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Who Keeps Our History Safe? Museum Workers

by Nicole Limlengco
November 3, 2026

Ang MUSEO’s first awards thank the people behind the exhibits and give families a reason to walk through the door

Behind every gallery, someone is checking a label, dusting a case, or reading an archive no one else has time for. On Oct. 22, the Museum Foundation of the Philippines, Inc. (MFPI) thanked those museum workers at the first Ang MUSEO awards at the National Museum of Natural History in Manila. It is the country’s first nationwide museum recognition program.

Chairwoman Ma. Belen Pilar M. Fernando said the night was meant for people who rarely hear applause. “As the Museum Foundation of the Philippines celebrates its 40th year, we felt strongly that it is time to shine the light on these unsung heroes and institutions, recognizing their passion, patriotism, pursuit of excellence, and the tireless work they have given, often quietly and without fanfare.”

MFPI Board of Trustees and Executives: (L-R) Daniel C. Jacinto, Herbert Vincent Tuason,
Maria Karina Garilao, Melvin Mangada, Executive Assistant Patricia Aguinaldo, Ma. Belen Pilar Fernando,
Executive Director Tanya Pico, Maria Golnora Ventura, and Martin Emile Lopez

The Winning Museums and Exhibits

These are the five museums awarded that night, and each is always worth a visit.

Local Museum of the Year: Davao Oriental Subangan Museum, for weaving the province’s natural history with the oral traditions of the Mandaya and Kalagan communities.
NMP Satellite Museum of the Year: National Museum of the Philippines – Cebu, set in the island’s repurposed historic Customs House, for exhibits on regional maritime history.
Permanent Exhibition of the Year: the Manansala Gallery at Holy Angel University’s Center for Kapampangan Studies, which uses interactive storytelling to link National Artist Vicente Manansala to his Kapampangan roots.
Temporary Exhibition of the Year: Ayala Museum’s “Juan Luna: Painter as Hero,” for archival research that re-examines Luna alongside the Propagandista and Revolutionary movements.
Educational Institution Museum of the Year: the Center for Kapampangan Studies in Angeles (also in Holy Angel University), Pampanga, for turning scholarly research into public education.
Museum Program of the Year: PHACTO | Museo Bulacan, for “PASS-yal Museo Bulacan Pamana Pass,” a heritage passport linking several historical sites in the province.

The National Museum of Natural History was
the perfect backdrop of the inagural Ang MUSEO awards

The People Who Kept the Story Going

Patron of Culture and Arts (institution): Metrobank Foundation, Inc., for more than four decades of support through the Metrobank Art and Design Excellence (MADE) program, MADE CARES, and the MADE Caravan.
Patron of Culture and Arts (individual): Dr. Lourdes Reyes Montinola, whose 1991 book “Piña” turned the pineapple-fiber textile into an emblem of national craftsmanship.
Posthumous Distinction of Honor: Purita Kalaw-Ledesma, founder of the Art Association of the Philippines and founding president of the Concerned Citizens of the National Museum, MFPI’s precursor.
Citation of Merit, Permanent Exhibition: Ayala Museum’s “Gold of Ancestors: Pre-Colonial Treasures of the Philippines.”
Citation of Merit, Educational Institution Museum: the CISCUL Heritage Hub at Notre Dame of Jolo College, which has guarded Tausug, Sama, and Bajau heritage through decades of adversity, including the 1974 Jolo conflict.

How the Winners Were Chosen

After a nationwide call for nominees early this year, an independent jury of cultural leaders chose the winners. MFPI President Daniel C. Jacinto chaired it and voted only to break a tie. The accounting firm EMA CPAs confirmed the results.

Mona Magno-Veluz aka ‘Mighty Magulang’ and RJ Ledesma were the evening’s hosts

Why Families Should Keep Going to Museums

MFPI began in 1986 as the Friends of the National Museum and has spent four decades championing museums nationwide. Families can follow that work in person. A heritage passport, interactive storytelling, and a gallery inside an old Customs House are good ways to spark a child’s curiosity about the past. Pick the museum nearest you, and thank the staff on your way out.

Jacinto see that shared effort carrying the awards forward. “Over the last 40 years, we have witnessed the Philippine museum sector grow and thrive through the dedication, perseverance, and love for the country of numerous organizations, communities, and individuals,” he said. “As the Museum Foundation of the Philippines celebrates its 40th anniversary, we look forward to building on this collective spirit and keeping the Ang MUSEO tradition alive for another 40 years and beyond.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ang MUSEO?

It is the Philippines’ first nationwide museum awards program, organized by MFPI.

What is the Museum Foundation of the Philippines (MFPI)?

MFPI is a non-stock, not-for-profit volunteer organization that supports Philippine art and culture. It began in the early 1980s as the Friends of the National Museum and became MFPI in 1995. It funds projects for the National Museum and other museums, and it runs lectures, cultural tours, and the MaArte fairs.