By: Jun Kindipan Dumar

THE PROVINCE OF IFUGAO is one of the five cities and provinces in Luzon that received the International Theater Institute (ITI) and National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) award for being a Culture Friendly Local Government Unit on March 26-27 at Malacanang Palace.

Ifugao is the lone province in the cordillera region included in the twenty awardees from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. With Ifugao for Luzon area are Aurora, Batangas, Science City of Munoz, and Santiago City. For Visayas are Provinces of Antique, Cebu, Bohol, and Capiz. For Mindanao are Provinces of Tawi-Tawi, South Cotabato, City of Davao, and the Municipalities of Lapuyan and Tugaya. And for the National Capital Region (NCR) are the Cities of Manila, Marikina, Quezon, Pasig, Valenzuela, and Mandaluyong.

All mentioned awardees had received the “sarimanok” trophy which was designed by National Artist for Sculpture Dr. Abdulmari Asia Imao in recognition for the awardees’ dedication to advancement and promotion of heritage, arts and culture in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

The awards ceremony is the highlight of the March 21-27 weeklong celebration of the annual United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization and the International Theater Institute (UNESCO-ITI) World Theater Week in the Philippines declared by President Gloria Arroyo under Presidential Proclamation No. 1262 purposely for the mobilization of cultural diversity to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (UN MDGs).

Governor Teddy Baguilat Jr. was surprised when reached by information that it is only Ifugao among the other provinces in the cordilleras that is included in the twenty awardees. “The award is because of strong dedication of stakeholders to preserve and promote culture, and create ways to pass the knowledge in culture to the young generations of Ifugaos,” Baguilat said.

Working with the local government unit of Ifugao for the promotion of culture are the Department of Education, School of Living Tradition, and the Nurturing Indigenous Knowledge Experts (NIKE), a team that focuses on educating culture and tradition among the young Ifugaos.

Awardees were selected accordingly by the ITI Executive Council chaired by National Artist for Literature Dr. Alejandro Roces in liaison with the NCCA Secretariat affirmed by chairperson and DepEd Undersecretary for Programs and Projects Dr. Vilma Labrador, and the Office of the Presidential-PA on culture.

The awarding ceremony will be aired as part of the weekly educational and cultural program entitled “Sining Gising” (Ugnayan ng DepEd at NCCA) on National Broadcasting Network on March 29, 2009 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM hosted by Cecile Guidote Alvarez, NCCA Executive Director and Presidential PA on Culture.