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The Kabilin Center from Culture and Heritage Unit of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) initiated its second biggest exhibition last January 27. The exhibition, titled "Saulog: Encounter, Pilgrimage, Transformation," features avant-garde fashion art and faith by award-winning designer Steve de Leon. Through his "soft sculpture," de Leon portrays the story of Filipino Christianity, depicting its origins and growth in Cebu.

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The Saulog exhibition opened on January 26, 2024, for the Vernissage, a private viewing with fashion designers, influencers, and media. The exhibition was then opened to the public on January 27, 2024, and ran until May 31st.

The exhibit showcases scenes and characteristics that refer to historical and religious accounts, as well as critiques of Cebuano spirituality and social issues. Steve de Leon's offers a reflection of popular devotion, socio-environmental advocacies, personal faith journeys, and communal experiences as part of the church community.

If you have any questions or inquiries, feel free to message us on our social media accounts. Follow us to stay updated about the exhibit.

RAFI published the memories of former columnist and honoring Consul to Spain, Jaime Picornell. The book is published under a grant initially approved by Mr. Robert “Bobby Aboitiz, and subsequently taken up by former President & Chief Operation Officer Ms. Dominica Chua, following Mr. Aboitiz’s passing. Through its advocacy to preserve and promote Cebuano culture and heritage, RAFI hopes that it will fill the gap in and provide more references for Cebu’s diverse history. The book, particularly the social scene in Cebu during the 1960’s and 1970’s.

The team from the Kabilin Center worked on the publication, together with editor Dr. Erlinda K. Alburo and book designer and layout artist Josua S. Cabrera.

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Gen Oshima, a Japanese artist from Osaka, Japan, hosted a two-day charity exhibit, entitled, “The Shining World” last September 16-17 at The Kabilin Center.

Oshima and his creative team featured a live painting workshop with local orphans. The group advocates art that can change how we perceive the world and to create a connection with the people, most especially the children of the Philippines, through art.

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The Kabili Center participated this year’s Tubo Cebu Art Fair. Through TKC’s participation, aims to boost awareness, understanding, and appreciation of cultural heritage and the arts.

The event was held from September 15-17, 2023, at Ayala Center Cebu, and featured exhibitions based on the theme "Juxtapose".

The fair was open to all which art enthusiasts with a diverse range of creative works and encouraging appreciation for the rich tapestry of artistic expression. The Tubo Cebu Art Fair 2023 was a resounding success that left a lasting impact on the art community.

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Cebuano dance researcher Prof. Caesar Nimor released his study, entitled, “Sinug: Cebu’s Dance of Faith”, published in the revived RAFI Monograph on Culture & Heritage last January 16, 2023 at the Kabilin Center.  

Prof. Nimor started his research on the Sinug dance since 1986, said in an interview, “Since the 70s, being a member of the Southwestern University Dance Troupe, I started the documentation of folk dances in the hinterlands and in 1986, due to limited number of the documented Folk Dances of Cebu, I concentrated on Cebuano folk dances which includes the sinulog.”  

The article explains the origin of the name sinug (truncated from sinulog), the variants (votive and combat versions), their origins, and some of the symbolisms of the props used in the dance.  

Nimor, now an associate professor at Matias H. Aznar Memorial College Inc., admitted to the popularity of the Sinulog dance: “There are several articles written about (the) sinulog, but the Monograph (provides) more complete (information) since it also links the dance to other supplication dances of the neighboring islands and Mindanao.”   

“The Monograph is a must-have for enthusiasts of Cebuano traditional culture and for new generations to know what sinulog really is,” said Nimor.  

Copies of the RAFI Monograph on Culture and Heritage are available at the Casa Gorordo Museum Shop. It is also available in the Casa Gorordo Museum booth in SM City Cebu until January 31, 2023. 

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After a two-year hiatus brought by the pandemic, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) Culture & Heritage Unit, its partner museums and cultural organizations, and local government units, are bringing back the face-to-face Gabii sa Kabilin on October 21, 2022, from 6 p.m. to 12 midnight.

Aside from access to 20 museums and heritage sites in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Talisay, guests can enjoy fun and interactive performances, children’s activities, shuttle services across sites, and a complimentary tartanilla ride with just one ticket.

Priced at P200 each, the GSK ticket is only valid during the heritage night, but regular paying guests can avail of the early bird rate of P180 until September 21. Senior citizens and students can purchase tickets for P180 each, upon presentation of a valid ID at any ticketing site. Children ages seven and under, accompanied by adults, get free admission and rides.

