Artists plea for consultations on city plans



IN AN effort to carry out creative plans to its maximum, the creative sector is asking the local government for consultations before plans on arts, culture and heritage are carried out.

Raymundo Rovillos, Council for Baguio Creative City (CBCC) and University of the Philippines chancellor, said consultations must be done in order to avoid confusion and tension with the creative sector.

Rovillos said the issue of the removed Session Road rotunda stone sculptures by Gilbert “Gano” Alberto could have been avoided if only the CBCC was in the loop on city moves.

“This goes back to being a creative city,” said Rovillos adding the space at Session Road rotunda has “always been controversial, it is symbolic of what we are, the space reflects on us as a city, we should be very careful.”

The stone markers were removed by the City Environment and Park Management Office (Cepmo) and replaced with a landscaped teddy bear as part of the landscaping competition for the ongoing flower festival celebration, which drew flak from artists around the city.

The Gano piece was commissioned by former mayor Peter Rey Bautista to depict the first session in the mountain haven to celebrate the city’s centennial celebration replacing a concrete pine tree set up by former mayor and Congressman Bernardo Vergara.

Gano’s installation symbolize the eight members of the Second Philippine Commission that staged its sessions in Baguio – then a municipality of the Province of Benguet - from April 22 to June 11, 1904.

Gano decried the move asserting he should have been consulted as well as informed of plans to remove and refurbish the stone markers.

Cepmo chief Renan Diwas met with Gano and dialoged with the artist on the refurbishing of the stone markers and its eventual return to the rotunda.

The CBCC is composed of Adelaida Lim, representing the weavers sector, as chairperson and Raymundo Rovillos, representing the academe, as vice-chairperson and Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong is co-chairperson.

An executive order creates the CBCC to spearhead the development and implementation of strategic plans and programs on crafts and folk arts pursuant to its commitment with Unesco.

The CBCC also includes Ferdinand Balanag as action officer and secretariat (representing folk arts and culture); Josefino Balatero, communications officer (media).

Members are councilor Elaine Sembrano (city council tourism chair); Aloysius Mapalo (representing city tourism office); Donna Tabangin (academe); Rommel Marcelo (metalcrafts); Santos Bayucca (woodcrafts); Karlo Altomonte (theatre arts); and Myrna Pablo (DTI-CAR).

Panel of Advisers are Richard Dayag (legal); Leticia Clemente (finance); councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda (city council committee on laws); National Artist Kidlat Tahimik (arts); and National Artist Benedicto Cabrera (arts).

The CBCC is tasked to review existing plans and recommend those eligible for implementation; propose new programs and projects that will provide greater momentum to the overall plan mandated to implement the city’s commitment as a creative cities network member; provide strategic directions in growing the local creative economy, focusing on the crafts and arts sectors; provide collegial advice and recommendation for greater collaborative efforts between and among government and private sector representatives.

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