Panagbenga grand float parade 2024 draws record-breaking participation

Baguio City Philippines – This year’s Panagbenga float parade will go down in history as a record-breaker.

The average number of entries in previous flower festivals, typically ranging from 14 to 15, was doubled this 2024.

“This is a historic record, considering that it is not easy to come up with a float. You have to spend a lot for a float,” said the Executive Committee Chair, Anthony de Leon, earlier.

The average cost for a big float is P500,000 or higher, especially if there is a need to rent a truck. This is because the vehicle must remain stationed at the designated preparation area for three to four weeks, as disclosed by de Leon through the government’s official web-based newswire service.

Despite the cost, 33 floats joined the grand parade held on Sunday, February 25.

As a standard, 70 to 95 percent of the decorations adorning the floats consist of fresh flowers, plants, and foliage.

Some 29 of said figure competed for the prizes, as follows: P500,000, P300,000, and P200,000, respectively, for the top three winners in the large floral float category; P300,000, P200,000, and P100,000 for the medium float category; and P100,000, P50,000, and P30,000 for the small floral cart.

Four were non-competing entries, including the floats designed by the city government of Baguio, the Department of Tourism, and the two Hall of Famers - the Baguio Country Club and SM Baguio.

Kapihan Sa Baguio, today, February 28, the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. (BFFFI) has announced the winners.

The large floral float category was dominated by the entry of Pangasinan Solid North Transit Inc. followed by Jollibee Foods Corporation, and TIEZA.

Meanwhile, the floats of Fresh N’ Famous Foods Inc. – Chowking, Proctor & Gamble (P&G) / Youthopia Activation Specialist Inc. (YASI), and KFC Philippines emerged as the top three placers, respectively, while Zaparita's Garden grabbed the first and second spot in the small float category.

The grand parade was further enriched by the participation of notable personalities such as Lovi Poe, Jake Ejercito, Miss Philippines Charm 2023 Krishna Marie Gravidez, Miss Universe Baguio 2024 Justine Tarah Valencia, Beauty Gonzales, Ejay Falcon, Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Niño Muhlach, Carmi Martin, Lito Lapid, Mark Lapid, Ara Mina, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Andrei and Kobi Paras, as well as Cardo Dalisay’s friends.

The parade, deemed the grandest since its inception in 1996, drew an approximate crowd of 32,000 spectators.