This May 2018, let’s be one in celebrating the National Heritage Month!

THEME: Pambansang Pagkakaisa Para sa Pamana

(This page is a work in progress. Kindly visit this microsite from time to time to get more updates on the 2018 National Heritage Month Celebration)

BACKGROUND

Pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 439 s. 2003, the month of May of every year is National Heritage Month. The event is in recognition of the need to create among the people a consciousness, respect, and love for the legacies of Filipino cultural history.

As the primary government agency in promoting culture and arts in the Philippines, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), through the Subcommission on Cultural Heritage (SCH), spearheads the celebration of National Heritage Month 2018 (NHM) with the theme “Pambansang Pagkakaisa Para sa Pamana” (National Unity for Heritage).

2018 national heritage month poster web

Cultural agencies, government offices, and private institutions submitted their activities as part of their participation in the NHM celebration. Such activities include heritage-related tours, lecture demonstrations, conferences, exhibits, online advocacies, and clean up drives in declared cultural and historical sites, which aim to increase public awareness on the value of cultural heritage and its role in shaping the Filipino identity.

THEME DESCRIPTION:

The National Heritage Month 2018: Pambansang Pagkakaisa Para sa Pamana Opening Ceremony on May 2, 2018 at SM City Annex Activity Center, Ecoland, Davao City. (Video credits: Hope Channel Davao)

The theme “Pambansang Pagkakaisa Para sa Pamana” (National Unity for Heritage) highlights the unifying force of a common heritage as a nation and underscores the need for national unity to ensure that such heritage is preserved for the enjoyment of future generations.

OBJECTIVES

  1. To create in the people a consciousness, respect, and love for the legacies of Filipino cultural history
  2. To raise material support for the protection of tangible and intangible heritage
  3. To strengthen the people’s awareness of cultural heritage sites, structures, and landscapes, and encourage their participation in the preservation of these cultural legacies through various activities such as performing arts at these sites and/or visual art and fashion exhibits, thematic culinary events, as well as popular folk food fairs, design retrospectives and competitions, media and literary events, and homage to living traditions and intangible heritage
  4. To protect and promote, and celebrate our people’s multi-cultural traditions and our indigenous people’s cultures

Message from President Rodrigo R. Duterte

Message from Vice President Maria Leonor G. Robredo

Message from Senate President Aquilino Martin L. Pimentel III

Message from House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez

ACTIVITIES:

  1. NHM PRESS BRIEFINGS
  • Press briefing about the National Heritage Month at the OP Press Briefing Room of Malacanang on April 19, 2018 at 10 AM. 
  • Press briefing about the National Heritage Month at SM City Davao Ecoland Annex at 10 AM on April 23, 2018 as part of the Kapehan sa Davao Press Conference
  1. NHM OPENING CEREMONY
  • The NHM Opening Ceremony will be held in the Activity Center of SM City Davao Ecoland Annex on May 2, 2018 at 5:30 PM, and will include cultural performances and commemorative messages from Mayor Sara Duterte of Davao City and NCCA Chairman and National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario.
  1. PHLPOST NATIONAL HERITAGE MONTH STAMP LAUNCHING
  • In keeping with its commitment to support the National Heritage Month, the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) shall launch the stamps, souvenir sheet, and first day covers featuring Philippine Colonial Churches declared as National Cultural Treasures during the NHM Opening Ceremony.
  1. PERFORMANCES

The National Parks Development Committee (NPDC) have slated evening concerts and performances at the Rizal Park Open Air Auditorium on May 5, 18, and 26 and at the Paco Park on May 4, 11, and 19. Performers include Vella C. Damian School of Ballet Inc., Penny’s, University of Sto. Tomas Conservatory of Music, Bocaue Youth Concert Band ’16, Gin Rum & Truth, soprano Anya Tapales, Zoe and the Jaywalkers, and the St. James Cathedral Choir.

