A FESTIVAL amid a pandemic is being prepared to uplift and show the resilience of the arts.
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, in an executive order, has declared the entire month of November as the "Ibagiw Creative City Festival Month," as testament of the community resiliency and artistic excellence being part of the world class Unesco creative cities network.
Magalong, in the order, said amid the threat of the coronavirus pandemic, there is a need to reactivate activities, projects and events worth pursuing as endeavors that celebrate community life, raise public morale, uplift human spirit, and showcase human resiliency as part of an overall economic recovery undertaken in primordial consideration of basic health and safety protocols.
The mayor is calling on public to support the activities lined up during the month-long for the Ibagiw festival organized by the Council for Baguio Creative City, the Baguio Arts and Crafts Collectives Inc., in joint sponsorship with the City Government.
"This year's festival celebrates the resiliency of Baguio citizens, most especially its artists and artisans. We want to show everyone that Baguio has risen well enough to resume economic-inducing activities, for our stricken sectors to get back jobs, retrieve livelihoods, and bring businesses to heightened normalcy. Times may remain dire, but we need to showcase healing in harmony with one another," Magalong said.
Festival Director Maria Venus Tan, former head of the Tourism Promotions Board of the Department of Tourism (DOT), said the event can bring together the community celebration of creativity at its finest.
The festival is set from November 6 to 30, under regulated health and safety protocols, highlighted by a contemporary arts exhibit presenting local visual artists and artisans at the Crafts Competition and Mandeko Kito: An Artisans' Fair.
A woodcarving competition is also set to show off the most creative woodcarvers and their handiworks. Weaving, another Cordilleran cultural heritage, takes its own stellar attraction through the launch of Children's Storybooks on Weaving.
A creative and garden competition and guided tours done in a limited in-person gatherings, can participate in, to rediscover the Baguio they know and love.
Magalong has activated the City Tourism Office, the City Environment and Parks Management Office, the City Buildings and Architecture Office, the General Services Office and the Public Information Office in the conduct of the Festival.
The Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) is tasked to come with an operations plan for traffic management and security.
National government agencies operating in the city have also been requested to extend support and assistance that will provide road access for tour packages that may be arranged as part of preparations for the influx of tourists and travelers from the entire Luzon island cluster.
With a theme "Ibagiw 3rd Baguio Creative Festival: Angat Baguio Rising together through Creative Resiliency, Sustainability and Innovation," the festival promises to be a community celebration of art that inspires, culture which defines and nature that heals.