BENGUET CELEBRATES 58TH ANNIVERSARY THROUGH ART EXHIBIT

June 22, 2024 Provincial

BENGUET

Governor Dr. Melchor Daguines Diclas and the artists, together with other provincial officials and department heads,
led the ribbon-cutting for the said arts exhibit entitled “Iyaman Arts Exhibit” with the theme, “Celebrating cultural
abundance and ancestral gifts.” The mural, located at the roadside below the Capitol, was painted by Santos L. Oyan,
Silvino D. Dulnuan, Elizardo S. Ituriaga Jr., Ronald Allan T. de Leon, and Chrysler F. Cabalo, and is part of their project funded by the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts (NCCA). A total of 26 paintings by famous lcoal artists are also on display at the Provincial Capitol for a month-long sale and art exhibit.

The Iyaman Art Exhibit features the rich culture and history of the Province. Governor Diclas, in his message, underlined the importance of holding such an event not only as a commemoration of a significant day in Benguet history, but also to strengthen the cultural identity of iBenguets and to preserve these intangible cultural heritage through generations. According to history, Benguet became a sub province of Mt. Province in 1908 along with Amburayan, Apayao, Bontoc, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Lepanto through the issuance of Act No. 1876. Though years earlier, on November 23, 1900, Act No. 49 was issued already providing for the establishment of civil government for the Province of Benguet.

This is being celebrated yearly along with the Benguet Adivay Festival. On June 18, 1966, the government passed
Republic Act No. 4695 which divided Mt. Province into four provinces, namely, Benguet, Mt. Province, Ifugao, and Kalinga-Apayao. In 1994, June 18 of every year was declared a special non-working public holiday in Benguet with
the enactment of Republic Act No. 7672.

SAP Jr.