Duterte signs law strengthening National Museum of the Philippines

The National Museum, or Pambangsang Museo, in Manila. (INQUIRER.net file photo)

MANILA, Philippines—In support of Filipinos’ cultural development, President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure strengthening the National Museum.

Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11333 or the National Museum of the Philippines Act last April 26 but was only released to media on Tuesday.

The law designates the National Museum as the country’s primary institution for the management and development of museums and collections of national importance in the areas of arts, cultural heritage, and natural history.

The new law also renames the “National Museum” to “National Museum of the Philippines” alternatively in Filipino, “Pambansang Museo ng Pilipinas.” It also continues to classify the museum as a national government agency.

Under the new law, the National Museum shall:

-Function as an educational, cultural and scientific institution;
-Establish, manage and develop the National Museum Complex in Rizal Park, Manila, as well as central museums, regional museums, and other facilities and promote the principle of universal access.
-Manage and develop the national collections of the Republic of the Philippines in the areas of science of arts, cultural heritage, and natural history;
-Carry out permanent research programs combining integrated laboratory and fieldwork in biodiversity, geological history, human origins, pre-historical and historical archaeology, maritime and underwater cultural heritage, ethnology, art, history, immovable, movable and intangible cultural properties, and similar or associated fields;
-Disseminate technical and museological skills and support museum development in the country;
-Extend technical assistance in the preservation and restoration of cultural properties of national significance; and
-Carry out any and all other functions characteristic of public collecting and research museum institutions of similar mandate and national scope, in line with prevailing international principles and best practices.

The National Museum will be mandated to develop the National Museum Complex within and adjacent to Rizal Park and other identified areas with reference to the Burnham Plan for manila of 1905.