Mexican ambassador to PH visits PWC

DAVAO CITY—Ambassador of Mexico to the Philippines H.E. Gerardo Lozano Arredondo visited the Philippine Women’s College last June 10, 2019.

Ambassador Arredondo made it a point to visit Davao City in his recent trip to the Philippines and has expressed interest to see PWC AHSCEC’s HeadPEACE Exhibition, the institutional museum being a center for culture and heritage. Accompanying the ambassador was his party led by Honorary Consul of Mexico in Mindanao Dr. Maria Lourdes Monteverde.

READ: AHSCEC holds inaugural exhibition

In his welcoming remarks, PWC’s Vice President for Institutional Development Vicente Pijano III stressed the cultural similarities between Mexico and the Philippines. He also enlightened the guests on the institution’s efforts to preserve and promote Mindanaoan heritage through the arts, being a pioneer art school in Davao City.

Dr. Monteverde expressed appreciation for the inclusivity of the creative industries of Mindanao, Davao in particular, being rooted in its culture, heritage, and identity. Davao is enlarging its creative communities by recognizing the efforts of Davao Fashion and Design Council and its partnership with the PWC of Davao’s AHSCEC in bringing to the fore sustainable initiatives, which not only heightened awareness for local culture but also scaled up an impact to the creative economy. The exhibition is a testament to this synergy between the traditional makers and the contemporary tractions by designers and artists finding common ground in a venue like PWC of Davao’s AHSCEC within the confines of its Folk Arts Museum.

PWC also took the opportunity to showcase its young students’ talent and at the same time provide the guests with a glimpse of Filipino entertainment through the cultural performance of the Munting Bayanihan dancers.

Ambassador Arredondo then took the podium to share his thoughts on the visit, sharing that it is the cultural aspect of the country that attracted him most. More than that, he expressed that Mexico and the Philippines share many challenges in areas of development that the countries can work hand in hand with. He further shared that one admirable quality of both is how they take pride in their culture and that it is vital to promote cultural knowledge.

AHSCEC project coordinator Emi Englis led the museum tour, indulging the ambassador in the artisanal process of crafting the Tangkulo, a Bagobo-Tagabawa headpiece. Bae Arlyne Salazar of the Bagobo-Tagabawa tribe also graced the event to share to the guests about their heritage products and partnerships with PWC and the contemporary creative community.

The visit concluded with the luncheon reception where a variety of Filipino food was served, completing the guests’ experience of Filipino hospitality.

The museum’s Inaugural Exhibition is made possible by a working grant from CHED K-12 Institutional Development and Innovation Grant and fellowship from the British Council Creative Innovators Program. 

RCM

tags: culture and arts in Davao, art school in Davao, PWC art school in Davao City