TO boost cultural pride and awareness, Cebu City Councilor James Anthony Cuenco wants to declare every last week of May as Heritage Week.
Cuenco, who filed a proposed ordinance covering the matter last Tuesday, said the event will be in line with the celebration of the National Heritage Month every May.
“This will further enhance the public’s awareness of Cebuano culture and boost its sense of pride, ownership and responsibility as well as educate the people of its heritage,” he said.
Cuenco, chairperson of the City Council’s committee on tourism, wants the City Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission (Chac) to be the primary implementing office for the event.
Under his proposed legislation, Chac is mandated to coordinate and consult with local and national government agencies, and create cultural and historical-related activities including exhibits, fairs and shows.
The office is also mandated to improve and strengthen the “Gabii sa Kabilin” or the Night of the Museums, which is organized every May by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.
The “Gabii sa Kabilin” is an evening tour experience that covers the Cathedral Museum, Casa Gorordo, the Jesuit House, the Sandiego-Yap House and the Basilica Minore del Sto Niño, among others.
Cuenco also wants to require barangays and educational institutions to submit their plans to CHAC so that the younger generation will be able to celebrate their culture.
The 80 barangays in the city are also mandated to submit a profile of their villages, which will include the origin of their name, history and a list of notable personalities from the area.
Cuenco believes celebrating heritage week will help provide communities, businesses and non-government organizations the opportunity to develop heritage-based enterprises and/or participate in the week-long celebration.
During their Oct. 18 session, the council referred Cuenco’s proposed ordinance to the committee on laws for their review.