The turnover was graced by Manila City Councilor Kim Atienza, himself an art cognoscente and an avid collector of Philippine contemporary art. His presence generously signified the recognition of the city government for the museum as a requisite public institution in providing creative and learning venues to the youth.
The donation was mediated by Norma C. Liongoren, curator of the aforementioned exhibit in 1998 entitled Walong Filipina, an annual offering of the Liongoren Art Gallery to foreground the role of women in the formation and temperance of Philippine society. While the yearly affair would focus on female artists, the 1998 exhibit featured eight male artists paying tribute to eight Filipina heroines whose deeds were not as widely known, if not altogether unknown.
Liongoren advocates that heroism as perpetuated in historical writings should not be male-dominated. Nation building is a noble task to be shared by all. And the story of Lorenza shines as an inspiring example how a child can profess her unique contribution to national well-being.
The donation is no empty gesture. It involves the participation of children from several schools in the country like The Learning Tree Child Growth Center in UP Village, the Mother Goose Special School System, Inc. and the Hilkan Montessori, both in Dagupan City, and the Montessori Integrated School in Fort Bonifacio, and a mother, Tita Villanueva, who see in the gift of painting an apt symbol to honor the unsung heroism of children and preserve institutions like the Museo Pambata, a virtual sanctuary of the creative Filipino child. Hanging the painting in the museum’s hall of young heroes, Liongoren contends, will inspire children to respond to the clarion call of duty to both family and country.
Who was Lorenza Agoncillo? And what did she achieve that her portrait painting now adorns the hall of young heroes of the Museo, together with the pictures of Rona Mahilum, Sajid Bulig, Ronnie Cabamungan, Chrisanta Seboc, Roselle Ambubuyog and Aris Espinosa?
Unknown to many, Lorenza Agoncillo of Taal, Batangas was the seven-year-old girl who together with her mother Marcela Mariño (wife to Felipe Agoncillo) and Josefina Herbosa de Natividad (Rizal’s niece) sewed the first Philippine flag in Hong Kong.
It is said that the tides of history swept Lorenza at an early age into the stream of heroic events. The first Philippine flag that she helped sew in five days, and which Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo brought to the Philippines when he sailed on the US transport McCulloch, was the very flag that the General waved when he declared Philippine independence on June 12, 1898.
Born on Sept. 5, 1890, Lorenza opted for a life devoted to education and culture. She committed the rest of her life to teaching at the Malate Catholic School, which in 1967 presented her a plaque of merit in recognition of 50 years of service to that institution. She died barely three days before turning 82 in 1972.
The donation of Coquilla’s painting to the Museo Pambata is emblematic of two things. One is to rectify an oversight in many historical writings. The circumstances surrounding the sewing of the first Philippine flag are often glossed over by historians who only identify the three names associated with the event, namely, Marcela, her daughter Lorenza, and Josefina. Reference to Lorenza’s being a seven-year-old child is hardly reflected.
Even in artworks where the event is illustrated depict three grown-up women, apparently to represent LuzViMinda – Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Two National Artists have made use of this historical event as a theme in their works.
Fernando Amorsolo, in his "Confección de la Estandarte Nacional," a 91.44 x 12.08 cm oil painting now in the collection of The Insular Life Assurance Co., shows this historical inaccuracy. The public sculpture of Napoleon Abueva, entitled "Three Women Sewing the First Philippine Flag" done in 1996, now gracing the UP Donors’ Garden in UP Diliman, commits the same inadvertence.
The work of Coquilla, "Munting Bayani," shows the child Lorenza, playfully depicted in a Chinese-inspired costume as a reference to Hong Kong where the action took place, looking up to the viewer in cock-eyed optimism as a fresh chapter opens in the life of the nation.
The stance by which Coquilla captured the young Lorenza in an almost portrait fashion provides ample focus on the child as she helped in the sewing of the Philippine tricolor. Two other pairs of hands are integrated in the composition to refer to the two other protagonists – Lorenza’s mother Marcela and Rizal’s niece Josefina.
Little Lorenza, Liongoren conjures, "would have opted to play patintero or a parlor game, but she was the epitome of an obedient child. We could also surmise that at a very young age, her parents have already passed on to her their fervent brand of patriotism. At that tender age, too, she was a competent bordadera to be trusted such a delicate job. Let’s not forget that Taal, Batangas was known then as now as home to fine embroidery."
The second reason that informs the donation is to dramatize the full recognition for the role of the museum in fostering value education among the youth.
It was in 1993 when Yuson’s proposal for a children’s museum, supported by her mother, Dr. Estefania Aldaba-Lim, was presented to then Mayor Alfredo Lim. The unutilized historical Elks Club building on Roxas Blvd. was spotted to be the site of the museum. A city council resolution had to be passed for the use of the building for 10 years, renewable for a similar period.
Lito Atienza, then vice mayor and head of the City Council of Manila, helped pass the resolution. Thus, the Museo Pambata was born on Dec. 21, 1994.
The Museo Pambata, enthuses Yuson, "is a dream come true. It is the work of many minds and creative artists. To this day, the people who make things happen at Museo are all part of these unfolding dreams for children, enabling even the poorest of the poor to experience "alternative education."
Ten years after, the Museo Pambata has eloquently responded to the needs of the youth. It runs a mobile library via a huge bus that carries some 3,000 children’s books. Through the itinerant program, the Museo engages in storytelling activities in the Manila barangays and turns over donated books (from England, Philippine Embassy) to cities all over the country.
In 2002, the Museo Pambata held a six-week intensive workshop on establishing children’s museums made possible through a grant from Ford Foundation Philippines. Because of this initiative, the Museo sang Bata sa Negros in Sagay City, Negros Occidental was inaugurated on June 11, 2003 with Sonia Sarrosa as president and Lilibeth La’O as director. Another children’s museum is slated to open in Dagupan City soon.
To date, the Museo has welcomed some 1.5 million visitors to the museum, 12 percent of whom come from the poorest communities. They are admitted free to view in-house regular programs, which include the Bayanihan Folk Dance, Anino (shadow puppetry) and storytelling, among others.
Another 250,000 are served in the provinces who view the Museo’s traveling exhibits. The exhibit on Philippine rainforests is now in Nueva Vizcaya. Two others – Be Smart, Don’t Start to Smoke and Philippine Arts and Crafts ("Iba’t ibang kamay, iisang buhay… Pilipino!") – are set to open in Bacolod City end of this month.
It is said that gems of wisdom come from the mouth of babes. I want to cap this piece with an inspired poem, entitled "The Museo is a Blessing," especially written for the turnover rites by eight-year-old Kabel Mishka J. Ligot, now on his third grade at The Learning Tree Child Growth Center.
with lots of activities that make learning fun…
from the helicopter in the playground to the science center,
from the rainforest to the marketplace,
from the ocean room to the gift shop, kids have fun.
Museo Pambata holds a place
in me and my cousins’ hearts
because 2nd to an ice cream parlor
where our granduncle would treat us,
it is the next best place to be.
I am thankful that the Museo is here
because without it
how would learning well… be that complete?
I know there may be other hands-on museums
but none of them combine science with nature,
nature with sibika,
sibika with global respect to arts and crafts!
I think each of us needs knowledge
and knowledge needs us… why?
Because knowledge needs to be spread to many children.
And even to adults!
It’s a precious one.
I like it where it is now,
I wouldn’t want this wonderful place destroyed.
I hope that this will stay for a long time,
and not be a memory.
I end this poem even though it doesn’t rhyme.