Aurora became the 73rd province of the Philippines on August 13, 1979. It is a place that plays a prominent role in the news during the rainy season (June-November) when typhoons and tropical storms frequently visit the country. I’ve never been to Aurora but I’ve friends who’ve been there and have only kind words to describe the place and the people. There’s still lots of pristine spaces in Aurora, a factor that may have inspired Congressman Juan Esdgardo M. Angara (LDP-Lone District, Aurora) to file house bill 00098, the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2007. This bill seeks to protect, preserve, conserve and promote the nation’s cultural heritage, its properties and its histories, and the ethnicity of local communities. It also proposes to establish and strengthen cultural institutions and protect cultural workers.

If this bill gets to become a law, it will be of tremendous help in uplifting our pride and stature as a nation. I hope I’ll get to meet one of these days Congressman Angara, so I can shake the hand of a man who sees the future and believes in the Filipino people, to finally ask him, “Sir, what inspired you to sponsor HB-00098 ?”