CEBU, Philippines - It was a whole day of fun and learning. Kids, teens and kids-at-heart were treated to a free lecture and guided tour on October 29, at the “Libreng Suroy sa Museo Sugbo” along M.J. Cuenco Avenue, in the city’s barangay Tejero. It was in line with the celebration of the National Museums and Galleries Month, and was spearheaded by the Cebu Provincial Government, Museo Sugbo, Cebu Provincial Tourism Office and the Cebu Literary Festival.
Museums are said to be models of informal learning environments, which means these are places devoted mainly to informal education – a lifetime process whereby individuals obtain attitudes, values, skills and knowledge from daily experience and the educative influences and resources in one’s environment. These places are a lot more than collections of artifacts; they allow one to meet with friends and neighbors, discuss thoughts and opinions, and become an active part of the community.
Visitors enjoyed free guided tours, storytelling, workshops and lectures. In the morning, students from the University of the Philippines – Cebu attended Lourdes Romarate's discussion on the “Lost Art of Linambay”. ‘Linambay” was a traditional Cebuano stage play famous in the 1950s. A watercolor session with Rochelle Tabino followed in the afternoon.
Beep Beep Books was not to be outdone with their dynamic stories and books. And Novereich Agustin's clay art workshop was a hit with the kids and the other visitors. Children had a hands-on experience on clay-molding, specifically on how to mold different kinds if flowers, with the use of clay. Cebu Literary Festival’s “Spoken Word Workshop” for teens capped the Libreng Suroy event.
The Museo Sugbo is one of the big repositories of Cebuano heritage, a feat that was realized when the first four galleries of the museum were inaugurated on August 5, 2008. The Museum is housed in what was once called Cárcel de Cebú, the provincial jail of Cebu. The next Libreng Suroy is set for November 19. (FREEMAN)