Development Efforts for Creative Cityhood 1

Towards Collective Development Efforts for Baguio’s Creative Cityhood

Research Promoter:
Francisco T. Agoot, PhD

Research Members:
Bilog, Jan Vohn Edison M.
Molano, Ivander S.
Romero, Dale B.
Adan, Lian Marie Y.
Castro, Janelle Marie B.
Bernardino, Michelle P.
Lopez, April Angelica D.
Mislang, Jessa Mae R.
Sta. Ana, Samantha Gabrielle M

Saint Louis University

May 7, 2019
Development Efforts for Creative Cityhood 2

CHAPTER I
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
“Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood, and probably themselves will not
be realized. Make big plan, aim high, in hope and work” – Daniel Burnham
Daniel Burnham, in trying to create Baguio City, believed that he needed to create a plan that
would be sustainable through time. Similar in trying to preserve the recognition of Baguio City as
a Creative City, the Local Government Unit and the other front-line agencies must work
collectively to be able to maintain the recognition and at the same time empower the different
stakeholders affected.
If there was a man who has captured the essence of Architectural Beauty, Design and Aesthetic
along with a strong message to preserve that beauty and creativity, that man would be Daniel
Burnham. He re – defined the face of Urban Planning and Architecture forever and he would
eventually transform an idle village in the Cordilleras into a bustling city that is now Baguio. As
the founder and a major proponent of the famous City Beautiful Movement in the United States,
the goal was to create lively, livable and safe cities. (Resurreccion, 2018), The Movement was
characterized by monumental buildings with landscaped gardens and parks with reflecting pools
and lagoons. He brought that aesthetic on his plans for the cities of Washington, San Francisco,
Chicago, Manila and Baguio. Upon arriving in the Philippines in 1904 Daniel Burnham heard
rumors of a cold mountain top resort and settlement. After a perilous journey, he saw Baguio and
he would later envision it as the “Summer Capital of the Philippines” where American soldiers
and civilian employees could escape from the lowland heat. (Resurreccion, 2018) Furthermore,
unlike most of the cities Daniel Burnham planned, he had a clean slate on which to envision a
summer capital in Baguio. His overarching goal was to achieve practical convenience and
appearance for a city that may not exceed a population of 25,000 inhabitant’s. He developed a
diagnosis for the framework as embodied in the plan “Integrates a plan of a road and park system
into one” (Gutierrez, 1960) Convenience was ensured by concentrating the business and the
necessary public activities in one area.
Little did Burnham know, his original plan would have to evolve with regards to the demands of
time, for his concept of a central business district became a haven for trade and industry for the
neighboring provinces and municipalities. Baguio then became a multi-ethnic or ethnic melting
pot (Prill-Brett, 1996) of Cordilleran culture, and a gateway to other tourist spots in the Cordillera
Region (Estoque & Murayama, 2013)
Baguio City is now a colorful, multicultural city full of diversity, with its artistic range from crafts
and folk-art expressions to woodcarving, silver craft, weaving and tattooing. With its artistic
prowess, Baguio was hailed last November 2017 as the Philippines' First UNESCO Creative city,
being recognized for its exceptional creative artistry in the field of Craft and Folk Arts. One of the
long-held and existing programs of the government is the Panagbenga Flower Festival, which is a
joint initiative organized by the local government and the creative sector, and is the main creative
platform which engages artisans from different linguistic groups. It aims to strengthen international
exposure of the local crafts industry in the city while promoting and protecting it at the same time
(UNESCO, 2018). However, is this enough? It is only but proper to assess what kind and extent
of support the city is actually giving. Are they maximizing the use of their legislative powers? Are
the concerned offices being tapped and mandated to contribute? Ultimately, do the steps taken by
Development Efforts for Creative Cityhood 3

