March 28, 2024

The grand opening activities signaling the start of Yuletide season in Baguio will be subdued this year in compliance with health protocols, the City Tourism and Special Events Division announced last week.

In previous years, the opening program of “Christmas in Baguio” activities every Dec. 1 begin with a Mardi Gras participated in by daycare pupils in the morning, a simultaneous lighting of Christmas decors along the city’s thoroughfares, parks, commercial establishments, and the Christmas centerpiece at the Rose Garden; and the Lantern Parade of Saint Louis University.

Last year, a European-inspired trade fair, weekend orchestra, ballet performances, and cultural shows were conducted at the Burnham Park’s Rose Garden.

This time, City Tourism Officer Aloysius Mapalo said a simple program and the simultaneous lighting of Christmas panels and the Christmas tree will be done.

He assured that although activities will be subdued, it will still be a meaningful Christmas celebration.

He said a lot of tourists continue to show interest in spending the holidays in Baguio but have not made final arrangements because of the stringent requirements before visitors are allowed entry to the city.

Since Baguio implemented a gradual reopening to tourists last October, 10,000 tourists have come up – the highest so far among the tourist destinations that opened nationwide, albeit a far cry from the more than 100,000 tourists visiting Baguio during the pre-Covid-19 Yuletide season. – Rimaliza A. Opiña