The University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV), in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and various state university colleges (SUCs) in Panay and Guimaras, has equipped over 350 mapper participants in mapping the significant cultural and natural assets of Panay and Guimaras islands after concluding its series of fruitful training and workshops on the Cultural Mapping of Panay and Guimaras (CMPG) Project.
Arranged in six distinct training locations throughout Panay from February 26 to April 5, 2024, every week-long training consisted of insightful lectures, discussions, and engaging activities on mapping natural heritage, tangible immovable cultural heritage, tangible movable cultural heritage, and significant personages and cultural institutions though fieldwork.
All these were led by NCCA specialists and facilitators, including Commissioner Arvin Manuel Villalon, John Delan Robillos, Ricamela Palis, Jose Soliman Jr., Athena G. Vitor, Ar. Wilfredo Sy Jr., Kevin Mejos, Divine Arawiran, Gladys Mae Argonza, David Kim Mabascog, Veronica Amboni, and Larra Te.
Participating in the trainings were the seven SUCs in Panay and Guimaras, namely Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISAT-U), West Visayas State University (WVSU), Iloilo State University of Fisheries Science and Technology (ISUFST), Guimaras State University (GSU), Capiz State University (CAPSU), Aklan State University (ASU), and University of Antique (UA), and the local government unit (LGU) representatives in the province of Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Guimaras, and Antique.
Various teams were organized in the different SUCs led by Prof. Eric de la Vega of ISAT-U, Dr. Bernardo Cagasan of GSU, Dr. Mary Ann Dela Vega of WVSU, Prof. Genevieve Santorio-Palmares of ISUFST, Dr. Leo Andrew Biclar of CAPSU, Dr. Nenia Bohulano of ASU, and Dr. Grace Pastolero of UA.
The newly hired full-time research assistants have begun conducting the cultural mapping activities. They will be further supervised by study leaders and consultants of partner SUCs, and will coordinate with participating LGUs.
UPV project leaders, consultants, researchers, and project staff members Michelle Villavert, Marc Leo Layson, Ma. Therese Taghap, Carlyn Grace Ausmolo, Kizia Candelario, Margaret Espa, and Ian Dapulaza assisted in the organization and facilitation of the training series.
The project, spearheaded by UPV, started in September 2023 and expects to produce a registry of all 103 municipalities and cities in the Panay and Guimaras by December 2024. This was done after the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between UPV, SUCs, and the provincial LGUs of each province.
Leading the Project are Program Manager Prof. Martin Genodepa, Overall Project Leader Ms. Anna Razel L. Ramirez, and Co-Project Leader Asst. Prof. Frances Anthea Redison. Project Leaders for each domain and consultants in the various fields were also tapped to ensure that the project goal will be achieved.
The Cultural Mapping of Panay and Guimaras Project is a priority project of Senate President Pro Tempore Loren B. Legarda, who also authored Republic Act 11961, also known as the “Cultural Mapping Law.”