the local government imbue the essence and principles of creative cityhood into their sustainable
development goals and plans?
‘Creative cities’ is a concept which was developed by Charles Landry in the late 1980s, encouraged
a culture of creativity in urban planning and solutions to urban problems. It has become a global
movement that inspires a new planning paradigm for cities. The formation of the creative city
requires creative milieu including environmental stimuli and cultural diversity. As cities begin the
21st century in responding to urban challenges it will be their understanding and appreciation of
cultural knowledge and creativity, in all its facets, that will largely determine their success or
failure (Landry, 2003). Furthermore, Hospers have pointed out that creativity can effectively
highlight the character of a city and define the values of creative city development citing three key
elements that can aid the formation of the creative city: concentration, diversity, and instability.
(Peng & Yang, 2013).
The objectives of a creative city, as defined by the UNESCO Creative City Network, are the
following: a) Develop hubs of creativity and innovation and broaden opportunities, b) Strengthen
international cooperation, c) Improve access to and participation in cultural life, d) Make creativity
an essential component of urban development, e) Fully integrate culture and creativity into local
development strategies and plans, and f) Strengthen the creation, production, distribution, and
dissemination of cultural activities. (UNESCO, 2016)
Policies and practices are embedded in place and time; within local communities and practices,
and social and regulatory structures. This is not, and logically cannot be, a ‘one size fits all’ area,
nor one that is likely to respond to generic policy prescriptions. The development of a credible
creative city strategy is a field that will rely upon a sound evidential base of understanding about
the operation and environment of the cultural and creative industries, and a clear and concise
evaluation of policies. An environment that embraces technology, tolerance, and talent is most
able to attract the goal of a competitive ‘creative city’ (Pratt, 2010).
Creativity is now considered as a new form of capital, which needs linking to human development.
It helps people to visualize future scenarios to be able to generate preferred futures rather than
merely responding to the current problems. Participation in the arts is one of the most significant
ways this can happen. This might be the creativity of artistically trained designers to improve the
visual environment; that of planners to generate new urban policy; or that of artists to help reinforce
the identity of a place. Unfortunately, most cities over-value some forms of creativity and under-
value others. For this approach to be successful it needs policy makers and implementers who
think in a certain way. This will enable them to synthesize; to see the relationships between the
social, cultural, political, economic and natural environments, and to grasp the importance not only
of ‘hard’ but also of ‘soft’ infrastructures, which are considered the social network dynamics of a
place. In order to adopt this approach, cultural policy-makers would need to expand their
knowledge from arts administration and cultural management to political economy, urban
sociology, cultural (Landry, 2003). And as this paper proposes, a collective effort spearheaded by
the government involved. The government should work hand in hand to promote and maintain the
creative cityhood of a certain place through the means of concerted works which will enhance the
creativity of the city.
This paper would delve upon the concepts of arts and cultural management, and creative and
cultural economy in relation to the efforts done by the LGU and front-line agencies.
Development Efforts for Creative Cityhood 4

Having every information stated above, the researchers have made a decision to conduct a study
which will focus on the specific collective efforts made by the Baguio City Government to Baguio
Creative City. It was established that Baguio Creative City is not just an opportunity but also a
challenge. Hence, by looking at Baguio City’s creative cityhood with a governance perspective,
the researchers will look into how each government-lined agency will work hand in hand with the
nongovernmental agencies to maintain and promote Baguio as a Creative City. This is in line with
the principle of Interrelationship with People’s and Non-Governmental Organizations as stated in
Sections 18, 33 and 36 of the 1991 Local Government Code.
Increasing interactions among governmental and non-governmental institutions have significantly
impacted on the socio-cultural and economic living of the people (Bhardwaj & Khemundu, 2011).
Hence, for the creative cityhood to become fruitful and effective, there is the need of both citizen
participation and governmental action.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:
With UNESCO’s recognition of Baguio as a Creative City, the study aims to discover the collective
development efforts done by the City Government of Baguio together with its partner government
agencies and offices by looking into the legislative measures, such as proposed ordinances or laws,
enacted by the Baguio City government to develop Baguio Creative Cityhood and by finding out
how do the following government-lined agencies perform their mandates as prescribed by the
Local Government Code and other laws or sources of their authority.
a) City Building and Architectural Office
b) City Planning and Development Office
c) City Environment and Parks Management Office
d) City Tourism Office
e) Department of Trade and Industry CAR
Specifically, this study aims to answer the following questions:
a) What are the short- and long-term development efforts done by the City Government of
Baguio together with the aforementioned agencies and offices to sustain Baguio’s title as
a Creative City?
b) What were the problems encountered by the City Government of Baguio and
aforementioned agencies and offices in the pursuit of their mandate in implementing
Baguio’s creative cityhood?
Development Efforts for Creative Cityhood 5

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

In the art of dancing, every single joint and muscle in the body, from the head to the heels, have to
move cohesively to produce an outstanding and encore-worthy performance. Similarly, the
different agencies and offices, namely Department of Trade and Tourism (DTI), City Tourism
Office, City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO), City Environment and Parks Management
Office (CEPMO), City Planning and Development Office, and the Local Government Unit of the
City of Baguio would act as the different joints and muscles to sustain Baguio’s title as a Creative
City. All of which will have an equivalent and significant role to fulfill.
Development Efforts for Creative Cityhood 6

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

In 2017, Baguio City was awarded by the UNESCO a new name to add to its variety of its titles,
a Creative City in the field of folk arts and crafts. The newest recognition, however, demands for
the city to come up with policies to sustain its inclusion in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.
With that said, it is then proper to expect that the Local Government should be the primary unit
that would spearhead the collective development efforts to retain and improve on the creative
cityhood of Baguio City. The recognition gave rise to an opportunity to not only establish the
locality as arts hub, but also to create a more sustainable form of long-term development that is
inclusive of the artistic and cultural nature of the city.
A year has passed since the recognition was awarded, yet the local government has not made any
groundbreaking or significant leaps when it comes to the creation of policies that would cater to
the establishment of creative industries such as empowering the struggling artists of the locality,
or ordinances that would integrate the principles of creative cityhood in urban development and
sustainable development goals and plans of the city.
The researchers hope that this study would aid or help the local government, together with its
partnered agencies, in creating a framework for program of implementation of Baguio’s Creative
City.

