City allows display of indigenous products at Igorot Park
City officials allowed the display of indigenous products cum promotion of entrepreneurial skills at the Igorot Park by local entrepreneurs and Baguio City-based livelihood associations from October 24 to November 15, 2021 in time for the celebration of the National Indigenous Peoples month in the city and for other similar purposes.
Under Resolution No. 496, series of 2021 signed by Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong, local legislators stated that despite the evident display of resiliency and the local governmentβs relentless initiative in implementing its economic sustenance measures, social empowerment by encouraging community participation to help bring back the vibrance of the local economy is highly needed.
Further, the council stipulated that social resilience requires people capacitation by providing them a wide range of opportunities to exercise their entrepreneurial skills while aggressively promoting unique culture through indigenous and culturally-inspired products and artistic brands in turn regaining their confidence because of the bright prospects shown by the continuous decline in the number of CoronaVirus Disease (COVID) 2019 cases and the supposed gradual and safe revival of the economic activities of people.
Earlier, Proclamation No. 1906, series of 2009 declared every October as the National Indigenous Peoples Month where it shall be a month of peopleβs participation in the celebration and preservation of indigenous cultural communities as part of the life of the nation.
One of the present administrationβs service-core agenda is strengthening livelihood and entrepreneurial services which intends to proactively promote entrepreneurship in the locality encouraging local product producers to be more innovative while abating unemployment and ultimately helping gradually and safely revive the local economy.
The body claimed that Baguio City, being a melting pot and a Creative City, is a host of budding and established local entrepreneurs where some belong to various indigenous peoples (IP) aggrupation while others are non-IPs but have enthusiastically embraced culturally-rooted life practices.
According to the council, during the Corona Virus Disease (COVID) 2019 pandemic, one of the most adversely affected are those sectors who are involved in start up entrepreneurship and livelihood initiatives and that due to the impact of the prevailing health crisis, many have lost their jobs and sources of income, thus, affecting the wellbeing of their whole family.
The council recognized the importance of the local government having to be at the forefront in spearheading the conduct of various activities that will help trigger the gradual and safe revival of the local economy but making sure that the same must adhere to the ongoing implementation of the minimum public health standards to contain the rapid spread of the deadly virus and cause future surges that might compromise the local health care system and stress the already burdened frontliners.
The conduct of regular activities such as the display of the aforesaid products in public places will definitely help boost the chances of the people in being able to recover from the pandemic the soonest. — Dexter A. See
