Legarda: National Heritage Month affirms heritage as source of strength, hope for Filipinos

Senator Loren Legarda affirms that heritage is more than a memory; it is the strength that sustains Filipino families today as they face rising costs and uncertainty in their daily lives.

She stressed that this message is reflected in the observance of National Heritage Month this May, which carries the theme, “Roots and Horizons: Our Shared Heritage, Our Collective Future.” The celebration underscores how heritage serves as a resource that communities draw upon to endure and rebuild.

“Kapag mabigat ang pasanin ng mamamayan, mataas ang presyo ng bilihin, kulang ang hanapbuhay, ang ating pamana ang nagbibigay-lakas. Sa paghahabi, sa pagtatanim, sa sama-samang pag-alaga ng tradisyon, natututo tayong magtiis at bumangon. Ang pamana ay hindi dekorasyon kundi sandigan ng ating araw-araw,” Legarda said.

As Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Culture and the Arts, Legarda has championed landmark measures that connect heritage to everyday life. Among others, these include the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, which strengthened protection for cultural properties and traditions; the National Museum of the Philippines Act, which expanded access to museums as centers of education and resilience; the Gabaldon School Building Conservation Act, which preserved historic classrooms as living spaces for learning; and the National Indigenous Peoples Day Act, which recognized the role of indigenous communities in safeguarding heritage.

The four-term senator also principally authored and sponsored the institutionalization of Schools of Living Traditions (SLTs), recognized by UNESCO as a model of safeguarding practice. SLTs are community-run learning centers where cultural masters pass on weaving, chants, rituals, and crafts to younger generations. Legarda emphasized that these schools are more than cultural sanctuaries but also drivers of inclusive growth, linking traditional crafts to the creative economy and tourism.

Legarda has also spearheaded national initiatives such as the annual National Arts and Crafts Fair (NACF), which serves as a national platform for Filipino artisans to showcase their crafts and connect with broader markets. The NACF also highlights the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA), honoring master artisans recognized as National Living Treasures whose exemplary skills embody the country’s intangible heritage and are passed on to their communities.

She emphasized that heritage is intertwined with the nation’s struggles. During economic strain, crafts and traditions provide livelihoods for families. Amid social division, culture binds communities together and strengthens solidarity.

“Ang pamana ay bahagi ng ating araw-araw na buhay. Sa panahon ng krisis, dito kumukuha ng kabuhayan ang maraming pamilya at dito rin humuhugot ng lakas ang mga komunidad. Kapag pinangalagaan, pamana ang nagsisiguro na may matibay na sandigan ang bansa,” Legarda concluded. (30)