UPV launches Panay, Guimaras heritage inventory

By Mariela Angella Oladive

The University of the Philippines Visayas formally launched and distributed a 100-volume cultural mapping inventory documenting the heritage of Panay and Guimaras on June 19, marking the completion of one of the largest cultural documentation initiatives in Western Visayas.

The inventory is the culmination of the Cultural Mapping of Panay and Guimaras Project, a multi-institutional undertaking led by UPV through its Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension.

The project was implemented in partnership with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the Office of Sen. Loren Legarda, state universities and colleges, local governments, cultural workers, researchers, and community stakeholders.

The compendium records tangible and intangible cultural heritage across Panay and Guimaras, including built and movable heritage, historical sites, cultural landscapes, natural resources, cultural institutions, significant personages, traditions, and Indigenous knowledge systems validated by local communities.

In her welcome address, CMPG overall project leader Anna Razel Ramirez described the initiative as a monumental undertaking made possible through collaboration among various sectors.

“From the very beginning, we recognized that this was a monumental task. Yet we knew from our previous experience that partnerships among government agencies, academic institutions, the church, law enforcement agencies, and local communities could yield remarkable results,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez said the scholarship, expertise, and research capacities of state universities and colleges were instrumental in documenting the cultural and natural heritage of Panay and Guimaras.

“As we celebrate this milestone, let us reaffirm our commitment to preserving, promoting, and protecting the rich cultural and natural heritage of Panay and Guimaras. May these inventories serve not only as records of the past but also as guides for the future, inspiring generations to value, safeguard, and take pride in the heritage that defines who we are,” Ramirez added.

In a message delivered by CMPG Program Manager Martin Genodepa, UPV Chancellor Clement C. Camposano emphasized the role of universities in cultural mapping.

“Cultural mapping is a process that helps communities identify, document, and make use of their cultural resources. When universities take part in cultural mapping, the process becomes even more valuable. It goes beyond documentation and becomes a tool for community engagement, research, and education,” Camposano said.

Camposano said the project empowers communities by placing local voices at the center of heritage identification and preservation efforts.

The initiative supports Republic Act No. 11961, or the Cultural Mapping Law, authored and principally sponsored by Legarda, which mandates local governments to conduct cultural mapping within their jurisdictions.

In her keynote message, Legarda underscored the importance of cultural inventories in informing local policies, strengthening heritage-based tourism initiatives, and reinforcing regional identity for future generations.

Participating institutions included Capiz State University, the University of Antique, Guimaras State University, Aklan State University, Iloilo Science and Technology University, Iloilo State University of Fisheries Science and Technology, Northern Iloilo State University, Passi City College, and West Visayas State University.

The Panay and Guimaras inventories complement the 32-volume cultural inventory of Negros Occidental launched in February.

Aside from the printed volumes distributed to local governments and partner institutions, the project introduced digital resources aimed at widening public access to the documentation.

These include a series of video documentaries produced by assistant professor Julie Prescott, filmmaker Daniel de la Cruz, and the CMPG Video Production Team, as well as the official Cultural Mapping website, which serves as an online repository of the project’s outputs.

The launch also featured a photo exhibit by CMPG Documentation Officer Marc Leo Layson, showcasing selected cultural heritage assets documented during fieldwork across Panay and Guimaras.

Project proponents said the inventories are expected to serve as valuable references for local governments, researchers, educators, cultural workers, and communities as they continue efforts to preserve and promote the region’s rich cultural legacy.