Rachel Siringan: Una po, pwedeng po kayong magkaroon ng brief na pagpapakilala. Kung sino po kayo, ano po yung inyong background.
Maricel Montero: Hello, I’m Maricel Montero. I’m currently the executive director of Museo Pambata. I’ve been working in Museo since 2001. But I started as a volunteer. Then, I eventually became a children’s advocacy coordinator of a program, which I also co-created with the founder of Museo, Dr. Nina Lim-Yuson. The idea of the children’s advocacy program was really to be a platform for the children to voice out their thoughts on issues affecting them. But, eventually, it became a platform for children to learn about creative activities. About art, for example. And these are for children in the underprivileged areas na walang pagkakataon na magkaroon ng art sa buhay. So, yun yung children’s advocacy. I became the executive director in 2007 until now. Although, I’m actually retiring by the end of the year. So, this is my last month. I’m also a teacher. I teach arts management in College of St. Benilde, Art Management Department. So, I’ve been working in Museo for quite a long time. I’ve been working in the field of children even longer than that. Mostly for NGOs that are really focused on child development. Pero yung hilig ko talaga is yung to be able to use art to get the children open their eyes to art and value of art. Most of the time, hindi siya nabibigyan ng halaga. Hindi siya priority. Pero napakalaking bagay niya sa paghubog ng mga bata, lalo na dun sa mga underprivileged. Para sa kanila kasi privilege talaga ang art. Although, hindi naman dapat. Kasi it can be anything around them. Kailangan lang nila mavalue yung aesthetics siguro at matutunan din nila sa sarili nila.
RS: So, what are your thoughts on art and education? And what is their relationship with each other? Given nga po dun sa shinare niyo na art as pang-open ng eyes ng mga bata.
MM: Napakalaking bagay. Alam mo yung MAPEH. Music, Arts, PE, and Health. 45 minutes siya a week, ata sa public school. Ang dami nun, Music, Arts, PE, Health. Makakahon mo ba siya dun sa 45 minutes? Unang-una meron pang mga teachers na hindi din sila equipped to teach. That’s why, I think when Museo Pambata started, that’s the whole idea. Dati ang tawag dun ay alternative education. Pero hindi siya dapat alternative. Dapat mainstream siya. Dapat kasama talaga siya. Bakit importante siya? Kasi, unang-una yung creative thinking sa mga bata, napaka-importante nun na ma-develop at a young age kasi bukas pa yung isip nila. Even yung toddler age, even yung mga primary age. Kasi kailangan natin sila makuha at that stage para makita nila yung kagandahan. Para sa akin, ang paniniwala ko is ang art, hindi siya something na para lang sa mga maykaya. Art like education is supposed to be for all. Dapat bukas yung options natin. At tsaka yung art naman kasi hindi lang siya yung mamahaling paintings o yung mga classical ballet. If you teach the kids at an early age to be able to appreciate that and see the beauty in things, bukas yung pag-iisip nila. Nagkakaroon sila ng options. Nagkakaroon sila ng pagkakataon. I remember yung children’s advocacy program namin. So, we cater to underprivileged children. Pag tinatanong mo sila usually, “Anong gusto mo paglaki mo?” Always nila sinasabi, yung mga babae, artista or dancer. Kasi yun yung nakikita nila. Ngayon, iba na. vlogger. Gusto nila maging vlogger. Ok lang din naman yun. Pero sana mailagay natin sa pag-iisip nila na hindi siya superficial, yung may content, yung may laman, may substance. Yung mga lalaki naman, sundalo. Pulis at sundalo. Sigurado yan. So, one time, dinala namin sila sa CCP. Nanood kami ng ballet at ng nanood kami ng Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. So yung mga bata, they were so amazed.
Akala ng mga nanay, “Naku! Anu yun, di naman nila magugustuhan. Hindi nila maaappreciate kasi hindi sila sanay.” Sabi ko, “Try lang natin.”
“Kasi maiingay yan, makukulit.”
Sabi ko, “Try lang natin. Tingnan lang natin.”
So, we went. Apparently, ang tahimik nila. They were so amazed. Kasi after ng ballet, sabi nung isang bata, tawag nila sa akin, “Mamu. Pwede namang sumayaw na hindi parang sexbomb.” So yun, yung parang, wow imaginin mo, yung world nila, ganun lang. Kasi kung ano ung nakikita nila. Kung nakikita nila sa TV laging yung mga sexbomb dancer o yung mga dancers na gumigilinggling, yun yung nakikita nila. Yun yung reality nila. But if you give them an option to see art. Ang bilis nilang ma-absorb yun. The same with music. Akala mo hindi nila magugustuhan yung orchestra? They were so curious to know the different instruments. So, yung mga ganun lang na bagay, napakalaking bagay na yun sa education ng bata.