CHAPTER II
DESIGN AND METHODS
The researchers used the triangulation method, a type of data-collection method used in qualitative
researches. The triangulation method done by the researchers combined documentary analysis, in-
depth interviews, and focus group discussions with the Head or duly authorized representative of
the following offices: a) Local Government of Baguio, b) City Tourism Office, c) Department of
Trade and Industry, d) City Environment and Parks Management Office, e) City Buildings and
Architecture Office, and f) City Planning and Development Office.
The data-gathering commenced last January 2019 – February 2019
VALIDATION OF THE DATA GATHERED
Aside from using reports and articles to verify the data, the researchers also used participant
observation and conducted in-depth interviews with the concerned nongovernmental
organizations such as Baguio Arts and Creative Council Incorporated and other concerned
citizens as a means for validating the data gathered.
The researchers, in trying to assess the projects and policies created by the concerned agencies and
offices, used the objectives of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and their fulfilment with
Sections 18, 33 and 36 of the Local Government Code.
DELIMITATION AND SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study is limited to the aforementioned offices located in Baguio City and the Local
Government of the City of Baguio.
Development Efforts for Creative Cityhood 7

FINDINGS
Short term and long-term development efforts done by local government of Baguio and the
involved offices and agencies
1) City Building and Architectural Office
Baguio, planned as a convalescent-cum-recreational center and a highland refuge by American
colonizers, has evolved into a highly-urbanized regional center. The availability of essential
urban services and facilities has helped transform the settlement into the summer capital of the
country, a major educational and tourist center, the seat of the regional government and, in recent
years, an emerging industrial and health service center north of Metro Manila. Congestion
arising from rapid population growth and uncontrolled urban expansion are exerting pressure on
the city’s amenities, resources and the natural environment. (Esqtoque, 2011) In 2015, the
Department of Tourism- Cordillera initiated the REV-BLOOM project where the reblooming
and regreening project of the city would start.
Even though it is not one of the mandates of CBAO, they still try to support the realization of the
project. One of the primary roles of CBAO is to help in the indigenization of structures in the City
of Baguio. According to Engr. Banez, the head of the said office, this could be achieved through
developing building designs which adopts to modern design infused with the historical & cultural
character of Baguio City. This is in line with one of the proposals of the City Council in trying to
reinvigorate the cultural heritage of the city through the Rev Bloom development project.
According to the DOT-CAR Regional Director, REV-BLOOM is a tourism drive that aims to Rev-
up, revive, revisit, and revitalize tourism destinations in the Cordillera region (Philippine
Information Agency, 2017). “Rev” here, for all intents and purposes, connotes what we envision
the community stakeholders to do for Baguio: Rev-Up community efforts to improve the city’s
image, Revive the city’s seemingly lost glory and dwindling tourism competitiveness, Revisit the
history and purpose of the city, and Revitalize all efforts and convergence to implement sustainable
and responsible projects that would improve the tourism image of the city (Tan, 2016). This is
similar to that of Brgy. Balili’s Flower Power in La Trinidad where they painted the houses in the
figure of different blooming flowers. This resulted in a boost in their tourism.
2) City Planning and Development Office
In 1979, Allan Jacobs and Donald Appleyard offered a course at Berkeley, from which emerged a
largely student-generated ‘‘urban design manifesto.’’ Their manifesto suggested five designed
physical characteristics that must be present to realize the goals and values central to urban life:(1)
livable streets and neighborhoods, (2) a minimum residential density as well as intensity of land
use, (3) an integration of activities—living, working, and shopping—in reasonable proximity, (4)
buildings that define public space as opposed to buildings that sit in space, and (5) ‘‘many separate,
distinct buildings with complex arrangements and relationships (as opposed to few, large
buildings) (Gleye, 2014). Ranging from a duty to take inventory of the different zones in the City
of Baguio as seen in the Zoning Ordinances, to the appropriation of funds for the different social
and communal activities in the Comprehensive Land Use Plans, the CPDO is tasked with the
planning of the different aspects of an urban community, be it structural or the integration of
activities. Furthermore, they have to ensure that the degradation and deterioration of Baguio as a
tourist destination would be minimize considering the pressing problems of commercialization and
rapid urbanization.
Development Efforts for Creative Cityhood 8

