TUBA, Benguet – Cordillera roots depicted through caricature art was highlighted on “Youth Day”, on Friday, April 25, 2025, the 4th day of the 8-day long Kini-ing Festival conducted at Taloy Sur, Tuba, Benguet.
Creative takes on both real-life and fictional faces were made into acrylic photo-insert keychains and ref magnets plastered on canvases; drawn in hung parchment, welcoming guests of the La-Diyang Haven Community in the hallway.
The Cordilleran artist behind the caricature pieces was Gerald Majic Asbucan, a former videographer, editor, motion graphic artist turned traditional and travelling artist for caricature, comics and storytelling. His art varies from cartoonish and exaggerated expressions of subjects he meets, to majestic and well-depicted character illustrations for the eye to catch.
Through the support of La-Diyang Haven Association Inc., Gerald leads a workshop on Caricature Art, the main audience being kids – to which he had to adjust his teaching methods since his lectures are usually aimed towards an older age group, usually from highschool level and up. He even commended how relaxed the audience was during his talk on the basics of drawing through simple shapes.
“Petiks (chill/relaxed), ganun talaga. I think part ng creativity ang pag-pepetiks. Yung mga pinaka-creative na bata, alam ko yung medyo mapetiks. But may time na ano, when they really put their heart into it, makakagawa sila ng magagandang obra.” Sir Majic stated.
Advocating for art, Asbucan urged the involvement and encouragement of parents to support their children’s dreams, even at times when they cannot understand the purpose and drive behind it, especially in the creative field. “They’re probably telling a story,” he implied.
As a travelling artist, he pressed that shaming and belittling a child’s dream can lead to them being discouraged, even to the point that they become “shut-in’s” (which is not good), preventing them from experiencing the wondrous and socialized life outside. “Sa akin, just experience life. Kasi, ang usual kasi sa amin noon, pag nalaman nila na gusto mo maging artist, magkakaroon ng napakaraming interruptions. Nagkakaroon ng kontrabida, mga ganyan. Kaya ang pinakamaganda, hopefully maging supportive ang kanilang parents, at mostly for them to really experience life.”
Majic is known for his animation work in the famous Japanese animation series, “One Piece” (Episodes 273 to 400, from 2006 to 2010), won best art and overall champion for “Televised Comics Creation” for HeroTV during that period, dubbed the “Graphic Novelist of the Year” by the Baguio Midland Courier in 2012, and the produced an illustrated book, “Gayang: Myths and Legends of the Mountains”, a collection of stories featuring mythological creatures of Cordilleras; produced through GRIPO Comics, a premier comic book group in the Cordillera that he founded in 2011. He also organized the first Comic Con in Baguio City.
After working for more than 100 episodes in the animation industry, Gerald left to look for something more “fulfilling”. He turned to his lifelong dream of making comics, and turned to traditional drawing through caricature as well. “I left kasi nga hindi nag-iimprove yung art ko doon. Dahil storyteller ako eh, I want to improve my art para mas maging effective ang aking pagbibigay ng kwento.”
As a travelling artist, he preserves the Cordilleran culture by forming connections with many people in various places, to integrate them through his works of art. Compared to“some” artists, Asbucan prefers to go out of his way to really immerse himself into experiences that he can depict through his art.
“They (some artists) publish books without even stepping out of their bedroom. Imagine that, nasa harap lang sila ng computer all day, tapos nag pupublish sila ng libro about a culture na they’ve never been into,” Asbucan said. “So yun yung ano, I think to be able to really experience life is to be able to travel. Mahalaga ang itinerary. Travel and mingle with the people you are writing about or drawing about…” he stated.
Gerard Majic Asbucan is but a small part of the broad creative and art industry that is inspired by the Cordilleran culture and tradition, and is continuing to do so until this day. With how long the pencil’s lead leads, Sir Majic’s purpose stretches through his caricature sketches and every story that he writes. This goes the same for the footsteps represented through every artist just like him that not only preserves the true nature of Cordilleran roots, but to express themselves truthfully and beautifully in each individual masterpiece that they make. By Agnes Dela Pena
