US Embassy backs Baguio Museum refurbishment
THE US State Department is backing the enhancement of the Baguio Museum with funding amounting to over P6 million.
Nicolas Tabora, chairman of the board for the museum announced the US led grant during the unveiling of the totem poles and opening of both exhibits: Mediatrix by Jandy Carvajal and Nostaliga by the United Architects of the Philippines Summer Capital and the blessing of the museum enhancement project Friday morning.
Tabora said the grant will be given in tranches within a 2year period which will both enhance and conserve artifacts housed in the local museum building.
During the two – year period, the National Museum will act as consultant for the Baguio Museum to assure the best results for the planned enhancement.
Arts luminary Kidlat Tahimik said the Baguio Museum is part of the history of the city as he dismissed plans to oust the historical building from its area.
The unveiling of the totem poles is a tribute to the women builders of the museum; Leonora San Agustine, Virginia De Guia, Cecile Afable and Geralda Hamada, whose faces were immortalized on wood by artist Wigan Nauyac. Another totem was dedicated to past may-
ors who helped build the museum: Braulio Yaranon, Bernardo Vergara, Peter Rey Bautista and Mauricio Domogan also carved on wood by
The present enhancement of the museum is from a grant from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts through the Committee on Museums which covered the glass casing of the cordilleran mummy housed within the museum.
Dannie Alvarez, chairman of the NCCA committee on museums said the enhancment is a step towards the full enhancement of the Baguio Museum which is being groomed to become one of the top museums in the North.
For further development for the museum, Tabora plans to tap the European Union for possible grants in the future.