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Their own financial problems do not prevent local artists from helping those in need.
Updated
By JESSICA PAG-IWAYAN
JJ LANDINGIN’s Photos
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a grim effect on our economy. Many workers have been displaced as companies are on hold. Among the most affected is the artistic community. With the locks and quarantines in place, exhibitions and cultural shows have been postponed, if not canceled. Craft shops and stores have also been closed.
But in the city of Baguio, the country’s first creative city awarded by UNESCO, local artists are reaching out to the most vulnerable. Although most of them are also struggling financially, these artists have been using their skills and talents, teaming up to provide food assistance to frontline doctors and create personal protective equipment (PPE) for the city’s garbage collectors.
This initiative is led by the sculptor and fashion designer. Laydeh Alberto, working together with the performance artist Francis Siapno also known as Miz Kiki Krunch. In a conversation with Manila Newsletter LifestyleThese two creatives share how local artists from Baguio City have come together to make this project possible and what inspires them to do so.
Delicious food, relief packs and PPE
Laydeh owns Café Cueva, a grocery store in Ili-Likha Artists Village. Quarantined, the store has been closed, only available for online and take-away orders. With access to a kitchen serving delicious food, he decided to provide delicious meals to the front-line doctors. As he did this, he thought of the garbage collectors who worked tirelessly around the city.
“Cafe Cueva has been feeding favorites from the get-go,” she says. “But I wanted to do more. I can see that the goal is to help medical workers, but we somehow neglected garbage collectors. They have been continuously working even on the ECQ, rain or shine. They work without protection, to think that they are the ones that handle hazardous waste from hospitals. “
On a limited budget, she looked for ways to realize her vision of helping these workers. She was met by Miz Kiki’s donation and that’s how their collaboration began. “The sale of coffee has been reduced and, as much as I wanted to help, I didn’t have the funds for it,” says Laydeh. “It was then that I saw Miz Kiki’s fundraiser and explained my ideas to him.”
Unexpected collaboration
Kiki’s original plan was to host a one-man drag queen show for her thirtieth birthday celebration this year. But thanks to Covid-19, this plan was canceled, so he found ways to divert this project to something more useful and useful.
“I had initial sponsors for my supposed show. So naisip ko na yung ibibigay sana nila na sponsorship for the show, i-laan ko muna donated from ito naman mas kailangan (I thought about using that sponsorship money to set up a donation, since it was what was most urgently needed), “says the drag show artist.” We raised around P90,000. We used the initial P60,000 to provide packages. to help jeepney drivers from Baguio and La Trinidad, Benguet. We also gave to utility workers from the city council and the University of the Philippines-Baguio. The remaining budget, that’s what we’ve been using to make PPE for garbage collectors “
According to Kiki, some artists, who had no money to donate, sent their crafts and products for her to sell. The money from the sale went to the donation. Meanwhile, some used their influence on social media to inform people about the fundraising project.
With all these combined efforts, Laydeh has been able to start making PPE for garbage collectors. Due to limited access to materials, he used a textile umbrella that he bought from a local store. Using an old sewing machine, the fashion designer has tirelessly sewn these PPE for herself. The Ili-Likha Void, owned by the national film artist Kidlat Tahimik, serves as his studio and production house.
“I’ve been doing it alone, from cutting to sewing,” she says. “Our goal is to give PPE to garbage collectors from five barangays. That equals 30 PPE. My thinking is that if we protect them, we protect ourselves. It really goes hand in hand.”
Kiki and Laydeh say they are doing all of this because they appreciate the efforts of garbage collectors to serve the community. “They are so brave,” says Kiki. “We are truly grateful for their service. They are too passionate about their work and I hope they have the same passion when it comes to taking care of themselves. They are leaders and we need them now more than ever.”
Those who want to contribute to this initiative can contact @cafecuevabaguio and @mizkikikrunch.
Tags: Baguio City, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Francis Siapno, garbage collectors, Jessica Pag-iwayan, JJ LANDINGIN, Laydeh Alberto, Miz Kiki Krunch, PPE
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