Baguio Council approves Fantasy Parade; Four councilors abstain

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines, Oct. 13, 2026 — The Baguio City Council approved the proposed Fantasy Parade on Monday, with nine councilors voting in favor and four abstaining, moving the event forward after public concerns over horror-themed elements prompted discussions on costume restrictions and child safety.

The council announced the approval in a Facebook post on Oct. 12.

The decision followed committee-level discussions involving organizers, petitioners, civil society representatives, religious groups and other concerned citizens, according to an earlier council press release.

The proposed parade is scheduled for Oct. 25, with organizers led by Carl Paolo Corpuz working to finalize guidelines governing costumes and participant safety.

Eric Pangilinan, who initiated the petition questioning horror elements in the original festival proposal, and six other participants who raised concerns volunteered to join the costume screening committee.

The other volunteers were Sante Butdoy, Christie Reyes, Frances Lampaz, Lisa Maguisib, Marie Balangue and Marlyn de Castro.

Their involvement brought some of the event’s early critics into the process of reviewing costumes and helping address concerns raised during the consultations.

Costume restrictions at the center of debate

Pangilinan’s petition prompted discussions on removing purely horror-themed elements and shifting the proposed Baguio event toward a Fantasy Parade.

During the second committee-level dialogue led by Councilor Vladimir Cayabas, chair of the Committee on Creativity, organizers and participants discussed whether characters such as tikbalang, tiyanak and witches should be allowed.

Corpuz said these figures appear in literature, films and popular culture, including works intended for children.

He said they could be permitted if presented in ways that would not frighten children, with ratings from the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board serving as a baseline.

Some participants argued that the characters could remain frightening regardless of how they were portrayed.

They also raised concerns that using such figures as costumes could trivialize their cultural significance.

Corpuz said traditional Cordillera attire would not be allowed as costumes, arguing that traditional garments should not be treated as costumes and that culture was outside the parade’s fantasy theme.

On child safety, he said participating children should be accompanied by their parents, whom he described as their “first line of protection.”

Organizers were also reminded to avoid elements that could encourage violence, suicide or other harmful behavior.

Participants encouraged them to favor positive characters over negative ones.

A costume screening was scheduled for 2 p.m. on the day of the proposed parade, one hour before its planned start, to check compliance with the guidelines.

Organizers were also encouraged to use upcycled materials for costumes in line with the city’s circular economy initiatives and efforts to promote creativity.

No registration fee, organizers say

The proposed Baguio parade would remain open to participants without a registration fee.

Corpuz also said the event had no sponsors, addressing concerns raised during the discussions about the possible commercialization of children’s participation.

He said a separate Horror Convention initially planned for Baguio would instead be held in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Metro Manila, on Oct. 24, 2026.

Asked why the organizers continued to pursue the event despite public criticism, Corpuz said they were doing it for the arts and the community.

He added that their community should have the same rights and opportunities afforded to other groups.

Pastor Rodolfo de Guia said Baguio’s vision of inclusivity and creativity should be accompanied by clear boundaries and that a city event should provide added value to the community, according to the council’s account of the dialogue.

Another participant argued that greater attention should be paid to how parents guide their children rather than placing too much emphasis on an annual event expected to last less than an hour.

Permit status remains a separate consideration

After the dialogue, Pangilinan and the six other volunteers met with organizers to review and finalize the proposed parade guidelines.

The guidelines were to be submitted to Cayabas for inclusion in his committee report ahead of the scheduled Oct. 12 City Council deliberation.

In an inquiry by this news outfit on Sunday, Oct. 11, Corpuz said the result of the organizers’ permit application would released on Monday, Oct. 12.

The council’s approval of the proposed parade is a separate development from the status of the event permit.

The available announcement does not establish whether the permit has also been issued.

Corpuz previously said the organizers had coordinated with the Traffic Enforcement Unit of the Baguio City Police Office on safety and order during the event.

With the council’s approval and the petitioners’ participation in costume screening, attention now turns to the implementation of the guidelines and the remaining requirements for the proposed Oct. 25 parade.