Capitol Hosts Cultural, Educational Tour To Students

The Cebu Provincial Government hosted a Cultural and Educational Tour to high school students last February 22. The tour is part of the Capitol’s Arts and Culture Month celebration held every February.

Governor Hilario P. Davide III and Vice Governor Agnes Magpale welcomed the 140 participants of the tour. They came from different 28 secondary public schools representing each town in the north.

The tour started with a short program at the Capitol Social Hall. The Provincial Capitol is in itself a heritage come on in this island province. It was constructed in 1937 during the time of then Governor Sotero Cabahug.

After their visit at the governors’ gallery, the students proceeded to the Museo Sugbo, which was previously a provincial jail.

Gov. Davide said the tour offered the students plenty to experience, talk about and realize about Cebu’s past when they go back home.

Vice Governor Agnes does not recall the province having sponsored a similar tour in the past.

The initiative came from the office of Provincial Board Member Miguel Antonio Magpale, chair of the committee of culture and the arts.

Vice Gov. Magpale seized the opportunity to narrate to the students the reasons behind the celebration of Arts and Culture Month.

She said the Cebuano culture has been threatened into oblivion with the infiltration of western culture into the grassroots. Steps were taken to revive or instill that “pride of place” to every Cebuano.

She said among these are the dance festivals, songs wherein the lyrics speak about the town’s history and its way of life. The component cities and municipalities have put up local museums.

The provincial government also sponsored the writing of a 55-volume history book. Vice Gov. Magpale said this has never been done elsewhere in the country.

Each volume was devoted to the historical accounts of the 44 towns and nine cities including the independent cities of Cebu and Lapu-lapu.

While Cebu is being promoted to tourists for its business climate and beaches, Vice Gov. Magpale stated that Cebu should also be marketed as a cultural and heritage destination.

Roda Alvarez, chief of staff of PB Magpale, said another tour will sponsored by the province for the students of public schools in the south.

By Xerxes Alkuino

www.cebu.gov.ph