Carolinians Go on Heritage Tour

Last September 14, around 300 students of the University of San Carlos (USC) toured historical landmarks in the uptown and downtown areas of Cebu as part of this year’s Kabataan, Kabilin ug Kultura (KKK).

Heritage sites and museums visited by the students included Plaza Independencia, Plaza Sugbu, Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, University of the Philippines Foundation (USPF) museum, Casa Gorordo, Iglesia Filipina Independiente Cathedral of the Holy Child, and Sacred Heart Parish Church.

“It (KKK) is a way to enrich and reinforce the different classroom discussions about history and giving them the opportunity to learn it in actual,” Edith Labana, USC History professor, referred to the second Saturday of the month-long KKK.

Participating students were given a set of questions in every landmark. This required them to review what they had learned in their history classes and take pictures of the places they have visited.

The activity was made even more interesting and enjoyable as students wear their Filipiniana costumes. Some, however, did not follow the dress code since the tour started at 1 p.m., when the sun’s heat is relatively unbearable.

“Considering the weather, it is understandable why students wore only comfortable clothes. What’s important is the learning they’ll get from this historical tour around Metro Cebu,” Labana said.

A USC Civil Engineering student, Joshua Ng, said that visiting different museums and historical sites is a great way to learn more about Cebu.

The program is organized by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), in partnership with the University of San Carlos (USC)-Department of Anthropology, Sociology and History, and the Cebu City Government.

KKK aims to connect theoretical lectures on history, society, culture and heritage through visiting museums and heritage sites, demonstrate the value of museum and heritage sites or institutions as tools for education, encourage a dynamic dialogue between heritage groups, host communities and young people in the promotion and protection of the sites, and develop a sense of pride.

KKK is a program under Culture & Heritage, one of the focus areas of RAFI, which aims to help communities understand, value, and share their cultural identity with others. RAFI’s other focus areas are Integrated Development, Micro-finance & Entrepreneurship, Leadership & Citizenship, and Education.

For more information about KKK, please call 418-7234 local 703 and look for Florencio Moreño II or Karl Damayo, or visit www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph, or follow @rafi.org.ph on Twitter. (by Apple Ta-as/RAFI intern)