BAGUIO CITY — A Baguio resident and Christian ministry leader has asked the City Council to review permits for the annual Baguio Horror Festival, citing concerns over its depictions of death, macabre themes and occult imagery.

Gerard Ericson Pangilinan of Endtime Harvest Christian Ministries International presented a petition to local lawmakers questioning the public staging of the festival.

Pangilinan clarified that the group is not seeking a ban on private Halloween celebrations or the erasure of the festival’s history.

Instead, he said they are asking the city to review permits for future editions to determine whether the event is consistent with Ordinance 39-2023, or the Character City Ordinance.

He argued that public support and street permits for events featuring such themes run counter to the city’s stated commitment to promote spiritual and ethical values, particularly among the youth.

The Baguio Horror Festival and its Zombie Walk were established in 2011 by Carl Paolo Corpuz, who patterned the event after similar activities in Canada.

From fewer than 100 participants during its first staging, the festival has grown into a major Halloween event drawing thousands of attendees.

This year’s activities are scheduled on 24 and 25 October along Session Road and at Abanao Square.

In response to Pangilinan’s petition, members of the City Council called for a forum with festival organizers to allow both sides to present their positions.