Treasures of Heritage: Legarda brings Schools of Living Traditions exhibit at the Senate

Senator Loren Legarda, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Culture and the Arts, today opened the Schools of Living Traditions (SLTs) exhibit, “Buhay na Dunong: Bukal ng Pamana,” at the Senate of the Philippines. Running from May 4 to 7, 2026, the exhibit forms part of the National Heritage Month celebration and highlights the richness of Filipino living traditions, affirming Legarda’s long-standing vision to sustain and pass on cultural heritage to future generations.

Curated at the 2nd Floor Corridor of the Senate Building, the exhibit features cultural artifacts, traditional attire, crafts, and audio-visual presentations from SLT communities nationwide. It underscores the role of SLTs in preserving and transmitting Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Skills, and Practices (IKSSP), while recognizing the contributions of cultural masters and partner institutions.

“Kung mawawala ang ating kultural na pamana, sino tayo? The exhibit you see here today is not merely for aesthetics; all of these carry memory, skill, and identity. The SLTs remind us that our cultural heritage survives not only in museums and display cases but most importantly, in the life of the communities and who practices it,” Legarda said.

Legarda has long championed measures that strengthen culture and heritage, including the National Cultural Heritage Act, the Cultural Mapping Law, and the Integrated History Act of 2016. For the current Congress, she principally authored Senate Bill No. 1507, which institutionalizes SLTs as a national cultural education mechanism and amends the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009. The measure, which has already passed on Third Reading in the Senate, establishes a Center for Schools of Living Traditions (CSLT) under the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), strengthens inter-agency collaboration with DepEd, CHED, TESDA, LGUs, and NCIP, and provides funding and institutional support for cultural masters and communities.

The SLT program was initiated in 1995 by the NCCA, with more than 300 centers established nationwide. In 2015, the program was enhanced into a five-year framework that includes capacity building, development of learning systems, knowledge transfer, and cultural product development. On December 16, 2021, the SLT Program was inscribed in the UNESCO Register of Good Safeguarding Practices, recognizing it as a global model for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.

Organized into zones by island groups, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, the exhibit presents textiles, basketry, beadwork, weaving, wood carving, and other traditional crafts, alongside audio-visual narratives of cultural transmission. By bringing SLTs to the Senate, Legarda reaffirms her commitment to cultural advocacy and invites the public to celebrate the treasures of heritage that continue to inspire and strengthen the Filipino nation.

“Kaya’t sa araw na ito, taos puso po akong nagpapasalamat sa inyong pakikiisa. Nawa’y magsilbi tayong mga daluyan ng mas malawak na pagpapalaganap ng suporta para sa ating kultura at pamana. Manindigan tayo at ipagpatuloy nating pangalagaan ang ating mga katutubong kaalaman, itaguyod ang ating mga cultural worker, at palakasin ang mga institusyong nagsisiguro na naipapasa ang ating pamana sa susunod na henerasyon. Sapagkat ang ating kultura at pamana ay ang ating pagkakakilanlan. Ito ang ating dangal. Ito ang nagbibigay kabuluhan sa ating bayan,” Legarda concluded. (30)