The University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman formally opened on Monday, February 6 its Arts and Culture Festival 2023, with the theme “Kaloob Mula at Tungo sa Bayan: Artista-Iskolar-Manlilikha.”
The annual festival coincides with the celebration of National Arts Month every February.
“Isa itong konsepto na lalong nagpapatingkad sa bayanihan, pakikipagkapuwa, at pakikisama nating mga Pilipino. Napapanahon ang temang ‘Kaloob’ dahil hindi pa tapos ang pandemya at patuloy pa rin nating binabaybay ang mga pagsubok na dulot nito,” UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo said.
According to the UP Diliman Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (OICA), the event, which will run until March, serves as an appropriate venue to give value to art and culture and their roles in society.
“Ang ‘Kaloob’ Festival ay pagkakataon na bigyan ng karampatang halaga ang sining at kultura sa pagpapayabong ng kamalayang makatao, sa mga pamamaraang malikhain taglay ang perspektibong kritikal na siyang sandigan ng liberal na edukasyon ng Pamantasan,” OICA said.
The festival opening also saw the official launch of UP Diliman’s Culture Bearers-in-Residence Program.
The program, which will be handled by OICA, aims to be a mechanism for students to learn indigenous knowledge from culture bearers or “national living treasures” themselves.
“Ang culture bearer, o culture master, ay mga guro rin ng ating lipunan. Sila ang mga buháy na pambansang yaman. Kayâ naman, malaking karangalan sa ating Unibersidad ang maimbitahan ang mga culture bearer para magkaloob ng husay, dunong, at karanasan sa ating mga estudyante, guro, mananaliksik, at kawani,” Nemenzo said.
“Nawa’y maging daan ito para lalo pa nating mapangalagaan ang mga yamang-kultural ng ating bansa,” he added.
In an interview on DZUP’s “UP Atin ‘To” last February 1, UP Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts Chair Sir Anril Tiatco said the program is important in promoting culture.
“Sa tingin ko, ito ay napakahalagang legasiya at pamana ng ating Tsanselor. Ito ‘yung programa kung saan makakahalubilo natin ang mga culture bearers. Tuturuan nila táyo ng mga kaalamang bayan katulad ng traditional craft [at iba pa],” he said.