Ang education naman kasi, para sa akin, yung mabuksan lang yung mata nila. To see different kinds of music, to see different kinds of dance, and even literature. One of our advocacies sa Museo is the mobile library. So, we go to different communities, and we do storytelling, arts and crafts. So, just the mere fact na makabasa sila and you would be so surprised. Marami sa kanila na sobra yung interest. Kasi ang dami sa kanila, wala naman kasing storybooks. Wala silang storybooks sa bahay. Lahat ng mga libro nila ay textbooks. O kung ano lang meron. Siguro, comics, magasin. Yun lang meron sila. Pero ung mga kwento na nakakarelate sila, napakalaking bagay nun. And that will spark their interest to keep on reading and even writing. Yun yung mga things na gusto naming gawin sa Museo. Maski yung arts and crafts. Yung arts and crafts namin, usually recyclable materials. Kasi gusto namin ipakita sa kanila na pwede kayong mag-art ng mga bagay na mahahanap niyo sa paligid niyo. Kailangan lang na mag-isip kayo creatively. And showing them art can make them think. Di ba yung imagination nila lumalawak pag meron silang nakikitang inspirations o yung mga tinatawag natin na pegs. Ay, pwede rin palang gawin yan. So yung mga ganyan na pasimula sa kanila sa pagpapahalaga or pag-appreciate ng art ay napakalaking bagay. Sa school kasi, sa public school, well at least ngayon meron nang contest contest. Pero usually yung mga cream of the crop, yung mga magagaling sa academics, sila talaga yung mga naaalagaan. Paano yung hindi? Pero may potential din. Kasi ang daming ganun. Ang daming may potensyal na maging artist pero wala silang pagkakataon. Yun yung mga gusto nating mahagip sa mga bata. Well, for Museo, especially. Yan yung gusto namin sana makita at mabuksan namin.
RS: Yung next question naman po, tungkol po sa personal na advocacy niyo po. At kung nag-rereflect po ba yun sa work niyo sa Museo Pambata? Or paano niyo po naidadala yung mga personal advocacies niyo dun sa mga programs ng Museo Pambata? May mga nasabi na po kayo kanina pero kung meron pa po kayong maisip na personal advocacy niyo po.
MM: Oo. I have been working with children for the longest time. I used to work in Stairway Foundation in the 90s. Matanda na ako. Pasensya na. We started Stairway Foundation in the 90s. The whole idea of that, nasa Mindoro siya and we were working with street children. I think dun din talaga nabukas yung isip ko sa importance ng art at tsaka ng nature. So, the foundation, brings children, ung mga hardcore na mga bata. Yung hindi marerehabilitate dito sa Manila. Kami yung mga unang nag-isip na, “dalhin kaya natin sila sa ibang lugar.” So, we brought them sa Mindoro, sa Aninuan. May parang facility doon na we started. But it’s really sa tabing dagat at tabing bundok. The whole idea was to really use art and nature as a form of rehabilitation or as a therapy for the kids. And then, that’s where I realized how important art is and nature. Kasi yung mga bata sa syudad, lansak or kumbaga siga na sila dito sa syudad. Pero pag nilagay mo sila sa ibang environment, nag-iiba, bumabalik sila sa pagkabata nila. Kasi yung mga street kids pag nandito sa syudad, they have to be strong. Ang daming challenges sa streets. May mga kalaban na gang, may drugs, may mga perpetrators. And these kids, they don’t want that. I mean, who would want that? So, what happens is if you bring them out of that situation or that scenario, narealize namin na nagiging bata sila ulit. So, bringing them back into nature, and making them feel things. Sa art kasi, it’s really your five senses kasi. Di ba? It’s very tactile when you work with clay. You use your sense of hearing when you use your voice. So, all of that. They realize na meron palang ibang way pa na hindi naman siya nakakatakot. Kasi takot silang pumasok sa school kasi very rigid. So yung art is a way of really opening their eyes to things around them na hindi sila maging takot at magkakaroon sila ng pagkakataon na mamanipulate ito. Magamit.
I’ve been working with children, most of the time. I really found out the importance of art. And then, sa Museo, lalo na nakita ko talaga yung being here in the city, nakikita ko yung how hard it is for the kids. Not just street kids, but yung kids na taga-syudad na walang oppoortunity na magkaroon ng art sa buhay. Kasi nga some people think it’s really a privilege. Ang ginagawa namin sa Museo is to really work with the underprivileged and to give them the option. The option to be able to see creativity. To be able to widen their imagination. Ung Museo sa tagal na ng trabaho ko dyan, buhay ko na halos siya. Buhay ko na siya. Yan narin yung advocacy ko talaga.
I started teaching art management in 2016 sa Benilde. Yun naman sa art management, ang idea dun is what I really want to share is to mentor art managers. To make them see that art is something that we can use to change, hindi naman change life pero to make things better. Gusto kong makita nila na hindi siya something exclusive. It’s something that should be shared. Especially with the, well it’s really up to the students if they want to work with children. Pero in my case, ayun talaga ang aking advocacy, is to really push for kids to be exposed to art in an early age, especially yung mga underprivileged.
RS: Nakakaaliw nga po kung paano po nakaconnect po yung past work niyo rin with the current. Yung question ko naman po na susunod ay: “How do you train yourself to present exhibitions or create programs for children?” Paano niyo po inaral, ano po yung mga nag-influence sa inyo sa paggawa niyo ng projects. Kahit hanggang po ngayon, ano po yung influences?
