National Heritage Month takes a glimpse at past, present, and future

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino pride of heritage once again takes center stage this May as the National Commission on Culture and the Arts celebrate the National Heritage Month.

With the theme, “Taoid 2013: Weaving our Stories, Threading Our Paths,” different Philippine provinces join in the annual celebration that began with the signing of Proclamation No. 439 on August 11, 2003 declaring May as National Heritage Month. It was done “in recognition of the need to create among the people a consciousness, respect, and pride for the legacies of Filipino cultural history, and love of country.”

The celebration aims to take a glimpse of the legacies of the past and how it remains to shape the present and the future while also recognizing and celebrating the different aspects of our national cultural heritage—our traditional art forms and practices, important cultural structures both movable and immovable, and other objects of national importance whether tangible or intangible.

During yesterday’s presscon at the NCCA headquarters, the Subcommission on Cultural Heritage headed by Prof. Regalado Trota Jose, shared recently concluded as well as upcoming activities in relation to the National Heritage Month. 

Last March 11 to 13, the National Museum and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines conducted assessment of sites in Capul, Northern Samar, for possible declaration as National Cultural Treasures, and there was a talk on the Tam-awan experience by Chit Asignacion.

From April 3 to 7, 2013, the festivity was held in Mahatao, Batanes. A heritage clinic was conducted by the National Committee on Historical Research. There were also heritage clinics conducted by the National Committee on Art Galleries and National Committee on Libraries and Information Services, National Committee on Museums, National Committee on Archives and National Committee on Monuments and Sites, as well as technical assessment of sites for possible declaration as National Cultural Treasures from April 9 to 14, coinciding with the Rakanen Festival.

April 15 to 18 of this year showcased art workshops, festival management and theater in Glan, Sarangani, as well as technical assessment of sites for possible declaration as National Historical Landmarks by the NHCP.
Last May 3, the Parish of our Lady of the Abondoned staged the annual “Saludo a la Virgen Misa Cantada 2013” at the Sta. Ana Church in Manila to commemorate the National Heritage Month and the start of the Novenario in honor of the town’s patroness Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados.

The Tam-awan Village in Baguio City will hold the fourth Tam-awan International Arts Festival from May 15 to 19, featuring a cañao, art installations, performances, exhibits, artists’ talks and cultural shows. Locals artists from Batanes have been invited to attend as part of the Artist Exchange Program of the National Committee on Art Galleries.

From May 20 to 23, the CBCP will hold the Eighth Biennial National Convention of Church Cultural Heritage Practitioners in Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte. Topics to be discussed include the cultural heritage of the church in Dipolog; Philippine liturgical music; church ceiling paintings; paintings conservation in the country; conservation management plan; and conservation of stone-built churches. From May 24 to 25, the Sarangani Bay Festival and Taoid will be opened in Glan, Sarangani, and technical assessments of the Subcommission on Cultural Heritage for possible interventions and declarations will be conducted in Lake Sebu and the Lamlifew Village in Malungon, Sarangani.

On May 31, the grand launching of the Taoid in conjunction of the “Gabii sa Kabilin” will be held in Cebu City. This is a night-long tour of the 23 museums and 18 arts galleries in the cities of Cebu and Mandaue. An exhibit will also be mounted. In June, workshops on cultural mapping, art, festival management, theater, music and dance will be conducted in Capul, Northern Samar. From July 26 to 28, the Saluka Festival and Taoid will open in Capul, Northern Samar. There will also be an exhibit.

On August this year, capability building workshops will be held in Glan, Sarangani. Meanwhile, September will have workshops on cultural mapping, capability building, art, festival management, theater, music and dance will be conducted in Pudtol, Apayao, as well as technical assessment of sites for possible declaration as National Cultural Treasures and or National Historical Landmarks.

On October 8 to 9, the Say-Am Festival and Taoid will be launched in Pudtol, Apayao. There will also be an exhibit. The Filipino Heritage Festival, Inc. (FHFI) will hold special events this May such as the traditional Santa Cruz de Mayo in Batangas City, Batangas, on May 29; Majayjay, Laguna, on May 26; Pampanga on May 22; and Cavite on May 16. It will also organize a heritage pilgrimage on May 4 and 9; and hold a pahampang in Negros Occidental.

The steering committee is composed of Regalado Trota Jose, head of SCH and the National Committee on Archives; Atty. Imelda Loste, head of the National Committee on Art Galleries; Dr. Maria Nela Florendo, head of the National Committee on Historical Research; Atty. Antonio M. Santos, head of the National Committee on Libraries and Information Service; Dr. Jaime C. Laya, head of the National Committee on Monuments and Sites; and Dr. Antonio Julian Montalvan, head of the National Committee on Museums. The NCCA is led by chairman Felipe de Leon, Jr. and executive director Emelita V. Almosara.