A Yearlong Celebration of Heritage All Over the Country
April 16, 2013
NCCA ARTICLES
Different provinces in the Philippines will be venues for this year’s celebration of National Heritage Month by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the government agency for arts and culture which leads the annual month-long celebration of Filipino cultural and artistic wealth and legacy.
Since the signing of Proclamation No. 439 on August 11, 2003, declaring the month of May as National Heritage Month “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 whole country is given a chance to highlight and appreciate its cultural treasures. It is also an occasion to raise awareness on their significance.
Leading the celebration is NCCA’s Subcommission on Cultural Heritage (SCH), headed by Regalado Trota Jose. This year, the theme is “Taoid: Weaving Our Stories, Threading Our Paths” aimed at giving us “a glimpse of the legacies of the past and how it remains to shape the present and the future.” It is also “a recognition and celebration of 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.”
The SCH has lined up activities for the celebration of the 2013 National Heritage Month, which will be held in several sites all over the Philippines.
From March 11 to 13, 2013, 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 a talk on the Tam-awan experience by Chit Asignacion.
From April 3 to 7, 2013, the National Heritage Month celebrationwas held in Mahatao, Batanes, coinciding with the Rakanen Festival. A heritage clinic will be conducted by the National Committee on Historical Research. There was also be an exhibit and heritage clinics conducted by the National Committee on Art Galleries and National Committee on Libraries and Information Services as well as technical assessment of sites for possible declaration as National Cultural Treasures from April 9 to 14.
From April 15 to 18, 2013, there will be workshops on cultural mapping, art, festival management, theater, music and dance in Glan, Sarangani, as well as technical assessment of sites for possible declaration as National Cultural Treasures.
The Tam-awan International Arts Festival (TIAF) will be held from May 15-20 in Baguio City, while from May 20 to 23, 2013, the CBCP will hold its eighth convention in Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte.
From May 24 to 25, 2013, the Sarangani Bay Festival” and National Heritage Month 2013 celebration will be launched in Glan, Sarangani, with heritage clinics conducted by the National Committee on Historical Research, National Committee on Art Galleries, National Committee on Libraries and Information Services, National Committee on Museums, National Committee on Archives and National Committee on Monuments and Sites, and an exhibit.
On May 31, 2013, 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, 2013, the Saluka Festival and National Heritage Month 2013 celebration will open in Capul, Northern Samar. There will also be heritage clinics and an exhibit.
On August 2013, capability building workshops will be held in Glan, Sarangani.
On September 2013, 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.
From October 8 to 9, 2013, the Say-Am Festival and the National Heritage Month 2013 celebration will be launched in Pudtol, Apayao. There will also be an exhibit and heritage clinics.
The Filipino Heritage Festival, Inc. (FHFI) will also have its round of events all over the country in celebration of the National Heritage Month.
The steering
committee is composed of Regalado Trota Jose, head of SCH and the National Committee on Archives; Imelda Loste, head of the National Committee on Art Galleries; Dr. Maria Nela Florendo, head of the National Committee on Historical Research; 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.
For more details, contact NCCA Public Affairs and Information Office (PAIO) head Rene Sanchez Napeñas at 0928-5081057, (632), 527-5529, 527-2192 loc. 207-208; or Marga Madera, project manager, at 0949-9309265, (632) 527-2192 loc. 512. E-mail ncca.paio@gmail.com or nccaheritage@yahoo.com
