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Campaign-free Panagbenga Fest: Political candidates asked to respect spirit of festival, restricted from campaigning

Writer's picture: Leonora Lo-oyLeonora Lo-oy

Baguio City, Philippines – Political candidates for the May 2025 midterm polls are restricted from campaigning in the Panagbenga Festival, one of the most known festivals in the country, which draws thousands of tourists annually.

 

This year’s month-long Baguio Flower Festival opened with a Grand Day Parade on February 01 and is scheduled to culminate with a Grand Aerial Fireworks Display on March 02. 

 

Festivals that gather innumerable local and foreign visitors like the Panagbenga could be a good platform for candidates to campaign for their political bids. However, the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation, Inc. (BFFFI) made it clear that the 29th Baguio Flower Festival is a campaign-free event even though the campaign period for national elections starts on February 11 and it falls under the major highlights of the festivity.

 

According to the Baguio City Public Information Office, both incumbent officials and candidates who will be attending Panagbenga are prohibited from campaigning, endorsing, or distributing campaign materials, and they are to avoid wearing clothing with campaign slogans.

 

Politicians and candidates who violate the rule will be nullified from BFFFI events, reported to the COMELEC for further action, and will be excluded from festival participation for repeat offenders.

 

Panagbenga Executive Committee Chairman and Baguio Country Club (BCC) General Manager Anthony de Leon, as reported by Baguio CPIO, urged the political candidates to respect the spirit of the festival and to support its goals of ‘community celebration, inclusivity, and cultural preservation’.


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