The Creative City is a normative body of thinking which originates in a combination of the theory
of the creative economy with the idea of using culture as an urban revitalization tool (Loison,
2013). The CPDO must make creativity an essential component of urban development.
According to the current Comprehensive Land Use Plans of the City of Baguio, only 2,000,000 is
allotted for the crafts and folk arts sector.
3) City Environment and Parks Management Office
According to a study conducted in Turkey, Cities are considered as complex systems which are
affected by social, economic, and environmental factors. These complex systems tend to use
maximum amount of natural resources to support the rising standards of living for their citizens.
However, they also become sources of environmental pollution and ecological damage. Maximum
use of natural resources causes degradation of ecosystems. Since an ecosystem is a community of
living organisms and non-living components of the environment, degradation and threaten of it,
results to ecological, environmental and regional problems in cities. The loss of green space and
biodiversity are the most common problems in cities which are not usually solved by the
conventional urban planning policies. According to today's standards, this planning system
jeopardizes not only the future of the city but also its citizens by creating unsustainable regions
(Rezafar & Sence, 2013).
Every year, the city of Baguio conducts a flower festival called, “Panagbenga” and during this
time, hundreds of thousands of people coming from all around the world come to witness the
celebration. According to Philippine Star, Baguio, being the foremost land-based tourist
destination in the Philippines, is another example of how the absence of an environmentally sound
masterplan can lead to urban decay. The streets are turned to parking lots because many
establishments do not have their own parking areas. There is also the problem of lack of adequate
water supply, garbage, pollution, wanton and illegal cutting of trees, a seemingly never-ending
levelling of mountain slopes to build hotels and condominiums, air and noise pollution,
overpopulation, among others. The list goes on and on. It is not global warming, as Baguio leaders
would want us to believe. It is the failure of Baguio’s leadership to protect the city’s delicate
ecology from the demands of development (Philippine Star, 2018).
Their primary roles involve environmental protection, beautification of the events place and ensure
that the utilities are in pristine condition.
4) City Tourism Office
Responsible tourism seeks to harness the power of travel to bring about positive economic, social,
cultural, and environmental impacts. The success of tourism depends on the active support of the
local population, without which the sustainability is practically impossible. It refers to the powerful
impact it has on the environment and local culture and in order to generate future employment for
local people (Singh, 2011). It ensures that development brings a positive experience for local
people, tourism companies, and particularly to tourists (Satheesh, 2016).
As Baguio celebrates Panagbenga annually, tourists would come to witness the festival even when
it started off as a cultural festival. The festival was initially attended by Baguio residents only, but
as years passed by, it turned into a spectacular attraction. People would come from different places
to join the celebration. Panagbenga has become a way of promoting tourism through economic
means, inadvertently resulting in the uneven distribution of benefits and costs. It succumbed to
Development Efforts for Creative Cityhood 9

“festivalization” which is the “over-modification of festivals exploited by tourism and place

marketers.” The City Tourism Officer, shared to Tafter Journal that in terms of social capital,
Panagbenga encourages teamwork, raises the standards of establishments as they all vie for the
patronage of tourists, and encourages public servants to be more courteous. Tourists expressed
dismay over thick crowds, heavy traffic, missing children and petty crimes like pickpocketing
despite increased police visibility. A growing alienation felt by Baguio residents is quite alarming.
They avoid the noise and the crowds by staying at home or going out of town to nearby beaches
or resorts. The Panagbenga “before” was deemed more attuned to the needs of the residents which
included their need to patronize products of local artisans and watch local musicians perform. The
Panagbenga festival used to be “their festival,” in contrast with the Panagbenga today which has
become insensitive to the local community and people’s need to socialize and celebrate the local
arts.
The primary event held to support Baguio’s Creative Cityhood is the “ENTAcool!” festival, which
is the initial event to give rise to its recognition. Since it is still on its “baby stages,” its popularity
hasn’t been up to par with that of Panagbenga, but according to the City Tourism Office, after a
few years, it could have the potential to be another renowned festival. Speaking of festivals,
another one was celebrated last month called “Mangan Taku” or “Let’s Eat” in English. Held from
April 8 to 14, the event was organized with the cooperation of the Department of Tourism and the
City Tourism Office, the Department of Agriculture and the City Government of Baguio. The
festival showcased the different culinary staples of each province and locality within the
Cordilleras. Some were cooked in the original way while some were cooked with a twist and fusion
to suite modern tastes. The festival according to the City Tourism Officer says that “the event is
the region's way of calling on visitors and friends all over the country to visit Baguio City and the
rest of the Cordillera. We have several tourists in Baguio and we want them to taste the food from
the provinces for them to be enticed and see the other parts of the region.” The Department of
Tourism -Cordillera officer-in-charge said that the other purpose of the festival was to introduce
indigenous cuisines from the whole region to Baguio for the locals and tourists to experience a
new kind of gastronomic experience. She also stated in an interview that “it is important to
remember that dishes from the different provinces in the region have a special place in the culture
to which it belongs, and is special to those who prepare it. We should embrace our heritage through
food. It is a portal into our culture and it should be treated as such.” She says.
It should be noted that the events attached to Baguio’s Creative Cityhood has the potential to be
an avenue for tourism, a great source of income for Baguio City, similar with the Panagbenga
Festival. Furthermore, such problems attached to tourism could be avoided through the proper
planning and implementation of different local policies with the help of the City Tourism Office.
5) Department of Trade and Industry
The projects of DTI are in line with the development of hubs of creativity and innovation and
broaden opportunities.
According to the DTI, there are two primary events that they hold to help in the preservation of
Baguio’s Creative City title, that is: IMPAKABSAT and OTOP Hub which develops the products
in every area. Every year, they send the best of the best products to showcase it in Manila. They
sell it there for two weeks.
Development Efforts for Creative Cityhood 10

