RAFI joins 1st Dia del Galeon Festival. The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) joins the celebration of the 1st Dia del Galeon Festival in the Philippines organized by the Baler 400 Steering Committee and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
The Dia del Galeon Festival is held every Oct. 8 in commemoration of the galleon trade between the Philippines and Mexico that took place between 1565 and 1815. One of the most important trade routes in world history, the Galleon Trade connected Asia with Europe, the Americas, and Africa and was a vessel of cultural transmission.
Dia del Galeon Festival commemorates the Galleon Trade between the Philippines and Mexico.

One of the activities of the Dia del Galeon is the Viaje del Galeon, a commemorative event that reminds the public of the important role of the Galleon as a link in the international trade and as a cultural highway among people touched along its route.
Viaje del Galeon will be held on Oct. 8 to 11 with a cruise from Manila to Cebu then back to Manila. The cruise will feature lectures and activities to around 300 youth participants about the importance and contributions of the Galleon on the spiritual, cultural, and economic developments of the different islands in the Philippines.
RAFI, in collaboration with various partners, is contributing its culture and heritage capability to the activities of the Viaje del Galeon-Cebu leg.
The Viaje del Galeon-Cebu leg will start when the youth leaders arrive by SuperFerry 20 in Cebu on Oct. 9 at 5 p.m. in Pier 6.
A motorcade, bringing the Our Lady of La Paz-Antipolo, the patroness of the Galeon, will begin from the port area to the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral where a mass will be held.
A welcome dinner will be hosted by the Cebu City Government in the Fort San Pedro grounds. Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and Margarita Osmeña, head of the Cebu City Committee of Tourism and Cultural and Historical Affairs, are expected to be present during the dinner.
The delegates will be treated to a night city tour to the famous heritage landmarks of Cebu.
On October 10, the participants will join the motorcade bringing the Our Lady of La Paz-Antipolo, to the St. Joseph’s Parish in Mandaue City. After, they will head straight to the Bantayan sa Hari where they will be welcomed by the staff of the Mandaue City Tourism Office and be treated with Mandaue City’s famous delicacies.
Viaje del Galeon Participants will visit Cebu's Heritage Museums
A tour to some of Cebu’s heritage museums like the Casa Gorordo Museum, University of Southern Philippines Foundation-Rizal Museum, Cathedral Museum of Cebu, and 1730 Jesuit House will follow.
The delegates will then board the SuperFerry 20 at 5 p.m. to go back to Manila.
Other partners in the Viaje del Galeon-Cebu leg include the Cebu City Government through the Office of the Committee of Tourism and Cultural and Historical Affairs, Mandaue City Tourism Commission, and Ho Tong Hardware.
RAFI hopes to make the Youth understand the importance of Culture and Heritage.
Through this event, the Culture & Heritage focus area of RAFI hopes to make the youth understand the importance of culture and heritage to the development of the country and enrich them with mechanisms on preserving and protecting heritage sites.
Culture & Heritage is one of the five focus areas of RAFI’s comprehensive approach to elevating lives and communities, believing that a confident community begins with a strong sense of identity. Its other focus areas are Integrated Development, Micro-finance & Entrepreneurship, Leadership & Citizenship, and Education.
For more information about the Viaje del Galeon, please contact 418-7234 loc. 702 and look for Karl Damayo.
RAFI Joins the 1st Dia del Galeon Festival and Viaje del Galeon posted at Cebu Events Blog.

Rediscover Cebu’s rich history by going on a walking tour to the museums. Ride a tartanilla and experience Cebu’s colourful past. Visit the Cathedral Museum of Cebu and the Basilica del Santo Niño Museum for a glimpse of religious relics and old statues and images.

