Manila: A family of seven from Manggahan, Pasig City was chosen as the winner of the 2025 lucky summer visitors of Baguio and Benguet, an annual program of the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club (BCBC) aimed to help promote the province's tourism sector. The family is composed of Ricardo Celestino Jr, 62, a carpenter; his wife, Carolyn, 57; his kids Jerome, 30; Julia, 11; Eunice, 13, and Eugin, 3; and Jerome's partner, Jelly Baustista, 31.
According to Philippines News Agency, Bautista mentioned that it took a while for them to visit this city due to conflicts of schedules and they needed time to save up for the trip. The group left Metro Manila at dawn on Maundy Thursday on board a Victory Liner bus, with plate number NAZ2113. Theirs is the ninth bus flagged down by personnel of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Department of Tourism to allow members of the BCBC to conduct the search for this year's lucky summer visitors.
Bautista expressed their gratitude and luck, saying in an interview, "We are the lucky seven. Lucky po talaga kasi wala kaming gagastusin. Masese-save namin ang inipon namin para makapasyal ng Baguio (We are really lucky because we will not spend anything. We can keep whatever we have saved for this trip to see Baguio)." The family had saved and chipped in for the trip as a wedding anniversary gift to their parents and had already paid the down payment for the transient house where they intended to stay.
Dionisio Dennis Jr., BCBC president, stated that the winners will receive a complimentary three-night, four-day stay at Hotel Supreme, which has been a supporter of BCBC's more than 60-year-old Holy Week program. "Guided tours, meals, transportation is shouldered by the BCBC, which we are able to do because of the supportive partners like the city government of Baguio, provincial government of Benguet, municipalities of Tuba, La Trinidad, Tublay, Atok and Pugo in La Union," he said.
The itinerary for the lucky summer visitors includes strawberry picking, visits to Northern Blossom in Atok Benguet, Polig, Camp John Hay, The Mansion, Wright Park horseback riding activity, boating and biking at Burnham Park, artists' hubs, and a market tour; along with tokens and gifts.
