BAGUIO CITY (PIA) - Tourism Secretary Christine Garcia – Frasco commended Baguio’s Flower Festival or Panagbenga as a driver of tourism development in Northern Luzon.

Back after three years of hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the month-long celebration reached its peak over the week-end with the crowd-drawing Grand Street Dancing and Grand Float Parade.

The Secretary was the keynote speaker during the Grand Float Parade on February 26 where 26 colorful floats adorned with different flowers along with street dancing contingents strutted at the City’s main thoroughfares.

Frasco lauded Baguio City for its Panagbenga Festival that has evolved into a world class celebration and a major tourism driver in Northern Luzon.

“Festivals like this are an important tool to fostering tourism development as they attract a large number of visitors to the city and contribute massively to the local economy. Baguio City, with all its colors, its people, its tradition, your history and heritage combined, indeed has made and will continue to make a lasting imprint on our visitors’ memories and will build a positive image of your city and our country,” she said.

 The Secretary assured DOT’s support to the tourism initiatives of the city government as she urged Baguio to continue to be a partner of the national government in tourism development which is a priority under the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

“You can rest assured that we will continue to work together with your city government to ensure that the people of Baguio and this region feel the benefits of tourism especially domestic tourism,” she said.

Frasco also shared that DOT just launched a program called “The Philippine Experience” that aims to boost tourism industry especially domestic tourism through the promotion of festivals, local food delicacies and other tourism aspects of a destination.

The two events over the weekend drew thousands of spectators that crowded up the city streets. In the Saturday street dancing event, four elementary school drum and lyre competitors, 17 cultural dance contest contingents and 11 festival dance contest entries brought colors to the city’s main thoroughfares. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)