Those interested in joining the heritage night can purchase tickets at the following participating museums and heritage sites:

Cebu City
Archdiocesan Museum of Cebu
Archdiocesan Shrine of San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish
Archdiocesan Shrine of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Basilica Minore del Santo Niño Museum
Casa Gorordo Museum
Cebu City Museum
Fort San Pedro
Fo Guang Shan Chu Un Temple
Museo Parian sa Sugbo -1730 Jesuit House
Museo Sugbo
Palm Grass Cebu The Heritage Hotel
RAFI –The Kabilin Center
St. Theresa's College –Sr. Ma Delia Coronel Folklife Museum
Sugbu Chinese Heritage Museum
University of the Philippines Cebu
University of San Carlos Museum
University of Southern Philippines Foundation Rizaliana Museum

Mandaue City
Mandaue City Presidencia

Talisay City
Cebu Archdiocesan Shrine of Jesus Nazareno Heritage of Faith Museum
Museo de Talisay

Participants can also join the Heritage Hunt where teams will complete a series of challenges in selected museums and sites. Vlogging and phone photography contests are also open to all ticketholders.

This year’s event theme is “Padayon”, which highlights why the Cebuano race, spirit and personality have continued to exist and thrive amidst the many crises and challenges that came his way. The theme also highlights and celebrates local museums, galleries and cultural sites--treasure troves where one can find proof of Cebuanos’ knack for survival and character of resilience, optimism, and ingenuity.

Initiated in 2007 by RAFI, Gabii sa Kabilin aims to celebrate Cebu’s rich heritage, cultivate a sense of identity and pride of place among Cebuanos, and help preserve local culture and heritage by encouraging Cebuanos to visit museums.

Gabii sa Kabilin also launched its monthly online activities during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to continue educating Cebuanos about various topics related to local culture and heritage and make cultural education more accessible to the public.

Last year, it organized the Gabii sa Kabilin One Night Only, a virtual show that featured cultural performances and historical documentaries from the 16 museums and heritage sites.

For more information and updates, visit the official Gabii sa Kabilin Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/gabiisakabilincebu/.

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The freedom that we enjoy today would not be possible without the courageous men and women who risked their life and limb for our nation. The stories of our heroes and veterans show the brutality of war but it also highlights the strength, perseverance, and resilience of man.

To mark the Philippines’ 124th Independence Day, Gabii sa Kabilin will hold a webinar on June 24, 3PM entitled, “Cebuano Amidst Wars”, with historian, Dr. Jose Eleazar Bersales. It will discuss the major wars in the Philippines: the anti-Spanish and anti-American wars and World War II, and it will focus on Cebuanos' struggle and survival as they fought for liberation.

The webinar is free of charge and will be streamed on Gabii sa Kabilin’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. Those who wish to participate may register at https://bit.ly/3M44ErO. An e-certificate will be given to those who will answer the evaluation form after the online event.

Dr. Jose Eleazar Bersales is a historian, writer and professor at the University of San Carlos. He serves as the director of the University of San Carlos Museum and the Cebuano provincial consultant on Museum Affairs. He co-authored the book, “The War in Cebu”, about the events that happened before and during World War II, and its aftermath.

The webinar is part of GSK’s activities this year which centers on the theme, “Padayon: The Persistence of the Cebuano Amidst Crises”. The theme highlights why the Cebuano race, spirit and personality have continued to exist and thrive amidst the many challenges that came his way, even before the time of Lapulapu.

The face-to-face Gabii sa Kabilin will also be returning on October 21, 2022, from 6 P.M. to 12 midnight. More details about the heritage night will be announced in the coming weeks, including the participating museums and heritage sites, and how to buy tickets.

Initiated in 2007 by RAFI, Gabii sa Kabilin aims to help preserve local culture and heritage by encouraging Cebuanos to visit museums. It launched its online activities last year at the onset of the pandemic to help make Cebuano culture and heritage more accessible to the public. For more information and updates, like and follow www.facebook.com/gabiisakabilincebu/.

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The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the biggest global health crises that has emerged in over a century, but disease outbreaks are nothing new in the eyes of history–humanity has battled many different health emergencies before.

On May 27, 3PM, Gabii sa Kabilin will hold a webinar, entitled, “The Cebuano Amidst Health Crises in History”, with historian, Dr. Francis A. Gealogo, to discussthe important health crises, such as epidemics and the latest pandemic, that Cebu experienced and their effects on the Cebuano community.

The webinar is free of charge and will be streamed on Gabii sa Kabilin’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. Those who wish to participate may register at https://forms.gle/sfCpifjxr3YBhVDw6. An e-certificate will be given to those who will answer the evaluation form after the online event.

Dr. Francis A. Gealogo is a professor and former chairman of the Department of History of the Ateneo de Manila University. He is also a former Commissioner of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. He currently holds the Horacio de la Costa Professorial Chair in History at the Ateneo de Manila. His article, "The Philippines in the World of the Influenza Pandemic of 1918-19", was awarded as one of the Most Outstanding Scientific Papers of the National Academy of Science and Technology.

The webinar is part of GSK’s activities this year which centers on the theme, “Padayon: The Persistence of the Cebuano Amidst Crises”. The theme highlights why the Cebuano race, spirit and personality have continued to exist and thrive amidst the many challenges that came his way.

