NCCA spearheads NHM 2026 with Nationwide Heritage Programs | The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) will once again lead the nationwide celebration of National Heritage Month (NHM) this May 2026, anchored on the theme “Roots and Horizons: Our Shared Heritage, Our Collective Future.”
In accordance with Presidential Proclamation No. 439, declaring the month of May as the NHM, this year’s celebration underscores the importance of heritage as a living and evolving legacy, shaped and sustained by communities across generations. It highlights the need to strengthen public appreciation of cultural identity while advancing collective responsibility in safeguarding the nation’s historical and cultural resources.
A series of activities will take place across the country, focusing on community participation, capacity-building, and the protection of both tangible and intangible heritage.
The month-long observance begins with a press event and heritage tour at the Malacañan Palace Complex on April 30, followed by the official kick-off activity in Angono, Rizal on May 10, marking the start of engagements and observance of the flagship programs, as well partner programs nationwide.
Under the National Committee on Libraries and Information Services (NCLIS), a community-based program titled “Libraries as Living Heritage: Preserving Ivatan Stories and Community Memory” will be held on May 13–14, 2026 at the Batanes Provincial Library in Basco, Batanes. The activity highlights libraries as active spaces of cultural memory, engaging local communities in preserving Ivatan traditions and oral histories.
The National Committee on Monuments and Sites (NCMS) will conduct “Posaka Ranao: Discussing the Built and Spatial Cultural Heritage of Marawi and Lanao del Sur” in Marawi City from May 18–21, 2026. The program focuses on strengthening community involvement in identifying and safeguarding cultural sites and landscapes, particularly in relation to ongoing reconstruction and heritage awareness efforts.
Meanwhile, the National Committee on Historical Research (NCHR) will host the Local History Writeshop: Mindanao History in the Making of a Nation at the Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology on May 20–21, 2026. The write shop aims to enrich local historiography by encouraging more inclusive historical narratives that highlight Mindanao’s role in national history.
In the Visayas, the National Committee on Archives (NCA) will conduct the Basic Archiving and Digitization Seminar-Workshop on May 27–28, 2026 at JJ’s Seafood Village in Tagbilaran City. The activity will focus on strengthening skills in records management and digital preservation to protect documentary heritage from deterioration and disaster risks.
The NCA will also lead the Training on Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery in Libraries and Archives from May 28–30, 2026 in Baliwag City, Bulacan, aimed at equipping cultural workers with practical conservation and emergency response techniques.
Under the National Committee on Museums (NCOM), the KABILIN: Showcasing the Northern Samar Heritage will be held in Northern Samar on May 29-30, 2026, featuring the province’s tangible and intangible heritage and strengthening collaboration among museums, communities, and cultural workers.
The National Committee on Art Galleries (NCAG) will also conduct two community-based initiatives in Angono, Rizal: Collections Management for Living Church on May 23-24, 2026. These activities emphasize living traditions, ethical heritage management, and the preservation of church-based cultural collections.
Alongside these flagship programs, several partner institutions and organizations will also mount heritage-related activities throughout May. The Office of Loren Legarda will present “Buhay na Dunong: Bukal ng Pamana,” a School of Living Traditions exhibit at the Senate of the Philippines from May 4–7, 2026. The NCCA’s Cultural Properties Regulation Division (CPRD) will hold a capacity-building program on Philippine architecture and built heritage on May 5, 2026 at the Metropolitan Theater.
Exhibitions are also set to open at the NCCA Gallery, including “Mana” on May 7, 2026 at Gallery B and “Malaya Clara, Malaya ka ba?” on May 14, 2026 at Gallery A. The University of Santo Tomas will conduct a teachers’ training on indigenous creative arts from May 13–16, 2026 at its museum.
Local government units will also participate, including the City Government of Mabalacat with Pamana Fridates on May 22, 2026, and the City Government of Pasig with a heritage tour on May 23, 2026. The Filipino Heritage Festival Inc. (FHFI) will lead multiple programs, including heritage tours, exhibitions, youth forums in Aklan and Bulacan, and lectures such as “Halimuyak: Rediscovering the Forgotten Aromas of Philippine Native Flora” on May 25, 2026 at the National Museum of Fine Arts.
Through these nationwide programs, the NCCA emphasizes that NHM 2026 is a collective effort to empower communities as stewards of heritage. By integrating local knowledge, research, and modern preservation methods, the celebration seeks to ensure that Philippine cultural heritage is actively protected, understood, and transmitted to future generations.