MM: Actually, yung sa umpisa, parang kami-kami lang yung gumawa. Pero nagkaroon kami ng mga volunteer artists. Narealize ko na important talaga yung engagement nung artists tsaka nung mga bata. Isa siyang inspirasyon din para sa kanila. We worked with a lot of artists and usually nag-woworkshop sila sa bata. So, kinukwento nila yung kanilang ginagawa, nagpapakita sila ng mga gawa nila, at the same time, nagkakaroon sila ng activity with the kids. So, for quite a while, we worked with the Philippine Highschool for the Arts (PHSA). I also believe in child-to-child approach. Napaka-importante ng child-to-child. So, we’ve been working with the PHSA kasi nga yun yung idea. Napansin ko na mas receptive ang mga bata, pagbata din ang kausap nila. Tinary namin. Nagkaroon kami ng children’s arts festival kung saan nakipagpartner kami sa PHSA, kung saan ung mga young artists tinuruan nila, nag-workshop sila sa mga bata. So napakaganda ng engagement at tsaka ng sharing of learnings kasi napakalaking bagay din yung both student and the artist-teachers na they learn from each other. Nakakabukas din ng kanilang mga pananaw sa lipunan. Nakikita nila ung sitwasyon ng mga bata, unprivilieged. Tapos yung mga bata naman sa community, yung mga underpriviliged kids nakikita nila yung opportunity na pwede rin silang maging artists, na hindi siya malayo. Maaari siya. May pagkakataon na pwede talaga. So yun ung mga gusto naming i-hone at iinculcate sa mga bata. At the same time,yun mga young artists gusto talaga namin na lapat din sila sa komunidad. Ung mga needs ng community nakikita nila. Kasi di ba some art reflect society. Malaking bagay yung alam nila where they are immersed, the society we are living in. Like for example, here in Manila, makikita nila yung buhay dito ng mga bata sa Manila. Bata din sila. Mas nakakarelate. Napakalaking bagay. We always do it through play. We call it creative learning strategies. But it’s really teaching through play. The way you teach theatre, we call it the playshop instead of workshop. Or even children’s rights. You can talk about children’s rights through play. Mas nagaganahan ang mga bata. Kasi pag matanda medyo may parang may authority figure. Ung iba nag-claclam up. Nahihiya sila magsalita. Pero kung mga bata, nakikita nila ung kapareho nila so, mas madali silang mag-open up. Ang ginagawa lang namin is yung mga young teachers o yung mga child-mentors, binibigyan namin sila ng orientation. Binibigyan namin sila ng orientation on how to work with children and an orientation on children’s rights. Lahat naman, maski yung mga volunteers namin na pumupunta sa mga community, lahat yun ay dumadaan sa orientation or how to work with children.
Akala kasi ng iba madali siya pero actually hindi. Kasi kailangan mong makuha yung atensyon ng mga bata. Lalo na kung outreach, kung nasa community kayo, maraming distractions. There are ways on how you can keep the kids in the space. At tsaka how to treat them properly. Kasi sometimes just because taga-Smokey Mountain sila, minsan parang…dapat hindi natin…dapat equal sila. Equal sila sa atin. Hindi ka God’s gift. Hindi ka dumating doon para magbigay ng liwanag sa kanila. Pareho kayo. Yan din yung tinuturo ko sa Benilde. Yan din yung tinuturo ko sa Benilde sa mga estudyante na kailangan kung meron kaming service learning. So, society and the arts, kung saan yung mga young artists nakikisalamuha sila sa community. When they go to the community, we always tell them na you have to go there as an equal. Marami ka ring matututunan sa kanila, marami rin silang matutunan sa’yo. Ganun dapat yung mindset, yung perspective na ibibigay mo sa mga batang artists na willing. And most of them are really interested to volunteer or to work with the community. Nakakatuwa din kasi kailangan lang ma-spark yun. Yung interest na yun at marealize nila na nadun sila para tumulong pero at the same time, nandun din sila para maging kaibigan, first and foremost. Parang suporta. Suporta yan kasi usually sa mga underprivileged community, feeling nila parang nakalimutan na sila. So napakalaking bagay na sabihin mo lang na nandito kami, suporta kami. Susuportahan namin kayo. Meron kaming bagong ipapakita sa inyo! Yung mga ganun. Tapos lalo na yung mga kwento mo dapat swak din sa kanilang sitwasyon. Di ka pwedeng magkwento tungkol sa bata na may yaya kasi wala naman silang yaya. Or magdala ka ng materials na mamahalin para sa arts and crafts mo. Di pwede yun. So, you have to keep these things in mind when you’re working with them. Kasi it’s very important to gain the trust. Unang-una relational talaga siya eh. It’s a relationship thing. So, when you’re working with children in these areas, it very important to gain the trust, not just of the kids but of the community as a whole.
RS: I agree po doon. May follow-up lang po ako since medyo nabanggit niyo na rin po na you’re teaching arts management po sa Benilde at sinasabi niyo rin po sa kanila yung other aspects of community engagement. So interested po ako what aspects of your teaching practice influence your practice in Museo and vice versa? So, paano po na-iinfluence ng ung pagiging art management teacher niyo po sa Museo and paano naman po ung sa Museo sa pagiging teacher niyo po.
MM: Nakakatuwa yan kasi I’ve been working with NGOs for the longest time. Sa community talaga ako babad. So nung pumasok ako sa Benilde, kakaiba talaga siya. Parang siyang bubble? May sarili silang mundo. Para sa akin. Coming from someone na working with the community. At first, parang hindi ko talaga siya masyado naintindihan na bakit parang ang hirap-hirap nung pre-pandemic pa, di mo sila madala anywhere dahil ang daming requirements. But I understand that. I learned from it also. Dati medyo akong parang, “Bat ganito sila? Napakasosyal naman.” Pero narealize ko na, wow, all their lives ganun pala talaga. Ganun yung mundo nila eh. Bubble nga eh. So kailangan mo lang unti-unting ipakita sa kanila yung may beauty din kasi in engaging with the community. Actually mas malalim pa yung and most of them actually realized that. Parang, “Wow, life-changing experience!” Because they’ve never had that. They’ve never gone down. They’ve always been just up there wherever in their own little bubble. When they see street kids, they only see them when they are in the car. Naglimos, Pero di nila nakilala yung mga bata as a kapwa bata nila, as an equal. And they realized, minsan mas marami pa silang matututunan sa mga batang ito kaysa yung maibibigay nila.
