About a year ago, during a meeting, Tess Rayos del Sol, head of the National Committee on Art Galleries (NCAG) of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), received alarming news: a museum in Bicol had been inundated by severe flooding. The institution’s staff urgently sought guidance on how to protect their heritage collections — tangible artifacts that, beyond their physical form, anchored their community’s sense of history and identity.

“That situation revealed the vulnerabilities cultural institutions face during disasters,” Rayos del Sol recalled. “It reinforced the importance of being prepared for any eventuality. It is because of this experience that we thought of having the theme of resilient museums and galleries.”

Her anecdote encapsulates the essence of this year’s celebration Museums and Galleries Month (MGM), which the NCCA is spearheading through its NCAG and National Committee on Museums. Since its declaration under Presidential Proclamation No. 798, s. 1991, signed by the late former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino, who also signed a law creating NCCA, MGM has been observed every October to honor museums and galleries as keepers of the nation’s history, culture and heritage. This year, the focus turns sharply to resilience with the theme “Resilient Museums and Galleries: Educating for Preparedness and Recovery.”

The theme highlights the evolving role of museums and galleries in a world increasingly challenged by natural disasters, health crises, and rapid social changes. 

“This theme encourages these institutions to become active participants in building resilience, not only for themselves but for their communities,” the cultural agency of the national government stated. 

“Museums and galleries… They play a vital role in shaping future resilience. By educating the public about disaster preparedness, offering emotional support during recovery, and creating programs focused on community rebuilding, they serve as anchors of stability and hope. The resilience of museums and galleries empowers them to better serve their communities, educate for preparedness, and recover swiftly from future crises,” they emphasized.

Rayos del Sol explained: “Museums and galleries are more than repositories of the past or artistic showcases. In a world increasingly challenged by disasters, health crises, and rapid change, these institutions stand as beacons of hope and stability. They teach us how to endure, adapt, and thrive amidst adversities.” 

She added that the resilience of cultural institutions must be understood not just as physical survival but as part of the communities’ capacity to recover: “The preservation of culture is not just about safeguarding objects…Exhibits tell stories of survival and rebuilding, dahil lagi tayong baha (because we always suffer from floods)… They foster awareness, readiness and resilience as well prepare communities for whatever lies ahead. So, this month, we celebrate the strength of museums and galleries in educating and inspiring people.”

For Renee Talavera, chief of the Program Management Division of the NCCA Secretariat, the month-long observance is an opportunity to reflect deeply on what cultural heritage means to Filipinos.

“This celebration aims to foster national pride and awareness of our rich cultural heritage that encompasses tangible evidences of creative expressions, history, and spirituality which reflect the aspirations of the Filipino nation,” she said. “During this month, we recognize the significance of these cultural forms in shaping our national identity, and we emphasize their importance for nation building. These collections tell the story of our struggles and triumphs, traditions and innovations and shared identity as Filipinos.”

Talavera noted that museums and galleries “are not just places we store objects; they stand as living testaments to the Filipino spirit.” 

“And within these walls, we discover not only art works, historical artifacts and religious expressions, but also the embodiment of resilience. Institutions that have learned to prepare for and recover from unexpected disruptions such as natural disasters, health crisis and social unrest, they teach us not only to appreciate culture, but also to prepare for challenges. They provide comfort and emotional strength during times of uncertainty. And they design programs that help rebuild and empower communities, showing us that resilience is not merely survival, but a way of living with hope, purpose and solidarity,” she said. 

She explained that for the past two years, the NCCA focused on capacity building — strengthening the skills, knowledge, and resources of cultural workers and institutions “to help them face the challenges sustainably.”

“Now, we are shifting focus to resilience, preparedness and recovery,” she said.

The idea of resilience also resonated with Rozzano Rufino “Ruffy” Biazon, mayor of Muntinlupa City, where the Museo ng Muntinlupa hosted the press conference on MGM 2025 on 24 September. The city government is also a partner in this year’s MGM celebration.

For him, resilience is not only about surviving natural disasters, but also about ensuring that culture survives the pressures of modernity.

“Resilience is one of the traits of Filipinos. They say that even in the face of adversity and tragedy, we still manage to smile… But culture and the arts are victims of conflict and disaster as well… When we talk about resilience, it is not just about the strength of institutions physically.” Biazon said. “Like when we build institutions like the Museo ng Muntinlupa, we should ensure they can stand the test of time and the test of climate. But most importantly, (we must ensure that) culture and the arts to always survive the onslaught of modern times.”

He stressed the importance of investing in cultural institutions: “Modern influences sometimes erase what should have been passed down from generation to generation…Practices, languages, traditions must always be preserved. That is why in Muntinlupa we erected the Museo ng Muntinlupa — it is our investment in making sure that our city’s culture will stand the test of time, that the changes in generations will not overtake what has been the beginnings of Muntinlupa started by our forefathers.”

The NCCA’s MGM 2025 celebration will have a kick-off ceremony on 7 October at the Museo Kordilyera in Baguio City. The ethnographic museum of the University of the Philippines Baguio actually has prepared a series of museums and communities conversations, in-house training, and workshops that highlight the role of museums as learning spaces and active partners in community resilience during the month. 

Throughout the month, public and private museums from Luzon to Visayas and Mindanao will hold different events and programs that emphasize the enduring value of museums and galleries as cultural anchors. The NCCA has launched the MGM 2025 microsite (https://mgm.ncca.gov.ph) on 2 October, listing activities and programs nationwide. 

The celebration will culminate on 25 October with a closing program at the Museo ng Muntinlupa, bringing together cultural workers, local officials, and the public to reaffirm the vital role of museums and galleries in educating for preparedness, sustaining cultural pride and inspiring resilience.

Ultimately, MGM 2025 invites Filipinos to reimagine these institutions not only as protectors of the past, but also as active participants in shaping a future of strength and hope. As Talavera put it: “These institutions are more than just custodians of history. They are active participants in shaping our collective future. This year’s theme encourages these institutions to become active participants in building resilience not only for themselves, but for their communities.” 

She further said, “As we celebrate this month, let us recognize the evolving roles of museums and galleries. They are not just archives of memory, but they are dynamics spaces that nurture strength, inspire recovery, and remind us that resilience is deeply cultural, rooted in identity, in the enduring stories we choose to tell and preserve. May this year celebration encourage us all to take part in this mission to strengthen our museums and galleries to support their initiatives and to allow them to continue serving as anchors of stability, pride and inspiration for the Filipino people.”