MANILA, Philippines – Because the nation celebrates Nationwide Arts Month this February, Senator Loren Legarda, Dangal ng Haraya awardee (Patron of Arts and Tradition), calls on all Filipinos to embrace, nurture, and honor the nation’s creative and cultural heritage that provides that means and objective to our id as Filipinos.
For the four-term senator, tradition and the humanities are an integral a part of nation-building, the heart beat of the nation, and the residing reminiscence of the Filipino spirit.
Legarda believes that the richness of our traditions, arts, and tradition is the language of the soul, expressing the wealthy historical past, resilience, aspirations, and desires of our individuals.
“The humanities and tradition are the heartbeat of our nation, retaining alive the knowledge and artistry of our forebears whereas shaping the narratives that outline us at this time. Via arts and tradition, we share tales of our individuals, we empower communities, maintain livelihoods, and encourage generations to proceed dreaming, creating, and constructing a future filled with objective and boundless prospects” mentioned Legarda, chairperson of the Senate Committee on ulture and the Arts.
Presidential Proclamation No. 683, issued by then President Corazon Aquino in 1991, declared February as Nationwide Arts Month to honor the invaluable contributions of Filipino artists and cultural staff.
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Persevering with this legacy, Legarda, who has devoted her life to making sure that Filipino tradition and humanities thrive and progress, has tirelessly labored to combine tradition and humanities to the nationwide agenda.
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She has been instrumental in establishing the Senate Committee on Tradition and the Arts as a stand alone committee, recognizing that tradition and the humanities will not be mere adjuncts to different sectors however basic forces in shaping nationwide id, fostering social cohesion, and driving sustainable growth.
“Tradition is not only a phase of governance; it’s the basis of our id, our shared historical past, and our aspirations as a individuals. It should be safeguarded, enriched, and handed on,” she emphasised.
Legarda has constantly championed landmark laws that safeguard cultural heritage and assist inventive industries, together with the Cultural Mapping Legislation (Republic Act (RA) No. 11961), which mandates native authorities items to conduct complete cultural mapping of each tangible and intangible heritage; the Nationwide Cultural Heritage Act (RA No. 10066), which strengthens the safety and conservation of cultural heritage; Nationwide Museum of the Philippines Act (RA No. 11333), which strengthens the museum’s collections, redevelops its amenities; Gabaldon Faculty Buildings Conservation Act (RA No. 11194), which ensures the preservation of historic Gabaldon college buildings; and Philippine Tropical Materials Legislation (RA No. 9242), which promotes the usage of indigenous materials in authorities uniforms to assist native weavers and the fiber business, to call a number of.
Past laws, Legarda has been a driving power in selling Philippine arts and tradition by way of quite a few initiatives and initiatives.
She has supported the nation’s nationwide artists, akin to Virgilio Almario, Ramon Santos and Alice Reyes.
She has produced cultural tv applications akin to Dayaw, a documentary sequence on indigenous tradition and traditions; Maaram, a multimedia challenge documenting intangible cultural heritage; Usapang Wika, a documentary highlighting the range of Philippine languages; and Buhay na Buhay, which explores the eight residing cultural traditions within the Philippines.
“Tradition should be understood, felt, and lived. By experiencing, seeing, and really understanding it, we will be certain that our individuals, particularly the youth, develop a deep connection to it,” she mentioned.
The UPLB Sculpture Backyard is the primary of its type within the nation and was conceptualized by Legarda.
The Sculpture Backyard serves as a venue of Junyee’s award-winning works can be placed on everlasting exhibition together with the primary indoor set up exhibition within the historical past of artwork, “Wooden Issues,” made in 1980.
Junyee is the pioneer of set up artwork within the nation.
“Partaking with our cultural roots, we don’t simply protect the reminiscence of our previous, we proceed to breathe life into it, making certain it’s appreciated, and remembered, permitting its significance to develop and encourage generations,” Legarda added.
Legarda additionally emphasised the necessity to strengthen cultural industries by supporting sustainable livelihoods and making certain the transmission of information from one technology to the subsequent.
“The problem at this time is to guard our arts, tradition, and traditions from the threats of modernization and mass manufacturing. We should make investments on human capital, our native artisans, present them with platforms to flourish and thrive, ” Legarda mentioned.
Constructing on this advocacy, Legarda constantly championed initiatives that uplift cultural industries.
She has been supporting the annual Nationwide Arts and Crafts Honest the place small companies, community-based livelihoods, and indigenous peoples, are given financial alternatives whereas showcasing their regionally made merchandise.
Her assist to the Philippine textile business is clear in her work with the Philippine Fiber Improvement Authority (PHILFIDA), establishing weaving facilities and cotton processing amenities nationwide, and the Philippine Textile Analysis Institute (PTRI), establishing pure dye facilities in distant barangays thus making certain that conventional weaving stays a thriving livelihood and never only a fading reminiscence of the previous.
Notable are her efforts to revive the patadyong business, which so far has continued to flourish.
Understanding that tradition is greatest preserved when handed down from one technology to the subsequent, Legarda has additionally supported the institution of Colleges for Dwelling Traditions (SLTs), which function important areas for the intergenerational transmission of indigenous information, abilities, and crafts.
Constructing on this dedication, Legarda is actively advocating for the passage of the Linangan ng Likhang Bayan invoice, a measure geared toward institutionalizing assist for cultural masters and artisans.
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Firmly believing within the energy of arts and tradition to form worldwide relations, Legarda highlights its function in fostering diplomatic ties and nationwide satisfaction.
“Tradition and the humanities are highly effective instruments for comfortable energy, a way to construct bridges throughout nations, foster mutual understanding, and advance our diplomatic pursuits. It’s by way of the humanities that we converse with the world, sharing the profundity of our narratives, and the boundless ingenuity of our individuals. It’s by way of cultural diplomacy that we assert our presence within the world group, form the worldwide notion of our nation, and forge connections that encourage unity, understanding and respect,” Legarda asserted
