JERRY NIEL M. LORA & DWIGHT GUMAHIN/DNSC Interns
THE DAVAO City Office for Culture and the Arts is gearing up to become the first to receive the Creative City entitlement in Mindanao.
Office head Oscar Casaysay affirmed the city’s efforts in carving its name in the roster of creative cities in the country.
The city’s cultural advocates and performing artists are strengthening preparations for a possible bid to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and become a future Creative City of Crafts and Folk Arts.
Casayasay said their community is preparing for the upcoming UNESCO application period, which will create chances for cities to receive global recognition.
“We are preparing for next year, which would be the year for UNESCO to open for new Creative Cities. That’s why I want us to be prepared right now because we have a lot of performing artists here in Davao City, so we are bidding for folk arts,” Casaysay said.
Local governments that want to become members of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network must complete an international application process before they can start their membership application.
Davao’s strong community of performing artists, indigenous traditions, and cultural festivals could support a potential bid under the folk arts category.
The Philippines currently has five cities recognized under the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, including Baguio City for Crafts and Folk Art (2017), Cebu City for Design (2019), Iloilo City for Gastronomy (2023), Quezon City for Film (2025), and Dumaguete City for Literature (2025).
