Eric Pangilinan, who initiated the petition questioning the horror elements of Baguio’s annual festival, has volunteered to join the costume check committee for the proposed Fantasy Parade, bringing one of the event’s early critics into the process of shaping its safeguards.
Pangilinan, who initiated the petition, and six other participants who had raised concerns about the proposed parade (Sante Butdoy, Christie Reyes, Frances Lampaz, Lisa Maguisib, Marie Balangue, and Marlyn de Castro) volunteered to join the costume check committee.
The development came as the second committee-level dialogue led by Councilor Vladimir Cayabas, chair of the Committee on Creativity, brought together organizers led by Carl Paolo Corpuz, petitioners, civil society organization representatives, religious groups, and concerned citizens to continue the discussion on how the proposed October 25 event can proceed while addressing concerns raised by various sectors.
Pangilinan initiated the petition that led to discussions on removing purely horror elements from the festival and shifting the proposed Baguio event toward a Fantasy Parade.
Corpuz informed the participants in the meeting that the separate Horror Convention that was originally planned in Baguio will now be held in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig City, Metro Manila, on October 24, 2026, according to Corpuz.
The proposed Baguio parade will remain open to all participants without a registration fee. Corpuz also clarified that the event has no sponsors, addressing concerns about the possible commercialization of children participating in the parade.
The dialogue continued to focus on the boundaries of acceptable costumes, particularly the organizers’ proposal to allow characters such as tikbalang, tiyanak, and witches.
Corpuz said these characters are part of literature, films, and popular culture, and some of these are even intended for children. He said they may be allowed provided their presentation is not frightening to children, with Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) ratings to serve as a baseline.
Participants who raised concerns maintained that some of these characters may still be frightening regardless of their presentation and that portraying them as costumes could trivialize their cultural significance.
Corpuz also clarified that Cordillera attire will not be allowed as costumes, saying the event is a costume activity and that traditional garments are not costumes. He added that culture is not part of the fantasy theme.
To address concerns involving children, Corpuz said participating children should be accompanied by their parents who would serve as their “first line of protection.”
The organizers were also reminded to avoid elements that could trigger violence, su*cide, or other harmful behavior and were encouraged to choose positive characters rather than negative ones.
A costume check will be conducted at 2:00 PM on the day of the event, one hour before the proposed parade, to ensure compliance with the guidelines.
The organizers were also encouraged to promote the use of upcycled materials for costumes in line with the city’s circular economy initiatives and to further encourage creativity.
Asked why the organizers continue to pursue the event despite the public backlash, Corpuz said they are doing it for the arts and the community, and that their community should be afforded the same rights and opportunities given to other groups.
Ptr. Rodolfo de Guia noted that Baguio’s vision promotes inclusivity and creativity but said these values must also have clear boundaries and that a city event should provide added value to the community.
On the other hand, another participant said greater attention should be given to how parents guide their children rather than focusing heavily on an annual event that will last for less than an hour.
After the dialogue, Pangilinan and the six other participants volunteered to become part of the costume check committee. They met with the organizers afterward to review and finalize the parade guidelines.
The finalized guidelines will be submitted to Cayabas for attachment to his committee report ahead of the scheduled City Council deliberation on October 12, 2026.
The proposed Fantasy Parade is set for October 25, 2026, subject to the issuance of the necessary permit. Corpuz said the organizers had coordinated with the Traffic Enforcement Unit of the Baguio City Police Office on safety and order during the event. The organizers expected to receive the results of their permit application on October 8, 2026. -Jordan G. Habbiling/Baguio P.I.O.
