The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued Memorandum Circular 2017-133 which revises Memorandum Circular No. 2002-81 on the Creation of Local Culture and Arts Councils.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) posted on their website last October 2, 2017, Memorandum Circular 2017-133, dated September 29, 2017, titled, Revision of DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2002-81 on the Creation of Local Culture and Arts Councils.
With the thrust of the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 and the implementation of the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 [R.A. 10066], the NCCA initiated the revision of MC 2002-81 in order to incorporate the need for an expanded composition and functions of the Local Culture and Arts Council.
Accordingly, the Legislative Agenda to promote Philippine Culture and Values of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2017-2022 (Chapter 7) highlights the establishment of Local Culture and Arts Councils (LCACs). The rationale is to establish offices for culture and the arts in the Local Government Units (LGUs), with a mandate to protect and promote local cultural heritage and arts.
On the other hand, Article V, Section 14, b of R.A. 10066 stipulates that, “Local government units, through their cultural offices, shall likewise maintain an inventory of cultural property under its jurisdiction and shall furnish the Commission a copy of the same;”
Moreover, the 2017 DILG Seal of Good Local Governance [MC 2017-53, dated March 22, 2017], requires any TWO of the following under Essential Areas, Tourism, Culture and the Arts, Cultural Heritage Promotion, and Conservation:
- Presence of a Council for the promotion of culture and the arts
- Budget appropriated for the conservation and preservation of cultural property, CY2017
- Availability of cultural property inventory in the LGU (at least updated within the last 2 years)
In the absence of baseline information on Local Culture and Arts Councils established by the Local Government Units, in compliance with the previous Memorandum Circular, an inventory of LGU-based Local Culture and Arts Councils is now being pursued by the NCCA in coordination with DILG Regional Offices.
[Answer our Online Survey of Local Culture and Arts Councils]
(For inquiries on the survey form, please contact Mr. Edison Molanida via email: ncca.lcac@yahoo.com)
For LGUs which have not established yet their Local Culture and Arts Councils [LCACs] or would like to strengthen the existing ones, the NCCA can provide Technical Assistance to guide them on the suggested composition and functions based on the newly-issued DILG MC 2017-133. Letter of the request may be sent to:
AL RYAN ALEJANDRE
Executive Director
National Commission for Culture and the Arts
633 General Luna Street
Intramuros, Manila
Email address: oed@ncca.gov.ph
Fax No.: (02) 527-2193
Download the revised DILG Memorandum-Circular
Guidelines for the implementation of the NCCA-DILG, and the LGU Program for the LCACs
Brochure of the NCCA-DILG Technical Working Committee
UPDATES
10 April 2018: Cultural agencies to hold 3-day training on Culture and Heritage for LGUs of Davao Region
22 February 2018: DILG OIC-Sec. Año sa LGUs: Ipakita ang pagmamahal sa kultura sa pamamagitan ng local culture and arts council
5 December 2017
NCCA Executive Director Rico S. Pableo, Jr. met with members of Sangguniang Bayan of the Municipality of Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte to discuss the updates on the Quick Cultural Mapping conducted in the municipality and the schedule of the joint technical assessment of the municipality’s cultural heritage by the National Museum of the Philippines and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines in January 2018. The Sanggunian Bayan members will also visit the NM and the NHCP.
(In the photo (left to right): Hon. Alben Egay, Eddie Nueda, Henry Manla, Ms. Urbana Cadiz, NCCA Exec. Dir. Rico S. Pableo, Jr., Hon. Jorge Tumulak, and Hon. David Fugnet. (See more photos)
