There are three Heroes walls in Baguio.
One that portrays heroes during the war against a deadly virus that killed millions worldwide, one for athletes who have brought honor to the city and the region and the last – but not the least – are 12 figures, all Cordillerans and heroes in their own way.
One wall done by fast rising artist Silvino Dulnuan and company at a wall more than 30-feet high along the junction of Kennon Road, Marcos Highway and Gov. Pack Road, beside the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center and the flyover that was constructed amidst opposition of a former, albeit late, mayor, showing medical health care workers doing their rounds in saving lives.
The other at the Baguio athletic bowl was conceived in March 2020, only implemented seven months later for the first phase. A second phase was launched last May and concluded and unveiled last June 29.
“We hope to get financial support for the last phase,” said Ged Alangui, who did 10 of the featured murals as effort to get sponsors for the last phase is being undertaken.
Alangui was the latest addition in the Heroes Wall of Fame mural paintings having joined Gladys Anne Labsan and mixed martial artist and Team Lakay warrior Harold Banario.
The last phase involves 24 walls and could contain 48 athletes and sports leaders – past and present.
The third at the northeast portion of the city is done by the more popular artist group at Tam-awan Village. Backed by Davies Paints anew, it was launched last October 5 and was hoped to be completed when the Tam-awan International Festival wraps off last October 9.
But the rains came and the hope of the organizing Tam-awan Village artists to complete it was dashed.
Festival director Ma. Elena Catajan said that they are eyeing a three week work on the murals that is done on a rip rapped wall of the 2.4 hectare village along the Long-long Road in Pinsao Proper barangay.
The walls have two layers of five sections each measuring 15 feet high and at least 12 feet wide.
Tam-awan artists were joined by visiting athletes all over the Philippines when it was started last October 5 during the festival’s official launching. Sadly the rains made a big show the next days that paintings could not be done.
Mural paintings had been in mode for at least the past four years with Dulnuan and friends doing the Iyaman walls along Naguilian Road right at the junction of the San Roque/San Luis road.
In 2019, an unknown and unnamed artist did the giant wall in front of the Old Orchestra theater (now the Baguio Country Sound) featuring Cordillera dances and sunflower.
Earlier also this year, another fast rising artist, Venazir Martinez, and company painted the walls of the Asian Development Bank and Tiong San Harrison which is now the Carantes Paintings which were unveiled when the Kilometer Zero Park was opened thanks to repairs done by the Lao family of Tiong San.
The road is undergoing major rehabilitation that will make the once red light corner of said part of the city into a promenaders paradise.
More murals are expected to pop up in the next months with funding from the local government.
All works but the athletic bowl murals and the Magsaysay mural (private donation) are being done with help from the city government but like the others Davies Paints played a major role. Pigeon Lobien
