City officials recently granted authority to the City Mayor to enter into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Department of Trade and Industry–Cordillera Administrative Region (DTI-CAR) for the funding of creative initiatives and programs of the city government related to the Lunsod Lunsad Program of the agency, particularly the ongoing creative festival.
Under Resolution No. 672, series of 2023, city legislators stated that the Committee on Laws, Human Rights and Justice in its 3rd indorsement dated November 3, 2023, recommended approval of the request for this agreement.
Under the proposed MOA, DTI-CAR will transfer an amount of PhP3 million from its Malikhaing Pinoy Program Fund to the city government to support the conduct of the creative festival subject to accounting and auditing requirements in the liquidation of the funding support.
Further, no particular funding counterpart is required to be provided by the city government, however, the committee reiterated observations and recommendations that requests for funding assistance should, as much as possible, be made before the implementation of covered activities in line with the prior authorization rule under existing laws, rules and regulations.
The council demanded that the signed MOA should be submitted to the body for confirmation to ensure its compliance to the prescribed conditions.
Earlier, the City Mayor requested the council for an authority to enter into a MOA with the DTI-CAR for funding support of the city’s creative initiatives under the agency’s Lunsod Lunsad Program covered by the Malikhaing Pinoy Program Fund.
Baguio city has a proud history of being a cultural creative hub and aims to preserve and enhance its title as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Creative City for Crafts and Folk Arts. The said prestigious recognition emphasizes the commitment to the development and preservation of the city’s rich cultural heritage and creative industry.
The DTI, through its regional offices, has initiated a coordinated effort with critics across the nation to submit proposals for funding support initiatives and programs that fall within the ambit of the Lunsod Lunsad Program.
As an agency mandated for the promotion and development of creative industries, artists, indigenous and cultural communities, and related endeavors, DTI plays a crucial role in fostering artistic and cultural growth.
The local government submitted its project proposal of creative initiatives that includes the ongoing creative festival that had earlier commenced for funding support under the agency’s Lunsod Lunsad Program has been approved upon thorough review of the agency.
