By NELJOY N. GALIGAO
ILOILO City – The National Museum of the Philippines (NMP)–Iloilo is proving that museums are no longer confined to preserving the past — they are becoming centers for healing and self-discovery.
As part of this year’s Museums and Galleries Month celebration, the museum hosted an empowering lecture-workshop titled “Baybayin: Liham sa Sarili” on October 4, which used the ancient Filipino script as a tool to promote self-love and mental wellness.
Led by baybayin advocate Honeybunch Sabete of the Youth Empowering Youth Initiative and mental health practitioner Florabel Suarez, the activity blended cultural education with emotional reflection.
“Baybayin allows us to reconnect with our identity while expressing compassion to ourselves,” said Sabete during the session.
The event gathered about 100 students and educators from Iloilo River Plains Integrated School, Iloilo Bethel Temple Christian Academy, West Visayas State University, and Iloilo Science and Technology University.
Participants learned about the 16th-century writing system once inscribed on leaves and bamboo and later suppressed during the colonial period but still practiced in parts of Mindoro and Palawan.
The workshop’s centerpiece was a heartfelt exercise where attendees wrote letters to themselves in baybayin — an act that fused art, history, and introspection. Suarez explained that such practices help individuals process emotions and build resilience.
Part of NMP–Iloilo’s ongoing #Ginhawa program, the workshop reflected the museum’s mission to expand cultural access through creative and inclusive activities. Previously conducted for persons deprived of liberty, the initiative encourages the use of art for mindfulness and recovery.
This year’s theme, “Resilient Museums and Galleries: Educating for Preparedness and Recovery,” underscores the evolving role of museums as catalysts for community well-being.
By combining heritage appreciation with mental health awareness, the NMP–Iloilo reaffirmed its role not just as a custodian of artifacts but as a living space where culture inspires healing and self-discovery./PN