occasions last year. BAR’s Lourdes Ng reiterated that Baguio is entitled to do a Flower Festival that belongs to the people and not to the politicians, referring to the BFFFI controlled by Baguio Congressman Domogan and the BPFFAI favored by Mayor Braulio Yaranon. “Although we will refrain from supporting either group, we still extend our hand. But loyalty cannot be divided,” Ng said. Yaranon reiterated that there would be no compromise for good governance and his fight against graft and corruption. “The people put me into the (mayoralty) position because of my advocacy for good governance and I will certainly pursue that call,” Yaranon stressed. The city mayor, in trying to shed light on the confusion on the alleged holding of two Panagbenga, said the BPFFAI, now co-chaired by Roman Catholic Bishop Carlito Cenzon and businesswoman Nelia Cid has just been through finalizing the program of activities. Invitation to various groups would ensue, the mayor said. Congressman Mauricio Domogan is also optimistic that the two groups would eventually come into terms and hold just one Panagbenga and wait until the festival is done for them to pursue their issues against each other, be it in the courts or otherwise. Domogan is actively intervening with the BFFFI, which he used to lead. The late farming out of invitations and the final program of activities by either side is now hurting the tourism sector, according to BAHAI’s and HRAB’s Jeanine Chan. She said hotel reservations have been greatly affected by the seeming indecisiveness and apparent lateness of planning on the art of festival organizers. “Even the office of the Department of Tourism could not advise us on the activities, that we were at a lost when asked by prospective spectators,” Chan revealed during the press conference. Tourist arrivals are expected at low hotel occupancy of 47% at the John Hay Manor, according to Henry Maulbecker of the HRAB. In 2004, Maulbecker laced the occupancy at 95%. He said tourists may go elsewhere because of the delay in planning. The Baguio Country Club laced its estimates at 43%. “Panagbenga was created to bring in more tourists to the city, sadly and presently, the festival which has helped us rise from the ashes of the 1990 earthquake has become a dreadful political arena,” the joint HRAB and BAHAI letter to Yaranon noted, adding that either the parties unite or let the Panagbenga pass for one year “to go back to the drawing boards to recreate and recapture the true essence of the Baguio Flower Festival”. Yaranon is optimistic though that the festival would push through saying many stakeholders have confirmed participation and that other nearby provinces such as Pangasinan, Benguet and La Union are also participating in the flower festival. In a related development, the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) headed by city Councilor Rufino M. Panagan is undergoing a signature campaign to reaffirm barangay support to the Foundation’s initiatives. To date, 65 punong-barangays (captains) have signed the manifesto of support. # Lyn V. Ramo for NORDIS Post your comments, reactions to this article
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	NORDIS WEEKLY January 15, 2006
Home \| To bottom	Previous \| Next
Panagbenga crisis hurts tourism
*Unified celebration urged* BAGUIO CITY (Jan. 13) — While Mayor Braulio D. Yaranon asserted during the Ugnayan sa Bayan on January 12 that the city-led Panagbenga activities will prevail, and the other group reassured the public of one Panangbenga celebration, the hospitality sector was dismayed over the apparent lack of unity in the holding of this year’s flower festival. Nevertheless, they appealed to the parties concerned for a unified celebration. Represented by the Baguio Hotels and Inns Association (BAHAI), Baguio Association of Restaurants (BAR) and Hotels Restaurants Association of Baguio (HRAB) in a press conference at the Golden Pine Hotel here, the restaurateurs expressed the dilemma of supporting any of the two groups contemplating to manage and run the prime tourist-drawing event in the city. Two groups, the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation, Inc. (BFFFI) and the Baguio Panagbenga Flower Festival Association, Inc. (BPFFAI) launched the Panagbenga in two separate occasions last year. BAR’s Lourdes Ng reiterated that Baguio is entitled to do a Flower Festival that belongs to the people and not to the politicians, referring to the BFFFI controlled by Baguio Congressman Domogan and the BPFFAI favored by Mayor Braulio Yaranon. “Although we will refrain from supporting either group, we still extend our hand. But loyalty cannot be divided,” Ng said. Yaranon reiterated that there would be no compromise for good governance and his fight against graft and corruption. “The people put me into the (mayoralty) position because of my advocacy for good governance and I will certainly pursue that call,” Yaranon stressed. The city mayor, in trying to shed light on the confusion on the alleged holding of two Panagbenga, said the BPFFAI, now co-chaired by Roman Catholic Bishop Carlito Cenzon and businesswoman Nelia Cid has just been through finalizing the program of activities. Invitation to various groups would ensue, the mayor said. Congressman Mauricio Domogan is also optimistic that the two groups would eventually come into terms and hold just one Panagbenga and wait until the festival is done for them to pursue their issues against each other, be it in the courts or otherwise. Domogan is actively intervening with the BFFFI, which he used to lead. The late farming out of invitations and the final program of activities by either side is now hurting the tourism sector, according to BAHAI’s and HRAB’s Jeanine Chan. She said hotel reservations have been greatly affected by the seeming indecisiveness and apparent lateness of planning on the art of festival organizers. “Even the office of the Department of Tourism could not advise us on the activities, that we were at a lost when asked by prospective spectators,” Chan revealed during the press conference. Tourist arrivals are expected at low hotel occupancy of 47% at the John Hay Manor, according to Henry Maulbecker of the HRAB. In 2004, Maulbecker laced the occupancy at 95%. He said tourists may go elsewhere because of the delay in planning. The Baguio Country Club laced its estimates at 43%. “Panagbenga was created to bring in more tourists to the city, sadly and presently, the festival which has helped us rise from the ashes of the 1990 earthquake has become a dreadful political arena,” the joint HRAB and BAHAI letter to Yaranon noted, adding that either the parties unite or let the Panagbenga pass for one year “to go back to the drawing boards to recreate and recapture the true essence of the Baguio Flower Festival”. Yaranon is optimistic though that the festival would push through saying many stakeholders have confirmed participation and that other nearby provinces such as Pangasinan, Benguet and La Union are also participating in the flower festival. In a related development, the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) headed by city Councilor Rufino M. Panagan is undergoing a signature campaign to reaffirm barangay support to the Foundation’s initiatives. To date, 65 punong-barangays (captains) have signed the manifesto of support. # Lyn V. Ramo for NORDIS Post your comments, reactions to this article
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