The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) highlighted the crucial role of communities in preserving the country’s cultural heritage, especially during the celebration of National Heritage Month this May.
Jose Eleazar Bersales, head of the NCCA’s Committee on Museums, emphasized that communities are central in protecting and appreciating local culture. “Communities play an important role in ensuring the enrichment and appreciation of our cultural heritage. We need to look back, see the history,” Bersales said during an interview with Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.
This year’s theme is “Preserving Legacies, Building Futures: Empowering Communities Through Heritage.” Bersales noted that heritage development varies across regions due to the country’s archipelagic nature, making localized efforts essential.
He also pointed out the importance of the recently signed Cultural Mapping Law, whose implementing rules and regulations (IRR) were recently released. The law requires all local government units (LGUs), down to the barangay level, to conduct cultural mapping.
“Iyan ang magpapa-level ng playing field sa pag-inventory, pag-identify at pag-protect ng ating mga heritage resources,” he said.
Bersales encouraged LGUs to pass ordinances to protect and promote their heritage assets, integrate local history in education, and produce history books.
To support these efforts, the NCCA offers grants to artists, communities, museums, and indigenous groups, along with technical assistance and speaker honoraria. Museums can also apply for up to PHP600,000 to improve facilities.
As part of National Heritage Month, the NCCA also launched several projects. These include training on library preservation and digitalization, archiving and collection management for artists and galleries, and a local history writing workshop in Tacloban on May 20–21.