The IMPAKABSAT is an annual event spearheaded by the Department of Trade and Industry to
promote Cordillera’s crafts and industrial products. The term IMPAKABSAT stands for the
reunited upland provinces of Ifugao, Mountain Province, Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Benguet, and
Baguio City completed with the Iloco word “kabsat” which means sibling. Today, the
IMPAKABSAT is now looked up as the hallmark of manufacturing industry in the Cordillera.
Similar trade events have helped the country’s small and medium enterprises in terms of raising
their standards and competitive edge. (Tibaldo, 2012)
According to DTI, ONE TOWN, ONE PRODUCT (OTOP) PHILIPPINES is a program for Micro,
Small and Medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) as government’s customized intervention to drive
inclusive local economic growth. The program enables localities and communities to determine,
develop, support, and promote products or services that are rooted in its local culture, community
resource, creativity, connection, and competitive advantage. As their own ‘pride-of-place,’ these
are offerings where they can be the best at or best renowned for.
Baguio Museum with UP Teatro, Sunshine Park, the whole of Burnham Park, Malcolm Square,
and lastly Maharlika, are on-going to fulfill their first commitment which is to create creative
spaces that will be made as creative centers. The second commitment would be the promotion of
creative crawls which are existing spaces that should be enhanced by the government to further
showcase the creative crafts of the city. Ililikha, BenCab, Nardas, Tam-awan, Diplomat Hotel, and
the Heritage Hill are some of the examples of the existing creative spaces available. The third
commitment, is the creation of a creative festival, ENTAcool!, which will be celebrated every
November.
Also, according to the organizer of the “Latag”, latag is the practice of spreading out blankets, bed
sheets or fabric on the ground and placing crafts for sale for easy pick-up and transport, the artisans
will use no fancy tables and chairs, just hard work and unique hand-made items crafted on-the-
spot. Each artist will sell one-of-a-kind items that are not found in malls or department stores
because artists are recognized through their own work, a trademark, so to speak. The artists are
members of the “latag” group which was formed in 2002 and sold their handicrafts made from
materials that were thrown away such as animal bones, plastic bottles, found objects and recycled
materials and also of leather, fabric, beads and buttons fashioned in to do-it-yourself necklaces,
earrings, bracelets and cellphone pouches along the pavement of Session Road at night.
6) Local Government
In terms of their UNESCO mandate, the Local Government of Baguio has the duty strengthen
international cooperation. The City of Baguio have consistently been sending delegates and
representatives to different conventions and conferences held in different countries such as South
Korea, Poland, and China to have a deeper understanding of being a part of the creative cityhood
networks. But most of all, they use this opportunity to have an avenue for the exchange of ideas.
For example, according to the Mayor of Baguio City, to strengthen international cooperation, they
establish a sister relationship with different cities around the world, such with Kislovodsk, Russia
wherein they exchange arts, education, and culture with them.
Furthermore, the Local Government works as the backbone of this recognition. All of the projects,
the activities, and even the policies regulating the recognition comes from the mandate of the City
Mayor’s Office. Ordinances or policies are needed for it provides guidance, consistency,
accountability, efficiency, and clarity. It has been said that Baguio City is the “gateway” to
Development Efforts for Creative Cityhood 11

Cordillera, the melting pot of the Cordilleran culture, because if it will be constrained to Baguio
crafts, the recognition would not be possible. Creative City is used to designate the adoption of a
creative approach to urban planning and public policy making, with a strong emphasis on
supporting local cultural institutions and creative industries (Loison, 2013). They are tasked,
through their policy-making power, to fully integrate culture and creativity into local development
strategies and plans.
The City Council of Baguio, passed an ordinance institutionalizing the Baguio Creative Festival
every November annually. Last year, the City of Baguio celebrated the ENTAcool!, a creative
festival of various events and activities that promotes the cultural heritage and products of
Cordillera. They also proposed Ordinance Nr. PO 0174-18 which creates the Baguio City Creative
Industry Council. The aforementioned council will align its functional, operational, and technical
mandates based on the Philippine Strategic Framework to Promote Philippine Culture and Values
and the said council will also commit to supporting the United Nations frameworks, particularly,
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda. This proposed
ordinance is currently on its second reading.
On March 2019, Mayor Domogan ordered the reorganization of this year’s Summer Vacation
(SUMVAC) working bodies in preparation of the calendar of activities for residents and tourists
expected to flock to the city for the long vacation in keeping with the city’s commitment as a
Creative City under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Creative
Cities Network (UCCN) to pursue creative endeavors towards productivity and sustainable
development. The event will include a working committee devoted to activities on creative cities
and will offer an array of religious, cultural, historical, environmental, sports and medical activites.
According to Section 18 ---- Local Government units have the power and authority to establish an
organization that shall be responsible for the efficient and effective implementation of their
development plans, program objectives and priorities… in the exercise or furtherance of their
governmental or proprietary powers and functions and to ensure their development into self-reliant
communities and active participants in the attainment of national goals.
With Baguio being recognized as the first “Creative City” in the Philippines, it definitely puts us
on the map worldwide. This recognition does not only increase Baguio’s tourism, but it increases
the whole country’s tourism as well. According to a study conducted in Sweden, the cultural and
creative industries constantly gain in importance and there is an increasing number of cities which
focus on creativity as a key element in their urban development. The benefits of a creative city
network can mainly be summarized in the two categories ‘sharing’ and ‘branding’. Being a
member in a network helps the city obtain a broader knowledge on how to achieve sustainable
development and build up a distinctive brand identity. (Gathen, 2016) Hence, the Local
Government Unit of Baguio enacted an ordinance establishing the Creative City Council to help
them achieve their goal of maintaining Baguio’s title as a creative city. So, with the Local
Government Unit of Baguio working side by side with the creative city council and all other parties
involved, Baguio will get to keep its recognition and the country’s tourism will also increase.
According to Section 33 of the Local Government Code – Local government units may, through
appropriate ordinances, group themselves, consolidate, or coordinate their efforts, services, and
resources for purposes commonly beneficial to them. In support of such undertakings, the local
government units involved may, upon approval by the sanggunian concerned after a public hearing
conducted for the purpose, contribute funds, real estate, equipment, and other kinds of property
Development Efforts for Creative Cityhood 12

