Briones seeks creation of local museums

MANILA, Philippines — Education Secretary Leonor Briones has called for the creation of local museums to provide the public, particularly students, with more opportunities to learn about the country’s history and culture.

Briones made the statement during the recent inauguration of the National Museum of Natural History in Manila, which aims to serve as a center for education, science and culture in the country.

“I noticed that the National Museum is helping local governments, and I hope some of our friends and benefactors will think about it and set up their own local museums,” she said.

Briones expressed gratitude to the museum administration for waiving entrance fees at the museum, which features a scenic “Tree of Life” structure made of glass and aluminum domes that covers the entire courtyard.

The museum features various botanical and zoological exhibits, including a replica of crocodile Lolong, touted as the largest in captivity prior to its death in 2013.

“It’s a wonderful thing that children can come and marvel at the paintings of Juan Luna, look at the sculptures, and now, see physical evidence of what we are and what we were in this structure,” Briones said, referring to works of art featured in the museum complex.

“My only wish, and I suppose it will be a very difficult thing, is that all our 27 million learners somehow have an opportunity to visit this set of magnificent edifices,” she said.

The museum’s collections are seen to be a non-formal supplement to classroom learning in line with the implementation of DepEd’s enhanced basic education curriculum, according to Briones.

NYC: Safeguard cultural heritage

Meanwhile, National Youth Commission (NYC) chair Aiza Seguerra called on the youth to take part in efforts to preserve the country’s culture.

Speaking at a seminar on Filipino heritage organized by Escuela Taller de Filipinas Foundation, Seguerra stressed the need to enrich the youth’s literacy about the impact of preserving structures and other historical paraphernalia.

“We owe to our forefathers the preservation of the resplendent culture and history that they bequeathed to us. It is high time for us now to collectively put in our efforts to preserve the remnants of our glorious past,” the NYC chief said.

“As future custodians of our heritage, the youth must be aware and be involved in conserving the cultural treasures of our country. We encourage all the young people to also utilize the social media as a platform in spreading this advocacy to widen exposure and to gain better insights as to why these cultural treasures must be preserved,” Seguerra added.

The event, called the Paco Park Seminar and Workshop series, is also supported by the National Park Development Committee, Embassy of Spain, and the National Commission on Culture and the Arts.