33 institutions, 4 cities, 1 night of Cebuano—and Filipino—heritage

For seven years now, Cebuanos have been preserving their proud heritage in their hearts and minds with a simple act of remembrance.

The Gabii sa Kabilin, an initiative of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation’s (RAF) Culture and Heritage Unit, is, literally a “night of heritage” where museums, galleries, and heritage sites are open to visitors from 6PM to 12MN. While the event is held every last Friday of May, it is also in celebration of the International Museum Day, May 18.

Gabii sa Kabilin takes its cue from Lange Nacht der Museen or Long Night of Museums of Germany and other European countries.

When it began in May 25, 2007, there were only three museums and one heritage site. This year, 33 museums, galleries, and heritage sites in four cities participated over the weekend.

In Cebu City, there’s the Casa Gorordo Museum, Cathedral Museum of Cebu, Cebu City Hall, Cebu City Museum, Cebu Cultural Center, Don Sergio Osmeña Memorabilia and CAP Art Gallery, Fo Guang Shan Chu Un Temple, Fort San Pedro, Iglesia Filipina Independiente Cathedral of the Holy Child, Jose R. Gullas Halad Museum, Museo Parian sa Sugbo, Museo Sugbo, Plaza Independencia, Plaza Parian-AboitizLand Heritage Pocket, Sacred Heart Parish Church-Alternative Contemporary Art Studio, San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish Church, San Pedro Calungsod Chapel, Sugbo Chinese Heritage Museum, United Church of Christ in the Philippines-Bradford Memorial Chapel, University of Southern Philippines-Rizaliana Museum, University of the Philippines Cebu, and the Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House.

Lapu-Lapu City has the Mactan Shrine, Muelle Osmeña, Nuestra Señora Virgen de la Regla Parish Church, and Plaza Poblacion. Mandaue City has the Mandaue City Presidencia, Bantayan sa Hari, Plaza Complex, and the National Shrine of St. Joseph Parish Church while Talisay City has the National Historic Shrine Liberation Monument, Museo de Talisay, and the Sta. Teresa de Avila Parish Church.

Participants were able to visit these places for a ticket price of P150. Children age seven and under, accompanied by adults, get free admission. Guests use the Gabii sa Kabilin ticket to gain admission to the participating sites whether on their own or via the provided bus rides and tartanillas (horse-drawn carriages).

Bradford Memorial Chapel

The opening program began at the United Church of Christ in the Philippines-Bradford Memorial Chapel, the oldest Presbyterian church at 100 years in Cebu. Currently, it's the only protestant church in Cebu designated by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines as a National Historical Landmark.

At the Cebu City Hall, 52 framed photos of old Cebu, Leyte, Negros, Iloilo, Palawan, and Zamboanga from the Netzorg Filipiniana Collection of the Ortigas Foundation were unveiled by Cebu Mayor Mike Rama and NCCA Chairman Felipe de Leon Jr.

Cathedral Museum of Cebu

The Cathedral Museum of Cebu hosted the opening of Taoid 2013 at Plaza Hamabar. Children of the Turang Dance Troupe performed the Sinug or prayer dance along Mabini Street. Watch their performance below:

May’s National Heritage Month celebration started with the signing of Proclamation No. 439 on August 11, 2003. It is “in recognition of the need to create among the people a consciousness, respect, and pride for the legacies of Filipino cultural history, and love of country.

Leading the celebration is NCCA’s Subcommission on Cultural Heritage headed by Regalado Trota Jose. With this year’s theme, “Taoid: Weaving Our Stories, Threading Our Paths,” the National Heritage Month celebration aims at giving Filipinos “a glimpse of the legacies of the past and how it remains to shape the present and the future.” It is also “a recognition and celebration of the different aspects of our national cultural heritage—our traditional art forms and practices, important cultural structures both movable and immovable, and other objects of national importance whether tangible or intangible.