PETITION FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
REGARDING THE HANDLING OF CULTURAL WORKS AND ARTIST RELATIONS

We, the undersigned members of the Baguio creative community, allies, and concerned citizens, express our collective concern over long-standing issues affecting Baguio’s artists and cultural workers. We respectfully call for a public apology from Engr. Aloysius "Alec" Mapalo — Supervising Tourism Operations Officer of Baguio City — and for him to step down and resign from office to allow for new leadership that can rebuild trust with the creative sector.

For many years, artists and cultural workers have raised concerns about how creative contributions are valued, how decisions affecting cultural work are made, and how communication with the artist community is handled. Many feel that their voices have not been meaningfully heard and that the systems intended to protect artistic labor and cultural heritage have not consistently met the community’s expectations.

The recent removal and disposal of the Ibagiw 2020 Mural by artist Angelo Aurelio—created during a difficult period in our city’s history—has intensified the community’s call for accountability. Many artists view this incident as representative of deeper gaps in consultation, transparency, and the safeguarding of cultural works.

We express our strong concern regarding:

• The perceived undervaluing of artistic labor and the lack of consistent, transparent engagement with creatives;
• The growing sentiment that art is being used primarily for tourism promotion without adequate recognition of its cultural significance;
• The absence of clear protocols for protecting cultural works produced for city-supported events;
• The circumstances surrounding the disposal of the Ibagiw 2020 Mural, which many consider a painful loss to the community.

Given these accumulated concerns and the erosion of trust between artists and the Office responsible for cultural affairs, many in the community believe that meaningful change requires a change in leadership.

We therefore respectfully call for:

1. A full and public apology acknowledging the concerns raised by Baguio artists and the impact of recent events;

2. The voluntary resignation of Mr. Alec Mapalo from all his functions related to arts, culture, and tourism to allow space for new leadership and renewed trust;

3. The creation of transparent, artist-led mechanisms to ensure fair treatment of creatives and proper protection of cultural works moving forward.

We also appeal to Mayor Benjamin Magalong, as Chairperson of the Baguio Creative City Council, to take action and ensure that these concerns are addressed with urgency, fairness, and meaningful consultation.

Baguio’s artists deserve support, respect, and genuine partnership. Our culture and heritage deserve stewardship grounded in care, consultation, and accountability.

We sign this petition in unity, solidarity, and the firm belief that Baguio’s creative sector deserves a future where art is valued and protected.