NM opening exhibit features 

Bohol art, culture, hardwork 

TAGBILARAN CITY, July 22 (PIA)—In what appears to be a present that did not come wrapped, the National Museum (NM) Satellite Office here spread five exhibits celebrating Boholano artistry, culture, resilience, hardwork and nature from the heritage building declared an important cultural property, on its inaugural opening to the public in time for Bohol Day, July 22. 

A museum that opened from the earthquake damaged 1855 Provincial Capitol Building as Bohol’s leading examples of adaptive re-use, the museum accepted the public with its ground floor and second floor galleries’ exhibits. 

“You’ll only see something like this in the cities of Europe, it’s very timely that we have something like this,” Congressman Karlo Alexi Nograles shared as he cited that it was in his father’s term that Congress enacted the Cultural Heritage Act. 

“I am impressed that we built something like this from the ruins, now tourists can understand Bohol language, culture and heritage, which they in turn, can share to others, Nograles, who was Bohol Day guest,” added. 

Leading the inaugural day exhibit is Pagpauli: the works of National Artist for sculpture, Napoleon Abueva and his private collection from his homes in Duero and Quezon City and which his family loaned to the NM, shared Amihan Abueva, daughter of the artist who recently died. 

The exhibit is an NM partnership with the Abueva family and features his significant works and how his hometown shaped his artistry and values to be hailed as the father of Modern Philippine Sculpture, the youngest national artist when conferred and the first national artist from Bohol, NM Assistant Director Angel Bautista. 

On the small gallery at the right side of the newly opened to the public museum is another exhibit: that of the Pagbanhaw: the National Museum restoration and conservation efforts of the heritage structure of Bohol and the Visayas, which were affected by the 7.2 magnitude October 15 earthquake. 

Pagbanhaw presents a comprehensive and accurate documentation of the protection, preservation and conservation of significant tangible immovable and movable cultural properties of Bohol and Eastern Samar after the 2013 earthquake and the subsequent calamities that hit the region, summarizes NM information office Emmylou Palacio-Noel in a press statement. 

The exhibit details meticulous procedures the government has to do to ensure proper preservation and conservation of the cultural properties and fortify them to withstand future disasters. 

Also on exhibit at the second floor of the restored military tribuna and military quarters turned Provincial Capitol is Mga Selyo’ng Pamana: the Philippine Postal Corporation’s philatelic exhibit of the Philippine history, in stamps. 

For the keen history buff, the stamps exhibit is an interesting window to provide an understanding of the period political climates, present a static illustration of how it was living in the Philippines, its milestones, the catholic traditions and how this etches into the life and polity of the Filipinos “shaping and reshaping” the culture and the heritage of the country. 

The stamps exhibit also highlight the colonial heritage churches in the Philippines and Bohol feature is the church of our Lady of the Assumption in Dauis, a national treasure, among the features of the 2018 Heritage Month Philippine Colonial Churches issue of the Philpost, said Boholano Postmaster General Joel Otarra, during the day of the exhibit opening. 

Also in the second floor gallery is another exhibit: that of the Tigum [sa mga] Bol-anon sa Tibuok Kalibutan’s (TBTK) Ten Outstanding Boholanos around the World (TOBAW). 

On exhibit are the TOBAW awardees who have made Boholanos proud as they excelled in their different fields of expertise from education, politics, law, public service, engineering, agriculture, medicine, science, arts, social development and many more fields across time. 

Also on the side gallery on the second floor is the Audio-Visual exhibit of the rich marine life of Bohol and highlights the botanical and zoological treasures of the island province. The underwater video was shot in Balicasag Island off Panglao. 

The exhibit shows Bohol’s importance and its potential contributions to zoology, botany, history owing to its significant archaeological finds which are fast defining the national reference systems, NM Bautista bared. 

Diocese of Tagbilaran Bishop Albert Uy officiated the blessing and the ribbon cutting along with guest Davao Congressman Karlo Alexi Nograles, Philpost’s Otarra, Cong. Rene Relampagos, NM Angel Bautista and Bohol cultural deputies, guests and the general public. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol) 

 Local leaders Bohol Rep. Rene Relampagos, Governor Edgar Chatto, PhilPost Postmaster General Joel Otarra, Davao Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles, Tagbilaran Diocese of Bohol Bishop Alberto Uy and NM Assistant Director Angel Bautista during the ceremonial ribbon cutting opening the new Bohol Field Office and galleries of the National Museum July 22. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol) 

Diocese of Tagbilaran Bishop Alberto Uy officiates the blessing of the newly opened galleries of the Bohol Area Field Office of the National Museum where exhibits like of national artist Napoleon Abueva’s works in Pagpauli remain open for public viewing. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)