Museums, galleries and national identity
October is Museum and Galleries Month as commemorated by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), in line with Presidential Proclamation 798, which was issued in 1991.
“The annual celebration underscores the importance of fostering national awareness, pride in Filipino culture and hope for the nation’s future,” said NCCA Chair Victorino Mapa Manalo in a press conference on Sept. 23.
The theme this year is “Resilient Museums and Galleries: Educating for Preparedness and Recovery.”
The program was held at the Museo ng Muntinlupa, with Mayor Ruffy Biazon and NCCA officials in attendance, and Miss Philippines Earth 2025 Joy Barcoma as program host. Muntinlupa Yaman ng Kalikasan dancers provided cultural entertainment.
“Culture and the arts will always survive,” Biazon said. “More importantly, culture is our investment, our investment for our children.”
Challenges
Bernan Joseph Corpuz, NCCA deputy executive director for operations, said “more than being house [to] objects, museums tell a story, evoke our history, our art, our pride in our cultural heritage and empower our people.”
During the discussions, Corpuz said “museums are not just keepers of artifacts, but tools to understand resilience … Through exhibits, workshops and cultural activities, museums show how lives and communities have been shaped by crises, and how culture continues to adapt and endure. These experiences help people see resilience not as an abstract idea but as something lived and learned.”
“By sharing examples through exhibitions and activities nationwide, we hope to inspire Filipinos and raise awareness of the vital contributions of museums and galleries to education, preparedness and cultural continuity.”
Capping the press conference was a tour of the Museo ng Muntinlupa, with its captioned histories of the Philippines and the city, historical photos, artifacts, documents, jars, maps, a theater and a section featuring the works of painter-printmaker Fil Delacruz.
Baguio kick-off
The official kick-off ceremony will be held on Oct. 7 at Museo Kordilyera of the University of the Philippines Baguio. Activities include an art fair, workshops and a recognition ceremony.
Both public and private museums nationwide will participate in the monthlong celebration. Activities include lectures on museum ethics and museum interpretation, exhibits, workshops on interpretive critique, mini-storytelling workshops, demos on object handling, and documentation seminars.
The celebration will conclude also at Museo ng Muntinlupa on Oct. 25.
