SAN JOSE, Antique – In celebration of International Museum Day, outgoing senator and congresswomen-elect Loren Legarda encouraged everyone to discover the different aspects of the nation’s culture and history through museums.
Legarda, a staunch advocate of art and culture promotion, said the celebration on May 18 was themed “Museums as Cultural Hubs: The future of tradition.”
She added museums are vessels of important historical knowledge and cultural heritage and showcase the invaluable Filipino talent.
“Museums are vessels in such a way that they house our historical, scientific, artistic, and cultural artifacts and treasures for everyone to appreciate, study, and understand,” Legarda said.
Legarda has been working with the National Museum to organize lecture series and demonstrations, particularly on weaving, at the Hibla ng Lahing Filipino, the country’s first permanent textile gallery.
She is also the patron of the Hibla gallery, which now has travelling exhibitions abroad and regional galleries, such as the Hibla Iloko at the National Museum Ilocos Region and Habol Panay at the National Museum Western Visayas Regional Museum.
In her home province of Antique, one of Legarda’s projects is the restoration and retrofitting of the Old Provincial Capitol building to turn it into a museum and library. She also hopes to have museums in every municipality in the province to showcase the different cultures and traditions of each town.
“Museums are the best places to go for anyone who wants to deepen their knowledge and interest in our history, culture, and arts,” she stressed./PN
