By Karren Jay G. Asgar
Check out this website, UNESCO MOWCAP Regional Register, for the full story.
During the 10th MOWCAP General Meeting in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, the Hinilawod Records of Jocano, were officially inscribed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP) Regional Register, on May 8, 2024. The said meeting was hosted by the Ministry of Culture of Mongolia, the Mongolian National Commission for UNESCO, and the UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok.
Dr. Felipe Landa Jocano, a distinguished Centralian alumnus, captured these cultural treasures in audio format using a magnetic tape recorder. In a collaborative effort with the Panay Bukidnon epic chanters “Ulang Udig” from Lambunao, Iloilo, and Narcisa “Hugan-an” Lingaya of Tapaz, Capiz, from 1956 to 1957, the essence of the Hinilawod Epics has been preserved and immortalized.
The entire nomination process involved several key people from several institutions, including the Central Philippine University’s Henry Luce III Library. The CPU representatives were led by Asst. Prof. Felipe Jocano, Jr., son of Dr. Felipe Landa Jocano, together with Prof. Ma. Cynthia T. Peleña and Vince Ervin V. Palcullo. This significant milestone marks the recognition of the institution’s historical and cultural contributions on a global scale.
The inscription of the Hinilawod Records of Jocano in the UNESCO Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP) Regional Register serves as a reminder of the enduring value of the institution in fostering and preserving cultural artifacts that will continue to inspire future generations of learners, educators, and scholars, bridging the past with the present and charting a course towards a brighter future for humankind.