In a commendable initiative, the City Events, Protocol and Public Information Office (CEPPIO) of the City Government of Naga orchestrated a comprehensive weeklong training session in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts which reeled off November 20 to 24.
The objective was to equip city mappers with the skills needed to construct Naga City’s cultural profile and safeguard its rich heritage sites.
This endeavor aligns with the Cultural Mapping Act, Act 11961, implemented in August of this year. The legislation directs local government units to undertake thorough cultural mapping, covering tangible and intangible heritage, as well as natural and built heritage. The aim is to foster and preserve Filipino culture as an integral aspect of local and national development.
Approximately 80 representatives, comprising individuals from schools, heritage groups, government personnel, and cultural mappers, participated in the seminar. Among them were members of the Metro Naga Development Council (MNDC) and neighboring towns.
Allen Reondanga, CEPPIO Head, emphasized that the cultural project seeks to establish Naga City’s extensive identity based on its rich history, best practices, resources, and culture. This comprehensive approach will serve as a foundation for future planning and policy-making.
Reondanga outlined the project’s timeline, indicating that after a series of evaluations and validations over the next six months, it will culminate in the production of published books.
These books will be distributed to schools, research centers, barangays, and government agencies, fostering integration of development programs and structural plans for enduring unity and progress.
Reondanga urged Naga City residents to collaborate with community mappers, contributing local stories to ensure the project’s success.
Paulo Suzara, the designated museum curator and placement officer of the University of Nueva Caceres, hailed the initiative as a benchmark for residents to draw inspiration and motivation in embracing a unified identity for Naga City.
Suzara emphasized the potential for residents to actively engage in the project, laying the groundwork for future economic growth, tourism developments, and strategic planning.
Under the Cultural Mapping Act, the NCAA and other cultural agencies are mandated to provide technical and financial assistance to local government units, facilitating compliance with the cultural mapping mandate.
(Jace Neola, CEPPIO.)
