IBAGIW pays tribute to artisans, crafters

THE IBAGIW 2020 Creative City Festival gave a fitting tribute to the creative lifeblood of Baguio City at the Anido Closing Ceremony November 30.

Taking center stage during the event were the artisans and crafters who participated in the various Crafts Competitions of the Festival.

The festival launched competitions in crafts, woodcarving competition, and the garden competition. Winners for these competitions were announced and awarded at the event.

Entries to the crafts competition were divided into basket weaving, textile weaving and metalcraft.

The competition aims to come up with innovative designs of crafts that can be considered as the next big thing among Baguiomade souvenirs.

Winners for the textile weaving category are first place - Sikwardeng Weavers ( Mary Atiwon and Isabel Amok); second place – Can- eo Weavers ( Catherine Domigyay and Felisa Safawil) and third place – Rosalina Salifad. For the basket weaving category, the following were the winners: first place – Jason Domling; second place – Rovilyn Mayat- an and third place – Johnny Bangao, Jr. In metalcraft, Richard Domirez bagged first place, with Tawid in second place and Lito Malaggay in third place.

Winning artisans per category received cash prizes of P50,000, P20,000 and P10,000 for first, second and third place, respectively.

Twenty – one competition entries composed of four textile weaving entries, nine basket weaving entries and eight metal craft entries were submitted.

Innovative design, artistry, craftsmanship and scalability were among the criteria used by judges Nina Tesoro-Poblador, Jhoann Medrano, Architect Dulthe Munar, Annabelle Ramos and Marybeth Yu.

The woodcarving competition this year was judged National Artist Benedicto ‘BenCab’ Cabrera, former Department of Tourism ( DOT) Secretary Vicente Carlos, Peter Pinder, Greg Sabado, and Henry Beyer.

Among the 10 final entries, three were selected as among the best in terms of originality, creative use of wood and commercial appeal.

First place and receiving P25,000 was Napoleon Ognayon, second place and P15,000 was given to Shanell Amayowon, and third place and P10,000 went to Billy Gano. A special award for contemporary woodcarving was given to Leon Tayaban.

A new competition that was added to this year’s festival was the garden competition, which sought out the best of Baguio’s gar

dens.

Jocelyn Deocares took first place while second place went to Kristine Suarez and third place was awarded to Ruby Gunn.

A special award for best use of a small space was given to Jane Pauline Abanag.

Winners also received cash prizes of P25,000, P15,000 and P10,000 for first place, second place and third place, respectively.

Judging was led by Baguio’s First Lady Arlene Magalong, with DOT – Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) OIC regional director Jovi Ganongan, festival director Marie Venus Tan, Venus Navalta, Socorro RojasBaylon, and Eros Goze.

Highlights of this year’s festival will be shared through several video presentations throughout the closing program.

The Ibagiw 2020 Creative City Festival was presented by the City Government of Baguio, through the Baguio Arts and Crafts Collective, Inc. (BACCI), the Creative Baguio City Council and the University of the Philippines Baguio, with support from the DOT – CAR, the Department of Trade and Industry – CAR and the Baguio Tourism Council. It was also supported by private sector partners such as StarXPO, Air21, Habi, IPG Mediabrands, John Hay Management Corporation, Camp John Hay Development Corporation, Unionbank of the Philippines, Ninety.Design Studio, Kopiko, Le Minerale, and Solibao Restaurant.