ANTIQUE, Philippines — Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Office of Senator Loren Legarda, and the Office of Antique Representative AA Legarda launched the provincial leg of the “Himig Himbing: Ang Mga Ambahanun Natin,” an event that highlights the country’s rich indigenous and folk lullabies at the University of Antique in the Municipality of Sibalom.
The project aims to reach a wider audience around the nation, showcasing a curated collection of lullabies by various Filipino musical talents.
It features a workshop that integrates music, film, literature, visual arts, performance, and dance designed to deepen participants’ appreciation of traditional lullabies and their broader connections to life.
“This is a project of the CCP to bring our project, which is called the ‘Himig Himbing,’ which is based on Philippine lullabies, to as many places in the Philippines as possible,” CCP Vice President and Artistic Director Dennis Marasigan told Philstar.com in an exclusive interview.
“We’re very thankful that Sen. Loren Legarda invited and made sure that we are able to visit Antique. So this particular event has two components. One is there is a creative arts and a filmmaking workshop for students so that they can also be equipped with the skills.
“The second is really to popularize the songs that are part of the ‘Himig Himbing,’ which have been researched, transcribed, recorded, and which are also the subject of short films by independent filmmakers.
“So in effect, if you notice the posters that we have and you at the QR codes, the QR codes will lead you to the lyrics of the song to a video about that uses the song as a means. So in the end, we hope that more people become aware that these songs exist, these are part of our culture, and that these are songs that can actually be used by nurturers, mothers, teachers for children in much the same that they have been used for centuries.”
In her video message during the launch, Legarda emphasized that the project exemplifies a whole-of-nation approach to preserving cultural heritage, highlighting that it is every Filipino’s responsibility to honor and recognize the value of indigenous and traditional music.
“Bahagi na ng ating kabataan ang mga kantang humele sa atin sa pagtulog – tila bulong ng pagmamahal at pag-aaruga ng ating ina na nagbibigay ng kapayapaan at ginhawa sa ating paghinga… Sabay-sabay nating balikan ang mga alaalang dala ng mga heleng ito,” she said.
“Nawa’y manatiling buhay ang mga himig at lirika, at patuloy na awitin at marinig ng mga susunod na henerasyon. Sama-sama nating pangalagaan ang yaman ng ating nakaraan at ng ating kultura bilang mga Pilipino,” she added.
Moreover, the workshop also introduces the Himig Himbing Book published by the CCP in 2023. It features 16 lullabies compiled by ethnomusicologist Sol Trinidad, which reintroduces indigenous and folk lullabies to a broader Filipino audience.
“Taos puso akong nagpapasalamat sa Cultural Center of the Philippines, katuwang ang Pambansang Komisyon para sa Kultura at mga Sining, at sa lahat ng nag-alay ng kanilang talento at dedikasyon para sa proyektong ito. Isang inspirasyon ang inyong pagsisikap na muling buhayin ang mga heleng naging bahagi na ng kulturang Pilipino,” Legarda said. — Video from CCP YouTube channel
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