and appoint or assign personnel under such terms and conditions agreed upon by the participating
local units through Memoranda of Agreement.
Baguio City’s recognition as a Creative City is an example of a cooperative undertaking among
local government units. Appropriate ordinances such as the creation of a Baguio City Arts and
Creative Council and the institutionalization of the Baguio Arts and Creative Festival were already
made. To comply with the UNESCO Creative City Network’s (UCCN) end-goal which is the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the Global Goals, a universal call of
action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity, and
foster partnerships, committees were made/tasked to focus and apply creativity in every sector:
a. Creativity for People
- The Committees on Social Welfare, Livelihood and PWD, Education and Culture will
be commissioned to enhance the creativity for people. Social inclusion and
participation as its priority, production and consumption of cultural goods and services
will be made more inclusive.
b. Creativity for Planet
- Committees on Environment and Health, Public Works, and Barangay Affairs are
tasked to put creativity for the improvement of the planet for the planning and execution
of the creative ideas such as the creation of bicycle lanes, electric cars, backyard
gardening and restoration of public spaces. They are tasked to ensure that the
relationship between cultural and natural environments are nurtured.
c. Creativity for Prosperity
- Committees on Market, Tourism, and Urban Planning are tasked to focus on creativity
for prosperity. Livelihoods based on creativity and culture shall be enhanced, the trade
of goods and services are made more balanced and inclusive. It is emphasized under
this sector that there is a need to educate people that artists should be paid, and through
the recognition, the artists and craftsmen shall have an easier means to promote their
works. The committees are tasked to develop festivals and events which will endorse
the masterpieces of the artists. Also, they should aid to commission design installation
by artists.
d. Creativity for Peace
- Committees on Traffic and Utilities and Peace and Order are tasked to promote cultural
diversity and social cohesion by enhancing the sense of identity and belonging of the
people. Under this, the local government unit encourages the artists to design
pedestrians, crosswalks, and even safety signage.
e. Creativity for Partnerships
- Committees on Social Welfare, Livelihood and PWD, Education and Culture will be
tasked in bringing people together to safeguard tangible and intangible heritage and
facilitating global trade and safe mobility for artistic works and creative producers. This
will also fall under UNESCO’s criteria – strengthen international cooperation. The
products created by the artists should not only be contained in Baguio City but it should
also be known internationally.
Coordinated efforts, services, and resources are evident in this cooperative undertaking. The
current set-up is that: products or crafts from neighboring municipalities are brought in Baguio for
sales and promotion. UNESCO’s recognition expanded the market of the artists, the sales increased
as well. According to a Councilor, Baguio was able to help not just Baguio artists but Cordilleran
Development Efforts for Creative Cityhood 13

artists as well. The recognition helped them make other people understand their culture, through
this as well their arts were appreciated because people were able to realize that their ‘art’ is not
just an intellectual work but is actually of culture – of deeper meaning. Other than that, economic
profits were transferred for there was an increase of sales when their products were sold in Baguio
as compared to their sales when it was sold in the designated municipalities. It’s because a lot of
tourists know Baguio, and because their products are sold in the city, their products reached a
larger number of people, and their culture are made known to them as well. The coordinated
efforts, services, and resources are associated to attain the Creative Cityhood of Baguio City which
is markedly beneficial to all of them.
The Local Government Code’s Section 36 states that, “A local government unit may, through its
local chief executive and with the concurrence of the sanggunian concerned, provide assistance,
financial or otherwise, to such peoples and non-governmental organizations for economic,
socially-oriented, environmental or cultural projects to be implemented within its territorial
jurisdiction.
The recognition is an economic, socially-oriented, environmental and cultural project which was
implemented in Baguio City. Status quo tells us that Baguio’s economy is more progressed than
that of other municipalities. Hence, municipalities where creative crafts come from are assisted by
the City of Baguio in terms of their production. In an interview with the City Mayor, he said that
when he signed the ordinance on the institutionalization of the Creative City Council – a council
composed of stakeholders from different municipalities, particularly the government, the academe,
and artists who converge and plan for sustaining the title; a budget was allocated for it as well,
therefore, since there is inclusivity among the municipalities from which the products are from,
they are covered with this ordinance. Therefore, there would be no reason for a municipality to not
cooperate or coordinate with the city of Baguio for they are also benefiting from it. The City Mayor
also said that Baguio has earned its name that’s why the products of the BLISTT area are being
termed as “Baguio products.” Baguio is helping BLISTT in terms of promoting their development,
through this their economy will rise. With this statement, it can be said that Baguio is a big help to
other municipalities economically. Their products are also being developed with proper branding,
advanced packaging, and better marketing. The recognition also initiates the empowerment of the
artists. The City Mayor said, “We, the government, do what we can to promote the artists but it is
them who hold the ball of their talent and help promote themselves.” Artists have been very vocal
about their sentiments on how they felt that they are just being used and that their ideas are not as
welcomed, and that they are just treated as one of the city’s products. The city mayor disagreed
with these sentiments saying that as the chief executive, they tried their best to assist these artists,
but it is up to them on how they will answer to this call. The recognition requires a collective effort
for it is not just a driving force to a creative economy, it also aims to be socially-oriented, and a
fruitful cultural project. It certifies not only crafts and folk arts but culture which the indigenous
peoples of Baguio and other municipalities have preserved through the years.
Problems encountered by the City Government of Baguio and aforementioned agencies and offices
in the pursuit of their mandate in implementing Baguio’s creative cityhood
1. City Building and Architectural Office
One of City Building and Architectural Office's main problems is the unequal distribution of tasks.
According to their head, their assigned task was only on labor support, specifically lighting
systems for activities. CBAO, however, could have done more if tasks were evenly distributed and
Development Efforts for Creative Cityhood 14