Case in point, kakatapos lang ng class ko. Online ito. Ang hirap kasi online. Mga theatre students tsaka production design students. So, they did a workshop. At first, yung sabi sa amin, “Ma’am, madali lang po yan. Pwede niyo silang gawan ng background para sa kanilang program.” Sabi ko, ang corny naman kasi kung engagement with the community we have to engage. Hindi ka pwedeng gagawa ka ng something para matulungan mo sila. Parang lang siyang dole-out. Para sa akin, dole out yun eh. Tapos yung mga students din, gusto din talaga nila mag-engage sa mga bata. So, we had a Zoom workshop. At first, yung kanilang preparation was very rigid. Tapos sabi ko, hindi, relax lang kayo and get to know the kids. First, we had an orientation for children’s rights and working with children. Then, eventually when the workshop happened. May tanong sila sa mga kids. Check-in nila. “Kung meron daw genie, ano ang wish mo?” Ano yung gusto mong hingiin na wish. Syempre yung mga students, ano, sneakers, favorite nila na whatever or yung mga needs nila na mga kailangan nila na relo, damit, brand ng sapatos, bag. Mga ganun. Nung tinanong nila yung mga bata, yung mga bata: Sana mawala na yung COVID-19 or sana magkasama kami ng pamilya ko. Nung nag-assessment kami, feeling nila napaka-selfless na maski wala na nga sila, yung hinihingi pa nila ay hindi para talaga sa kanila pero para sa marami. For me, malaking bagay yun. Nakita ko yung essays nila. Ang dami sa kanila yung nagsasabi na ganun. Pero ang maganda ring nangyari doon, so na-meet nila yung mga students. Ang dami nilang tanong. “Ate, anong production design? Anung ginagawa nun?” Kasi ngayon lang nila narinig iyon eh. Yung iba doon highschool. “Anong trabaho ng production design? May pera ba dyan?” Meron di ba? Kasi ikaw yung gumagawa nung props. Ikaw ang gumagawa ng mga stage design. So, sabi nila, ay kung magaling ka pala sa art, pwede ka rin mag-production design. Oo pwede talaga. Tas interested sila sa Benilde. Kung meron ba daw mga scholarships. So, things like that. It opens their mind. It makes them see na pwede pala. And that idea makes them strive to go to school, to finish school. And to even apply for scholarships if needed. Actually, yung sa Museo, it’s just really facilitating, making things easier for these children to see art, to appreciate art, and at the same time, create an avenue for them to get involved in it. To one day become an artist. Or to be in the field. Or get a course na related sa art that they are into. Tsaka sa art kasi, wala siyang measurement. Hindi yung magaling ka sa math, magaling ka magbasa. Yung pwede talaga eh. “Kaya kong gawin yan eh”. Yung mga may ganun na moment. Napakalaking bagay nun. Napakalaking bagay nun na just to give them that feeling. Empowerment yan. To give them that feeling of “ah, pwede pala. Kaya kong gawin yan.” It empowers them. I think basically, para sa akin, yan yung napakalaking role ng art sa development. Kasi it empowers, lalo na yung mga bata. It makes them feel na yan, pwede pala. Kaya kong gawin.
RS: Thank you po doon. Bale mas magfofocus po tayo sa Museo Pambata, lalo na po ngayong pandemic. Finofollow ko po sa Instagram yung Museo Pambata. Tapos marami po akong nakikita na mga clips, videos po. So interested po ako sa kung papaano niyo po siya pinagpatuloy pa, yung advocacies din po. So yung sa una po, ano po yung mga aspeto ng Filipino identity na gusto pong ipresent at gustong i-instill ng Museo Pambata sa kanyang mga bisita? Kasi po nung binabasa ko po yung mission-vision nandun po yung strengthening yung Filipino identity.
