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By: Joy Ann L. Gurtiza, GPC-LUPTO | Photos By: GPC-LUPTO | Date: October 2021
To preserve and promote local culture and traditions, including the creative and artistic expressions of local arts community in the province, the Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU) through the La Union Provincial Tourism Office (LUPTO) officially launched the Sining Galing for Recovery and Healing capacity development program with Open Space Arts as initial component.
Partnering with Department of Tourism - Region 1 (DOT-RO1), Boysen Philippines and TPLEX, the Open Space Arts component comprises of a Training Phase session facilitated by arts mentors, and an Application Phase activity dubbed as MARIS TI AGLAWLaU: Pride of Place Mural Painting Competition participated by local government units (LGUs).
To prepare for the mural competition, the LUPTO-Culture and Arts Section and DOT-R1 validation team conducted a site ocular visit to LGUsβ prospect mural locations which resulted in a hundred percent participation rate of all LGUs in the province.
In a coordination meeting with all the LGUs, LUPTO Officer-in-Charge Arthur S. Cortez, Jr., on behalf of Gov. Francisco Emmanuel βPacoyβ R. Ortega III, extended his gratitude to all the LGUs for their participation and continuing support to the initiatives of the provincial government in particular with the tourism, culture and arts promotions and development.
DOT-RO1 Senior Tourism Operations Officer Gay Nora Marie Gapas, Engr. Vergel Dyoco of Boysen Philippines, and Engr. Ser Anthony Bravo of TPLEX also attended the meeting.
More than 70 local visual artists participated in the online Training Phase session broadcasted via Love La Union Facebook page. Arch. Rossano βBobbyβ G. Baradi, instructor of Saint Louis College of San Fernando, and Cesar βCianoβ B. Dumo, a local visual artist and owner of Ciano Umok, served as mentors. They facilitated discussions and shared their experiences and expertise on mural art theories and concepts, and the creative life of an artist in the midst of crises.
MARIS TI AGLAWLaU: Pride of Place Mural Painting Competition shall serve as the componentβs Application Phase where trained visual artists will demonstrate their learnings through creation of mural artworks in their corresponding LGUsβ pride of place which will commence this November 2021.
As the province is still fatigued by the longevity of CoViD-19 pandemic, PGLU is hopeful that this initiative will somehow supplement the governmentβs recovery and resiliency programs focused in the communities towards building a Stronger La Union β a province worth living in.
