ART ALIVE.Young artists in Baguio City create a mural on buildings at the Central Business district in this undated photo. Rep. Mark Go on Thursday (Dec. 16, 2021) said he is hopeful that the talents of the city will be further honedwith the passage of House Bill 10556 which seeks the creation of the Baguio Arts School. (PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot) BAGUIO CITY - Baguio Rep. Mark Go expressed hope that the bill creating a school for the arts in the city will soon be passed by the Senate. This as the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading House Bill (HB) 10556 which seeks to create the Baguio City High School for the Arts, which is expected to hone talented students in the country's summer capital and nurture their creative talents. Go, in a phone interview on Thursday, said the approval of the bill in the lower chamber is a significant milestone for Baguio City, which is known for its strong cultural traditions and highly values its creative industries. He said the school would provide an avenue for talented youth in Baguio and the greater Northern Luzon area to hone their skills and foster artistic expression. "Culture and the arts are essential to the holistic development of society. As such, it is important to inculcate in the youth the value of the arts, to give them an avenue for their creative pursuits, and to introduce them to real-world opportunities in the creative sector," he said. "This would support the city's commitment to upholding its creative and cultural traditions and providing sustainable livelihood to its local artisans," he added. Baguio City became the first Philippine city to be inducted into the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Creative Cities Network in 2017, which recognizes cities with rich cultural heritage, and that recognize creativity as a major factor in their urban development. Go said a formal academic institution focused on the arts would help ensure long-term sustainability in the creative sector, in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. The City of Pines is home to bustling creative tourism and artistic community with National Artist Benedicto "Bencab" Cabrera and famed director Kidlat Tahimik as long-time residents. "Apart from renowned Filipino artists, there are many up-and-coming young artists from various fields of traditional and contemporary art who also hail from Baguio," Go added. Go said once signed into law, the school will be administered and supervised by the Department of Education (DepEd), in close coordination with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). The NCCA and CCP will provide policy direction and technical assistance to the school through the DepEd-Cordillera Administrative Region office and Baguio City Schools Division Office. (PNA) }