BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance allowing the use of the Baguio city hall as an art gallery to include its lobby, available walls and other possible areas as a gallery for visual art, and creating a committee to act as a gallery curator.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Lilia A. Fariñas stated the City General Services Office of the local government will be tasked as the lead agency in the implementation and regulation of the local legislative measure and it shall outline the implementing rules and regulations for its operation, with the approval of the City Council, and perform such other duties contained in the said measure.
Under the proposed ordinance, the City General Services Officer shall endeavour to determine the possible available spaces such as walls along the halls of city hall, the lobby, and other areas which can be utilized for the exhibit for visual arts such as paintings, tapestries, sculptures, and other works of art; coordinate with the security personnel in charge of the city hall premises in ensuring the protection and safeguard of the art pieces in display from theft and vandalism; provide for secondary frames, aluminium and glass enclosers, and or cordons as may be necessary for the protection of the art pieces from persons who might be tempted to touch them and thereby taint the works of art; provide additional closed circuit television cameras for additional security personnel as may be needed; entertain, accept or reject prospective exhibitors for the display of their works, subject to the qualifications of their art, in accordance with the implementing rules and regulations that shall be crafted and determine the prices with regard to the use of the art gallery, the sharing scheme between the local government and the art exhibitors, the duration of the art exhibit and all other pertinent activities with regards to its function as an art gallery.
The ordinance seeks the appropriation of some P300,000 from the funds of the local government for the said purpose and it shall be used by the City General Services office in accordance and as outlined in the measure and for other purposes as may be required.
Fariñas pointed out Baguio City has been known as a haven for artists in all aspects of performing and visual arts and it is also the home for world-renowned national and international artists such as Benjamin Cabrera otherwise known as BenCab and Eric de Guia or Kidlat Tahimik as he is popularly called, to name a few.
Further, she added there are countless more budding artists of different ages from children to professionals that are of national or international calibre who need to be recognized for them to showcase their talents and, if possible, to sell their works if given the proper opportunity.
As the seat of government, the city hall of Baguio has been declared by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts as a national heritage site and as such, there can be no better declaration of support by the local government for Baguio artists and the arts than allowing them to exhibit their works in the lobby of the city hall when possible, and along the empty walls of its public halls as a viewing gallery for the public and interested buyers of arts.
By Dexter A. See
