‘Heritage is Not a Display—It’s a Duty,’ CatSU OIC President tells students
Arts and Culture“Heritage is not just preservation—it’s participation.” This was the bold challenge of Catanduanes State University (CatSU) OIC President Dr. Roberto B. Barba Jr. to nearly a hundred students during the university’s National Heritage Month celebration held yesterday at the JD Seminar Hall. Speaking before students, faculty, and staff, Dr. Barba called on the CatSU community to move beyond ceremonial observances and take active roles in living out Filipino identity. “Hindi sapat na i-display lang natin ang kultura. Dapat isabuhay natin ito,” Barba urged. “You don’t have to be a historian to protect heritage. Every time you speak your language, respect traditions, or trace our history—you’re keeping the flame alive.” Barba pressed students to use their platforms—vlogging, podcasting, or digital arts—to amplify untold local stories. He warned that culture dies when treated as a school requirement or yearly program, not as a daily choice. “Heritage will not survive if we only treat it as a requirement,” he stressed. “CatSU dreams global, but beats with a local heart.” He also called on faculty and staff to serve as "culture bearers" and challenged students to deepen their pride—not through nostalgia, but through action. The event kicked off CatSU’s slate of activities for National Heritage Month, led by its cultural steering committee and the Center for Catandungan Heritage headed by Director Francis B. Tatel.
