Senate Committee on Culture and Arts chairperson Senator Loren Legarda has called for a collective effort to preserve the cultural legacies of the Philippines as the country observes National Heritage Month this May.

“It is a perfect time to pay homage to the rich legacy of the Filipino people, for our forebearers have given us countless traditions in various forms that we could be proud of,” Legarda said.

“The month of May reminds us that our past is something that is not to be ignored, and it provides us with blueprints for us to be able to tread a better path towards the future.”

May was officially designated National Heritage Month through Presidential Proclamation No. 439, signed by former president Gloria Arroyo in 2003. The proclamation emphasized the need to raise awareness, respect, and appreciation for the country's cultural and historical heritage, as well as to provide material support for protecting both tangible and intangible cultural assets.

Legarda also highlighted the importance of strengthening Filipinos’ awareness of cultural heritage sites and landscapes.

“We are thankful that there are a lot of things that we could be proud of as Filipinos, among them is our cultural heritage,” she said. “Not only do we have historic sites, but also literature, music, and food, which completes the satisfaction of our five senses.”

A staunch advocate for cultural preservation, Legarda championed the passage of the "Cultural Mapping Act," which requires local government units to conduct cultural heritage mapping in their respective areas. The law also established the Philippine Registry of Cultural Properties (PRECUP), tasked with maintaining a comprehensive database to safeguard and manage the nation’s cultural properties.