Arts, culture among Garcia’s priorities

MANILA, Philippines —  Cebu City Mayor Raymond Garcia has assured that the development of arts and culture is among his top priorities.

Garcia emphasized that arts and culture should be well supported by the local government unit to be able to thrive.

“Art, culture, heritage cannot thrive that much if it’s not bolstered by the support of the local government unit,” Garcia said during the Philippines-Japan Arts Exchange Echoes of Light at the Social Hall of the Legislative Building of the Cebu City Hall.

Garcia said he personally graced the event to show that he is “very much supportive of the Arts.”

The event was organized by the Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission, along with the Director General of the Foreign Service Institute of the Department of Foreign Affairs and president of Kawayan Publishing House Jose Maria Cariño.

Traditional and contemporary artists from Japan, including Tetsuo Yamashige, Alsuko Yamagata, Marie Ikura, Yuji Nishijima, and Shunpei Nagai were also in attendance along with the members of the Cebu Artists Inc.’s Radel Paredes, Jojo Sagayno, Sonia Yrastorza, and Ruel Rosello.

The mayor reiterated the city government’s recognition of “Sugboanong Bahandi”. He also attended the Sugbu Creative and Entertainment Forum dinner at One Central Hotel, where he also emphasized the importance of nurturing Cebuano talents in the entertainment industry.

Garcia told the Cebuano Cinema Development Council (CCDC) to go on and move forward. He urged the body to do more and promised to double their budget for 2025.

The mayor also expressed wanting to pursue the council’s plan to do a film on the life of the late Archbishop Teofilo Camomot.

The “City government will spend for it…Include in your budget, I am serious,” Garcia said, while saying that he wants it done not only for film’s sake but as part of Cebu’s history.

Aside from that, Garcia also wants to do the life story of the revolutionary Pantaleon Villegas, who is popularly known as “Leon Kilat”.

The CCDC expressed gratitude to the Garcia for his support.

“For the first time in 10 years, under his leadership, our budget was approved,” the PIO report quoted the council.

Such support from the city government is expected to bring in more programs like free workshops, upskill development training, film festivals, and other cinema-related initiatives.

Earlier, well-known Filipino actor, comedian, and director Leo Martinez also met with Garcia to personally thank him for his support to the development of the arts among the Cebuanos.

Martinez promised to continue what the city has started out including organizing free workshops to the Cebuano performers to create a meaningful content.

“Dahil nasimulan niyo ito, pangako ko na ipagpapatuloy natin ito,”Martinez said.