In a UNESCO Creative City, artists are in discontent.
In an open letter to Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong, artists have asked the city to revisit how the arts are being handled, citing a lack of respect and transparency during the recent Ibagiw Festival.
“We, the undersigned members of the Baguio creative community, write to express our deep concern regarding the treatment of artists and creatives during the recent Ibagiw Festival. While the festival celebrated Baguio’s artistic talent, many participating creatives experienced actions that left us feeling disregarded and undervalued,” the creatives stated in a letter received at the mayor’s office on November 26.
The artists specifically cited the destruction and replacement of a mural by Angelo Aurelio at the Baguio Convention Center as a major concern.
“[It was] removed and discarded without prior notice or consultation. Beyond the personal hurt caused, such actions may affect the rights of artists over their works—including rights protected under the Civil Code and the Intellectual Property Code relating to attribution, respect for artistic work, and fair dealing,” the letter said.
The artists argued the incident reflects broader issues in the management of the festival, including unclear processes, a lack of communication, and inconsistent treatment of participating creatives. “These concerns hinder not only our individual work but also the integrity of cultural programs supported by the City.”
The artists have requested Mayor Magalong to facilitate an investigation and issue a formal acknowledgment and apology to Aurelio and other affected artists. Their demands also include:
- A review of the festival’s planning and implementation.
- Clear and transparent guidelines for artist engagement.
- New policies aligning with legal standards and ensuring fair recognition and compensation for creative contributions.
Signatories include Angelo Aurelio, veteran folk singer Atty. Bubut Olarte, visual artist Mhargrette Dela Cruz Gomez, writer/artist Padmapani Perez, and documentary filmmaker Hendrix Sanchez, all stressing that artists are “integral to the city’s cultural identity.”
In the midst of the 2025 Ibagiw Creative Festival, an event aimed to uplift the creative industry, the voice of artists rises in discontent over management and ethics. On Sunday evening, November 23, a candle lighting was offered outside the Baguio Convention Center during the closing ceremonies of the 2025 edition of the annual creative event.
Groups have supported the pushback, with the collective Sulong Likha issuing a statement condemning a “corporate-driven, tokenistic, and extractive direction” that cultural gatekeepers have chosen.
Sulong Likha further decried the treatment of Indigenous cultures, stating that their practices, which “carry historical, political, and communal weight, are too often presented as consumable ‘experiences’—stripped of context, sanitized for visitors, and detached from the communities who keep these traditions alive.”
Baguio City was designated a UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art in 2017. Maria Elena Catajan
