Cultural Intersections Series of the Lopez Museum and Library Wraps Up with a Lecture by Jose Javier Reyes and Free Screening of Oro, Plata, Mata This Year
With its mission to initiate and actively support scholarly and artistic production, contributing to the enhancement and appreciation of Philippine history, culture, and heritage, the Lopez Museum and Library (LML) reintroduced its in-person programming through the Cultural Intersections series in 2023.
Cultural Intersections recognizes gaps in the market for spaces outside formal learning contexts that could facilitate a deep dive into Philippine history, culture, and art through varied interdisciplinary public programs, collaborating with scholars, professionals, and practitioners engaging with and across related industries and disciplines. The series also draws from perspectives and contexts that explicate diverse expressions of artistry and creativity in connection with the LML collection, presenting myriad aspects of the mundane.
This year’s series directs its focus on the Visayas, which began in June with an introductory lecture by local historian and retired professor at the UP Manila School of Health Sciences in Palo, Leyte, Dr. Rolando Borrinaga, drawing from his extensive research and expertise on the history and heritage of Eastern Visayas. This was followed by a lecture last July by former dean of the UP Diliman College of Fine Arts, Prof. Mitzi Reyes, on her research work on the Iloilo patadyong and its traditional designs, and a talk last August by director of UP Visayas’ Office of Initiatives in Culture and Arts, Prof. Martin Genodepa, on the visual arts ecosystem in the region.
One of the aims of the Cultural Intersections series is to introduce immersive yet insightful learning experiences for diverse publics, such as the immersive gastronomy experience with a lecture by heritage advocate and Philippine colonial-era culinary historian Felice Prudente Sta. Maria in partnership with Chef Jessie Restaurants.
The Cultural Intersections series also serves as a platform to flesh out critical ideas, methods, and frameworks that would further its commitment to stewardship, preservation, enrichment, and promotion of the LML collections to ensure their availability and access to current and future generations. For instance, Dr. Ambeth Ocampo’s lecture on Republic Act No. 1425, or the Rizal Law, which mandates the inclusion of the life, works, and writings of National Artist Dr. Jose Rizal across local curricula, was offered in June to commemorate Philippine Independence Day and look back on the personal effects of National Hero Jose Rizal (1861–1896) from the LML collections.
Wrapping up the series this year is a screening of the critically acclaimed Oro, Plata, Mata, followed by a lecture with renowned filmmaker Undersecretary Jose Javier Reyes, who also serves as Chairman and CEO of the Film Development Council of the Philippines. Reyes’ lecture, “Ravages of War: Filipinos in Peacetime, Conflict, and Its Aftermath in Oro, Plata, Mata,” will be held at Power Plant Mall Cinema 8 from 9:00 AM to 1:15 PM on October 24, 2026. The film is rated R-16. This event is co-presented by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), with support from ABS-CBN, ABS-CBN Sagip Pelikula, Power Plant Mall, Gourmet Farms, and WhenInManila.com.
In bringing together encounters, conversations, and experiences, the Cultural Intersections series of the Lopez Museum and Library continues to affirm its role as a vital platform for critical engagement and cultural reflection. As the series evolves, this reaffirms LML’s commitment to cultivating informed communities and sustaining meaningful connections between past and present, scholarship and practice, and heritage and contemporary life.
For inquiries or questions, you may contact Press and Marketing Relations via pr@elfi.org.ph.