The Filipino Heritage Festival Inc. (FHFI) will be featuring a theatrical production entitled Journeys on a Galleon by acclaimed playwright and theater director Floy Quintos on May 5 at 8 pm and on May 6 at 3 pm at the Main Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

  1. LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS

The NCCA and its partner organizations and agencies have organized lectures, workshops, and fora for the purpose of creating a consciousness, respect, and love for the legacies of cultural history among Filipinos.

–  The Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group has organized the Batang ROFG Summer Workshop for the whole month of May at the Bahay ni Kuya Philippine Folk Heritage and Resource Center, CCP Complex, Pasay City to teach and educate the children on the dance and music researches of Ramon Obusan, National Artist for Dance.

–  The National Archives of the Philippines (NAP) will hold a workshop on designing archival exhibits on May 2-4 in Vigan, Ilocos Sur and a Records Disposition Administration and Training Workshop on May 8-10.

–  Lectures on history and national heroes will be held on May 10 at the Museo ni Jose Rizal Fort Santiago, Intramuros, Manila on the trial of Andres Bonifacio, on May 11 at the Museo ni Apolinario Mabini PUP, Sta. Mesa, Manila on Apolinario Mabini’s ideas on governance, on May 24 at the Museo nina Marcela Mariño at Felipe Agoncillo Taal, Batangas on Philippine diplomatic history.

–  Art workshops on heritage and history are scheduled to be held in selected NHCP museums. These include a political cartoon-making workshop with the theme, “Ang Mamatay ng Dahil Sa’yo: Paglilitis at Kamatayan ni Jose at Andres” at the Museo ni Jose Rizal Fort Santiago, Intramuros, Manila on May 10; and an exhibition design and interpretative planning on May 16 at the Museo ni Manuel Quezon, Diliman, Quezon City.

–  Cultural mapping training workshops organized by NCCA shall be held in Bayawan, Negros Oriental on May 21-25 and in Camalig, Albay on May 28-June 1. A facilitator’s training for Mindanao shall be held on May 7-11 in General Santos City.

–  The Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino will hold a film showing and lecture on Intangible Cultural Heritage on May 21 at the Watson Bldg., San Miguel, Manila, a national reorientation seminar on literature on May 10-12 in Central Bicol State University, Pili, Camarines Sur, and a Seminar on Teaching Gender-Based Literature on May 24-26 in Naval State University in Naval, Biliran.

–  To encourage youth participation in heritage preservation, the FHFI has organized Heritage Youth Fora in Aklan; Taguig City; Tuguegarao, Cagayan; Tabuk City, Kalinga; Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija; and Davao City from May until June. In conjunction with these fora, children will have fun in participating in Larong Atin! Philippine Traditional Games.

  1. HERITAGE TOURS

As May is a summer vacation month, it is the perfect time to visit heritage sites. The National Historical Commission of the Philippines, through its historic shrines, will be organizing heritage tours in various parts of the country. On May 13, a walking tour of Loay’s important cultural and historical points of interest will be held to be followed by a materials conservation workshop at the Museo ng Kasaysayan at Pamanang Boholano Loay, Bohol. Meanwhile, on May 18, the Museo ng Kasaysayang Pampulitika ng Pilipinas Malolos, Bulacan will hold a half-day architectural and culinary tour of the Malolos historical corridor.

  1. EXHIBITS

On May 18, the worldwide community of museums shall celebrate International Museums Day with the theme “Hyperconnected museums: New approaches, new publics” to raise awareness of the fact that, “Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples.”

As it fittingly coincides with the celebration of National Heritage Month, exhibits in museums and public areas have been organized by various institutions.

