BTC Chief Vergara clarifies issues on an Enchanting Baguio Christmas Part 1

December 9, 2019 Metro BLISTT

IN VIEW of various disturbing reports maliciously played up in mainstream and social media, the Baguio Tourism Council — a private-public partnership created under the Revised Tourism Code enacted by the Sangguniang Panglungsod eleven years ago — wishes to issue this Statement, to wit:
As background information, the An Enchanting Baguio Christmas program is a joint effort with the City Government. I happen to serve as Chairperson, with Anthony de Leon of Baguio Country Club as vice-chair. Key city officials are serving in the BTC Board and have actively taken part in policy decisions, namely, our Mayor Benjie Magalong as Co-Chair, Councilor Elaine Sembrano as Board Member as representative of the Sanggunian, city tourism officer Alec Mapalo.
Under an Executive Order issued by the Mayor, the BTC is tasked to serve as the city’s lead partner in implementing the Christmas calendar of activities presented by the BTC and approved by the Sanggunian for execution.
At the very outset, we at the BTC welcomed and accepted the responsibility of conceptualizing, planning, and executing all Christmas programs and events, mindful that the task needs a shared effort between the government and the private sector. In all aspects, we worked unselfishly, gladly coordinating with city government offices directly concerned, striving hard handing-hand with our public counterparts.
We have a singular aim: to bring about a Baguio Christmas celebration that residents and visitors alike will welcome to their hearts’ content.
We humbly acknowledge the sincerely conveyed thankfulness and the gladsome faces of city folks and tourists who graced the per-launching program at the Rose Garden, which featured stellar performances by the Bayanihan.
The National Dance Company on November 23 and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra the next day (courtesy of Mr. Arsenio Lizaso, the Cultural Center of the Philippines President, who gave Baguio this rare but most welcome treat.
These concerts drew tremendous public reception framed in jubilation, which we profusely thank for, indeed a rousing start to kick-off the 43-day Christmas festivities.
We stood ten feet tall with everyone who attended the Christmas program last December 1, right in the heart of the city at the Session Road rotunda. With them, we held our bated breath as city officials switched on the symbolic Christmas Tree put up at the circle, followed immediately by the simultaneous lighting up of Session Road, the center islands, the buildings along it.
Along with the institutional Lantern Parade staged by the Louisian community, the event was a multi-sensory spectacle of Christmas lights and decors liberally used to give us the Christmas feel never before done in recent years. This is without doubt public approval. That is why we at the BTC felt disappointed over what have been reported — undoubtedly fueled by malicious intent — every now and then, disparaging the Christmas feeling that in two weekends and in days in between has overwhelmed our people.
Out of nowhere, malevolent bashers have raved and ranted in unbelievable disdain, belittling what has been publicly accepted by people from all walks of life, casting aspersions at every turn, magnifying faults that are simply par for the course for huge projects like a Baguio Christmas festival.
 
PR