In celebration of History Month this August, a new generation of Filipino youth is taking center stage—unleashing their skills and talents from writing to performing pieces showcasing Philippine history. The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) held a 2-day interactive event from August 14 to 15 at Quezon Memorial Circle and Pinaglabanan Memorial Shrine.
Participants from different public elementary schools in Metro Manila joined the event to represent their schools. The students received strong support from their parents, coaches, and teachers, showing that this was a competition and an educational experience.
This year’s theme, Diwa ng Kasaysayan, Kabilin sa Kabataan, carries a powerful message about instilling the essence and lessons of history that highlight values, struggles, and stories of the past for the Filipino youth to learn from, and preserve the country’s historical and cultural heritage.
Through fun and exciting competitions—essay writing, poster making, quiz bee, dance, and Filipino traditional games such as “sungka” and “patintero”—the event encouraged students to actively participate in recalling important events and appreciate what it truly means to be a Filipino in an ever-changing world.
These activities connect them to the stories of courage, resilience, and unity that continue to shape today’s country. All thanks to the NHCP for spearheading the celebration, history was brought to life in ways that resonate with the youth, turning lessons from the past into inspiration for the future.
Rediscovering the Culture of Filipino Street Games
One of the event highlights was the Sungka and Patintero, which every school representative played. These games, once commonly played in neighborhoods and schoolyards, served as a source of entertainment and a way to pass down cultural values such as teamwork, strategy, and patience.
As for many young event participants, this enabled them to introduce and experience the kind of fun during that era.
“Yung theme pa lang na kasaysayan nagsimula siya noong 2018 as a public program ng Museo ng Katipunan, yung layunin ng programa ay i-engage ang mga bata, target kasi namin ay elementary students sa mga activities na pwedeng idikit sa history,” Christian Bernard Melendez, the Senior Shrine Curator of Museo ng Katipunan Pinaglabanan Memorial Shrine said.
“Ang pinaka-aim namin ay ma-harmonize ang history sa interest ng mga bata,” he added. Carine Casimero and Sheena Alcantara
