NCCA to help involve youth in rebuilding Marawi through cultural livelihood

• Source: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/2611499906953/ncca-to-help-involve-youth-in-rebuilding-marawi-through-cultural-livelihood-
• Sunday, July 16, 2017

By Jasper Marie Oblina-Rucat (JMOR/PIA10)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) -- The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) through Talakayan sa PIA on 12 July 2017 shares that they are optimistic that the core of Maranao culture will be preserved despite the crisis in Marawi through involving the youth in crafts making.

Adelina Suemith, head of Socio-Cultural Working Group of BIMP-EAGA region and National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ (NCCA) Chief of Program Monitoring and Evaluation Division said that they are planning a program to involve the Maranao youth, once the rebuilding of Marawi will take place, in a cultural livelihood to make Maranao crafts. This is one way of preserving Marano culture and arts and at the same time source of income for them.

Meanwhile, Engr. Marites Maguindra, executive director of the Bureau on Cultural Heritage of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) said that understanding culture is one way to attain peace. There has been a lot of stereotypes about the Muslim culture, but if only people could understand and appreciate then we can live in harmony, she said.

She also added that ARMM has also planned to build a cultural center in Marawi once the crisis is over. This way, all the craftsmanship of Maranao culture will be displayed in one place.

Further, Lordelie Enjambre of Mindanao Development Authority (MinDa) shared that culture is within us, embedded since birth. No war or crisis can take that away.

This is why NCCA is spearheading a Mindanao culture and arts festival dubbed “Budayaw” in General Santos City on 20-24 September 2017. Philippines is the first ever member nation of BIMP-EAGA to host this event.

Budayaw will showcase the diveristy of creative expressions of cultural masters and artisits in Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) as well as raise awareness and foster appreciation on the landscapes, life-scapes and aspirations of peoples of the region.

The goal of this event is to raise appreciation of the different cultures of BIMP-EAGA nations and seek the unity in diversity.

According to Nestor Horfilla, head of Festival Organizing Team and Artistic Directors’ Team of Budayaw 2017, even though we are different nations, we have commonality particularly in the origin of the language and how we do things. Although it has evolved through the years but still the core is there.

Meanwhile, Dr. Pila Torres Banaag, vice-head of the National committee on Communications of NCCA explained that Mindanao has been preparing to participate in this event through its various cultural groups.

This festival is a combined efforts og NCCA, MinDA, Department of Tourism (DOT), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), ARMM, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Province of Saranggani, General Santos City and Mindanao State University - General Santos City.