COUNCIL OK’S TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF VARIOUS ROAD FOR PANAGBENGA 2023

January 21, 2023 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY

With the resumption of major Panagbenga activities this year after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Baguio City Council passed an ordinance approving the temporary
closure of various roads in the city on certain dates. The temporary closure of roads was requested by the Panagbenga 2023 Policy and Program Review Committee in line with the month-long
celebration and staging of the Baguio Flower Festival in February of this year.

Roads that will be closed on February 1, 2023 from 1:00 AM to 3:00 PM for the Grand Opening Day Parade are the following: the road along South Drive (from the entrance of Teacher ’s Camp up to Panagbenga Park); from Panagbenga Park to Lower Session Road, Magsaysay Avenue up to the intersection fronting the Baguio Center Mall; from the intersection of Harrison Road and Lake Drive fronting Baguio Patriotic High School [sic].

Juan Luna Drive including the portion of Lake Drive near the Tourist Police Information Office will be the venue of the Panagbenga Market Encounter from February 1 to March 5, 2023. The whole stretch of Session Road (both lanes) will be closed on February 5, 12, and 19, 2023 for the Panagbenga Sunday Showcase. The road from South Drive, Military Cut-off Rotunda to Lower Session Road, Magsaysay Road, and Harrison Road will be closed on February 25, 2023 from 1:00 AM to 3:00 PM for the Grand Street Parade.

The road from South Drive, Military Cut-off Rotunda to Lower Session Road, Magsaysay Road, and
Harrison Road up to Jose Abad Santos and Lake Drive will be closed on February 26, 2023 from 1:00 AM to 3:00 PM for the Grand Float Parade. The whole stretch of Session Road (both lanes) will again be closed from February 25 to March March 6, 2023 for the Session Road in Bloom.

Portions of following roads will also be closed immediately after the Grand Float Parade from February 26, 2023 to 5:00 AM of March 6, 2023 to be used for emergency ingress and egress, garbage collection, etc.: Gov. Pack Road, Assumption Road, Fr. Carlu Loop, Calderon Street, Perfecto Street, Mabini St. (open to traffic only). The ordinance also prohibits the use of the
aforementioned roads by the barangays and private individuals for their own trade fairs or activities for the duration of the 2023 Panagbenga Festival.

Included in the ordinance is a provision approving the request of the committee for the relocation of the Victory Liner buses and other bus lines to their respective or alternate terminals from 5:00 AM to 12:00 AM on February 1, 25, and 26, 2023 to ensure the unobstructed use of Upper Session Road as the assembly point for all participants in the Opening Day Parade, Grand Street Dance parande, and Grand Floral Float Parade.

The city council stipulated in the ordinance the following conditions to be met by the committee in the conduct of the Flower Festival events: the committee must coordinate with the Baguio City Police Office- Traffic Management Unit for the put up of directional signage indicating the alternative roads/routes, for the monitoring of traffic and posting of standard warning signs, for the designation of traffic personnel to assist the motorists in order to ensure free movement of traffic, and for the coordination with concerned barangay officials for proper traffic monitoring. The ordinance was transmitted to the City Mayor’s Office to be signed by the chief executive.

SP/Jordan G. Habbiling