BPI Foundation, the social innovation platform of Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), is collaborating with the Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DWSD) for the Pandayan arts and culture lecture and workshop series for teachers, students, and peripheral communities.
‘Pandayan,’ in Filipino, refers to blacksmiths’ forges where they mold metal objects of purpose and beauty. BPI Foundation takes inspiration from their craft in its efforts to encourage the youth to become better members of society through art education.
“While we believe in the value of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in enabling a more competitive workforce, BPI Foundation also believes in the power of art to foster creative expression, critical thinking, and civic consciousness, which are also becoming more essential in light of the technological disruptions and economic developments happening today,” said
Maricris San Diego, BPI Foundation Executive Director. “As a financial institution that is also a corporate art patron, we are uniquely equipped to assist the government in enriching our art education and appreciation in schools to maximize its impact for future generations.”
Pandayan seeks to bolster art education in public schools in rural communities where many teachers struggle to teach a broad subject such as art for an hour each week. To further inspire its beneficiaries and champion local arts and culture, the program showcases pieces by Filipino artists from BPI’s private art collection as case studies.
This year, the program will visit schools in Lucena, Calabarzon; Lucban, Quezon; Cebu, Central Visayas; and Zamboanga, Zamboanga Peninsula.
Divided into two waves, Pandayan 2019 started in April by educating Discipline-Based Art Education approach for DepEd teachers which makes art history, aesthetics, art criticism, and art production digestible in one session. Notable works from the BPI Art Collection such as The Scene by Cesar Legaspi, Three Graces by Benedicto ‘Ben Cab’ Cabrera, and Cities of the Past 2 by Arturo Luz are used to enrich the learning experience.
In May, the program reached out youth beneficiaries of DSWD to learn arts and crafts hands-on workshop and storytelling session for art appreciation. By the end of the year, Pandayan will replicate its initiative to cover topics on Collections Management and Culture-Based Education.