Batobalani sa Kabilin is a three-day safeguarding workshop under the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Santo Niรฑo de Cebu Devotion Project, implemented through the Kabilin Partnership between the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Philippines. Drawing from the meaning of batobalaniโa force that brings people togetherโthe initiative celebrates the communities, cultural practices, and shared knowledge that sustain the Santo Niรฑo devotionโs intangible cultural heritage elements within its broader cultural ecosystem as practiced in heritage sites. Through research aggregation, safeguarding planning, multi-stakeholder coalition building, education, interpretation, and community engagement, Project Batobalani seeks to strengthen this living heritage and support its transmission to future generations.
Across three days, the Batobalani sa Kabilin Workshop demonstrated that safeguarding is not merely about documenting traditions but about strengthening the relationships, knowledge systems, institutions, and communities that sustain them. By bringing together practitioners, devotees, community organizations, scholars, government agencies, and heritage professionals, the workshop embodied the principle of the widest possible participation and laid the foundation for a more inclusive, community-driven, and sustainable future for the intangible cultural heritage of the Santo Niรฑo de Cebu devotion.
The workshop was attended by a diverse group of stakeholders representing the many communities and sectors that contribute to the vitality of the Santo Niรฑo de Cebu devotion. Participants included representatives from Basilica community-mandated organizations, partner barangays, local government units, museums and heritage interpretation centers, academic and research institutions from Cebu and Leyte, image bearers and caretakers of devotional images, Sinug troupe culture bearers, craft artisans, tourism officers, sectoral representatives, and devotees. Their presence reflected the broad cultural ecosystem that sustains the devotion and affirmed the importance of collaborative safeguarding grounded in community participation in heritage sites and settings.
The organizers also extend their heartfelt appreciation to the Kabilin Youth Partners, a dedicated group of volunteer third-year students from the University of the Philippines Cebu College of Communication, Art, and Design Communication Program. Throughout the workshop, these young heritage advocates provided invaluable support in documentation, ensuring participant welfare, and logistics. Their enthusiasm, professionalism, and commitment to cultural heritage demonstrate the vital role of youth in safeguarding living traditions and ensuring that the values, knowledge, and practices associated with the Santo Niรฑo de Cebu devotion continue to be appreciated and transmitted to future generations.
The team of Project Batobalani gratefully acknowledge the partnership and support of Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), ICOMOS Philippines, and Casa Gorordo Museum. The workshop was made possible through the generosity of its venue partners and hosts: Cebu City Museum, Basilica Minore del Santo Niรฑo de Cebu, and The Kabilin Center Open Space. We likewise extend our appreciation to the UNESCO Philippine National Commission and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) for enriching the workshop through their keynote sessions and contributions to the ongoing conversation on safeguarding living heritage in the Philippines and Asia.
International Council on Monuments and Sites – ICOMOS Philippines
RAFI – Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.
Casa Gorordo Museum
Cebu City Museum
Basilica Minore del Santo Nino
The Kabilin Center
UNESCO-Philippine National Commission
National Commission for Culture and the Arts
UP Cebu College of Communication, Art, and Design – CCAD
Communicators of UP
Keynote Speakers and Panel Discussants:
UNESCO National Commission, Secretary General – Dr. Ivan Anthony Henares
UP Cebu CCAD Faculty and ICOMOS Member-Workshop Convener – Dr. Laya Boquiren Gonzales
National Committee on Monuments and Sites Member, National Commission on Culture and the Arts and UP Los Banos Faculty – Berniemack Arellano (MS Geography)
Cavite Historian and ICOMOS Member- Phillip Medina (Phd Candidate, UP Diliman History)
Cultural Worker and Anthropologist- Nestor Horfilla
Chief, Program Management Division,
National Commission on Culture and the Arts – Renee Talavera
CHAC Commissioner and Conservation Architect – Ar. Melva Java
Historian, PhD University of Navarra and University of Asia and the Pacific Professor of History – Dr. Svetlana Camacho
Cebu Normal University Assistant Professor – Ian Dale Rios