Gov. Abet builds a cultural park in Bangkal

CITY of BALANGA, Bataan – During the inauguration of the country’s first ever Bahay Wika in Brgy. Bangkal, Abucay yesterday September 27, the concept of a cultural park was born.
The Bahay Wika is an offshoot of a Memorandum of Agreement signed in November 2017 between the Provincial Government of Bataan and partner agencies, aimed at “saving” the Magbukun dialect, the second endangered dialect in the country which has a very high chance of being saved.
The lead agencies who collaborated for the realization of Bahay Wika are the Provincial Government of Bataan, Municipal Government of Abucay, National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP), Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino (KWF), DepEd-Bataan and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA)
During the inauguration, Gov. Abet took the opportunity to inspect the settlement area of the Tribu Magbukun and noted the development projects that have to be prioritized, not only on the educational aspect but in the livelihood and cultural aspects as well, one of which is the reinforcement of the hanging bridge and the much needed financial support of the tribe in manufacturing the “bamboo straw” which is a viable and environment friendly substitute for the plastic straw.
The bigger picture rests on the development of the settlement area into a Cultural Park, showcasing the indigenous way of life of the Magbukun tribe, which include their houses, and a ritual area which in due time will be open to the public.
This is in keeping with the aim of the NCCA thru its Philippine Cultural Education Program (PCEP) that envisions a nation of culturally literate empowered Filipinos, hence it seeks to develop among Filipinos greater awareness, understanding, and appreciation of their culture and arts, towards the evolution of a consciousness that will ultimately improve the quality of their lives.

With report from Jayper Merla