ILIGAN CITY – The local government and various stakeholders and partner agencies recently held a conference here dubbed as "Forging Iligan's Creative Future: A Forum on Becoming a Creative City," to brainstorm and discuss ideas for transforming Iligan into a recognized cultural hub in the southern Philippines.
"It is
creativity that brings us together as a nation—not politics, not economics, not
fragmentation of ideas—but creativity that will get us together. And getting
together now will push the nation forward. And we will all live happily ever
after,” said Steven Patrick Fernandez, the chief convenor of HULMA-Iligan
Creatives Collective, during a forum aimed at elevating Iligan's creative
industry.
Organized by the
HULMA-Iligan Creatives Collective (a group of Iligan artists), the city
government, and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Lanao del Norte, the
initiative aligns with the national government's commitment to advancing the
creative industry through Republic Act No. 11904, also known as the
"Philippine Creative Industries Development Act."
Following the
forum, stakeholders from the city government, the Department of Education
Division of Iligan City, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation of
Iligan Inc., the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the
Philippine Information Agency, and media partners, among others, brainstormed
ideas and formulated concrete strategies focused on policy changes or
recommendations, infrastructure development, and support systems essential for
the advancement of the creative sector in the city.
Highlighting the
significance of creative industries, Fernandez underscored their role in
driving economic growth and livelihood opportunities.
“When we talk
about imagination and creativity, Iligan is so rich, so why not transform this
into an investment for us to be able to live decently? That is the whole point.
Another point is consolidating all of these resources. For so long, we have
been so fragmented, each going our way, and it is not very helpful as far as
our region or even our nation is concerned. Politics, war, and culture have
divided us. And there is something that puts us together, and that is art,” he
said.
Fernandez also
emphasized the importance of five key components for the creative industry:
incentive, infrastructure, institutionalization, innovation, and instruction.
He underscored the
need to bring together resources in the creative industry to enhance culture,
beautify communities, foster connections, and drive economic growth, similar to
the success of other countries like Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea.
City Administrator
Darwin Manubag emphasized that the forum aligns with the city government's
commitment to enhancing Iligan's creative industry. He also highlighted their
strong support for the industry and initiated the formation of the Iligan
Creative Industry Council last year.
“The goal is to
harness the potential of Iligan as a creative destination, and as a creative
city. That’s our goal. We already have several creative sectors working in the
city,” he said.
Similar to Cebu,
Baguio, and Iloilo, Iligan hopes to become a United Nations Educational,
Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Creative City. Drawing
inspiration from Iloilo's UNESCO City of Gastronomy, Baguio's Creative City of
Crafts and Folk Art, and Cebu's Creative City of Design, Iligan aims to be
named a UNESCO Creative City for Folk Arts as it is home to renowned cultural
groups like the Iligan Performing Arts Guild, the Octava Choral Society, the
Kalimulan Cultural Dance Troupe, and various cultural groups in the
communities.
Manubag also
expressed gratitude for the collaborative effort to raise awareness of Iligan's
creative talent and stressed the need to strengthen collaboration to establish
the city as a creative hub for culture and the arts nationwide.
He also emphasized
the significance of documenting Iligan's diverse cultural heritage, including
its identity as a city of tri-people where Higaonons, Maranaos, and settlers
live harmoniously. He said it is imperative to celebrate these cultural assets
and implement initiatives to further enhance Iligan's cultural impact.
Moreover,
Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Industry Chairperson and Councilor Marlene
Young shared that there are numerous resolutions aimed at making Iligan the
creative hub of the Southern Philippines. She also emphasized that this goal
can be achieved through collective effort. (Lou Ellen L.
Antonio)
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