Youth event highlights Cebuano heritage

By Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.
October 12, 2012

CEBU CITY  –  Around 2,000 students, some in colorful Filipiana attire while others in costumes portraying characters from the different eras of Philippine history, visited the city’s museums and heritage sites on Sept. 29 for the 4th Kabataan, Kultura ug Kabilin (KKK).

KKK is organized by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), in partnership with the University of San Carlos - Department of Anthropology, Sociology and History (USC-DASH) and the Cebu City Government.

Museums and heritage sites that opened are Casa Gorordo Museum, Cathedral Museum of Cebu, Cebu City Museum, Cebu Normal University Museum, Jose R. Gullas Halad Museum, Fort San Pedro, Museo Sugbo, Museo Parian sa Sugbo, Sacred Heart Church - Alternative Contemporary Arts Studio, University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) - Rizaliana Museum, Basilica Minore del Santo Niño, Cebu Heritage Monument, Colon Obelisk, Magellan’s Cross, Plaza Hamabar, Plaza Independencia, Plaza Sugbo, and San Nicholas Church.

The event is aimed to connect theoretical lectures on history, society, culture and heritage through visiting museums and heritage sites, demonstrate the value of museum and heritage sites or institutions as tools for education, encourage a dynamic dialogue between heritage groups, host communities and young people in the promotion and protection of the sites, and develop a sense of pride.

According to James Son G. Pada, an Engineering student from the University of San Carlos and a participant during the event, “KKK was able to show me the richness of the Philippine culture in the past until today.”

To ferry the participants, school buses of USC and USPF, Ceres Liner buses, and buses of barangays Zapatera, Day-as, San Roque, Tejero, Banilad, Bacayan, Apas, Ermita, T. Padilla, Señor Sto. Niño, Sta. Cruz, Lahug, Mabolo, and Lorega-San Miguel were used.

Tartanillas (horse-drawn carriage) also plied between the Gotiaoco Building, across the Cebu City Hall and Fort San Pedro.

More than 50 youth volunteers from USC-DASH, partner barangays, and graduates of Young Minds Academy (YMA) facilitated the tour in the museums and heritage sites.

Asked why she volunteered for KKK, Candice Cañete, an Anthropology major from USC, said, “I do not deserve to sleep today if I am not wiser tomorrow than I was yesterday”.

KKK is supported by Cebu City Parks and Playgrounds Commission, Cebu City Police Office, Cebu City Traffic Operations Management, Department of Tourism - Region 7, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Cebu Provincial Government, and the Philippine Navy - Naval Forces Central.

Kabataan, Kultura ug Kabilin is a program under Culture & Heritage, one of the focus areas of RAFI, which aims to help communities understand, value, and share their cultural identity with others. RAFI's other focus areas are Integrated Development, Micro-finance & Entrepreneurship, Leadership & Citizenship, and Education.