Art exhibit of Cebu's history visits six schools to honor Don Vicente Rama

CEBU, Philippines - The city government through its Revitalization Project has chosen six schools to which it would bring the Don Vicente Rama Memorial Historical Art Exhibit as a tribute to the Father of the Cebu City Charter.

The exhibit showcases some 25 paintings of Cebuano Artist Manuel Pañares that depict the story of Cebu’s past that the city government believes should be known especially to the children. It aims to teach the children about Cebu’s rich history before and after the Philippines became a colony of Spain.

 The schools include the Don Vicente Rama Memorial National High School, Abellana National School, Gothong Memorial High School, Don Sergio Osmeña Memorial National High School, Cam Lapu-Lapu High School and Mabolo National High School. The exhibit will stay in one school for two days.

Pañares’ wife, Tonette, the director of the Don Vicente Rama Memorial Historical Art Exhibit, said the project is a tribute to the crusade of the late Don Vicente Rama who was a historian and a freedom fighter himself.

The paintings of her husband, Manuel, are visual representation of information that historians have recorded in books and other materials.

Manuel spent the last 40 years of his life transferring history unto canvass. His paintings include the time Magellan came to Cebu, the first blood compact recorded between Magellan and Rajah Humabon, the mass baptism which turned into a massacre that killed Magellan, as well as other culture and traditions during the pre-Hispanic Cebu.

His artworks also include depictions of the Mindanaon tribe.

“So we hope that public schools will make a manual of local history so as the city council,” she said.

Cebu City will celebrate its 74th charter anniversary on Thursday. (FREEMAN)