Palawan will host the celebration of the National Arts Month 2020 entitled “Ani ng Sining: Philippine Arts Festival – Luzon” in February.
This monthlong celebration will be spearheaded by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in partnership with the Provincial Government of Palawan and City Government of Puerto Princesa.
This year’s celebration will be dubbed “SIKATUGYAW FESTIVAL”—an acronym for the words Sining, Kanta, Tugtog, and Sayaw which are the main highlights of this occasion. As the name suggests, the vibrant and joyous festival seeks to gather local artists and performing groups to showcase their artistry and skills through music, dance, and visual art.
The Sikatugyaw Festival aims to celebrate a bountiful harvest of Philippine arts and to appreciate the beauty in diversity of our cultural expressions.
“This year’s National Arts Month is a great platform for the Province of Palawan to promote and recognize the outstanding creations of our local artists as well as to raise awareness and appreciation among our Palaweños on the importance of culture and arts,” Ceasar Sammy Magbanua, Palawan Culture and Arts Program Manager said.
While Palawan is known for its idyllic tourist destinations, it also boasts rich culture and tradition which were shaped by pre-colonial and Spanish influences. As such, the celebration is an opportunity to promote and preserve Palawan’s rich heritage while also enhancing the innate talents of our Palaweños through workshops and cultural performances.
This festival will be attended by NCCA officials, various cultural groups and local artists, officials from the provincial and municipal government, and faculty and students from different academic institutions.
The NCCA and PGP signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in October 2019 officially declaring the Province of Palawan as the host for this year’s National Arts Month. To successfully support the implementation and production of this event, the NCCA has pledged to allocate monetary grants as prescribed in the terms and conditions.
The month of February is declared as National Arts Month pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 683, series of 1991.
Last year’s celebration was held in the Municipality of Bagac, Province of Bataan entitled “Tao Po/Tagpo.”
