Children paid the price for a stellar Baguio Flower Festival (BFF) performance.
Injured BFF performers remain traumatized and unable to walk days after performing on artificial turf at the Melvin Jones grounds, in an interview, Oliver Villanueva Wasin, official choreographer of the Ifugao-based group Baryo Kamaisan, said, “Some are still unable to walk normally kasi may iba sa kanila eh buong talampakan nagkapuyo (because some of them have blisters across their entire soles). Yung iba naman (The others are) emotionally traumatized.”
The 30th edition of Panagbenga, themed “Panagbenga 2026: Blooming Without End,” showcased floral floats, marching bands, and cultural performers traversing the traditional route from Panagbenga Park to Session Road and down to the Melvin Jones Grandstand. The weekend spectacle of talent and color began with Saturday’s street dancing competition and drum and lyre tilts, featuring 14 competing groups in the elementary and high school categories.
On Saturday, February 28, several performers were rushed to the hospital after the installed artificial turf burned their feet. The heat caused severe blistering, impeding the performance of the group.
Wasin said on Monday morning, March 2: “As of this writing, there has been no contact or anything from the organizing committee. The only help we received was after the performance itself, from the standby medics. We had one dancer who was taken to the hospital for further treatment, and we had to shoulder the costs ourselves.”
Over 100 performers, including dancers, musicians, props-men, and coordinators—helped depict the Lamut, Ifugao Harvest Festival Dance. The performance aimed to fuse the rich traditions of Ifugao and Ilocano cultures, embodying “unity in diversity.” The contingent reportedly spent close to ₱200,000 to participate in the BFF.
The weekend spectacle began with Saturday’s street dancing competition and drum and lyre tilts, featuring 14 competing groups in the elementary and high school categories.
In a social media post on March 1, Wasin expressed his sentiments with the management of the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. (BFFFI), pointing out lapses in coordination that left the provincial contingent in the dark. Wasin clarified that his comments were not meant to disparage the BFFFI, but rather to shed light on urgent issues.
NLM is publishing Wasin’s post in full:
“This post is not intended to put the foundation’s name ‘under the rock,’ but rather to shed light on issues that urgently need to be addressed.
First, the matter of disorganized coordination: urgent queries were met with late replies, leaving questions unanswered. A month before the competition, an orientation was held via Zoom. Important concerns, such as accommodation, were raised and, as I understood, properly discussed. It was agreed that a Billeting Request Letter would be sent to the organizers so they could coordinate with school principals. However, instead of clear arrangements, the organizers told us to wait for calls from the principals to negotiate details like cleaning fees. Those calls never came.
A week before the competition, a final Zoom meeting was held. We were hopeful the billeting issue would be clarified. But—A BIG BUT—the billeting schools were allowed to accommodate participants only after classes on the Friday before the competition. This conflicted with the rehearsal schedule, as our group from Ifugao was required to be at the performance area by 7:00 AM that same Friday. We expected that groups traveling from distant provinces would be given consideration for accommodation the night before. To our disappointment, we were told it was our own responsibility to find lodging at our own expense.
To cut the story short, we checked in at Teacher’s Camp at 1:00 AM just to ensure we wouldn’t miss our rehearsal. This last-minute arrangement cost us nearly P30,000. Furthermore, after the competition, we were informed we had to pay P10,000 for the billeting quarters. This was far beyond what we expected for a two-night stay, and the lack of prior communication regarding this fee caused significant concern.
Second, the general rehearsals did not make sense. Our group arrived an hour early, yet no member of the organizing committee was present until after 7:00 AM. At 7:30, we were told our time had ended. We had no opportunity to conduct blockings at the actual performance area. One organizer told me the turf could not be used then because it was reserved as an audience area for a concert later that day. We left without having set foot on the turf once.
During the competition, our dancers performed barefoot, fearing the turf might be slippery. Unfortunately, the turf was overheated, and several dancers suffered burns. The pain was so severe that a few fainted immediately after their performance. One dancer was hospitalized. This compromised their safety and the quality of the performance.
This post is intended to raise awareness so that future competitions may be improved. Panagbenga is about blooming cultures. By addressing these issues, we can help the festival truly embody its spirit: a space where talents flourish and every participant feel valued.”
JA RD Doculan, a parent, added: “The artificial plastic grass laid on the ground, perhaps to prevent dust, became extremely hot under the sun. The heat caused our children’s feet to burn. Some were restricted from moving freely because they were enduring intense pain. A few even fainted. I am proud because they finished with grace and smiles even when they were in pain.”
Doculan stressed: “We raise this concern not to blame, but to call the attention of the organizers. We sincerely hope that in future events, materials used are tested under actual weather conditions. Safety should always be a top priority.”
Wasin noted that unlike their experience, the champion group from Pugo, La Union, was treated differently: “Okay nga po sa Pugo kasi pinatigil nila performance nila at pinasuot ang mga bata nila ng slippers at ipaulit ang sayaw. Sa amin wala. Nasira ang performance ng mga bata.” (It was better for Pugo because they stopped their performance, let the children wear slippers, and allowed them to repeat the dance. For us, nothing. The children’s performance was ruined.)
Street Dance Champions Tribu Siglat of San Luis National High School (Pugo, La Union) emerged triumphant, but the victory came at a cost. Extreme heat from the artificial turf sidelined ten performers who suffered from severe foot blisters and fainting spells. Due to the injuries, Coach Denver Lupares formally requested the BFFFI organizers to allow the group a second performance with students wearing slippers. Lupares expressed gratitude that they were given a second chance but stressed the turf injured the students.
NLM reached out to the BFFI through Media committee chair, Andrew Pinero for a statement but was informed the group will be deferring to Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong for any public announcements on the issue.
The staging of the BFF is a joint endeavor of the city government of Baguio and the BFFI. Maria Elena Catajan