Third climate action wall mural underway

The third and last in the series of murals adorning the Climate Action Wall along Legarda Road is now in the works.

Sin-Agi artists led by convenor Coun. Leandro Yangot Jr. resumed the painting activities last June 28, 2023 to complete the painting project firmed up by the group with Mayor Benjamin Magalong in December last year as a joint public-private undertaking to drum up programs addressing climate change in the city.

Yangot said the concept of the third mural installment will depict the city’s regreening program to show “the concerted effort of the community in planting trees and proper caring of the trees already planted.

It will also be dedicated to the deceased members of the media who were known as environmental warriors.

“Our media friends who have gone to the Great Forest in the Sky to be reunited  with the Greatest Artist of the Universe, we will depict them in this mural.  The third mural will include our late Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club pioneers Ramon Dacawi, Geronimo Evangelista, Willie Cacdac, Peppot Ilagan, Domci Cimatu and auntie Cecile Afable and others who were equally passionate about the environment,” Yangot said.

The said media icons were instrumental in pioneering and sustaining the Eco-Walk children’s environmental awareness program which won the Global 500 Youth Environment Award Roll of Honor of the United Nations Environment Programme in 2002 and the Gawad Galing Pook of the Asian Institute of Management and Local Government Academy in 1996.

Yangot said the first mural of the Climate Action Wall which was done when the project was launched last year promotes biking mobility not only as a physical fitness hobby but also as a way of reducing carbon footprint and air pollution.

This was rendered by local artist members of Sin-agi which means “brotherhood” in Kankana-ey and Pangasinan, a newly formed organization of creatives and the Baguio Educators Arts Guild composed of teachers of arts and music in schools.

For the second mural, the theme centered on saving the city’s watersheds from squatters.  It particularly bannered the question, “When will you ever stop?” addressed to lot speculators who continue to threaten the few forest covers and water sources of the city.

The wall project was launched last February to coincide with the country’s celebration of Art Month.

It was supported by Davies Paints and several private groups and individuals. – Aileen P. Refuerzo