MM: It’s what we are now, but we still want to be more of that. To really instill yung Filipino identity, especially yung national pride. Kasi parang kulang talaga yan sa atin. Meron kaming curatorial statement na, “Museo Pambata is all about the Filipino child and the Filipino childhood. Nurtures and protects and empowers the Filipino child in the community.” We are striving towards that. Museo Pambata started in 1993. We’re like 27 years old now. Well, we opened the doors 1994. So, we’re like 27 years old. During the time we started, we were the only children’s museum. The focus was more on subjects na nasa school. Science, history, health, environment. But now, siguro after 20 years, 15, or 10 years ago, we realized na syempre marami ka ng competitors. Dati alam mo ba yung mga tour ay nasa Eat Bulaga or sa mga malls, Enchanted Kingdom, sa Star City. So, what will make us different from all of them? At yung ating advocacy talaga. Kasi nakikita natin na na-wawaterdown na yung educational fieldtrips. Minsan hindi na siya educational talaga. So kailangan, we will have to stick through with the idea of an educational fieldtrip. The only way we can be different is to really push for yung Filipino identity. Appreciating one’s Filipino culture, the Filipino heritage. At the end of the day, when a child comes out from Museo Pambata, kailangan meron siyang something to be proud of na Pilipino siya. So yun yung gusto namin talagang i-push. Ngayon, that’s what we’re planning. Yung papunta na kami doon. Slowly lang. Ngayon may mga rooms pa rin na yung mga exhibits ay very general. But we want to make it more really focused on the Filipino. For example, if it’s about environment, it has to be about the indigenous species, it has to be about the batang katutubo. Or the richness of our biodiversity in the Philippines. We’re very rich when it comes to, especially with the marine. We have under the sea. So yung marine biodiversity, so rich. Kailangan marealize yan ng bata para din mabigyan niya ng reason kung bakit kailangan niyang protektahan. Kasi ang hilig nating sabihin na Save our Seas o wag kayong magtapon ng plastic pero hindi natin pinapaalala sa kanila bakit kailangan. Bakit ba natin kailangan na hindi magtapon ng plastic, lalo na dito sa syudad. Kasi hindi mo naman nakikita yung beauty ng richness ng biodiversity dito sa syudad. Dati meron kaming kwarto, yung environment, yung theme, rainforest. Hindi nila alam kung ano yung rainforest. Tawag nila park. Kasi nga may puno, may waterfalls. So nung 2010, usually when we change a room, nagkakaroon kami ng focus group discussion (FGD). Pumupunta kami sa mga public schools. May mga set of questions kami. Tapos tinatanong namin sila. Pumunta kami dito sa isang eskwelahan sa Maynila. Tapos yung gusto naming itatanong sa kanila first of all, about climate change. Kung ano alam nila sa climate change. Ang dami nilang alam. Alam nila yung chlorofluorocarbon. Mga ganyan, memorize nila lahat. Pero nung tinanong namin:
“Ok, anong kinakain natin araw-araw?”
“Bigas. Kanin.”
“Saan natin kinukuha ang kanin?”
“Sa bigas!”
“Saan galing ang bigas?”
“Sa sako”
Hindi nila alam na ang bigas ay galing sa tanim, galing sa palay. Hindi mo sila pwedeng awayin kasi yun talaga yung nakikita nila. Walang palay silang makikita. Nakikita nila sa palengke galing talaga siya sa sako. So kailangan natin ipa-intindi sa kanila ang importance ng plants and nature. That’s your staple food. How can you take good care of it? And when you talk about Filipino, it’s not just Amorsolo, planting rice. It’s what they see around them. Pag sinabi mo kasing Filipino, hindi lang yan yung mga heroes. Ngayon, yung mga nakikita, yan din yung Filipino. Society yan pa rin yun. Kung anong ginagalawan natin ngayon. At dapat maintindihan nila yun at mabigyan ng halaga para maalagaan nila. So yun yung importante dun.
RS: Nakikita ko po na nakikipag-collaborate po kayo sa contemporary artists and foundations. Yung recent po yata yung sa German? Pwede pong ikwento niyo po kung paano niyo po naisip yung mga collaborations po na iyon? Paano po siya aligned o paano niyo po narereflect yung advocacy and mission-vision ng Museo Pambata?
MM: Actually, before, we had a project with the European Union. For the past ten years. Napakagandang project niya. Kasi when we started, parang yung European Union, they came to us and said na gusto nilang tumulong sa mga bata. Yung isang ambassador ng Czech Republic, nag-attend siya ng aming gift-giving. Namigay sila ng mga candies. Tapos sabi niya, “Uy, ang ganda ng program niyo. Can we work on something with the European Union?” Syempre ang gusto nila, magbigay lang at first. Sabi ko, “Hindi. Gawan natin ng programa.” Kasi what I really wanted to do was for the children kasi it’s a window to the world. Yun yung aking sinasabi. Kaya yung project namin noon, “Lakbayin natin ang EU.” Pre-pandemic ito. So, we worked with the different embassies. Yung kasama sa EU na ipapakilala nila yung country through songs, games, stories, food, and whatever, cartoons, films. Tapos sabi nila, ok lang ba daw iyon. Tapos sabi ko, ok talaga yun. We have for example; every embassy will have one session with the children. We get children from underprivileged areas, and they spend an afternoon with the embassy. But, usually, kami ang gumagawa ng programa. So mayroong storytelling, games. Tinuturo nila yung games ng country nila. Minsan may food kung may available silang pagkain. At