The face-to-face Gabii sa Kabilin will also be returning on October 21, 2022 from 6 P.M. to 12 midnight. More details about the heritage night will be announced in the coming weeks, including the participating museums and heritage sites, and how to buy tickets.

Initiated in 2007 by RAFI, Gabii sa Kabilin aims to help preserve local culture and heritage by encouraging Cebuanos to visit museums. It launched its online activities last year at the onset of the pandemic to help make Cebuano culture and heritage more accessible to the public. For more information and updates, like and follow www.facebook.com/gabiisakabilincebu/.

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On April 29, 3 p.m. Gabii sa Kabilin (GSK) will hold a free webinar, entitled, “The Cebuano Amidst Disasters” with Climate and Disaster Specialist, Dr. Emma Porio. It will focus on the disasters that ravaged or affected Cebu, how Cebuanos overcame them, and the lessons learned after different catastrophes.

The webinar is part of GSK’s activities this year, whichcenters on the theme, “Padayon: The Persistence of the Cebuano Amidst Crises”. The theme highlights why the Cebuano race, spirit and personality have continued to exist and thrive amidst the many challenges that came his way, even before the time of Lapulapu.

It is free of charge and will be streamed on Gabii sa Kabilin’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. Those who wish to participate may register at https://bit.ly/37RaOgK. An e-certificate will be given to those who will answer the evaluation form after the webinar.

The speaker, Dr. Emma E. Porio, is a professor at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology of the Ateneo de Manila University and co-director of the university’s Master of Disaster Risk and Resilience. She is also co-chair of the Climate Change Commission's National Panel of Technical Experts (NPTE) and is also the principal investigator and project leader of the transdisciplinary action research project, Coastal Cities at Risk in the Philippines: Investing in Climate and Disaster Resilience (CCARPH).

Initiated in 2007 by RAFI, Gabii sa Kabilin aims to help preserve local culture and heritage by encouraging Cebuanos to visit museums. It launched its online activities last year at the onset of the pandemic to help make Cebuano culture and heritage more accessible to the public. For more information and updates, like and follow www.facebook.com/gabiisakabilincebu/.

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The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) Culture and Heritage Unit, through Gabii sa Kabilin, organized a virtual First Aid for Heritage Training last February 9 to help local museums and heritage sites boost their disaster resilience and recovery efforts after the onslaught of Typhoon Odette.  

It was organized to equip Cebu-based museum and heritage workers with know-how in protecting their cultural structures, artifacts and collections, and in best responding to calamities and disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes, and fires. 

The training was conducted by the head of the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission for the Heritage of the Church, Fr. Brian Brigoli, and heritage architect, Melva R. Java. 

Fr. Brigoli, who serves as the curator of the Archdiocesan Museum of Cebu, gave tips on how to create an effective emergency plan. He also shared best practices in protecting and securing museum premises, collections, employees and visitors from risks such as fire, typhoons, theft and violence. 

Java, on the other hand, focused on the process of restoring heritage structures and steps in conducting post-disaster assessment. She also shared approaches and lessons learned from their rapid assessment of heritage structures after the Bohol earthquake in 2013. 

“We understand the important role that culture and heritage play in creating a sense of individual and collective identity… It is our role and responsibility to be equipped and to protect [our structures, artifacts and traditions] and to advocate widely and wildly for their protection,” said RAFI President and CEO Amaya Aboitiz-Fansler. 

Aside from the First Aid for Heritage Training, RAFI has been conducting various relief and rehabilitation efforts after the onslaught of Typhoon Odette including distribution of emergency relief packs and shelter kits across the Visayas, and providing psychosocial support for children, youth, adults and frontliners in Southern Cebu. 

For more information on the initiatives and programs of RAFI’s Culture and Heritage Unit, follow @gabiisakabilincebu and @casagorordomuseum on Facebook. For updates on the foundation’s disaster response, visit https://rafi.org.ph/rafiresponse.

The Gabii sa Kabilin Online Exhibit aims to show the evolution of the annual heritage event from its first run in 2007 up to the present and educate Cebuanos about Gabii sa Kabilin and its history. 

The interactive tour provides visitors with an in-depth history of Gabii sa Kabilin-- its beginnings, the different museums and heritage sites that participated through the years, the awards and recognition it has received, and its online transition during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.  

In the tour, visitors can read past issues of the Gabii sa Kabilin e-magazine, browse through the different themes, merchandise and online activities, and watch “Pigafetta’s Sugbo”, a special video feature aired during this year’s Gabii sa Kabilin One Night Only. Visitors can also get a sneak peek at The Kabilin Center, slated to open in 2022. 

Relive memories and learn more about the “summer cultural event of Cebu” in the Gabii sa Kabilin Online Exhibit. Visit now at https://casagorordomuseum.org/gskonlineexhibit/. After dropping by the Online Exhibit, don’t forget to share your feedback at https://rafiph.typeform.com/OnlineExhibit.