‘Panimad-on sang panublion’: Heritage learning as a building block for our future

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The National Museum of the Philippines Iloilo culminated its National Heritage Month 2026 celebration, with the theme “Roots and Horizons: Our Shared Heritage, Our Collective Future,” through Panimad-on: Quiz on Art, Nature, and Culture of Western Visayas held at the Old Prison of Iloilo on May 28, 2026.

Panimad-on was NMP Iloilo’s first ever heritage quiz bee. It brought together high school and college students, educators, and cultural workers in a day of learning and friendly competition. This museum education activity is part of NMP’s mandate as a cultural and scientific institution carried out through its various public programs.

The morning session featured lectures by Dr. Randy M. Madrid on weaving as an art form and its role in expressing Western Visayan and Filipino identity; Prof. Joyce Christine D. Colon on the importance of history education beyond the classroom and its relevance to contemporary society; and Rona Joy A. Loma on the ecological and economic significance of mangroves as natural barriers, habitats, and sources of livelihood.

During the afternoon session, participants competed in a quiz bee covering art, nature, and culture. The questions were drawn from NMP Iloilo’s permanent exhibitions on geology and paleontology, natural history, archaeology, ethnology, and fine arts.

For the School Category, Jaro National High School emerged as champion, followed by Iloilo City National High School in second place and U.P. High School in Iloilo in third place. Iloilo

River Plains Integrated School, who fielded three teams, secured the championship in the

Open Category. Other participating schools were Mandurriao National High School, La Paz National High School, and Ramon Avanceña National High School.

True to its name, Panimad-on—a Visayan word that refers to wisdom, knowledge, or experience—served as an avenue for learning and reflection. Through it, NMP Iloilo reaffirmed its commitment to uniting Western Visayans through heritage appreciation in pursuit of a more just and informed future. – Phillippe Angelo T. Hinosa