Cagayan Valley strengthened its partnership with the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) through its RDC2 SDC Sub-Committee on Culture (SCC). During its first semester meeting on 24 March 2021, the SCC discussed at length several measures to harmonize programs, projects and activities in the achievement of target outcomes identified in Chapter 7 – “Promoting Culture and Values” of the Cagayan Valley Regional Development Plan (CV-RDP 2017-2022).

Among the measures include encouragement of local government units (LGUs) to implement priority programs for culture promotion which include the establishment and strengthening of local councils for the promotion of culture and arts. NCCA will also promote cultural mapping at the local level. Cultural mapping will consolidate local culture profile and generate baseline data for cultural statistics needed by local government units in the updating of their development plans. Through cultural mapping, LGUs and other stakeholders will be able to identify cultural as well as heritage resources in their respective areas.

The SCC also affirmed its support to three important projects of the NCCA under the Competitive Grants Program, namely, “Yogad Training/Workshop on Traditions and Art forms”, “Tadek Mad Denom (Stories by the River): A Comprehensive Documentation of Bugkalot Ora; Literature Will Accompanying Teaching Resources”, and “Voices of Nueva Vizcaya or Mga Awitin ng Nueva Vizcaya”.

The SCC’s flagship activity in 2021 is the conduct of webinar on “Filipino Values and Culture in the Time of Pandemic”. This webinar will present the results of the NCCA Study on Filipino Values which sought to determine the different values upheld across the Philippines, as part of the government’s Filipino Values Program. The concept of wellness and healing, which is relevant during this time of pandemic will also be highlighted during the webinar.

The demonstrated support and commitment of the SCC members is seen to propel and speed up the harmonization of tourism and culture development in the region. #PMED