kung anu-ano pa. Itong mga bata hindi nga sila makalabas. Usually dun lang sa community nila yung nakikita nila. Alam mo sa totoo lang parang talaga silang nag-abroad. Lalo na sabi ko, magdala kayo ng mga bata. Like for example, mga bata from German school. We had kids from the French school coming down to Museo and to play with them. Tapos yung laro nila yung parang open the basket. Syempre yung mga bata, “Ay may ganun din kami.” Tapos yung song, parang London Bridge pero French. Tapos syempre sabi nung mga bata, “Alam din namin yan.” Iba lang yung salita nila. Bumubukas yung isip talaga nila na meron palang ganun. “Ate ang puti-puti nila noh?” “Ang tangos-tangos ng ilong.” Yung mga ganun. Even yung mga costumes pinapakita namin sa kanila. Tapos yung mga bata rin, nakakarelate sila. “Ay meron din kaming ganyan. Meron din kaming Filipino terno, meron ding barong.” So yun yung sabi naming window to the world. Minsan nakapowerpoint yung sa Italian embassy. Nagkaroon sila ng mga standees ng mga different architecture sa Italy. So ipinakita nila yung kunwari ito yung Vatican, ito yung Trevi Fountain.” So yung mga bata, parang “Wow!” Na-iimagine nila. Ang lakas ng mga imagination ng mga yon. Dati meron kaming ipinapakita sa map kung nasaan. Tapos may game na i-guguess nila kung saan kunyari yung Austria. Sabi nung isang bata, “Uy alam ko yan. Sa ilalim yan. Sa ilalim.” Australia pala. Tapos pag nakikita nila yun parang, “Paano ba pupunta dyan. Kunyari galing kang Manila, paano ka pupunta dyan? Ano bang sasakyan mo? Pwede ba yan na mag-jeep ka lang?” So even yung kanilang view of the world, lumalaki. “Ay kailangan pa lang sumakay ng eroplano. At kailangan mga 10 hours yung flight.” So ganun na sila mag-isip. Na-wiwiden yung horizon nila. Tsaka nakikita nila na maski nasa ibang lugar sila, yung mga bata, parang bata pa rin. Pareho lang din nila. Sabi nga nila, pareho yung mga games, may mga games na pareho. Yung mga kwento kunyari ng mga Grimm’s fairytale, yung mga Brother’s Grimm. Alam din nila yung Little Red Ridinghood, Hansel and Gretel. Kapag nakakarelate sila, mas masarap yung feeling nila na parang yung, “Ay meron din pala kaming kapareho. Malayo lang sila.” Yung French, may dala silang couscous, yung food. Sabi nila, “Ate parang lang din namang kanin ‘to eh. Nilagyan lang nila ng gulay.” Oo nga naman. Edi parang kanin lang din siya. Matigas lang daw. O kaya minsan, makakatikim sila ng candy na pareho lang din o kakaiba. “Ay bakit ganito yung lasa ng candy nila.” So macocompare nila yung pagkakapareho at yung pagkakaiba. At the same time, bumubukas yung isip nila. Kasi di ba pagtumanda ka tapos nandyan ka lang sa isang kahon, yung parang kang naiisolate mo na yung sarili mo sa mga ibang tao. Makakita ka ng foreigner, nahihiya ka na. “Di ako marunong mag-Ingles.” Pag bata pa at nadedevelop mo na yan.
So itong sa German embassy, we’ve been having programs with them pre-pandemic. They thought na kailangan we have to find something na parang cultural exchange. And since its November, the World Children’s Month, we thought about play. So there are German games and Filipino games. So narealize din nila, yung mga bata na kasali, parang laro lang din pala natin pero iba lang yung pangalan. Or para siyang tagu-taguan pero ibang klase, may twist lang. Tapos nakita nila na yung mga laro natin, di din alam ng mga German kids. “Ay di sila marunong mag-sipa. Hindi nila alam yun.” “Ang dali-dali lang nun eh.” So yung may feeling again ng empowerment. “Ay kami magaling kami dito.” So, I think it’s a good exchange, as well.
You know we really had a hard time transferring. We’re very analog. As you know we’re an interactive museum. And bago ng pandemic parang nag-iisip kami na dapat talaga wala na tayong gadgets. Gusto namin talaga analog talaga. Kasi gusto rin naming ipakita sa mga bata na nung unang panahon wala namang mga cellphone at tsaka mga tablet. Masaya din naman yung mga bata noon. Kasi minsan, status yun eh. What if you cannot afford? You will feel left out. Wala kang internet. You will feel left out. We try as much as possible to make them realize na ok lang pwede ka pa ring mag-enjoy maski wala kang cellphone. Eh dumating yung pandemic. Pati kami narealize namin na kailangan talaga natin ng gadget.
It took us a while. We just don’t want them na mga streaming. We tried. Nagkaroon kami ng mga arts and crafts, storytelling online. May Youtube din kami, meron din kami sa Facebook. Pero we’re still trying to find a way on how to engage the children online that is both fun and educational.
Yung Similac Gain, they partnered with us for an app. We had a Batang Katutubo exhibit in Museo Pambata. Pero alam mo yung mga corporate giants, minsan napakaliit lang nung kukunin nila. As much as possible, gusto sana namin na mas may substance, mas may laman. Alam mo yung gusto lang nila yung happy happy lang. “Ok na ‘to.” So may app dyan na you can wear the different headdresses ng different tribes. Pero talagang we fought for it na talagang kailangan may explanation. Pati ung mga musical instruments. Saan ito ginagamit at anong klase siya. Anong tribo ang gumagamit nito. Para malaman ng mga bata ung pinanggalingan niya. Hindi lang siya “Ay ang cute! Ay ang ganda ng headdress!” Pero dapat alam mo kung saan ang pinaggalingan para mabigyan mo ng halaga. “Uy ang galing din pala nila. Ang galing din ng mga katutubo natin. Nakakagawa sila ng mga ganitong bagay.” So yun yung kailangan i-inculcate.
