Malacañang Names Nakpil to National Historical Commission Board

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the President this week named Lisa Guerrero Nakpil member of the Board of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), representing the private sector. Nakpil is an author, curator and columnist for the The Philippine STAR writing about Philippine history, art and culture.

She is a founding member of the Kaanak ng Maynila, the organization of the descendants of the Philippine Revolution of 1896 who were born in the City of Manila.

Through this group, she was active in organizing the celebration of the Centennial of the 1896 Revolution which included private-sector initiatives such as the free feeding of 10,000 public school students on the occasion of the Cry of Pugad Lawin, the restoration of the lost bolo from the Balintawak Bonifacio monument as well as the production of an album, concert and television tour titled “1896” which featured among others, The Eraserheads, Grace Nono and Francis Magalona. Nakpil’s strengths are in communications:

utilizing new media, music and videos as well as the traditional production of books and exhibitions. Dr. Rene R. Escalante, chairperson of the NHCP, expressed a “hearty welcome to the NHCP family” and remarked that he looked forward to Nakpil’s “introduction of new genres to get in touch with the masses and the millennials.” She responded, “I am committed to utilizing our great heritage to establish our national identity — and to use 21st-century communication methods to reach out to both young Filipinos, students and workers, across the globe.”

Next year will be the focal point for several landmark quincentennial events including the “Victory at Mactan,” or the first Filipino repulsion of foreign invasion by Lapu-Lapu. Nakpil is one of three women to be named to the National Historical Commission board.

The list includes her own mother, Carmen Guerrero Nakpil, who was also chairperson from 1967 to 1971. Witnessing Nakpil’s oath-taking rites at the NHCP were National Library director Gilbert Adriano, OIC executive director Carminda Arevalo, NHCP executive director Alvin Avid, Arch. Reynaldo Lita, National Quincentennial Committee secretariat head, and Ian Christopher Alfonso, senior history researcher.