DAVAO CITY (PIA) -- The City Government of Davao is establishing its own Arts and Culture Office.

“This will be under the City Mayor’s Office and the office is basically to oversee the welfare of our arts and culture kasi when you say arts and culture it has 18 kinds of disciplines daghan kaayo (so many) and initially it will help the arts and culture council, with this the LGU will have more focus para sa mga artists,” says Davao City 2nd District Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre.

Alejandre proposed the creation of the office before Davao City Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte as he saw the need for a dedicated office to focus on arts and culture citing the city’s rich cultural, creative and artistic scene.

“Approved na ang ordinance and we are just waiting for its implementation.This year will be the effectivity,” Alejandre said.

He said a physical space for the new office is being eyed at a City Government property near the Department of Education office along Quirino Avenue. Soon he said they will be hiring personnel to fill the positions for the office.

Alejandre said the creation of the office was realized through approval and  support of Mayor Sebastian Duterte and Vice Mayor J. Melchor Quitain Jr. who are also into arts.

“We recently spoke with the Mayor and yung office malapit sa DepEd-11 and I am very happy na si Mayor is an artist and the Vice Mayor is also an artist meron na pong opisina ang mga artist natin and hindi na po mahihirapan sila to go around kasi dati wala pong specific office yung ating arts and culture,” the Councilor said.

(Our office is near DepED-11 and I am very happy that the Mayor is an artist and the Vice Mayor is also an artist we now have an office for our artists and it will not be difficult for them to go around as there was no specific office for our arts and culture then.)

Authored by Alejandre and co-authored by Councilor Pilar Braga, the ordinance creating the Arts and Culture Office was approved on November 14, 2023 and is now operational.