TABUK CITY, Kalinga — The Tabuk City government officially launched the Mangwa Creative Festival, its flagship project to promote the development of its creative industry through the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Lunsod Lunsad program.
Tabuk City Mayor Darwin Estrañero and DTI-Cordillera Regional Director Juliet P. Lucas together with other local officials led the unveiling of the Culture and Creativity Symbol at the Tabuk City gymnasium, and the ribbon-cutting of the Man-uto Tako Food Fair, a culinary showcase of the city’s flavors and culinary traditions on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024.
‘Mangwa’ means to make or to do in the local dialect. The creative festival is among the project proposals that successfully secured funding from the DTI under its Lunsod Lunsad program with Tabuk City initially receiving P250,000 in 2023 and another P2 million in 2024.
The Mangwa Creative Festival will run until Nov. 29 and features the following events: Man-uto Taku Food Fair on Nov. 18 at the Tabuk City gymnasium; Mangwa Creative Bootcamp: Handicrafts and Souvenir-making Masterclass on Nov. 19-22 at the TESDA Kalinga; Tabukantahan Songwriting Competition on Nov. 20 at the Tabuk City Hall; Mangwa Culinary Challenge and Table Setting and Skirting Competition on Nov. 28 at the Grand Zion Garden Resort; Gittot-Lagtob AVP and Mangwa Fashion Show on Nov. 28 at the Tabuk City gymnasium; the first ever Tabuk City Creative Industry Summit and the Tabuk City Creative Achievers Recognition Ceremony on Nov. 29 at the Kingsquare Davidson Hotel.
The DTI-Cordillera is committed to helping the city harness its creative potentials and transform it into economic opportunities.
“Our goal in DTI is to support you in harnessing your unique comparative advantages, strengths, transforming them into opportunities for sustainable growth and development,” Lucas said.
The DTI-Cordillera formally turned over a Shared Service Facility on Mobile Café to JAC Farmers Association as part of its support to the city’s agro-eco-tourism industry during the launching.
The mayor called for broad support for the Mangwa Creative Festival to boost local artists and creatives as he signed a pledge of commitment to promote the sector.
“Suportaran tayo daytuy purpose na. Daytuy ti mangi-promote ti siyudad tayo tapnu iti kasta ket lalo pay nga maamwan dagituy products tayo, dagituy local artists tayo,” Estrañero.
[Let us support this project which aims to promote our city for the people to know more about our local products, our local talents.] **JDP/IOS-PIA CAR, Kalinga
