Creative council members sworn-in, to chart folk arts

Mayor Benjamin Magalong swore-in the officers and members of the Council for Baguio Creative City (CBCC) Monday at City Hall.
Adelaida Lim, representing the weavers sector, was sworn in as chairperson and Raymundo Rovillos, representing the academe, as vice chairperson. Magalong is co-chairperson.
The council includes Ferdinand Balanag as action officer and secretariat (representing folk arts and culture); Josefino Balatero, communications officer. 
Members are Councilor Elaine Sembrano (city council tourism chair); City Tourism Officer Aloysius Mapalo; Arch. Donna Tabangin (academe); Rommel Marcelo (metalcrafts); Santos Bayucca (woodcrafts); Karlo Altomonte (theater arts); and Department of Trade and Industry Regional Director Myrna Pablo.
The panel of advisers is composed of Richard Dayag (legal); Leticia Clemente (finance); Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda (city council committee on laws); and national artists Kidlat Tahimik and Artist Benedicto Cabrera.
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.
It is also expected to encourage and incentivize the crafts and folk arts sector in obtaining business registration and acquire cooperative formation assistance in cooperation with the Cooperative Development Authority, DTI, and other government agencies; provide technical evaluation and analysis on project proposals in line with Baguio’s creative city status; serve as lead partner of the city government in managing the annual Baguio Creative Festival; and render a semestral report to the city government and other summary submissions to the executive and legislative departments. – Gaby Keith