SINCE the early 2000s it has been the dream of the Foundation for Lingap Kapampangan (FLKI), more fondly known as the Save Pampanga Movement, to have a permanent home for a Kapampangan museum and cultural center, in spite of the success of its annual Sinukwan Festival which celebrates Kapampangan culture and traditions. Since the late 90s, some its collections were housed at the Clark Museum and are currently in storage.
The FLKI officers have been able to establish the support of the national government which allowed them to use the site of the old Pampanga High School building for the envisioned Kapampangan Cultural Center.
The KCC project looks forward to a careful restoration of the old PHS building, the original of which was built in 1910 and follows the standard plan of Gabaldon school houses built in that period of Early American Colonial Rule. This was used as the main building of the PHS until 1935 and later became the campus of the University of the Philippines Extension Program in San Fernando until 1995 when it was buried by lahar.
Since then, the remnants of the building have been heavily looted, leaving just a skeletal structure to remind us of its glorious years and history. The FLKI is now appealing to every Kapampangan heart, here and elsewhere, to do our share in making the KCC dream a reality.
The Philippine Madrigal Singers, with conductor Mark Anthony Carpio, pledged their support to this endeavor and have lent to us their captivating voices which wow audiences from all over the world. They will be the main act for the fundraising concert on June 23 at the Laus Group Event Center in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Sharing the stage with them are the Nightingales and the Sacerdos, the singing priests of Pampanga. It will definitely be one enchanting musical evening with this superb line up of performers.
Tickets are affordably priced at 2000, 1500, 1000, and 500 pesos respectively and will go a long way in creating a lasting legacy for the Kapampangans. Tickets are available at CLTV 36, SFELAPCO, Max’s Restaurants in SM Pampanga, SM Clark, SM Cabanatuan and Villa del Sol, The Souq Pampanga, Marciano’s Barbers, FLKI Office, and Essel Supermarket. Inquiries may also be addressed to the FLKI secretariat through 0459630181 or 09358996811 and look for tita Zeny Canlas, FLKI’s ever reliable secretary.
Let’s help build the Kapampangan Cultural Center, in doing so we are helping save the Kapampangan soul and strengthening the spirit of our people.