Cultural Mapping of Panay and Guimaras

The Cultural Mapping of Panay, Guimaras, and Negros Occidental Project's (CMPG) own documentarian, Marc Leo Layson, along with 11 other Ilonggo artists' artworks are now on exhibition at the SM City Iloilo.

Their curation consists of 26 artworks under Katilingban Biswal, a collective of artists whose works span from fine art, nature, lifestyle, street, and portraiture. Katilingban Biswal's vision is to breathe new life to photographs with the overarching theme, Light to Surface.

The artists of Katilingan Biswal are:
Marc Leo Layson
Franz William Felicio
Angelo Clement Yap
Eduardo Arcosa Jr.
RJ Juarez
Ruperto Quitag
Joie Sandoy
Manny Librodo
Steve Francis Quiatchon
Sharel Albor
Jerome Lopez
Rolindo Demo-os

Katilingban Biswal explores photography's many touchpoints, and attempts to answer the question, what happens when we evolve the art form into one that becomes materially rich works of art through texture, painterly intervention, and surface?

Every photograph begins with light. Light is observed, framed, and captured through the camera, becoming an image that preserves a fleeting encounter with the world. Traditionally, the photograph marks the end of that process. Katilingban Biswal proposes another path. The photograph becomes the beginning of transformation. Each image serves as a foundation upon which new material, texture, gesture, and painterly expression are gradually introduced.

The exhibition runs until July 26, 2026 at the SM City Iloilo Northpoint Grounds

You can check out the complete art catalog here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rg1N6WGz4HmFEYthuP1Jz2VlGR6xCDDv/view?usp=drivesdk

Michelle Villavert, our University Research Associate for the Cultural Mapping Project has successfully secured a highly competitive grant from the 2026 SHAPE-SEA Research Grants Scheme hosted by Mahidol University.

Her research proposal on indigenous knowledge and island-based climate change policy was selected from among 472 submissions region-wide. Joining our project for years we know what she is capable of and we can attest to her sincerity and dedication to scholarship. You deserve this grant, Go

🌿 SHAPE-SEA launches Research Grants Scheme 2026 with Inception Workshop for 15 homegrown scholars

Fifteen Southeast Asian scholars, one shared mission. Chosen from a highly competitive pool of applicants, the RGS 2026 grantees represent the next generation of Southeast Asian researchers tackling the region’s most pressing human rights and peace challenges.

“These fifteen grantees are exactly who should be telling Southeast Asia’s stories,” said Dr. Bidyalaxmi Salam, SHAPE-SEA Project Lead for Knowledge Production. “They know the histories, the languages, and the lived realities of the communities they study, because these are their own communities. Our role is to make sure they have the funding, mentorship, and peer support to turn that closeness into rigorous, credible research. When they succeed, the region gains scholarship that is relevant, trusted, and lasting.”

“The idea for my Chana project existed before I applied, but the grant made it possible to turn that idea into reality,” said Dr. Ngamkaiwan.

This year, Dr. Ngamkaiwan returns to the programme in a new role: as a mentor to the incoming RGS 2026 cohort at the Inception Workshop, completing the cycle from grantee to guide. Moreover, Dr. Vachararutai (Jan) Boontinand, Executive Director of SHAPE-SEA, further emphasized that the Inception Workshop is designed to ensure grantees begin their projects on the strongest possible footing.

“A region cannot claim ownership of its human rights agenda if it does not own the knowledge that informs it,” said Dr. Boontinand. “Through this workshop, we make sure that all fifteen (15) grantees start their projects with strong research foundations, clear ethical grounding, and a community behind them".

The workshop combines thematic discussions on human rights and peace research with practical sessions on research design, ethics, academic writing, and project management.

🌿 Read more: https://philippinesgraphic.com.ph/2026/07/15/shape-sea-launches-research-grants-scheme-2026-with-inception-workshop-for-15-homegrown-scholars/

The Iloilo Provincial Library has received a significant addition to its collection with the donation of the 100-volume cultural mapping inventory representing the cultural heritage of Panay and Guimaras. This collection, produced under the Cultural Mapping of Panay, Guimaras, and Negros Occidental (CMPG) Project, serves as a comprehensive documentation of the region's local identity.

Spearheaded by the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the Office of Senator Loren Legarda, various State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), and the local government units of Panay and Guimaras, this 100-volume compendium contains detailed mapping forms on:

▪️Built heritage
▪️Movable heritage
▪️Natural resources
▪️Intangible cultural heritage
▪️Personages
▪️Cultural institutions

These donations make the collection accessible to the public, providing a valuable resource for researchers, educators, scholars, and community members seeking to understand and preserve the rich cultural fabric of the region. Senator Loren Legarda and UPV officials have emphasized that this inventory is critical for shaping local policies, boosting heritage-based tourism, and anchoring regional identity for future generations.

This donation underscores a concerted effort to make cultural mapping data readily available to source communities and stakeholders, ensuring that the heritage of Panay and Guimaras remains protected and preserved.

NOTE: Currently we have received the first batch (District 3 and City of Iloilo). We are waiting for the rest of the volumes from the donor, and the current volumes are being processed to be added to the library collection. We thank Anna Razel Limoso Ramirez and her team for bringing them to our Library.