Baguio City will now celebrate Volkswagen Appreciation Week every first week of December of every year, following the approval of an ordinance by the Baguio City Council on third and final reading.
The ordinance designates Session Road or a portion of Burnham Park as the venue for the activities during the last two days of the Baguio Volkswagen Appreciation Week.
The ordinance only allows “wholesome and family oriented activities” such as car shows and displays, swap meets, motorcades, picnics, sale of Volkswagen-related merchandise, memorabilia, and souvenirs.
During the event, all Volkswagen vehicles joining the car show, car display, and motorcade shall be exempted from the city’s number coding scheme as approved by the Tourism, Culture and Arts Division and coordinated with the Baguio City Police Office.
According to Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan and Councilor Lilia Farinas, authors of the ordinance, the Volkswagen has become a “cherished part of the city’s heritage” due to its practicality and hill-climbing prowess. They claimed that the Volkswagen is very popular because of its straightforward and cost-effective maintenance coupled with a distinctive and instantly recognizable design.
The celebration of the Volkswagen Appreciation Week also serves as a commendation to the Volkswagen Club of Baguio for their “many positive contributions” to the motoring community and the city as a whole.
The ordinance states that the group has been consistent in exhibiting dedication to the city by providing free services during city events, activities, and celebrations such as the Montanosa Film Festival, Christmas in Baguio, Independence Day, and Baguio Charter Day.
In 1998, the Volkswagen Club of Baguio was established as a local chapter of the Volkswagen Club of the Philippines, with the goal to unite Volkswagen owners and aficionados in the city and its neighboring areas.
In December 2016, the Volkswagen Club of Baguio played host to the Annual Philippine Volkswagen Show in the city. Dubbed as First Grand Volks Canao, the event marked a significant milestone as it was the first time that the Philippines Volkswagen Show was held outside Quezon City in its 31-year history. The show garnered widespread attention, drawing car enthusiasts from different parts of the country. – Jordan G. Habbiling
