BAGUIO CITY – Beautifully decorated and landscaped floats of food chains and landscapers took center stage by emerging as the winners on the various categories of the colorful and well attended grand float parade that was part of the 29th edition of the Panagbenga that was held along the city’s major thoroughfares Sunday morning.
Like the earlier grand streetdancing parade held Saturday morning, a bigger number of residents and visitors from various parts of the country gathered along the 4-kilometer parade route as early as 2 am to have a clearer vantage point of the 43 competing and 5 non-competing floats that lined up for the procession.
Panagbenga organizers described this year’s participation as record breaking in terms of the number and the quality of floats that were presented as most of them heavily invested to come up with quality floats to give the crowd the needed entertainment with fresh flowers comprising the said floats.
From the start of the parade, the crowd cheered as each of the floats passed by their respective location and the city’s streets were filled with joy and much appreciation from what they were able to witness from the floats that were presented by the groups and companies that desired to make this year’s festival as one of the most celebrated event in the city.
Part of the success of the grand float parade was the cooperative fair weather that allowed the spectators to be able to fully appreciate the designs, colors, motifs, among others of each of the participating floats even as there was a slight shower that transpired in some areas of the city prior to the start of the grand floral float parade.
The float of Jollibee Foods Corporation emerged as the champion in the large float category as it showcased Baguio’s resilience, creativity and ever-growing journey of transformation inspired by the theme ‘Blossom Beyond Boundaries.’ Bursting with vibrant blooming flowers, the float featured colorful houses symbolizing the power of unity, while towering pine trees and fresh strawberries pay tribute to the city’s rich heritage and bountiful land. As flowers flourish, so does the spirit of the city, embodying the message Bida and Saya, celebrating the joy that blossoms when communities come together beyond limits. It took home the grand prize of P600,000 from last year’s P500,000.
The float of Golden Arches Development Corporation, popularly known as McDonald’s, settled for second place and saw the brimming with happiness and vibrancy where it drew inspiration from the festive spirit of Panagbenga that embodied the essence of family, fund, and togetherness. The design bursts with life and color, featuring fresh flowers meticulously arranged to bring to life iconic McDonald’s products such as best burger, world famous fries and cooked Mcfloat. At the heart of the design was a giant Happy meal box, a symbol of shared feel, good family moments and cherished memories. Through the said float McDonald’s, together with the Baguio community, celebrates the season of blooming and the bonds that bring families closer. It took home the second prize of ₱500,000 from the previous year’s ₱400,000 reward.
Placing third was the float of the State-owned Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) that featured its Zamboanga Golf Course and Beach Park as more than a destination, thus, it’s an experience where nature’s serenity, cultural richness, and leisure come together. The float left a lasting impression of Zamboanga’s beauty and it’s potential as a prime location for tourism and investment. It took home the ₱300,000 cash prize from the previous reward of ₱200,000.
Mang Inasal’s float topped the medium category where it snared the ₱350,000 cash prize. The Philippines grill expert brought the sights, flavors and spirit of the nation. In partnership with the Department of tourism, Mang Inasal carried the banner of its ‘Love the Flavors, Love the Philippines’ campaign celebrating the country’s rich food culture that brings families together and gives travelers a true taste of home. The breathtaking float is a tribute to the cordilleras, featuring the world-renowned rice terraces, a living testament to Filipino ingenuity and the enchanting butterfly sanctuary of Baguio symbolizing renewal and vibrant tourism. Mang Inasal has become a must experience for tourists, serving up the authentic flavors of the Philippines with every plate of its signature chicken inasal, pork barbecue, palabok, lumpiang togue and extra creamy halo-halo.
The float of Zaparita’s Garden placed second and took home the cash prize of ₱250,000. The floral masterpiece ‘All Aboard the Train of Blooms’ celebrates nature, creativity and joy. It was designed and crafted by a multi-awarded landscape artist and florist Ruben Zaparita and his son Engr. John Michael Zaparita that features a train gliding along a paradise of blooms proving that the beauty of nature has no limits. Riding the train are three charming bears, each symbolizing the heart of Zaparita Garden, a deep connection with nature, the power of creativity and the pure joy that flowers bring to life. The floral crack, bursting with Malaysian mumps, alstro, radus, heliconias, anthurium, sunflower, cypress, all represents a journey where art and nature intertwine in perfect harmony. As the train moves forward, it carries the spirit of togetherness, spreading color and wonder with every turn. At the heart of Baguio’s festival, the float becomes a living celebration of beauty, culture and the joy of shared experiences. Through the floral masterpiece, Zaparita Garden shared its passion for flowers and the connections they create, reminding people that the beauty is most meaningful when it is shared.
Chowking – Fresh N’ Famous Foods, Inc’s float ‘Let’s CHOW’ float settled for third place where it showcased the shared celebration of Panagbenga. It brought back the love to the community with its fluvial float, filled with stunning and vibrant floral elements, that aims to bring good fortune and positive energy to the festival. As Chowking celebrates 40 years of serving delicious food, the company is excited to continue bringing families together with its family Lauriat that is perfect for every occasion. It took home the cash prize of ₱150,000 from the previous year’s reward of ₱100,000.
In the small float category, Zaparita’s Garden emerged as the champion where it featured the graceful and powerful ‘Serpent’s Garden.’ It moves through the festival as a symbol of transformation, wisdom and renewal. Designed and crafted by Zaparita Garden headed by Ruben Zaparita and Engr. John Michel Zaparita, the stunning float featured a serpent weaving through a sea of green balls, radus, and alstro, embodying the spirit of the Year of the Snake. Just as the snake sheds its skin to embrace new beginnings, the float reflected the resilience of Baguio and the endless cycle of growth in the city. Flowing like a river of blooms, it merges tradition with the energy of change. The ‘Serpent’s Garden’ is a testament to the beauty of nature’s constant evolution, reminding people that life, like flowers, forever blossoms beyond boundaries. It took home a cash prize of ₱150,000.
Wood, Rock and Flowers Group float bagged second place with a cash prize of ₱100,000. The radiant beauty of the sunflower symbolizes many things such as love, loyalty, strength, hope and optimism. Their bright yellow petals are reminiscent of the sun and well-known for being a happy flower. The butterfly symbolizes rebirth for the city to go beyond traditional boundaries for a sustainable, resilient and co-creative City of Pines and blossoms beyond boundaries.
Wilcon Depot’s float landed in third place with a cash reward of ₱50,000. It bloomed during the parade with a stunning float that celebrated its commitment to home improvement and community building. Adorned with vibrant flowers, the float beautifully represented WIlson’s dedication to helping homeowners create better spaces. Wilcon’s participation in this year’s festival represents its commitment to supporting communities in the provinces, helping homeowners build better spaces and enriching lives through quality home solutions. As Wilcon continues to bring topnotch home solutions relatively closer to every Filipino community, the float symbolizes growth, transformation and the beauty of building better homes.
Panagbenga organizes said that there was supposed to be more floats that would have participated in the annual grand float parade if not for the absence of sufficient spaces to assemble the floats and the available floatmakers to supervise and manage the assembly of the floats, those, some of the interested groups and companies backed out and will set their sights in their future participation.
The said development prompted organizers to spearhead the conduct of more trainings for interested existing and budding floatmakers in the coming months to ensure the availability of floatmakers that will be available to assemble the floats of interested grand float participants in the coming years of the staging of the flower festival. By Dexter A. See