Nine museums to welcome visitors in grander, bigger Gabii sa Kabilin.
On its fourth year, Gabii sa Kabilin (Night of Heritage) promises the public a richer experience of Cebu culture and heritage as nine museums welcome visitors from 6 p.m. to midnight on Friday, May 28, 2010.
On this special night, families, friends, and tourists can visit Casa Gorordo Museum along 35 Lopez Jaena Street, the Cathedral Museum of Cebu and Basilica del Santo Niño Museum on P. Burgos Street, Fort San Pedro in Plaza Independencia, the Yap-Sandiego ancestral house on the corner of Mabini and Lopez Jaena Streets, Museo Sugbo on M.J. Cuenco Street, 1730 Jesuit House along Zulueta Street, University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) - Rizal Museum on Mabini Street, and Sacred Heart Parish along Jakosalem Street and witness the different cultural presentations for a fee of only P100 per person for multiple entry to each venue.
Learn how Filipinos lived in the Hispanic times at the Casa Gorordo Museum. Or explore the richness of colonial architecture when you visit the Yap Sandiego House and the 1730 Jesuit House in the old Parian district. Know interesting things about Jose Rizal, our national hero, at the USPF-Rizal Museum. And be attracted to the beautiful contemporary paintings of Cebu’s very own artists at Sacred Heart Parish.
Listen to traditional Cebuano love poetry and music by local performers or watch dance performances by the Sandiego Dance Company and other dance troupes. Watch reenactments of Rizal’s last moments as well as award-winning indie films.
Parada or tartanilla rides are offered at between Fort San Pedro and Basilica del Sto. Nino Museum. Mini-buses are offered from Museo Sugbo, Fort San Pedro and Sacred Heart Parish.
To be a part of this one-of-a-kind experience, get your Gabii sa Kabilin tickets at the respective participating museums for P100 per person (please see fact sheet for contact information). Ask any of the tartanillas to bring you to Fort San Pedro and Basilica del Sto. Nino Museum for only P50.00 per person.
Definitely a must-do this summer vacation, Gabii sa Kabilin is on many counts a wonderful way of spending your Friday night. Whether you are with family or friends, this cultural event is sure to be an enjoyable learning experience where you will see and experience museums beyond their collections.

“The Gabii sa Kabilin concept is patterned after the long night of the museum in Germany and other European countries to draw and encourage people to visit museums as a venue for cultural understanding” said Dr. Joy Gerra, Executive Director of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI)-Cultural Heritage Program.
“We would also like to offer our guests a chance to ride the calesa or tartanilla (parada), a mode of transportation at the turn of 19th century as they move around from museum to museum. We also encourage people to dress in period costumes for the event,” she added.
Gabii sa Kabilin, the only museum and cultural event of its kind in the Philippines and Asia, is organized by RAFI in partnership with the Visayas Association of Museums and Galleries Inc. (VAMGI).

Gabii sa Kabilin is Cebuano for Night of Heritage.
It began on May 25, 2007 with four Cebu City museums—Casa Gorordo Museum, Cathedral Museum of Cebu, Basilica del Santo Niño Museum, and Fort San Pedro.
Five museums participated in the second Gabii sa Kabilin on May 30, 2008. They include the Casa Gorordo Museum, Cathedral Museum of Cebu, Basilica del Santo Niño Museum, Fort San Pedro, and Yap-Sandiego ancestral house.
There were six museums in the third Gabii sa Kabilin on May 29, 2009, namely the Casa Gorordo Museum, Cathedral Museum of Cebu, Basilica del Santo Niño Museum, Fort San Pedro, Yap-Sandiego ancestral house, and Museo Sugbo.
On May 28, 2010, the new Gabii sa Kabilin will feature nine museums—the Casa Gorordo Museum, Cathedral Museum of Cebu, Basilica del Santo Niño Museum, Fort San Pedro, Yap-Sandiego ancestral house, Museo Sugbo, 1730 Jesuit House, University of Southern Philippines Foundation-Rizal Museum and Sacred Heart Parish.

Rationale
Inspired by the long night of the museum in Germany and other European countries, Gabii sa Kabilin aims to encourage the public to visit museums and understand its position as a venue for cultural understanding.
It also hopes to make visitors appreciate Cebuano history and culture. Gabii sa Kabilin is the culmination of the International Museum Day (May 18) and the Philippine National Heritage Month (May) celebrations.
Uniqueness
Cebu is the only place in Asia and the Philippines offering a once-a-year night museum tour to showcase museum collections beyond their normal operating hours.
Tartanillas shuttling visitors between museums has become one of the crowd-pleasing Gabii sa Kabilin stand-outs. Cebuano food and delicacies are also sold at very affordable prices.

Features
• Multiple entrances from 6 p.m. to midnight to the nine museums for only Php 100.00 (Please present press ID for free pass and/or send us your confirmation with the name/s of your representative/s so we can include in our list for special pass.)
• Multiple tartanilla rides at between Fort San Pedro and Basilica del Sto. Nino Museum for only Php 50.00 (Please present press ID for free ride and/or send us your confirmation with the name/s of your representative/s so we can include in our list for special ride.)
• Mini-buses are offered for guests from Museo Sugbo, Fort San Pedro and Sacred Heart Parish.
• Cebuano food and delicacies as well as Cebuano arts and crafts will be showcased and sold at certain venues.
• For safety and security, the route will be manned by the Cebu City Tourist Police, CITOM and barangay tanods.
• Cultural presentations at each of the museums from 6 p.m. until midnight (see attached page for schedule).
• Cebuano poetry, music, and dance performances are showcased.
Email me @ miong@ymail.com for the Participating Museum's Genre and Contact Info. I will send you the Info sheet in document format.
Gabii sa Kabilin 2010 (Cebu Night of Heritage 2010) posted at Cebu Events Blog