A family from Pasig City has been chosen as the 2025 Lucky Summer Visitors (LSV) by the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club (BCBC).
Dionisio Dennis Jr., BCBC president, stated that the family was the ninth group flagged down on a bus on Thursday in Pugo, La Union.
The lucky family members are spouses Ricardo Celestino Jr., 62, a carpenter, and Carolyn Andrews Celestino, 57, a housewife; their children Jerome, 30, a customer service representative, and his partner Jellyn Bautista, 31, an administrative staff member; Julia, 11, and Eunice, 13, both students; and their grandchild Eugin Celestino, 3. They were on board a Victory Liner Bus with plate number NAZ 2113, en route to Baguio, when they were flagged down for the selection process at approximately 8:00 a.m.
“We are the lucky seven. We are truly lucky because we won’t have any expenses, and we can save the money we had saved for this trip to Baguio,” Jellyn Bautista said. She added, “We have wanted to go to Baguio for a long time, and none of us have seen it yet. However, due to work schedules, the children’s classes, and the difficulty of travel for senior citizens, our plans never materialized.”
The trip was finally planned using their accumulated savings to celebrate their parents’ wedding anniversary.
The LSV 2025 were welcomed by the mayors of Pugo, La Union, and officials of Tuba, Benguet, as well as the mayors of the municipalities of Tuba, La Trinidad, Tublay, and Atok, which they visited, along with Baguio City and Benguet provincial officials.
The family has been provided with accommodation for four days and three nights, courtesy of Hotel Supreme, the official home of the LSV. They will also receive meals and guided tours to tourist destinations such as Dragon Treasure Castle, Igorot Stone Kingdom, Camp John Hay for forest bathing, Wright Park for horseback riding, Peace Tower and heritage park, Tam-Awan Village, Pugad ni Art Gallery, SM Baguio, the iconic Burnham Park, and the city market.
The LSV itinerary includes visits to Northern Blossoms in Atok, Benguet; Beacon Eco-park and Polig Farm in Tublay, Benguet; the Benguet Provincial Capitol for lunch with provincial officials; and strawberry picking at the strawberry farm in La Trinidad.
Dennis emphasized that the annual activity, which has been running for over 60 years, would not be possible without the invaluable support of partners and sponsors such as Beneco, BWD, Converge, the League of Associations of Vegetable Traders in La Trinidad, Agetyeng Travel and Tours, NGCP, Aboitiz Power, ABC-Baguio, SMC Infrastructure, M. Lhuillier, Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., Landco Pacific, ESC Puerto de San Juan, Benguet State University, Philippine Veterans Bank, Benguet Corporation, DMCI, the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio, Baguio Country Club, Philex Mining Corp., Philreca, Mang Inasal, Jollibee Foods Corporation, KM Ngayon Na, and SM Baguio.
Government partners, aside from the LGUs, include DOT-CAR, DA-CAR, DOTr-CAR, BCPO, Benguet PPO, Baguio Tourism Office, DPWH, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and PROCAR.
The event also garnered support from Mt. Province Congressman Maximo Dalog Jr., Benguet Congressman Eric Yap, former Baguio City Congressman Mauricio Domogan, former youth representative Congressman Edgar Avila, Benguet Vice Governor Ericson “Tagel” Felipe, former Baguio Congressman Nicasio Aliping Jr., Gladys Vergara, Senator Imee Marcos, Engr. Louie Sarmiento of Itogon Suyoc Resources Inc., Senator Lito Lapid, Baguio Councilors Maximo Hilario Edwin Jr., Peter Fianza, and Jose Molintas, Sol Go, and Baguio Congressman Mark Go.
“We are thankful for the supporters, sponsors, and partners because through their generosity, we are able to continuously pursue this endeavor for decades,” Dennis concluded.
