Naga hosts first Flower Festival

IN A BID to strengthen the local flower industry and uplift the livelihood of families engaged in flower growing and vending, the City Government of Naga is hosting the 1st Pacol Flower Festival from October 26 to November 3, 2025, in Barangay Pacol.

Mayor Leni Robredo expressed optimism that the event will help improve the socio-economic conditions of local flower growers and vendors. “I encourage the sector to engage in the production of high-valued varieties,” the mayor said. “The city government is willing to extend assistance if only to make their livelihood generate more income by making it more vibrant and productive.”

City Councilor Jude Diokno, who chairs the Committees on Environment and Energy, Tourism, and Investment, Trade and Economic Enterprise, emphasized that the festival aims to empower barangays to sustain the flower industry. “We hope this becomes a platform to institutionalize support for the sector and create an ordinance that will make the Pacol Flower Festival an annual event,” he said.

Robredo acknowledged that while Naga City does not share the same climate as Baguio City—home to the renowned Panagbenga Festival—it can still cultivate select high-value flower varieties suited to its environment. “It’s just a matter of finding out which varieties thrive here. We can choose from those grown in Baguio but focus only on what we are capable of cultivating,” she added.

The flower festival, which is the brainchild of Councilor Diokno, will feature a flower booth competition, the oath-taking of officers of the newly formed Cut-Flower Planters Association, and evening performances by acoustic bands and local artists, and caricature exhibits by local artists.

To help local growers prolong the life of cut flowers and reduce dependency on costly Manila-sourced flowers, Robredo said the city government, with support from the Department of Agriculture, is open to providing greenhouses and cold storage facilities. These infrastructures aim to reduce post-harvest losses and improve the profitability of flower farming in the city.

Highlighting her personal commitment, Mayor Robredo also shared that her family has allowed the use of their one-hectare property in Barangay Pacol for flower farming since the 1990s—an initiative that continues to benefit the local flower-growing community.

Currently, around 20 families are directly engaged in flower cultivation and vending in Naga. Among the flowers to be showcased during the festival are sunflowers, roses, regatta, aster, palong-palong, and puto-puto flowers.

Spearheaded by officials of Barangay Pacol, the Flower Vendors Association headed by Mario Camba, and the Flower Growers Association led by Diosdado Ador Jr., the event is shaping up to be a community-driven celebration.

In preparation for the event, Councilor Vladimir Cayabas of Baguio City visited Naga on September 12, 2025, upon the invitation of Councilor Diokno, to share Baguio’s best practices in organizing its celebrated Panagbenga Festival.

Diokno said the success of the Pacol Flower Festival will be evaluated based on three criteria:

1. Sales reports and tourist attendance
2. A feasibility study on the project’s sustainability, and
3. The potential to institutionalize the event annually.

As Naga City prepares for this pioneering celebration, stakeholders are hopeful that the Pacol Flower Festival will bloom into a long-term initiative for inclusive growth and local pride. / via Jason Neola

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