NEWS 3
MARCH 2018 www.expatphilippines.ph
Baguio joins UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network By JV RAMOS
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everal titles have been attached to Baguio. Through the years, it’s been referred to as the Summer Capital of the Philippines, the City of Pines, the country’s rainiest city, the melting pot of tribal groups, a haven for artists; and more recently, it has been designated as a UNESCO Creative City. Though this feat was announced in October 2017, it was only in February of this year that the public got a real taste of what it means to be included in UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network (UCCN). Such was aptly revealed through the Baguio Creative Hub, a grand exhibition in Malcolm Square, in which every booth paraded the craft and folk art treasures of the city (this ranges from woodcarving and weaving, to tattoo art and metal crafts), as well as display actual solutions to issues that threaten the destination’s creative development.
Creative continuity Central to these issues is the matter of continuity – how ancient art practices could be passed from one generation to another, and keep up with the times. For some parties, the solution is innovation or to come up with products that are in line with current trends. For instance, Baguio’s weavers, while upholding the practice of using locally sourced cotton and dyes, come up with pieces of clothing that have modern fashion cuts, as well as dolls wearing traditional clothing. Same goes for the silver craftsmen and the woodcarvers. The former have come up with everyday jewelry, while the latter’s inventory includes furniture and not just the popular bulols (carved wooden figure). ‘A City of the Future’ While being part of the UCCN entails
that Baguio would be exchanging notes regarding experiences, knowledge, and best practices with other Creative Cities across the globe, it’s important to underscore that with Baguio, being a UNESCO Creative City begins at home – with local stakeholders having to come together for creative sustainability. Baguio Creative Council Chair Adelaida Lim makes an excellent point regarding this, saying, “The UNESCO designation of Baguio as a Creative City is not an award or prize for something that we have already achieved. Rather, it’s a recognition of what we can do in the future. It highlights what we have yet to accomplish, not what we have already done. Baguio, the Creative City, is a city of the future. It has to be imagined and brought into being.” Aside from innovative thinking, Lim mentions social equity, environmental sus-
tainability, and economic opportunity as key factors in achieving a Creative Baguio. Baguio is the first Philippine city to be named a UNESCO Creative City. As of writing, there are only six in the whole of Southeast Asia included in the UCCN: Bandung and Pekalongan (Indonesia), Chiang Mai and Phuket (Thailand), and Singapore. Apart from Baguio, 63 other cities worldwide were included in the UCCN in October 2017.
Baguio weavers use locally-sourced dyes and cotton to come up with products with a modern twist The city's cool weather is said to awaken the creativity of its people. Here's a contemporary wooden sculpture by a Baguio-based artist
A tribal priest performs ritual to welcome good fortune for the future of Baguio as a UNESCO creative city
Australia and WFP provide meals to 50K Marawi school children
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he Australian Government has provided PhP42.7 million (AU$1.1 million) to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to support the Philippine Government’s response to the Marawi crisis. With this funding, WFP will be able to provide six months of school meals for 50,000 students affected by the crisis. “As a good friend and neighbor, Australia is committed to providing humanitarian assistance when necessary,” said Australian Ambassador Amanda Gorely. “Through our partnership with the Department of Education and Task Force Bangon Marawi, we are supporting people affected by the Marawi crisis.” Australia has supported early recovery activities by addressing the immediate food needs of people affected by the crisis. In addition to school meals, Australia’s support will provide food assistance for nearly 23,000 households and 8,100 vulnerable laborers and farmers. Australia’s support will likewise contribute to peace and stability in the area, and allow students to finish the academic school year. “Education plays an important role in community-building. We’re pleased these emergency school meals will support students’ education and development,” added
Ambassador Gorely. In July 2017, Australia donated rice, which was prepositioned and used to feed more than 57,000 primary and secondary students in Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur. Australia later contributed an additional PhP19 million (AU$500,000) to WFP, which supported the general food distribution carried out by the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. This provided rice to 11,000 households in Lanao del Sur from August to December 2017. “We are grateful for our strategic partnership with the Australian Government which allowed us to immediately respond to the Marawi crisis through rice that was prepositioned at the onset of the emergency,” said Stephen Gluning, WFP Representative and Country Director. “Australia’s support of emergency school meals will enable students to continue their studies while being nourished with a daily meal.” Since June 2017, the Philippine Government and WFP have distributed rice to about 128,000 people and provided school meals to more than 57,000 students in the country. WFP is mobilizing additional resources to cover the needs of its current operations until May 2018, including early recovery activities that involve food and cash-based assistance.
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