A public official has been asked to resign over good governance issues.
Local artists have mounted a Change.org petition asking for the resignation of Baguio City Tourism Officer, Alec Mapalo, with a public apology over a perceived mishandling of the recent Ibagiw festival.
The petition, made public November 27, read: “We, the undersigned members of the Baguio creative community, allies, and concerned citizens, express our collective concern over long-standing issues affecting Baguio’s artists and cultural workers. We respectfully call for a public apology from Engr. Aloysius “Alec” Mapalo, Supervising Tourism Operations Officer of Baguio City and for him to step down and resign from office to allow for new leadership that can rebuild trust with the creative sector.”
The artists cited a perceived undervaluing of artistic labor and the lack of consistent, transparent engagement with creatives, as well as the growing sentiment that art is being used primarily for tourism promotion without adequate recognition of its cultural significance.
The petition has so far garnered close to 200 signatures in 6 hours since it was made via the world’s largest online petition and social change platform.
North Luzon Monitor reached out to Mapalo, who assured his statement will be ready within the day, confirming he is aware of the petition.
The creative sector pointed to the absence of clear protocols for protecting cultural works produced for city-supported events, specifically citing the circumstances surrounding the replacement and disposal of the Ibagiw 2020 Mural.
The work, made by artist Angelo Aurelio during the pandemic—a difficult period in the city’s history—was replaced without notice and discarded in city trash bins. This incident has intensified the community’s call for accountability. Many artists view this incident as representative of deeper gaps in consultation, transparency, and the safeguarding of cultural works.
Artists bemoaned: “[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,” as they called for a change in leadership.
According to artists, the issues have been ongoing for many years, focusing on how creative contributions are valued, how decisions affecting cultural work are made, and how communication with the artist community is handled. They feel that their voices have not been meaningfully heard and that the systems intended to protect artistic labor and cultural heritage have not consistently met the community’s expectations.
“Given these accumulated concerns and the erosion of trust between artists and the Office responsible for cultural affairs, many in the community believe that meaningful change requires a change in leadership. Baguio’s artists deserve support, respect, and genuine partnership. Our culture and heritage deserve stewardship grounded in care, consultation, and accountability,” the petition read.
The collective call for the following has been stipulated in the petition:
- A full and public apology acknowledging the concerns raised by Baguio artists and the impact of recent events.
- The voluntary resignation of Mr. Alec Mapalo from all his functions related to arts, culture, and tourism to allow space for new leadership and renewed trust.
- The creation of transparent, artist-led mechanisms to ensure fair treatment of creatives and proper protection of cultural works moving forward.
The creatives appealed to Mayor Benjamin Magalong, as chairperson of the Baguio Creative City Council, to take action and ensure that concerns are addressed with urgency, fairness, and meaningful consultation. Maria Elena Catajan