The National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) lauded the capitol’s initiatives in promoting a sense of history through culture and the arts. NCAA executive director Cecille Guidote Alvarez said Gov. Oscar Moreno is an NCCA awardee this year for erecting monumental works of art at the capitol grounds. “We just culminated the arts and culture month celebration and the unveiling of this monumental work of art is a fine example,” said Alvarez, referring to the ‘‘Heritage of Misamis Oriental’’ sculptural tableau.
Aside from the nine-month long construction of the Heritage of Misamis Oriental and the Press Freedom Monument, the Moreno administration has been holding week-long cultural shows during the Salo-Tabo agri-fairs which is held every three months. The capitol has also hosted artwork exhibits and continued to support performing art groups who have participated in national and international competitions.
Last March 1, Alvarez joined Moreno, Vice Gov. Norris Babiera, other officials and internationally renowned sculptor and artist Eduardo Castrillo in unveiling the 12.6-meter historical and cultural landmark before relatives and descendants of “local heroes”, municipal government officials, representatives of regional government agencies, academic community, media practitioners, and provincial government employees.
Moreno, in his message, said that “words are not enough to thank all those who possess the indomitable spirit and whose sterling achievements made what Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro today.”
He said the Heritage of Misamis Oriental Monument is for them.
“They will eternally inspire us,” he quipped.
Vice Gov. Babiera stressed that the collective identity of Misamisnons has always been a source of pride and inspiration for him as well as for those who have the rare opportunity of serving the provincial government.
“With this, we are proud of being Misamisnons, as Mindanaoans and as Filipinos,” Babiera said.
Sculptured with the typical Castrillo constructivism method, the monument depicts the historical, socio-cultural and economic transformation of Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro.
Castrillo, in his project description talk, said the work of art is an attempt to capture the participation of Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro residents during the Philippine revolutions as personified by their leaders Don Apolinar Velez and Don Nicolas Capistrano, and of good governance represented in the monument by the late Vice President Emmanuel Pelaez.
“Without the history of Mindanao, Philippine history will be incomplete,” said Castrillo.
The symbolic sculptural tableau includes a mosaic of respected well-known leaders and statesmen, a Higaonon woman with a child, a Muslim maiden playing an indigenous musical instrument, professional migrants, and historical landmarks such as the Cagayan River, St. Augustine Cathedral and Xavier University.
All the human figures are in double life-size intricately sculptured out of number 14 and 16 thick brass sheets while the 14×14-meter base was formed out of the original obelisk enhanced by fine tiles and mosaic glass.
The Heritage of Misamis Oriental Monument—the first in Visayas and Mindanao––will form part of Castrillo’s now famous works which include, among others, the People Power at Edsa, The Winnower in Hongkong, The Execution of Rizal in Rizal Park, Manila, The Pillar of Growth at Metrobank Plaza, Makati, and The Redemption at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina.
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