Two Foundations Join Voices in Telling the Story of the Historic ‘Battle Of Mactan’

Sulu Garden Foundation, a non-profit organization in Miag-ao, Iloilo recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Megaworld Foundation on January 29, 2021 to narrate the historic ‘Battle of Mactan’ that transpired 500 years ago.

The Sulu Garden Foundation is currently in its final stages of creating a 50-square meter diorama of the ‘Battle of Mactan’, which is considered the largest diorama in the Philippines. The Foundation began working in July 2020, employing several local artists in Miag-ao and commissioned some experts, including historians, 3D artists, project managers, and an architect to complete this historically significant project.

Megaworld Foundation, Inc. through its museums, Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA) and Chinatown Museum, is set to lead these series of online livestreams that allows the public to look into the exhaustive research and preparation needed to achieve this amazing diorama in time for the Quincentennial Commemoration. “The Making of the Biggest Diorama on the Battle of Mactan” is a two-part series.

The first installment embraces the historical research led by historian Danilo Gerona PhD. Significant points of this study will be discussed as main references to the diorama. Listen to Dr. Gerona as he dispels myths and discusses important findings about this event in Philippine history. This online talk will be at 2PM on Saturday, March 13.

The second part of this series looks into creative solutions that helped translate visual research to actual design. It goes into the detailed craftsmanship of the diorama, more specifically, the setting aesthetics and figurine designs. One interesting aspect of the talk is the birth of 3,000 unique action figures strategically placed on the equally intriguing replica of the shores of Mactan. This online talk will be given by Emilio Andres Sanchez (Head of Art Production), William Fusin Jr. (Architect), Juan Miguel Trivino (3D Artist, Manager of 3D Design Team). It will be on FB Live at 2PM on Saturday, March 20. Both livestreams will be simultaneously online at Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art, as well as, Chinatown Museum’s Facebook Pages. After the livestream, this will then be uploaded in Megaworld Museums Youtube channel: Museums Matter.

The primary objective of this collaboration is to digitally broadcast the research and making of this grand diorama project of Sulu Garden Foundation. This partnership aims to strengthen each organization’s advocacy of creating awareness of this significant highlight in Philippine history through a visually creative format.

“One of Sulu Garden Foundation’s main programs is history and heritage preservation. There is very little interest and awareness of our own history. People, in general, are so busy and too preoccupied with social media. And, there’s really not enough available educational material that makes the study of history easy to appreciate.

The 500th anniversary is very important because there won’t be another 500 years of celebration in our generation or the next. So, we assembled together a team of talented individuals to create something memorable in our lifetime,” says Jonathan Rey F. Matias, President and Chairman of Sulu Garden Foundation, Inc.

The inauguration of the ‘Battle of Mactan’ Diorama is part of the series of events for the 2021 National Quincentennial Commemorations organized by National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the National Quincentennial Committee (NQC). Sulu Garden Foundation is part of this national celebration and will launch the diorama on March 27, 2021, one month ahead of the actual date of April 27. The diorama will be on exhibition for three months starting March 27 to June 27 in Sulu Garden Hall (Miag-ao, Iloilo).

To learn more about Sulu Garden Foundation, see their website: www.sulugardenfoundation.org or the Facebook page of the Battle of Mactan: www.facebook.com/sulugardenfdn . To catch the livestreams on the “The Making of the Biggest Diorama on the Battle of Mactan: Historical Research, Art Production and Execution,” please RSVP to the March 13 and March 30 online talks at ILOMOCA FB page and Chinatown Museum FB Page.