NCCA CHAIRPERSON MANALO: For the first time after the COVID pandemic, we will be returning to this tradition of an onsite kickoff ceremony. We will be having this ceremonial opening on Tuesday, May 2, in front of the Capiz Provincial Capitol – this is the province of Capiz ‘no.

We thank the provincial government of Capiz led by Governor Fredenil Castro for hosting our kickoff this year and for being an active partner of the NCCA. This is one of the most important aspects of the National Heritage Month that has developed through the years – the idea that local LGUs and local institutions partner with us. This is not just the NCCA pet project or central project – it is now supported by many different local partners especially LGUs. So, for example we will be with the LGU, we will be engaged in cultural mapping activities and other culture and art initiatives.

In addition the NCCA through its committees and under our different subcommissions especially our Subcommission on Heritage invites you all to the following events which are going to be flashed on the screen.

This is Panay Church – is it, or Capiz Church? Okay. You may also consult the complete lineup of activities for the 2023NHM on our microsite to see the whole array of events hosted by our attached cultural agencies. Our microsite is ncca.government.ph/national heritage month. You may also see the sites of other national government agencies, local government units, and public and private educational institutions, as well as Philippine embassies, consulates and missions overseas, local libraries and private stakeholders.

At this point we wish to acknowledge the contributions of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Civil Service Commission, the National Library of the Philippines and the Filipino Heritage Foundation. We wouldn’t be able to do this without our partners. They’ve helped us in encouraging our public and private stakeholders to come up with their own activities that engaged our citizens towards a meaningful celebration of NHM.

So in closing, our heritage as a nation and as one humanity is our key to understanding the present and the future through the legacy of the past. In the same way that we have been heirs to this legacy handed down by previous generations, it is our duty to safeguard and preserve this heritage so that future recreations can enjoy and benefit and learn from them. We hope that you will be with us as our partners in this important cause.

Now we also hope to really reach out more to young people and to our educational partners to follow the call of our president that everyone should really do their share in helping our educational institutions.

Damo gid na salamat sa inyong tanan and I wish you all a happy and meaningful celebration of National Heritage Month. Thank you.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Thank you, NCCA Chairman Victorino Mapa Manalo. And now let’s hear from Executive Director Oscar Casaysay.

NCCA EXEC. DIRECTOR CASAYSAY: Yes. Magandang hapon po sa ating lahat. Dagdag lang po sa sinabi ng ating chairman na kasabay nga nitong ating pag-celebrate ng 20 years ng National Heritage Month ay ang 125 anniversary ng ating first Philippine Republic and with that, during the kickoff, we are launching the National Heritage Month 2023 commemorative stamp entitled “Kalayaan ay Pamana.” So, ito rin po ay gagawin sa probinsiya ng Capiz. Ayun po.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Maraming salamat. Are there any questions? May mga katanungan ba from the floor? Okay, Ace Romero, Philippine Star.

ACE ROMERO/PHILIPPINE STAR: Quick question lang po. Kasi since we are in a country where people are concerned with their economic needs, their everyday needs – food, water, shelter, etc. So, how do you convince the public to appreciate cultural heritage at the time when most people are concerned with their livelihood especially now we are just recovering from the pandemic?

NCCA CHAIRPERSON MANALO: Sa totoo lang, puwede mong sabihin na masalimuot ito na question na bakit ba, in fact minsan may isang researcher or isang kilalang cultural worker na tinatanong niya lagi “Ano na ba ang heritage, makakain ba iyan?” First of all, siguro kailangan nating bigyang-diin na ang heritage ay may kinalaman din sa ating mga hanapbuhay, nakakadagdag ito sa hanapbuhay dahil nga ang isang heritage site kung talagang maayos ang kaniyang pagprotekta, pag-conserve ‘no, at maayos ang tayo niya at talagang napu-promote siya kung anong maganda sa kaniya eh nakaka-attract ito ng mga turista, mga tao, ng publiko at nagiging source siya of income through tourism ‘no.

So, iyan ang isang malaking bagay at you can see halos ang nagsasalba sa mga bansa katulad or malaki ang papel ng heritage as income generator through tourism, malaki ang papel sa mga bansa katulad ng Cambodia at Laos ‘no. Sa Cambodia halimbawa ang heritage structure nila iyong isa sa pinakamalaking templo sa mundo iyong Angkor Wat [Temple], ito ay talagang milyones ang naa-attract nito.

So talagang nakakatulong ang heritage lalo na kung maayos. Kung hindi nga maayos ang Angkor Wat, at kung puno pa rin ng mga mina, ng mga landmines at mga forest hindi ito mag-a-attract. So kailangan talagang ayusin ang ating heritage kasi nakakatulong ito.

