Manila: An executive of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) emphasized the crucial role of communities in enriching the nation’s culture. “Communities play an important role in ensuring the enrichment and appreciation of our cultural heritage. We need to look back, see the history,” stated Jose Eleazar Bersales, head of NCCA’s Committee on Museums, during the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview.

According to Philippines News Agency, this year’s National Heritage Month theme is “Preserving Legacies, Building Futures: Empowering Communities Through Heritage.” Bersales noted that the Philippines, being an archipelagic country, experiences varying levels of development and appreciation for heritage across different areas.

Bersales highlighted that President Marcos had signed the Cultural Mapping Law, with its implementing rules and regulations recently released. This law mandates cultural mapping in all local government units (LGUs) down to the barangay level, aiming to level the playing field in inventory, identification, and protection of heritage resources.

LGUs are encouraged by Bersales to establish ordinances that protect their heritage assets, promote them, and incorporate history into educational systems. To assist LGUs, the NCCA offers grants and calls for proposals to support artists, communities, individuals, museums, and indigenous people. Additionally, the NCCA provides technical assistance, such as speaker honorariums.

Bersales also mentioned that museums could apply for grants up to PHP600,000 to enhance their facilities. Furthermore, the NCCA has launched flagship projects for the month, including the National Committee on Library Information Services’ ongoing training on library preservation and digitalization and the National Committee on Art Galleries’ training on archiving and collection management.

The National Committee on Historical Research is set to conduct training on writing local histories in Tacloban from May 20 to 21.