BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance designating five sites in the city as Baguio creative centers.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Maria Mylen Victoria G. Yaranon states that in line with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s declaration that Baguio City is a Creative City for Crafts and Folk Arts, there is a need for the Baguio Convention Center, Cordillera Crops and Productivity Center, University of the Philippines – Museo Kordilyera, Maharlika Livelihood Center and the Dominican Hill and Natural Park as relative centers in the city.
The ordinance stipulates the 5 creative centers shall serve as a venue for creative talents to hone and enhance their craft in the field of crafts and folk arts for them to be provided a decent living and for them to become entrepreneurs by providing workshops and demonstration studios design laboratories, exhibit areas as well as open collaborative spaces for creators and the public.
Further, the creative centers, as well as their improvements, restoration and repair, shall be funded and managed by the city government in collaboration with concerned government agencies wherein the city shall be responsible for the creation of new creative centers that will serve as a venue for training creatives and to showcase city crafts and art pieces.
The ordinance mandates the appropriation of P50 million as the budget for the establishment, maintenance and operation of the designated creative centers.
Section 16 of Republic Act (RA) 7160 of the Local Government Code of the Philippines provides that every local government unit shall exercise the powers expressly granted, those necessarily implied therefrom, as well as powers necessarily, appropriate or incidental for its efficient and effective governance and those which are essential to the promotion of the general welfare. Within their respective territorial jurisdictions, local government units shall ensure and support, among other things, the preservation and enrichment of culture, promote health and safety, enhance the right of the people to a balanced ecology, encourage and support the development of appropriate and self-reliant scientific and technological capabilities, improve public morals, enhance economic prosperity and social justice, promote full employment among their residents, maintain peace and order, and preserve the comfort and convenience of their inhabitants.
Baguio City was designated as the Creative City for Crafts and Folk Arts by the UNESCO Creative Cities Network on October 31, 2017 which allowed the city to join the ranks of 180 cities from 72 countries to the Creative cities Network, the first in the Philippines.
The ordinance notes that becoming a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities network is a platform for life-long learning, cultural sharing, and innovations in building sustainable cities wherein there will be a revitalized creative industry in the city sharing with, and learning from the rest of the world.
The ordinance commits to initiate the development of creative centers dedicated to enhancing aspects of crafts and folk arts that are predominantly present and thriving in the city such as clothes weaving, basket weaving, wood carving, jewelry making and even tattooing.
By Dexter A. See
Banner photo by Armando M. Bolislis