We partnered with the Aswang Project for Halloween-Happy HALIMAWeen: Introducing the Philippine Mythological creatures. Pero hindi pa rin siya interactive. Gusto din talaga namin siya maging interactive. Gusto namin i-ano din sa mga parents. Lalo na ngayong pandemic, nakikita nating yung mga kids they’re bored with online school, so bored with online school. Especially the younger ones. As in tantrums galore talaga. Ang dami kong parents na nakakausap na ganun. Pero pagkatapos ng school nila, yey tapos na ang school. Anong unang pinupulot nila? Gadget pa rin. Maglalaro sila. Mag-ro-Roblox sila, Minecraft. So, ano bang meron dito sa Roblox at tsaka Minecraft na ito that gets them? Laro. It’s really play. Ayaw nilang nakaupo lang sila at nakikinig sa teacher at inuutusan ng teacher: “Stand up. Do this. Do that.” Ayaw nila yon. Gusto nila yung empowered din. You’re a player. So meron kang say sa game o sa world na iyon. Gusto namin magkaroon ng ganyan na about Filipino. So that they can really engage in. Kasi ngayon ang nangyayari ang mga nanay galit sa Roblox, galit sa Minecraft kasi kinukuha ang oras ng mga anak nila. Minsan hindi na nakakatulog kasi sa ilalim ng blanket nagma-Minecraft pa o nagro-Roblox. So kailangan lang natin malaman ano ba doon ang nakakapag-ano sa kanila. Bakit sila nahuhumaling sa ganung platform? At paano ba natin pasukin ang platform na iyan. Lalo lang silang magdedetach sa ating mga adults if we always tell them na masama yan o laro ka lang ng laro. Wala kang nakukuha dyan. Kung tutuusin, gaming is really an industry now. Pwede kang kumita rin doon. To make also the adults, parents, and the teachers realize that yung perspective has to change. The perspective has to change when it comes to let’s say, video games because that’s the reality now. We cannot say na “Laro kayo nang laro. Video games kayo ng video games. Mobile Legend kayo ng Mobile Legend.” Eh ganun na talaga eh. So kailangan tanggapin na natin siya. Pero kailangan makahanap tayo ng way kung paano natin siya mapasok at mailagay na may matututunan sila. Sa platform na may matutunan sila. Medyo mahirap siya. Kasi unang-una hindi naman ako techy. Iyan din ang inaano ko sa students ko sa Benilde. It has to be current. We have to use platforms that are current for people to understand and to value our arts and culture. Parang yung KPop, yung industry nila because they really support each other when it comes to soft power. Grabe ang bilis for them to move forward. Ang galing nila to the point na maski napakarami ng samgyupsal sa paligad natin parang ok pa rin sa atin. “Wow, samgyupsal” instead na sasabihin natin “Naku nandyan nanaman yung mga Koreano.” To the point na na-aaccept mo na sila. Ganun tayo nila napasok using their culture. From Korean novela to KPop idols, to Korean food, to cosmetics even. So amazing! Syempre gusto ko ring makikilala ang Pilipinas nang ganyan. Pero sana magsimula tayo sa atin mismo, sa ating mga Pinoy. Napakalaking bagay na mapagmalaki natin yung pagiging Pilipino natin. And we can only do that if bata pa sila, nai-inculcate na natin sa kanila how beautiful is our culture, how rich are we. Cause we are very rich when it comes to our culture. Napakayaman ng Pilipinas. So malaking bagay yun.
RS: Nabigayan niyo na rin po ng parang pahapyaw yung ginawa niyo po during the pandemic. Pwede niyo pa po ba akong kwentuhan tungkol doon, lalo na po yung tungkol sa physical exhibitions? Ano po yung mga challenges ngayon pong pandemic? Tsaka paano niyo rin po pinagpatuloy yung mga advocacies niyo po katulad po nung Mobile library ngayon pong pandemic? Paano po kayo nag-operate?
MM: We’re closed. Naku, alam mo 25th year namin ng 2020. And we were really planning to make 25 events for the whole year. So, we kicked it off with the Paradang Pambata last January. One month ahead, si Leeroy, we work with young artists nga. Si Leeroy New had a workshop with art students from St. Scho, PHSA, and JASMS Quezon City. So nagkaroon sila ng workshop with Leeroy on making yung mga creatures, yung mga installation art ni Leeroy that we will be using for the parada. The theme was of course, Filipino. Filipino songs and Filipino games. So, nag-workshop si Leeroy sa kanila, and then yung mga art students ng mga schools na ito, sila ang nagturo ng almost a hundred community children from 10 communities. Nag-workshop sila sa Museo for three weekends. Gumagawa sila ng props para sa parada. And then, on the last weekend, we had the parade. So yun ang aming kick-off. Ang cute cute talaga niya. I think you can see it in our website, in our Facebook, and in our Instagram. So yun yung kick-off namin. Each community may ano sila. Yung isa, bayanihan. So may mga houses sila na ginawa na kunyari bayanihan. May isa naman, yung larong sipa. May tumbang preso. Mga ganun yung pinapakita. So that’s how we started. And then, that was our gift for the kids. Those 100 kids, after the parade, we had a whole day of events sa Museo. Mga talent show, labas nila mga talent nila. Meron kaming shadow play, may storytelling, nag-tour sila sa museum, meron kaming food for them. It was so much fun! That was January.
March we were opening a major exhibit. Yung Batang Katutubo sa environment room namin, sa Kalikasan room. We opened it March 10. Nagsara kami, March 12. And until now, we’re still closed. Syempre it was really hard for us. Kasi nabubuhay kami sa tours. Yung idea kasi namin sa tours is sinasabi namin sa mga nag-toutour, sa schools, na for every child na pumapasok, you bring in one poor child for free. Yan din yung bumubuhay sa Museo. Yan din ang bumubuhay sa mga advocacy projects namin. But without the tours, wala talagang income. Siguro 80% of our income comes from visitors. Another part of it was our programs, yung mga grants. Like the mobile library, hindi ka din naman pwedeng lumabas ngayon dahil nga pandemic. Mga venue rentals, hindi ka naman pwedeng magpa-event ngayon dahil pandemic. So talagang, kumbaga, napilay ung Museo. So nahirapan kami. What we did was we did a lot of fundraising projects. Well, we had an art collection before na donated by friends, artist friends. And we asked permission to sell some of them. So, we joined the Leon Gallery auction. May mga projects kami na Stay at Home, Save our Home. You commission a sketch. Our chairman of the board and our founder, si Dr. Nina Lim-Yuson is an artist. So, she would do sketches. She would commission sketches. And then we have other institutions who helped us, like Fundacion Sanso, yung mga art groups, Cartolino. They did fundraising for Museo Pambata. We had a #MuseumsHelpingMuseums kasi tulong-tulong lang din talaga. Kailangan nating mabuhay.
