BAGUIO CITY – The 2024 Panagbenga Festival opened on Saturday, February 3, with an estimated 20,000 people witnessing the opening parade on Session and Harrison Roads here.

POLICEMEN secure parade Panagbenga Festival parade route in Baguio City on Saturday, February 3. (Zaldy Comanda)
Anthony de Leon, executive committee chairman of the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc., said that they and city government have agreed to hold the Panagbenga opening parade every first Saturday of February.
This, he said, would enable more people, particularly tourists who troop here every weekend, to attend the event.
“Here’s the result, it’s beautiful, happy, and many people watched, most of what I saw were tourists, it’s first time, not like usual that February 1 is our parade, so when it falls on weekdays, there will be few people watching, because there is school and offices," said De Leon.
The Baguio City Police Office which served as crowd control during the parade said that the celebration was smooth and peaceful just like in 2023.
The BCPO said 1,573 policemen and force multipliers and volunteers secured the parade route.
Rapid reaction, reactionary forces, monitoring teams, and medical teams were strategically placed in convergence areas and transport terminals here during the event.
The BCPO assured the continued deployment of lawmen throughout the Panagbenga Festival celebration, especially the grand parade from February 24 to 25 which is expected to draw an even bigger crowd.