LET A FLOWERS BLOOM!

February 22, 2025 Opinion

The Baguio Flower Festival—year 29 of “Panagbenga” is amidst us once again. “Blossoms beyond Boundaries” will
feature the usual grand parades and colorful floral displays. The theme composed by the late Macario Fronda will once again resonate and be with us-LSS (Last Song Syndrome) till summer or more. As a kid, we grew up in
Trancoville, amidst wild sunflowers called “marapait” in the vernacular. Carabao mountain, now Quirino Hill was
alive with pine trees and in between flowers-a-plenty and from afar, our house near the river and during summer was a sight to see on a sunny day.

After a game or two of “sha-tung”, collecting “juju” or gathering “tungsoy” me and our friends with brother Eric
would usually walk the road behind Don Bosco Church to a place called “batis” where we would take a dip and clean up in the nearby “ub-bog”. There were sunflowers all over the hills and danes, not the large cultured ones but tiny
long stemmed green leafy and yellow petal ones. They would bow down with the breeze of a wind and stood tall on dry days. It’s leaves were bitter tasting and during our naughty moments, we would gather the dried ones, roll it out like a tobacco, light it up and take turns smoking and enjoying its menthol taste.

That then was our kiddie version of getting “high!” Rev.Fr, Jerry Orbos was here to officiate the Healing Mass of Col,
Filoteo S, Arevalo and after mass he was humming a song from Sound of Music which paid tribute to Austria’s
national flower “Edelweiss…Every morning you greet me; Small and white, clean and bright; You look happy to meet me; Blossom of snow; May you bloom and grow Bloom and grow forever.; Small and white, clean and bright; You look happy to meet me..Bless my homeland forever…” Sana all pati sunflower!

When one get’s cut, wounded or have abrasions, the Mang Kepweng and first aid solution is “dikdikin” the fresh leaves with stones – the verb is “durugin” meaning pulverize crush into small portions until its nectar comes out and apply to the wound. For better and faster relief, spit on the crushed leaf, so we say and believed then. So where have all the sunflowers gone in this modern world of ours? Baguio has transformed into a complex and urban city, no longer our city of greenery and dreams. The Marapaits of our time now memories of the past. Hefty price of development.

At the Cabato law office where I started the practice of law way back, during coffee breaks, our seniors Judge Nanding Cabato and Atty. Dammy Bangaoet would tell war stories about the trees and flowers in our neighborhood-Trancvoville, Malvar, Pinsao and Camdas, respectively. Manong Dammy, and I shared an office in the huge firm space. The suave and romantic gentleman that he is would say that the yellow petals of the marapait were the best measure whether you would get the girl of your dreams, picking the petals one by one and murmuring “she loves me, she loves me not,” until all of it is gone. Then you would know and follow your destiny to her heart.

It was a good thing that when Manong Dammy left the law firm and joined then John Hay-Poro Point Development
Corporation (JPDC) tagging me along as it’s Legal Counsel and Retainer. The dreamer that he was, conceptualized
“Panagbenga” -let the flowers bloom to revive the aching Baguio economy after its’ devastation from the earthquake. With full support from BCDA Chair Vic Lim, PA Jody Alabanza and PFVR the festival was launched and the rest as they say is history. Today, a million flowers have indeed bloomed since its time of inception. I just wish that
they honor and recognize him and Dean Mac for their roles.

This is a good break for everyone before we have the campaign for local elections. The circus will soon be back so
send in the clowns and the comedians! Motherhood statements of improving the lives of our people will flourish.
Watch out for the capitalists-backed candidates whose concern is the investment they will pour in! Promises will be
made although don’t expect much really- Nangako na nga, gusto mo tuparin pa! Brickbats including the kitchen sink will be thrown for or against the protagonist. Nobody ever promised that the City would be a “rose garden” forever but at least Panagbenga reminds us who and what we were then, when life was sweet as compared to now, a mix of bitter and sweet. Sigh.