Flower industry in Baguio-Benguet in good standing

March 4, 2017 Headlines

The annual celebration of the Baguio Flower Festival or Panagbenga has slingshot this city into a flower capital as the municipality of La Trinidad is also known for its flower growing villages where eco-farm tourism is being developed as a complementary destination outside Baguio.

The towns of La Trinidad, Atok, Tublay, Kapangan, Kibungan and Buguias in Benguet have been producing cut flowers sold in several local markets around the country.

According to Felicitas D. Ticbaen, municipal agriculturist of La Trinidad, “with the regards to the cut flowers industry on La Trinidad we still sustained the production considering most of the roses we produce in La Trinidad are still growing during peak seasons.”

She said roses in La Trinidad are mainly grown in barangays Bahong, Alapang and Alno while chrysanthemums are grown in Lubas, Bineng, Ambiong and Bahong.

“The prices of the cut-flowers depend on the supply and demand.” She said, the price of roses particularly increased before Valentine day however, “for Panagbenga because they know that many will need flowers for their float parade of Panagbenga so, there is no drastic demand and just exact price of the cut-flower.”

“The most saleable variety flowers are anthurium (white and red), Malaysian mums, orchids, roses, Daisies, roses, chrysanthemums, Alstroemeria flowers and sphagnum moss were prominent in the parade,” Ticbaen explained.

City Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan emphasized, “The suppliers of flowers in Baguio-Benguet are still in good standing and we expect to the supplier of flowers that the sale of their flowers to the participants of the float is just the right price.”

“And I urge also the residents interested in planting flowers can be beautiful it economical for the family and this will also help increase the city’s economy,” Domogan said.

Freddie Alquiros, co-chairman of the Panagbenga executive committee, explained roadside and vertical gardens participated by the city’s 128 barangays and school-based landscaping which are also participated in by schools feature assorted fresh flowers that add up to the boom of flowers in the city during the five-week activities lined up for this year’s festival.

“For the contingents joining the grand street dancing parade and grand float parade on last February 25 and 26, respectively, participants must be able to showcase at least 90 percent fresh flowers in order to realize the primary objective of the festival which is to promote Baguio and Benguet as the primary source of fresh and quality flowers in Luzon.”

“Panagbenga organizers were assured of steady supply of flowers in different kinds and sizes which will be used to decorate the city in preparation for the expected influx of visitors during the highlights of the flower festival, specifically during the grand street dancing and float parades, and the Session Road in Bloom aside from the five-week market encounter,” Alquiros stressed.