ORGANIZERS of the 24th edition of Panagbenga said P20 million would be needed for the staging of the 18 traditional events lined up for the 38-day festivities in the city that runs from February 1 to March 10, 2019.
Anthony de Leon, co-chairman of the Panagbenga Organizing Committee, said the funds for the festivities will come from both the local government and the income to be derived from the income-generating activities lined up for the 24th edition of the flower festival.
De Leon added a huge portion of the budget will be used to increase the subsidies the foundation is providing to the increasing number of landscapers participating in the annual landscaping competition and the cash prizes given to the winners of the various competitions to entice more participants in the different competitions categories of the flower festival.
For over a decade now, the local government has provided some P4 million annual subsidy to the foundation solely for the prizes of winners of the various competitions lined up for the flower festival.
BFFFI president Freddie Alquiros said a huge portion of the income derived by the foundation during last year's 23rd edition of the Panagbenga will be plowed back to the community through various forms, particularly the increase in the cash prizes and subsidies for the winners and participants of the different competitions lined up next year.
Alquiros stated the increase in the subsidies of the participants in the landscaping competition and the cash prizes of the different winners will surely contribute to the efforts of the city government and the BFFFI to further increase the participation of the public in the various events of the flower festival. (PR)