“Our foundation is apolitical and respects the festival” – de Leon

BAGUIO CITY ,  (March 23, 2022) – Kamakailan nagdaos ng Kapihan sa Baguio para sa Session in Bloom ng Panagbenga 2022, hosted by PIA-CAR Regional Director Helen Tibaldo at Andrew Pinero, Head Corporate Communications ng Baguio Country Club.

At ang mga gumanap na panelista ay sina (From l-r top photo): BFFFI Chief Staff Ms. Evangeline Payno, City Turism Officer Alec Mapalo, BFFFI Chair Anthony de Leon, Department of Tourism – Cordillera Regional Director Jovy Ganongan, City Administrator Bonifacio dela Peña, (Below photo) BFFFI President Freddie Alquiros, BCPO Chief Traffic Officer  Major Roldan Cabatan and Station 7 Commander Major Roger Kurt Pacificar

Tinalakay ng mga panelista kaugnay sa sitwasyon ng Baguio Flower Festival o ang taunang tradisyon na Panagbenga. After two years na walang Panagbenga ang Baguio dulot ng magkaroon ng COVID-19 ay marami ang naapektuhan, ngunit ngayon ay unti-unti na rin nakakabawi at nagiging maluwag na sa turista nang maideklara ang alert level 1.

Samantala, naging kapansin-pansin dito na naitaon muli sa pangangampanya ng mga kandidato at ang Panagbenga ay nagagamit bilang political advantage ng mga kandidato.

Dahil dito ay nagbigay ng pahayag si BFFFI Chair de Leon na nagbalik tanaw noong mga nakaraang festival na naitataon sa panahon ng election.

Sinabi ni de Leon, “With regards to campaigning during the flower festival as far as the position of the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation is concerned especially I address those who from Baguio for the longest time, matagal ng nagre-react ang community and residence ng Baguio whenever people take advantage of the festival as a venue for campaigning even local or national candidates, alam po natin yan marami na tayo natanggap na complain especially the head of the event mga organizer kami at ako.

So, what we do is we come up with a policy as to conduct of the event and that we appeal to everyone that this is not the proper venue for your campaign and respect the festival, if your looking for an ordinance there is no such thing that existing right now the prevention from campaigning during the festival, ang appeal lang naman ng Foundation respect the community which the foundation adopted as a matter policy, now if you cannot respect the festival, bahala na kayo, sagot niyo na yan, we are not preventing you , pero bastos kayo, yun lang masasabi ko, kasi whether your candidate is present or not, you will recall na yun ibang mga candidates especially during the parades maglalagay sila ng mga tarpaulin, greetings from whoever , “Congratulations, Baguio City for your Flower Festival” tinatanggal namin yun may mga Marshalls kami diyan in every parade, dance street parade and grand float parade diyan naglalabasan ang mga tarpaulins ng mga national candidates and then mayroon pa sisingit sa program, magsasalita, na invite lang para umupo special guest na acknowledge pero biglang titindig magsasalita na, di ba galit na galit ang community ng Baguio sa ganyan, nadatnan na natin ang policy na yan base on the wishes of our residence of Baguio.

So, let’s not be double standard, hindi yun porket pagka kandidato niyo ang nasita magagalit kayo, pero pag ibang kandidato ang nangampanya, where do you stand? Iba ba ang standard natin, kami sa foundation we are apolitical, we appeal that this is not a venue for campaigning by anyone candidate, respect lang, that’s my position,” pagtatapos ni de Leon   Photo by: Mario D. Oclaman // FNS