BAGUIO CITY – The Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. (BFFFI), which organizes the annual festival with the float parade among the highlights, said it is considering mandating the accreditation of float makers as a way of regulating the industry.

“We have to address this because they are discouraging others from joining the float parade by charging so much,” Anthony de Leon, chairman of the BFFFI Executive Committee, said in a phone interview on Friday.

He said they will soon come up with a policy to address the issue of overcharging and the use of middlemen, which further increases the cost of making a float.

The decision came after reports surfaced that some float makers were charging P1.5 million to P1.8 million.

De Leon said that the Baguio Country Club, where he is the manager, is paying about P500,000 for a large float that already includes the flowers, labor, materials, and the designer's fee.

“That is too much. We are not buying a sedan, we are just renting a truck and decorating it with flowers,” he added.

The Baguio Country Club has been participating in the annual parade since the festival's early years.

De Leon said the overcharging is greatly damaging the float-making industry.

“We understand it is a once-a-year activity, but we should be reasonable about the fees,” he said.

With the planned accreditation, only floats made by accredited float makers will be allowed to participate, as a way of regulating the charges imposed on float participants.

He noted five professional float makers but plans a seminar to share knowledge with current assistants.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong here confirmed that Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon will be the guest of honor of the street parade while Japanese Ambassador Endo Kazuya will be the guest of honor of the grand float parade on Feb. 28 and March 1, respectively.

Also expected to attend are Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Patrick Gregorio, the ambassador of Poland, and League of Cities President San Juan City Francis Zamora.

The BFFFI said the grand prize in the large float category this year has increased to P1 million.

More than 1,500-square meters of artificial turf were installed for the street dancers’ performance area at the Melvin Jones football ground.

Organizers encouraged people to follow traffic rules, security measures, and festival guidelines.

Five important events in the Panagbenga dubbed Panagbenga Eras will be performed for the first time in the grand parade.

These are: Early Years of Baguio City (before Panagbenga), which will be presented by the University of Baguio; The Earthquake, Baguio City National High School-SPA; Birth of the Tradition, Saint Louis University-Laboratory Senior High School; Baguio City as UNESCO Creative City, University of the Philippines-Baguio, and 30th Panagbenga Festival, Baguio City National High School.