BAGUIO CITY -- The city government here and the Filipino-Chinese community have forged a stronger relationship to stimulate the city’s tourism industry and the economy as a whole, following the launching of the Baguio Art Bank project.
CONSUL Sun Weidong (eighth from left), head of the Consulate of the People’s Republic of China in Laoag City, and Mayor Benjamin Magalong (sixth from left), together with other city and Filipino-Chinese community officials, lead the ceremonial ribbon-cutting symbolizing the strong diplomatic ties between the Philippines and China during the celebration of 22nd Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day at the Baguio Fil-Chinese Friendship Park at Botanical Garden, Baguio City on Saturday, June 10. (Zaldy Comanda)
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The launching was held on Saturday, June 10, as the Filipino-Chinese community celebrated the 22nd year of the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day at the Fil-Chinese Garden, Botanical Park of the famous mountain hideaway.
Present during the celebration were Consul Sun Weidong, head of Consulate of the People's Republic of China in Laoag City, Mayor Benjamin Magalong here, and other city officials.
The Baguio Art Bank exhibit and training center at the Athletic Bowl, Burnham Park was also inaugurated.
"Today, I will explain the significance of this project. First, the project that we are launching is a program ties of the Filipino and Chinese community and second, today will mark the partnership between the city of Baguio and Chinese community in terms of making Baguio a truly Creative City," said Councilor Leandro Yangot Jr., artist-art workshop facilitator and project head of the Athletic Bowl Art Bank.
According to Yangot, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2017 declared Baguio City as Creative City.
"Today as agreed with the executive committee of the Baguio-Filipino Chinese community, instead of the usual gift-giving in selected barangays in Baguio, this time around is a different one, because they decided to partner with the city government in helping more creative people in Baguio,” Yangot said.
He said the first art bank was launched by him and Magalong on April 25, 2023, with the aim of strengthening and growing talented artists who will help the city maintain its status as a Creative City and encourage people who love art to participate in their free training.
Magalong was grateful to the Chinese community for their continued support to the city’s economy and promotion of tourism through their support to the programs and projects in the city.
Magalong added that the celebration of Friendship Day will further strengthen the relationship due to understanding, cooperation, and unity in the programs towards prosperous living in the city.
"I would like to inform each one of you that we have two projects. The first is our elevated 4.4-kilometer monorail in the entire city of Baguio. The second is our cable car, almost 11 kilometers and the alignment of that is starting from BSU in nearby town of La Trinidad in Benguet going to La Trinidad market, going up to Quirino Hill down to our slaughterhouse and up to Baguio market. So, those are our big projects with the help of Chinese companies that specialize in making cable cars," said Magalong.
According to Weidong, the relationship between the Philippines and China is even stronger because the unity of the two countries will strengthen the economy, which China is now promoting to develop the Philippines.
“This occasion is very important and should be preserved and further strengthened. I am very grateful to the city government for their recognition of the Filipino-Chinese community in the city who also continue to support programs and projects towards a prosperous lifestyle in the city,” said Weidong.
Peter Ng, chairperson of Baguio Filipino-Chinese community, also thanked the city for the support it provides to the Filipino-Chinese community.