Even before San Pedro City daughter Michelle Nikki Junia became Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) ad interim president, the premier state agency on arts and culture had been reaching out to the regions through its projects.
And Michelle Nikki supported and still supports these programs like bringing the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) classical music to the provinces, particularly to the grassroots.
The other CCP project that Junia likes so much and has been personally endorsing (one of her outlets is Facebook) is the "Himig Himbing," a promotion of the country's lullabies.
At the moment, "Himig Himbing" has been touring the whole archipelago and has just ended its regional stint in Dagupan, Pangasinan.
"Himig Himbing" reintroduces indigenous lullabies to contemporary audiences and develops nurturers that are grounded in our Philippine songs and hele.
According to the Corporate Communication Department of CCP, Michelle Junia's baby has just crawled out from Pangasinan to traverse other regions in the country.
According to Michelle Nikki who also designed the concept of "Himig Himbing" through the Arts Education Division of CCP, she is always fascinated with sharing music, film, literature, visual arts, performance, and dance through workshops and show components to the far-flung areas in the Philippines.
Quoting from the Publicity Division of CCP, it said that "in partnership with the Office of Pangasinan District IV Rep. Christopher de Venecia, Himig Himbing: Oyayin Niyanakan was a part of the Galila Arts Festival, Pangasinan’s contribution to and participation in the Creative Industries Month. It featured two workshops: the Himig Himbing at Ako: Creative Expression Workshop and the Rumorolyong Himig: Film Anlong Workshop held at the Dagupan City National High School."
“Capacity building through arts is one of the tools that we need to improve in our trade. These workshops will surely inspire the many teachers, parents, and nurturers present so that they can pass these lessons down to the children. Patuloy nating payayabungin ang sining at kultura ng bansa,” said Hon. de Venecia.
The Himig Himbing at Ako workshop involved music, literature, and visual arts. The workshop was facilitated by physician and children’s book author Dr. Luis Gatmaitan, ethnomusicologist Sol Trinidad, and artwork and book designer Beth Parrocha.
On the other hand, the Rumorolyong Himig: Film Anlong Workshop, or film poetry workshop, was facilitated by filmmaker Christopher Gozum who hails from Pangasinan. He directed the music video for Ligliway Ateng, one of the featured music videos at the show component of Himig Himbing: Oyayin Niyanakan.
These resource persons guided the participants, geared toward nurturers (parents, teachers, breastfeeding mothers, social workers, guidance counselors, pre-service teachers, among others), as they listened, watched, created, and expressed themselves through art.
Directed by renowned filmmakers based on the music arrangement by musical director and arranger Krina Cayabyab, the featured lullabies were Ligliway Ateng by Christopher Gozum, Tingkatulog by Thop Nazareno, Bata Alimahi by Arden Rod Condez, Ili Ili Tulog Anay by Lawrence Fajardo, O Matas A Banwa by Ma-an Asuncion-Dagñalan, Dungdungwen Kan To by Mes de Guzman, Katurog Na Nonoy by Alvin Yapan, and Lubi Lubi by Jerrold Tarog.
“Ang Himig Himbing ay humuhubog sa ating musmos na alaala at patuloy na yumayakap sa ating pagtanda. Layunin ng proyektong ito na ipadama ang makabagong henerasyon na muling mahumaling sa himig na binuo ng kalinga at pagmamahal, at buhayin at ipalaganap ulit ang heleng sariling atin, (It molds our tender memories that embraces old age. This project aims to influence new generations to subscribe to the hymns created by care and compassion ans to awaken once more our lullabies),” said Himig Himbing project director and CCP supervising arts and culture officer Lino Matalang, Jr.
"Himig Himbing" outreach project was recently held at the University of Antique.
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