2007 Panagbenga Festival

This year's Panagbenga flower festival lacks the luster the previous ones had.

Though, there were some 37 floats parading on the second day, politicians spoiled the event which was not in the first place aimed at showcasing clowns and jogglers but an event that's supposed to depict the cultures and traditions of the Cordillerans like the Igorots. The float parade was ruined with the participation of some politicians as they disrupted the flow of the participating entries parading their well conceptualized floats. Some rode their own floats while some on horses.

Another thing is, the organizers should have made the street dancing and float parade more authintic by sticking to original concept depicting their mode of clothing, dancing movement and more likely their kind of people that they are. Not the fair skinned ones with their spaghetti strapped western-style gowns and skimpy dresses waving to the crowds. The street dancing and float parade should not be made like a pageant-type presentation. They should stick to what is Cordillera, the people, the culture and their way of life!

I understand, that this basic dance of Cordillera people has a variety of movements of the hand depending on the kind of tribe. A Kankana-ey friend from Mankayan, Benguet has explained to me that the movement of hand differs from tribe to tribe. The Kankana-eys has different hand movement than their fellow Ibalois. This is what the organizers should present to the tourists for them to appreciate and learn the dance movement and for them to understand what they see. They should not adulterate the culture with modern and western style of dancing. That is not what I intend to see when I go up to Baguio every year since 2000. The organizers should take pains in letting the audience or crowd of tourists understand what is being presented to them.

The traditional way of their clothing should not also be mixed with modern clothing. It should be authintic as it is. I think the organizers should hire creative artists who have extinsive knowledge about the local traditions and cultures of the Cordillera tribes.