I was there, February 23-26, 2012.
When I was young, Baguio used to be a city so far away. I was in Mindanao then. Nevertheless, I was fortunate to be sent by Mindanao State University to Baguio twice (1996 and 1997) to attend some student assemblies. Now that I am based in Pampanga, Baguio is just a dream away. I go to the city every now and then. February is the best time to go to Baguio because of the Panagbenga festival. The shots herein are taken from my cellphone camera.
This beautifully-crafted dragon made of Malaysian mumps and everlasting flowers caught the attention of many tourists. It is an entry of SM Baguio, a Panagbenga hall of fame awardee.
Reportedly, there were 1.3 million visitors this year, thus, transportation was a big problem. All taxis were taken, buses reserved, wow! I almost did not made it home.
Of course, many companies took advantage of the event as an opportune time for advertising. The event is highly commercialized. Some floats were made not really to compete but to carry a product advertisement. This year's Panagbenga was also star-studded. ABS CBN's Vice Ganda joined the parade and entertained the crowd while GMA's Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera mesmerized the crowd with their pleasing looks.
