“Bale-Balayan” Museum opens in Angeles City

ANGELES CITY -- “Arts and culture is really alive in Angeles city. The opening of Bale-Balayan further proves our collaborative commitment in inculcating the value of Filipino identity to the young generation.”

Thus said Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan during the inauguration of Peter de Vera’s “Bale-Balayan: A Museum for the Poor and a Center for Transformation Through the Arts” held August 15.

“The center was conceptualized under the vision of making arts and culture reachable and available to everyone, even to the poorest of the poor,” said De Vera, the museum's executive director.

“Bale-Balayan”, which is located in Barangay Sta. Teresita, shares its selection of viewing and reading materials which mostly tackles Filipino and Asian heritage, culture, and arts for free with its open library.

The center is divided into sections, with its main edifice housing the group’s collection of fabrics, art masterpieces, wood carvings, fixtures and indigenous materials that represent the Cordillera region, the Spanish, Muslim, and rural Philippines.

Bale Panalangin or the Prayer Room houses the center’s collection of visual masterpieces and interpretation of the “Stations of the Cross” that are being exhibited annually in “Panata at Panalangin” which utilizes flagellant’s blood as the primary medium.

The worship room also contains the image of “Our Lady of Monserrat”, a rare image of Virgin Mary and infant Christ venerated at Santa Maria de Monserrat monastery in the Monserrat Mountain in Catalonia, Spain.

The center will also be the home of Sinukwan Kapampangan which has been a partner of the city government for its cultural events and advocacies.

Social Significance

Chief executives Willy Tan and Patrick Tan of Hausland Development Corporation also joined the inauguration rites as main contributors to the renovation and construction of De Vera’s residence into a museum.

Pamintuan lauded De Vera for this philanthropic work which will benefit the indigent sector of the city in the long run.

"Let us face it – there are some who cannot even pay for a visit in a museum. But with Bale-Balayan complementing our Museo ning Angeles and soon, the Philippine Museum of Social History, our people will never be deprived of a cultural experience,” said Pamintuan.

De Vera, who is also a recipient of the city’s PAMANA Award for Culture and Arts, said that Bale-Balayan will soon provide livelihood opportunities in accessory-making, lantern-making, pottery, and wood carving to youth in partnership with local artists and the city government.

It will also offer special dance sessions to children with special conditions as a form of therapy.

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