The 9th offering of the Ibagiw festival launched in the midst of questions on the extent of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in its celebration.
Art Tibaldo, executive director of the CBCC Cultural and Natural Heritage, Expressions and Spaces sector, said, “I am an artist. For us, AI is a tool. Before, architects and engineers used calculators. Photographers are using laptops. In these talks on using AI, we should adapt to modernity and maintain our humanity. We accept and embrace AI as a necessary tool for development.”
Nearing its decade celebration, the 2026 city-led offering, themed “Rikus: The Flow of Life,” is set to kick off on Nov. 6 for a month of cultural performances, art crawls, open-air exhibitions, and interactive installations in the highland city. It is highlighted by the musical play likewise titled “Rikus: The Flow of Life Musical Performance,” written and directed by CBCC primary sectoral representative for Performance and Celebration Benj Cruz, which is facing backlash for the use of AI in the production.
Cruz launched the play on Oct. 14 at the Venus Park View Hotel, bringing the production, its cast, and sponsors together to give the public a peek at its main event during the Ibagiw celebration. The play has since divided audiences on its artistry.
The musical gathered a 150-man ensemble to form a Cordillera-inspired musical focusing on a central spiritual figure: a mythical horse that guides the audience through the realms of the four elemental deities, namely Bugan (Earth), Shagem (Wind), Shanum (Water), and Anido (Fire).
At a press conference on Oct. 29, Cruz said, “I am a traditional artist and I am very open to technology, and here comes AI. The process is like this: we have to make a mock-up, and the tool that I used to make the mock-up is AI. From the beginning of creating the idea, I was very open that I would be using AI. But the process is, I personally wrote the songs, then I needed to have a feel of the songs, then I used AI, then I asked artists to sing the songs. After recording them, we hired live musicians to do the minus one. Eventually, not all songs were accompanied by live musicians.”
Local talents as young as six years old have been given the platform to perform. The show is top-billed by Baguio crooner Jeff Coronado, backed by homegrown groups BCNHS Special Program in the Arts, BCT Cultural Performing Group, BCU Culture and Arts Collective, BerryBenj International Studio AllStars, and the UB Laboratory Elementary School Voices.
Cruz said he used AI as a tool and did not let it command him as an artist. “Only 10 to 20 percent of the whole was from AI, and it was only used as a guide for the performers. Pero what I really hope and honestly wish is that magkasundo-sundo na ang lahat for one creative Baguio. And I will continue to uplift the spirits of the new generation of artists.”
Rikus likewise drew reactions when it was initially marketed as the first Cordilleran musical, a claim local artists were quick to correct. Cruz immediately apologized and removed the moniker from its promotional materials and branding.
Local artist and award-winning director Angelo Aurelio added, “I hope that the succeeding productions and activities of the CBCC and the City Tourism — if it’s not possible for an actual Culture and Arts Department to exist, independent from the influences and creative decisions of the Tourism Office — can actually gain public traction for what it is, an art project, and for how good, how genius, and how well-crafted it actually is, not just for making hasty claims, branding, external validation, and a disregard for art history that causes outrage among tenured, seasoned, and homegrown artists.”
Jessica Ladines-Mirandilla, former musical director for Ibagiw’s 2024 and 2025 opening productions, called on the organizers of Ibagiw to implement a much-needed structure. “Since the festival is held in November every year, it should be easy to create a schedule around it. The theme must be conceptualized and announced early so directors, composers, and performers have adequate time to prepare without being rushed. The budget should be approved early, and artist compensation paid promptly after performances, not delayed by five to six months. Decision-making bodies should be composed of tenured local artists and cultural bearers to prevent the festival from becoming commercialized or driven purely by tourism optics. Organizers should establish transparent, open calls for submissions early, rather than operating without a clear submission process, where it remains unknown who decides on hiring, or subjecting established local talent to unnecessary administrative hurdles, like when my team and I were required to submit extensive resumes just to prove our capability and justify a proposed budget. Most importantly, with Baguio’s rich pool of living musical talent, organizers must never resort to AI to replace authentic local creatives.”
Rikus symbolizes unity, transformation, and how all elements connect to the preservation of the environment.
Cruz said preparation started six months ago but was halted for two months when the rains were nonstop, with a budget from the city of P800,000, less tax. “Pero inabonohan ko muna, para mabayaran ko na ang mga necessary procurement and suppliers’ reservations. This will include the gala opening ceremony, Rikus the musical, and the closing ceremony (Anido Night) on Nov. 26. Kasama din sa budget ang food meals during rehearsals, na two months, and during the show date. That’s 150 meals x 16 rehearsal days and one dinner night for the final show. Plus I need to pay kaagad ‘yung costume maker. I will still have to pay for the lights and sound, and the talent fees of my team and all cast members. To be honest, ang laki na ng naabono ko.”
Key highlights of Ibagiw are Layers of Becoming, Ibagiw Creative Sundays, Cryptids, Cards and Comics, Art in the Park, Dugad MI Barangay Art Scapes, Gastro x Art: A Live Music and Creative Crawl, Anido Night, and Mandeko Kito.
CBCC Advisory Officer Liezl Dunuan, also an advocate for the responsible use of AI, said a much-needed AI policy is up for the festival.
Dunuan said, “My main concern, when we speak of the ethical use of AI, is the responsibility of whoever is using it, not only to discern how much he or she should use so that it does not affect the creative process, so he or she could safely and proudly say this came from my mind and what I thought of, and not that the majority of it was created by a tool. It is important to divulge our use of AI. I think this is already a conversation that should be addressed, and we have to agree to disagree. It is important for us to have policies on the use of AI, and this is a challenge for the council, for all sectoral representatives to sit down and talk about it.”
CBCC members are Councilors Vladimir D. Cayabas and Yuri K. Weygan, Department of Trade and Industry Regional Director Raymond G. Panhon, Department of Tourism Regional Director Jovi A. Ganongan, City Planning, Development and Sustainability Office head Donna Tabangin, City Budget Officer Leticia O. Clemente, and City Tourism Officer Aloysius C. Mapalo.
CBCC Advisory Officers are Jonard Don B. Jardenil, Liezl F. Dunuan, Tor Sagud, Jullien Paran, Margrette Dela Cruz Gomez, Ed, Waya Wijanco, Eros Goze, and Me-Anne Macaraeg.
CBCC Sectoral Representatives are: Baguio Pillar Crafts & Folk Arts (Primary: Maricar A. Docyogen; Alternate: Rommel A. Marcelo); Audio, Visual & Interactive Media (Primary: Red Aquino; Alternates: Angelo Aurelio and Julius L. Lumiqued); Cultural & Natural Heritage, Expressions and Spaces (Primary: Joel Arthur P. Tibaldo; Alternate: Erika Diwata M. Jacinto); and Performance & Celebration (Primary: Benjamin Cruz; Alternates: Lynette Grace Bibal and Sherwin Santiago).
Also: Visual Arts & Other Crafts (Primary: Santiago Tagapong; Alternates: Gloria Abaeo and Janzelle Fermin); Literature, Books & Press (Primary: Gilbert Rafer; Alternate: Brenda Subido); Design & Creative Services (Primary: Dulthe Carlo Munar; Alternate: Napoleon Haboc); Digital & Computer Crafts and Services (Primary: Alex Valdez Jr.; Alternate: Tor Sagud); and Art/Creative Education, Schools and Incubators, Other Artistic Expressions and Emerging Creative Industries (Primary: Candy Alipio; Alternates: Avereen Tibalao and Dean Cuanso). By Maria Elena Catajan
