NCCA features Cordillera, Glan artists

GLAN, Sarangani (September 29, 2014) – Glan teams up with the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts in advocating appreciation and respect for the beauty of culture and arts featured in an interaction painting activity between Tam-Awan artists and the town’s local talents. At the background is the old dispensary building, among the town’s heritage sites, where the competition and exhibit is being held from September 24 until the 8th of October when Glan will be celebrating its 100 years founding anniversary. (Tres B. Besana/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Glan, Cordillera artists interact

GLAN, Sarangani (September 29, 2014) – Tam-Awan artists from a village in the Cordillera showcase Baguio’s art and cultural scenes by joining Glan’s local artists in an interaction painting activity as among the highlight events for Glan centennial anniversary. This cultural exchange of artists intends to sharpen skills of local talents. (Tres B. Besana/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Sarangani’s Blaan School of Living Traditions recognized by NCCA

By APRIL JANE C. UGSAD

ALABEL, Sarangani (June 6, 2014) — The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has recognized the School of Living Traditions (SLT) in Lamlifew, Malungon as one of the most successful SLTs in the Philippines through its cultural master and SLT coordinator, Helen Lumbos.

The award to Lumbos was given during the 2^nd SLT Summit held in Zamboanga City recently.

The summit gave credit to all cultural masters and implementers of SLTs and how they responded to slowly fading culture of IP communities.

“We highlighted the provincial government’s effort in protecting the cultural heritage of the Indigenous People (IP) through special programs, tourism development, and cultural development initiatives,” said Celito Terando, project manager under Sulong Tribu of the provincial government.

Also, the Lamlifew community took effort in gaining economic significance to sustain themselves by showcasing their food, dance performances, and craft produced though weaving which is an alternative source of their income.

Terando said that Lamlifew, beyond NCCA’s assistance, has become a cultural enterprise and then eventually became a cultural tourism site through the provincial government’s effort, in partnership with some private organizations.

Lamlifew community is a recipient of the ABS-CBN Foundation for cultural tourism and is now part of the Department of Education’s curriculum under the IP education program.

“We would like to thank Gov. Steve Chiongbian Solon for the strong support to make this recognition to the province possible,” Terando said as he made the announcement in the Capitol.

Sarangani became a model for NCCA on how the province pushed to include the SLT in schools. The participants who attended the 2nd SLT Summit wanted to adopt the strategies and best practices applied by Sarangani to preserve its cultural heritage. (April Jane C. Ugsad/PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR’S OFFICE)

Visual Arts Exhibit opens in Glan

By BEVERLY C. PAOYON

GLAN, Sarangani (October 4,2013) – The local government of Glan opened Friday (October 4) a Visual Arts Exhibit at the town hall lobby in partnership with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) to showcase local artists works.

The event exhibits creations of Maglang Artists (local artists), as output of their workshop with NCCA in August as part of the activities for the NCCA’s heritage month staged this year.

The exhibit, according to municipal tourism officer Lodar Escobillo, will “portray the hidden talents and skills of the local artists as this will also inspire and motivate young and budding talents.”

Escobillo also explained this as a prelude to their proposed museum gallery in preparation for the town’s centennial anniversary next year.

The Municipal Tourism Office, in partnership with the NCCA and Alpha Phi Omega International Fraternity and Sorority-Iota Tau, has also started preparing the large concrete erosion barrier upon entering Glan from General Santos City as a site for mural painting to drum up next year’s celebration.

Escobillo said Glan is among the six areas across the country that Department of Tourism (DOT)-Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) has enrolled for Tourism Economic Zone, a flagship national project.

Glan listed three sites which are portions of their coastal areas for the project. One of these is a portion of the coast of Gumasa where DOT-accredited resorts lie along the stretch of white sand.

Representatives from DOT-TIEZA have already conducted an ocular inspection for the proposed sites, Escobillo said, and is expecting the result to come out next year. (Beverly C. Paoyon/ SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)