Legarda urges establishment of councils for the arts

Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, has introduced special provisions in the 2016 national budget that encourage the establishment of councils for the promotion of culture and the arts nationwide.

Legarda, who is also the chair of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities, said “We must continue to enrich our cultural activities and celebrations in different regions to remind us of the history and traditions of our towns and provinces.” She said providing support to cultural organizations and local artists in the form of grants-in-aid, technical assistance, networking opportunities and capacity-building initiatives through these Councils, are vital in marketing the country as a destination for cultural tourism.

Under the special provision, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) shall ensure the establishment of a council whose purpose is the promotion of culture and the arts in all provinces, cities, and municipalities.

The senator also introduced a special provision in the national budget urging LGUs, in coordination with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), to undertake cultural mapping of their tangible and intangible heritage.

“The fundamental goal of heritage mapping is to inform, educate and help the nation realize its rich heritage, allowing for reflection of what it stands to lose as a result of its collective apathy and what it could gain if it strives to protect and promote it,” Legarda concluded.

Source: Manila Bulletin