'Himig Himbing' Filipino lullabies compilation launched in Antique

ANTIQUE, Philippines — Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Office of Senator Loren Legarda, and the Office of Antique Representative AA Legarda launched the provincial leg of the “Himig Himbing: Ang Mga Ambahanun Natin,” an event that highlights the country’s rich indigenous and folk lullabies at the University of Antique in the Municipality of Sibalom.

The project aims to reach a wider audience around the nation, showcasing a curated collection of lullabies by various Filipino musical talents.

It features a workshop that integrates music, film, literature, visual arts, performance, and dance designed to deepen participants’ appreciation of traditional lullabies and their broader connections to life.

“This is a project of the CCP to bring our project, which is called the 'Himig Himbing,' which is based on Philippine lullabies, to as many places in the Philippines as possible,” CCP Vice President and Artistic Director Dennis Marasigan told Philstar.com in an exclusive interview. 

“We're very thankful that Sen. Loren Legarda invited and made sure that we are able to visit Antique. So this particular event has two components. One is there is a creative arts and a filmmaking workshop for students so that they can also be equipped with the skills. 

“The second is really to popularize the songs that are part of the 'Himig Himbing,' which have been researched, transcribed, recorded, and which are also the subject of short films by independent filmmakers. 

“So in effect, if you notice the posters that we have and you at the QR codes, the QR codes will lead you to the lyrics of the song to a video about that uses the song as a means. So in the end, we hope that more people become aware that these songs exist, these are part of our culture, and that these are songs that can actually be used by nurturers, mothers, teachers for children in much the same that they have been used for centuries.”

In her video message during the launch, Legarda emphasized that the project exemplifies a whole-of-nation approach to preserving cultural heritage, highlighting that it is every Filipino’s responsibility to honor and recognize