if they were in line with what the office could actually do or provide. Another project assigned to
CBAO is the Rev-Bloom Development. Under this is the incorporation of the indigeneity of the
Cordilleran culture in buildings and architectural designs, but this plan remains in blueprints up to
now. This is also another problem CBAO faces, The Rev Bloom Development project has been
stagnant. There seems to be lack of initiative and direction trying to make this happen since it is
not one of their specified mandates. The murals along military cut-off and PNR, to name a few,
are also part of the main objectives of the Rev-Bloom Development but unfortunately the CBAO
does not support this project. When the researchers asked the duly authorized representative of
CBAO, they claimed that it wasn’t a project of CBAO but it was purely made by the artists only.
2. City Planning and Development Office
In 2018, A councilor from the city of Baguio was pushing for amendments to include culture and
environment in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) to strengthen and include facets
needed to manage growth. In a proposed ordinance, said councilor wanted to include plans and
strategies for culture and creativity because of the recent designation of Baguio by the UNESCO
Creative Cities Network as a Creative City to be integrated in the CLUP. Once the proposal is
approved, the implementing agency will be the City Planning and Development Office. Said
councilor called on the local government to look at the carrying capacity of the city in terms of
population to make the necessary studies on development and how it would be planned and
managed adding the environmental code, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and the
CLUP must be married together including zoning to compensate each other. (Catajan, 2018) The
main problem of the City Planning and Development Office is that the current in the city’s
comprehensive land use plan is not really being followed. No matter how many zoning
ordinances will be enacted to supplement the CLUP, if it is not implemented properly, the said
integration of culture in the CLUP will be useless.
3. City Environment and Parks Management Office
In trying to expand the events for the promotion of Baguio’s Creative Cityhood, different spaces
and landmarks are needed to be used. Instead of focusing on the commercial districts of Baguio
City as the primary place where the events shall be hosted, it should be given consideration for
parks to be a “creative space too.” Take for instance, the “Ibaloi Park.” While it may have an
indigenous name to it, there isn’t much crafts, designs, or art to promote the traditions and cultures
of Ibaloi. As the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) there isn’t a clear
role as to how they contribute to Baguio’s creative cityhood asides from pollution reduction and
minimization that the event may bring. The problem of their involvement is primarily due to the
fact that they weren’t tapped or given an order in the first place.
4. City Tourism Office
One of the problems encountered by the City Tourism Office was miscommunication towards the
artists and agencies involved in the Creative City Project. The recognition became economy-driven
because one of its commitments to UNESCO was the shift towards a creative economy -- a fact
that was not explained to the artists. They opted not to cooperate since the said office reach out to
them only when artists are needed. The artists believe that they should be the front liners in this
recognition because it is where they could put their creativity to good use. Another issue they faced
was time management because the ideas and projects that was supposed to further strengthen the
Development Efforts for Creative Cityhood 15

