Baguio kids welcome start of Christmas season
PRE-SCHOOL kids aged 2-5 years old paraded along Session and Harrison Roads on Sunday for the annual Children's Mardi Gras which is the kick-off event of the "Silahis ng Pasko."
"This is the day for the kids, our way of giving them the spirit of Christmas, which is of course for them," said City Social Welfare and Development Officer (CSWDO) Betty Fangasan in her welcome address.
Children and their parents donned Christmas outfits such as Santa Claus, shepherds, angels, the wise men, Christmas balls, and cards, among others.
Fangasan said the event signals the start of the annual Christmas in Baguio celebration.
The festivity was a commemoration of sorts to the founder of the Silahis ng Pasko Narciso Padilla, a former city councilor and tourism officer, who started the program in 1973.
The program was started by the late Padilla while he was the city tourism officer and held as a partnership project with the National Correspondents Club of Baguio where he is founding president and the CSWDO.
On December 7 and 8, the Lucky Christmas Families will be selected and will be given a two-day red carpet treatment - city tours, overnight stay in a local hotel, a mass at the Shrine of the Brown Madonna in Tuba, Benguet, a lunch and a Christmas package.
On December 15, it will be a day for persons with disabilities (PWDs) with a special Olympics at Session Road where they will have games with prizes, meals from groups who set up soup kitchTABUK
ens, grooming, and noche buena packages.
On December 22, the annual share a joy component will take Padilla and crew to the Baguio General Hospital for gift giving to sick children.
On December 25, there will be a search for the Christmas Baby who will receive a noche buena package and other gifts, while a similar search will be made on New Year's Day.
On December 30, outstanding elderlies and athletes in the TALA and KISLAP awards will be honored.
A thanksgiving mass will also be held at the Shrine of Brown Madonna.