Alam mo, double whammy kami kasi aside from being a museum, we’re a children’s museum. So bawal ang bata, bawal ang museums. Kaya medyo natamaan talaga ang Museo. The good thing about that was we had a grant already for 2020 to construct a new playground. This was a grant from Tukod Foundation which was done through our new president, si Ms. Bambi Manosa-Tanjutco na anak nung national artist, Architect Francisco Manosa. During the pandemic, it was a perfect time. Kasi di namin mahanap ng oras kung kailan namin isasara yung playground nang matagal. So nung nagka-pandemic, nagkaroon kami talaga kami ng pagkakataon na maaayos. At the same time, nagkakaroon kami ng pagkakataon na matingnan siya in such a way na ano pa ba ang pwede nating gawin. Kasi nung 2019-2020, nagkaroon ng re-curatorial ang Museo. Gusto na namin tahakin, pangatawanan na namin yung pagiging Filipino children’s museum. Tiningnan namin with the different eyes yung mga spaces and see kung saan talaga pwede natin ma-enhance yung pagiging Filipino. Yung pandemic gave us much time to look at our exhibits as well. Uy hindi na pwede itong mga tele-telepono. Kasi isa pang mahirap, interactive kami. And with this COVID, napakahirap when it comes to touch-touch pati smell-smell. Mahirap na ngayon. So yan yung aming tinututukan. Yung mga exhibits na ganyan.
We are coming up with a new exhibit by next year, on children’s rights. It’s called Kanlungan. And the artists that are working on it ay si Datu Arellano and Anino Shadowplay. It’s very interesting kasi with this pandemic, it gave us really a time to rethink and look at how we can make it interactive but at the same time, safe. Another thing that happened because of the pandemic was the idea of the outdoors. Since we are already fixing the playground we were looking at the outdoors. Yung outdoor kasi namin, parang parking lot. Aspalto lang talaga siya. We tried to beautify it some years back with the PHSA. They painted Filipino games. Yung mga patintero, piko, sungka, may snakes and ladders pa. Pero matigas pa rin siya. So inisip namin, since ayusin na rin yung playground, and with the pandemic now kung saan mas safe outdoors, is to really fix our outdoors. We call it our Bakuran. So, it will be an outdoor learning space. It’s an exhibit still for the kids. So yung aming playground, we call it Bahay Pukyutan. Because the installation that’s there na it’s also a play facility, parang siyang malaking pukyutan, beehive. So, the children can go in and out around it. Tapos because of that, maganda rin kasing pag-aralan and bees. Kasi syempre being the pollinators and how they help the environment. And also, yung social system nila, yung society nila. It’s very interesting, especially for kids. And you can teach them about cooperation. You can teach them about helping each other. Yung mga ganyan. Through sa pamumuhay ng mga bubuyog. And so, since pandemic, nag-isip kami. Well, we meet this urban beekeeper na kinukwento niya sa amin na yung Manila, kasi marami pang puno, lalo na doon sa area namin, ano siya, conducive for urban bee project. So, we did that. Nag-alaga kami ng, we have until now, we have the bees. Syempre malayo sa mga bata. Pero we were able to harvest almost 200 kilos of honey last year and this year. Di siya namin binebenta pero pag magbigay ka sa amin ng donation of three thousand and above, we will give you a bottle of our honey. So, isa din siyang fundraising project na ginagawa namin. So yun yung aming mga activities. Mostly fundraising talaga to keep the museum alive and afloat for now.
We’re planning to open. We kinda did a beta test last Saturday. What we want to do for now, is to really, syempre finance driven muna kami ngayon. Kasi di ka makakagawa ng mga advocacy mo kung wala kang pera. Will open the museum if you have a group of 30 or below. You can rent a space for Php 35,000. They will have activities and games for the kids. So yan muna. So far, marami din namang nag-aavail. Meron din kaming mga Christmas packages. So, nasa bazaars kami ngayon na nagbebenta para sa mga Christmas packages. Hindi naman namin gawa pero mga DIY crafts. Tapos meron kasi kaming pasalubong shop noon. So lahat halos ng mga gamit, ng mga goods na nandoon ino-all out sale na namin sa lahat. San yan so far ang mga ginagawa namin. Mostly on fundraising. And hopefully by first quarter of next year, we will be able to open. Medyo madugo rin yung mga safety protocols kasi we also want it to be a safe space talaga for kids. Maraming nagsabi, “uy nung nagbukas yung dolomite sana nagbukas kayo kasi ang dami-daming tao.” Pero di ba parang hindi naman po kami ganun kasi unang-una yung priority namin yung safety ng mga bata. Madali lang magsabi na maski mag-charge daw kami ng 100, maski sa labas lang ng Museo. Pero hindi. Mahirap kasi you’re putting the children especially at risk also. So hindi naman yun ang pakay namin talaga, na kumita lang. Syempre ano din namin talaga yung to be a safe space for kids. So yun ang aming pandemic story.