At the same time, hindi natin maitatuwa na kasing-importante or higit pa na mas importante ang punto na ang heritage, nakaka—kumbaga nakakapagpatibay iyan sa ating loob ‘no. So lalo na galing tayo sa pandemic na kumbaga puwede mong sabihin medyo nabura o nabawasan ang confidence, ang lakas ng ating loob. ‘Pag nakita mo iyong gawa ng mga ninuno mo, paggawa ng mga istruktura na galing pa sa… from the past ‘no, maiisip mo talaga—lalakas ang loob mo na tingnan mo, naka-survive din pala despite all the problems of the world ‘no. So, iyan din ang isa sa mga nagagawa ng heritage, it gives us a boost to our self-worth ‘no.

Salamat po, magandang tanong po iyan. Promise, iyong next answer maikli na.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: I just also wanted to point out that you have mentioned the calendar of the activities is posted in your site. And what was the website again? Para malaman ng lahat kung ano ang mga aktibidad.

NCCA CHAIRPERSON MANALO: It’s ncca.gov.ph/nationalheritagemonth.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: I-search ninyo lang ‘National Heritage Month’ and most of the events that you have such as the capacity-building on heritage management clinic – those are going to be broadcast in your Facebook page, I believe.

NCCA CHAIRPERSON MANALO: Yes, and other social media platforms po of NCCA official.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: And you also had mentioned that you are calling on the involvement of young people. So, papaano natin iyan mai-encourage through NCCA? How do we reach our youth? Uso pa naman ngayon ang ating—buhay na buhay ang kultura sa mga animators, mga… ‘di ba, mga illustrators.

NCCA EXEC. DIR. CASAYSAY: Yes po. Actually marami din pong nagtatanong bakit sa Capiz ang napili. Apart from it is a home of two indigenous cultural communities – Panay and Ati ‘no – these are the indigenous peoples wherein we could really—makikita natin how resilient that Filipinos are. And through their songs and their artworks and crafts, we encourage the young people to—iyong matuto sila sa mga nakaraan. And with this, sabi ninyo nga po na dahil ang mga kabataan ay talagang nakatali sa kanilang mga cellphone, we used also the social platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and of course the famous one is the Facebook.

So everything will be viewed online and we encourage them to participate our online and virtual discussions especially the teachers through the Department of Education – as our Chairman said, we encourage collaborations para mas natututo po sila. Dahil alam naman po natin ‘pag usaping kasaysayan at usaping cultural heritage ay talagang ito’y napaka-boring na subject matter…

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Hindi naman… [laughs]

NCCA EXEC. DIR. CASAYSAY: Pero for young people lalung-lalo na ‘pag hindi magaling iyong teacher eh talagang pinag-memorize lang sila ng mga dates at kung anu-ano pang mga pangalan. But then again, dito natin makikita ‘no lalung-lalo na buhay na buhay ang ating mga pamana ng ating bayan at makikita din natin ito ‘no, iyong mga iba’t ibang tangibles – sabi nga ni Chairman mga intangible, mga heritage natin through the arts and music.

NCCA CHAIRPERSON MANALO: And, Daphne, siguro puwede ding idagdag—thank you, Oca. Puwede rin sigurong idagdag na gumagawa nga kami ngayon, nagsisimula kami na gumawa ng mga modules for teaching about heritage to young people ‘no. Pero innately kasi, marami talagang mga—there are many things ‘no na kung hindi sila masyadong makikinig sa mga sabi-sabi katulad ng binanggit ni Executive Director Oca, pero makikita talaga na may mapupulot sila sa heritage na puwede nilang magamit sa kanilang mga creative activities.

Katulad ng—halimbawa ‘di ba iyong mga… halimbawa iyong Harry Potter – ang Harry Potter ay kung tuusin mo, it is actually utilizing the heritage of Britain. ‘Di ba castle iyong school nila – Hogwarts – so iyong traditions ng England, ng UK, nagagamit ito sa mga bagong mga palabas, bagong kuwento. So we would also want to stress that in our activities especially in the coming months ‘no, not necessarily just for Heritage Month ‘no.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay, yeah. And I see that the digital poster that was flashed earlier is actually a result of a competition among the youth. So if we have actually seen it online, a lot of the young Filipinos now are so inspired by mga kuwento and mga… iyong mga fables natin, mga myths… oo, folklores. So uso ‘to sa mga bata, I think.

NCCA CHAIRPERSON MANALO: Parang anime pero based on Philippine history ‘no.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: That’s right. And so that’s part of our National Heritage Month promotions.

NCCA CHAIRPERSON MANALO: Exactly.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Is there anything else that you wanted to add, sirs?

NCCA CHAIRPERSON MANALO: Are there any more questions?

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: There, that’s the poster. Ang ganda … So the theme again is “Heritage, Change & Continuity” – National Heritage Month and it begins May 2023rd.

Thank you very much Malacañang Press Corps and thank you again to our NCCA Chairman Victorino Mapa Manalo and Executive Director Oscar Casaysay.

Magandang hapon sa inyong lahat. Thank you.

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News and Information Bureau – Transcription Section