  • The National Museum is set to inaugurate the National Museum of Natural History on May 18 showcasing the country’s rich biodiversity. Admission to the said museum and the National Museum’s branch museums in the regions is free.
  • The National Archives of the Philippines will open the Mindanao Records Exhibit on May 20 to showcase the institution’s archival collection on Mindanao.
  • A weeklong exhibit from May 21 to May 28 will be held at the main lobby of the PHLPOST Building in Manila featuring 20 Philatelic Frames of heritage stamps issued by PHLPost throughout the years.
  • On May 27, the Museo ni Jesse Robredo in Naga City, Camarines Sur will open a photo exhibit called Para Kay Jesse in commemoration of the 60th birth anniversary of former Naga city mayor and former DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo.
  • An online photo exhibit entitled Kislap ng Watawat will be launched by the Museo nina Marcela Mariño at Felipe Agoncillo Taal, Batangas on May 26 in line with the celebration of National Flag Days from May 28-June 12.
  • President Ramon Magsaysay’s concern on the plight of workers and employees shall be the highlight of the exhibit called Magsaysay: Kampeon ng Manggagawa at the Museo ni Ramon Magsaysay in Castillejos, Zambales. The exhibit will open on May 4.
  • Pampanga’s colonial churches shall be the highlight of the Sanctuario exhibit at the Museo ng Kasaysayang Panlipunan ng Pilipinas Angeles, Pampanga which will be launched on May 18.
  • The National Library of the Philippines will open an exhibit of books and photos on Filipino culture and history entitled A Books to Remember on May 2 which will run until May 31.
  • On May 5, the NCCA Gallery shall open its doors to the public with an exhibit on natural heritage entitled If Trees Could Talk.
  • In conjunction with the Higher Education Week, the Commission on Higher Education and its Regional Offices will hold an SUC Fair from May 13-19 showcasing patented and non-patented products such as native delicacies and textile developed by state universities and colleges.
  • For the whole month of May, the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office will highlight the heritage of Filipino military valor through its activity entitled Our Historic Album where photos and experiences of visits to military shrines will be compiled. Within these shrines, visitors will also be able to pay tribute to veteran-heroes by participating in their activity dubbed as Plant a Memory Forest.
  • The Filipino Heritage Festival Inc. will mount exhibitions featuring National Artists, Heritage Churches, Philippine fashion, Filipino culinary traditions, among others in selected SM Malls.
  1. TEXT BLAST FROM NTC
  • Nationwide text blast informing the public of the celebration of the National Heritage Month
  1. Online advocacy: #ParaSaPamana PHOTO ESSAY CONTEST

An NCCA initiative through social media enjoining netizens to share their idea of heritage preservation and how they see themselves contributing to this. Refer to this link for the mechanics of the contest. Submissions will be evaluated and 20 winners will be chosen to receive a special prize.

  1. Announcement of National Heritage Month Celebration (NHMC) in Flag Raising Ceremony of Government Offices (April 30, 2018)

All government agencies and LGUs are encouraged to include NHM 2018 announcement in their respective Flag Raising Ceremonies on April 30, 2018 which is the Monday before the start of National Heritage Month. The objective of this activity is to enjoin agency/LGU officials and employees to join the national celebration. You may use the National Heritage Month Video during your Flag Raising Ceremony and agency’s NHM2018 activities.

  1. Installation of National Heritage Month Streamers in government offices (Download: 2018 NHM Streamer PSD File)
  2. Issuance of circulars by the Civil Service Commission, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, and the National Library of the Philippines

CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES

national heritage month calendarnational heritage month calendarnational heritage month calendar

Download: 2018 National Heritage Month Calendar of Events

Agencies/LGUs organizing their own National Heritage Month 2018 activities are also requested to send the following information to sch@ncca.gov.ph for inclusion in the NHM 2018 Calendar of events:

  • Host Agency / LGU Name:
  • Event Title:
  • Date and time:
  • Venue (exact location):
  • Contact details in case of public queries

For inquiries, please contact Ms. Eileen Rudi of the Cultural Heritage Section at Tel. No. (02) 5272192 loc. 339 or email: eclairejrudi(at)gmail.com.

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