retention of the creative city title was still being realized by City Government and those involved
in the project.
5. Department of Trade and Industry
One of the problems encountered by DTI is that the promotion of the activities and programs in
relation with the Baguio’s Creative Cityhood is minimal or lacking. Their office is aware that such
activities are present but the advertisement of these programs to the people are inadequate. Another
problem faced by DTI is the lack of coordination and cooperation of government agencies with
one another. They do not have time to set meetings in order to work collectively and efficiently.
6. Local Government
The main problem encountered by the Local Government is the conflicting views on how they
define a creative city and how they plan to go about it. One Councilor wanted to focus on the arts
while the other wanted to focus on the seven creative categories. For this reason, in the creation of
other ordinances regarding Baguio as a creative city, there is little to no progress. Take for example
the Baguio Creative City Industry Council. Until now, it is only on its second reading. Another
problem they encountered was time constraint. The local government had projects put on hold
because of the campaign period. The lack of artist participation is also another problem that the
local government encountered. Most if not all of the activities require the active participation of
artists. The artists expressed their sentiments in one focus group discussion and they confessed
that they feel like products and not as partners.
CONCLUSION
As mentioned before, this study aims to aid or help the local government, together with its
partnered agencies, in creating a framework for program of implementation of Baguio’s Creative
City. The research will do this by answering the problems stated above.
The researchers therefore conclude that there are collective development efforts done by the local
government of Baguio and the aforementioned agencies and offices. Every little effort done by the
said agencies and offices have created a great impact in sustaining the title. Every office,
organization and agency would have to move in coordination with one another in order to achieve
cohesive and spectacular outcome.
Efforts done by the local government include the creation of ordinances. They enacted the
Ordinance which institutionalizes the Baguio Creative Festival or most commonly known as
“ENTAcool!” every November. They also proposed an Ordinance Nr. PO 0174-18 creating
Baguio City Creative Industry Council. However, this said ordinance is still under construction
and under its second reading. The City Mayor also ordered reorganization of this year’s Summer
Vacation (SUMVAC) working bodies.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) spearheads the annual IMPAKABSAT event. The
IMPAKABSAT event promotes Cordillera’s crafts and industrial products. It also has the “ONE
TOWN, ONE PRODUCT (OTOP) PHILIPPINES”. OTOP is a program for Micro, Small and
Medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) as the government’s customized intervention to drive
inclusive local economic growth. The program enables localities and communities to determine,
develop, support, and promote products or services that are rooted in its local culture, community
resource, creativity, connection, and competitive advantage.
Development Efforts for Creative Cityhood 16

For the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO), Their primary role involves
environmental protection, beautification of the events place and ensuring that the utilities are in
pristine condition.
For City Building and Architectural Office (CBAO), one of its primary roles is to help in the
indigenization of structures in the City of Baguio. This is in line with one of the proposals of the
City Council in trying to reinvigorate the cultural heritage of the city through the Rev Bloom
development project. The City Building and Architectural Office is also in charge of providing
manpower during the events. Ideally, they should be in charge with the application of creativity as
a motif in the buildings to emphasize its Baguio’s creative cityhood. However, during the interview
conducted with its Office Head, the murals or designs which shows the culture of Cordillera is an
initiative from the artists.
The City Tourism Office takes charge of the events. They spearheaded last year’s Creative Festival
or the ENTAcool!. The office plays one of the most important roles, tourism as one of the largest
contributors in Baguio’s economy.
For the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO), their main function in relation with
Baguio’s Creative Cityhood is to work hand in hand with DTI and DOT. CPDO is the agency who
spearheads development plans when it comes to the activities done for the recognition. They
integrate and coordinate all plans and studies undertaken by the different functional groups or
agencies. They also monitor and evaluate the implementation of the different programs, projects,
and activities done in celebration of the creative cityhood. They are also in charge on promoting
people participation to the activities conducted by the LGU.
Since the designation is relatively new, they cannot escape from unforeseeable problems. One of
which is that the aforementioned front-line agencies do not see eye-to-eye at times. They gave
contradictory statements because of the inconsistency of their answers on the same questions. Not
everyone has a clear grasp of what creative city is. The Councilors who spearheaded the proposal
for Baguio’s Creative City had a misunderstanding because they couldn’t agree on what to focus
on. They have contradictory statements on how they define creative city and how they plan to go
about it. One Councilor wanted to focus on the arts and the other wanted to focus on the seven
creative categories.
Time management is also one of the hindrances they encountered. In two of the offices the
researchers interviewed, they were not accommodating anymore as they kept saying that they were
running out of time. It’s ironic when they said that they were running out of time because they
were given a whole year to plan for the event. It just goes to show how unprepared they were for
the designation.
Another obstacle that they encountered was the lack of artist participation. At first, artists
expressed their excitement because they thought they’ll be getting the recognition and the help
they needed. However, when the academe passed the regulation of this recognition, they expressed
their disappointment and they felt that they are treated as one of the products that Baguio has to
offer. They had a hard time persuading the artists.
In conclusion, there are efforts done, however, it is still not enough. Even they themselves believe
and know that they can do better.
Development Efforts for Creative Cityhood 17

RECOMMENDATION
For future researches, the researchers recommend to not only focus on the local government but
also on the academe and non-governmental organizations such as BACCI and BHF. The
researchers recommend that the succeeding researches focus on the different aspects such as
political and creative economy, cultural management, urban sociology and arts administration.
For the local government, the researchers recommend that they incorporate and encourage the
active participation of the academe, the non-governmental organizations, and artists in developing
plans for the city’s creative cityhood. The local government unit of Baguio with the academe, the
artists and the aforementioned non-governmental organizations should work together for the
attainment of one goal, which is to sustain the title. The researchers would also like to recommend
the creation of ordinances for the protection of artists and ordinances which will help to sustain
the title. The researchers also recommend that the local government conduct events or projects that
would lead to information dissemination for the awareness of all. The researchers recommend that
the local government unit of Baguio City should strengthen the cooperation between participating
municipalities in the proposed BLISTT economic development area and the Cordillera Region
where the products originate. Lastly, the researchers recommend that the creative city council be
composed of representatives coming from the different municipalities where the products are
coming from for equal protection and representation.
Development Efforts for Creative Cityhood 18

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