May is Heritage Month, so it's the perfect time to take stock on how well we are taking care of the Filipino heritage.
The Filipino Heritage Festival, which started in 2003, has over 40 activities nationwide to help you catch up.
"Because of globalization, most of us have forgotten our past. We have our very own Filipino cuisine, for example, which we should try to promote. If we don't appreciate what we have, how can others?," said Armita Rufino, the President of the Filipino Heritage Festival, Inc.
The month-long celebration includes the traditional Filipino Santacruzan in various provinces, as well as performances, tributes, and exhibits from local groups and artists.
One of the groups working with FHFI is 'Habi', which was organized in 2009 when a textile symposium was held in Manila.
The organization was initiated by Indonesian women, with the aim to help traditional textile weavers preserve and promote their products.
"There are very few women weaving now. they would rather go abroad and work as OFWs so Habi is trying to revive this industry. all over the world, there is a demand on handmade products," Monsie David, President of HABI said.
You can still catch Habi's "A Journey through Philippine Handwoven Textiles Exhibit" on May 23 in Starmall, Bulacan.
Here are some of the activities for the rest of May:
May 23 - Tertulia sa Lumang Bahay in Batangas City
May 23 - 30 HABI, A Journey through Philippine Handwoven Textiles Exhibit at Starmall, Bulacan
May 24 - Traditional Biblical Santa Cruz de Mayo procession at Intramuros
May 25-29 - Feathers in the Fields : Birds of IRRI Exhibit
May 26 - Banda Kawayan Pilipinas Performance in Negros Occidental
- Pahampang Pinoy or Phil. Traditional Games
May 27 - Banda Kawayan Pilipinas Performance in Bacolod
May 29-30 - Phil Opera Company and University of the East Chorale, "Harana sa Glorietta"
Biblical Traditional Santa Cruz de Mayo - Batangas
Biblical Traditional Santa Cruz de Mayo - Bacolod
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