ISAT U spotlights Panay Bukidnon heritage

Iloilo Science and Technology University launched its Heritage Month celebration on Thursday, May 14, 2026, with a program dedicated to Panay Bukidnon traditions.

The activity was led by the Cultural Heritage Education and Research Center, or CHERC, as part of the university’s observance of National Heritage Month.

National Heritage Month is observed every May in the Philippines to promote awareness, appreciation, and preservation of the country’s cultural heritage.

The program opened with welcome remarks from College of Industrial Technology Dean Dr. Jeanneth F. Darroca.

CHERC Director Eric de la Vega presented the rationale for the celebration.

Anna Razel L. Ramirez of the University of the Philippines Visayas, project coordinator of Suguidanon Epics of Panay, delivered the keynote lecture on Panay Bukidnon culture and the vital documentation of the Suguidanon epics.

The session was also attended by Dr. Alicia P. Magos, professor emeritus of UP Visayas and pioneer researcher of the Suguidanon, who shared insights from her field studies.

Students and attendees from various colleges listened to chanting excerpts from the epics “Tikum Kadlum” and “Amburukay.”

The excerpts were performed by Teresita Caballero, daughter of the legendary Lola Susa.

After an open forum, students visited the CHERC Museum to interact with exhibits honoring Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan awardees.

The CHERC facility serves as a museum and cultural digital platform for communicating Ilonggo ancestry, heritage, and history to 21st-century learners, according to the Philippine Information Agency.

A focal point of the gallery is Federico “Tay Pedring” Caballero, the master chanter and Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan awardee who was instrumental in the complete documentation of the Suguidanon epics.

Caballero was conferred the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan in 2000 for his expertise in the Sugidanon, the epics of Central Panay, according to the National Museum of the Philippines.

The Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan, or National Living Treasures Award, is the highest state recognition for traditional folk artists and is equivalent in rank to the Order of National Artists, according to UP Visayas.

Through the exhibits, students explored the narratives and linguistic depth of Panay Bukidnon indigenous masterpieces firsthand.

The celebration will continue Tuesday, May 19, 2026, starting at 8 a.m. at the Gender and Development Grounds.

The university is inviting the public to witness the next program, which will feature award-winning photographer Marc Leo Layson in a discussion on cultural heritage documentation.

The event will also offer live demonstrations of Panubok embroidery and the Binanog dance by members of the Panay Bukidnon community.

Organizers said the program gives the university community an opportunity to engage directly with the living traditions of Panay and the legacies preserved by scholars and the Panay Bukidnon.