I still remember this meaningful seminar last year—SALI: Culture, Arts and Heritage Research Forum, organized by the Provincial Tourism Office of the Provincial Government of La Union on August 27–28, 2025
The two-day forum brought together individuals who shared a common passion for preserving, understanding, and celebrating the rich culture, arts, heritage, and history of La Union. It was more than just a seminar—it was a space for research, dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and a renewed appreciation of who we are and where we came from.
That is why it is truly sad that this kind of meaningful forum did not happen this year.
I strongly believe that if we want to build a great present and a better future, we must first learn to give value to our past. Our heritage and culture are not simply stories of yesterday—they are part of our identity. They remind us of where we came from, the struggles and achievements of our ancestors, and the foundations they built for us to enjoy the present we have today.
We cannot move forward without understanding the journey that brought us here.
To give value to our heritage is to give value to our identity. To preserve our culture is to honor those who came before us. And to learn from our past is to help build a stronger future for the generations yet to come.
I hope that forums like SALI: Culture, Arts and Heritage Research Forum will continue and be sustained in the coming years. We need more spaces where our researchers, cultural workers, artists, students, historians, tourism stakeholders, and communities can come together to rediscover, document, protect, and celebrate the priceless heritage of La Union.
Because our past is not something we should leave behind.
It is something we should remember, preserve, and carry with us as we build the future.
