Former vice president Leni Robredo on Monday, Sept. 19, opened Angat Buhay’s “Museo ng Pag-asa” to showcase campaign memorabilia, souvenirs, and artworks received from her supporters.
The museum will officially open to the public on Tuesday, Sept. 20, though volunteers, artists, and the media were given an initial tour on Monday.
During a speech before the tour, Robredo thanked the artists who volunteered to make the museum possible. In particular, she mentioned three National Artists—Ryan Cayabyab, Ramon Santos, and Rio Alma—for sharing their talents.
The museum, she said, isn’t only for kakampinks—the name given to her supporters and volunteers—but it is for ordinary citizens who want to contribute to nation-building.
“Dahil pagpupugay ito sa mga kontribusyon ng mga sumama ng (Because this is a tribute to the contributions of those who joined) campaign. We want others who didn’t join the campaign to feel that this is their solace, na ito ay para sa ordinaryong mamamayan na gustong makiambag para sa bayan (that this is for the ordinary citizens who want to contribute for the nation),” Robredo told artists and volunteers.
“Pagpapaalala na hindi pa tapos ang laban, meron pa tayong bayan na dapat ipaglaban at hindi tayo pwede mapagod (This is a reminder that the fight is not yet over, that we have a country to fight for and we cannot get tired),” she added.
The former vice president stressed that the museum is open for everyone, even inviting artists to “treat this museum as your own” since they can hold various events there.
She shared that some people have been visiting to express their “grief” about the election’s outcome, but Robredo said that there is a good kind of grief that people can channel into productivity.
“Hindi naman tayo natalo (We didn’t lose) in the sense na kahit hindi natin nakuha yung gusto natin nung eleksyon pero napukaw natin ‘yung damdamin ng napakarami. Dapat patuloy tayong nagpapagod para sa ating bayan (that though we didn’t get what we want during the election but we opened the hearts of many. We should continue working for our country),” she furthered.
The museum features pink items, such as Filipiniana gowns, a gigantic slipper, boat paddles, a rocking chair, dolls, and shirts.
A room was also made into a gallery to showcase life-sized photos, artworks, and sculptures donated and gifted to Robredo during the campaign.
She said there will also be a rotating room that will feature various themes every month.
Paintings of the campaign and of her reached almost 1,000, with some sold during an initial fundraiser for her Angat Buhay Foundation.
Although Robredo doesn’t want to play favorites, she revealed that those coming from the provinces were close to her, such as the big ladles that remind her of Pampanga, the bike from the group Riders for Leni, and the motorcycle that took her to the Cavite rally amid a bumper-to-bumper traffic.
She called the making of the museum another “bayanihan (communal spirit)” since many artists came together to contribute to it.
Robredo shared that artist Robert Alejandro of the famed Papemelroti painted the patio and entrance, while a wall was dedicated to the works of visual artist Kevin Raymundo or Talentadong Kalbo.
Another wall was reserved for National Artist Benedicto Cabrera, or BenCab, a vocal supporter of Robredo during the campaign.
The museum was originally a way to highlight the creativity of those who joined her campaign but as it was being put up, the former vice president shared that its “meaning” evolved.
“Hindi na lang siya (It is not only a) display noong mga naipon pero isang lugar siya na patuloy iyong pag-aambag ng tao (of those we collected but it is a place where people can continue to contribute) whether kasama namin (they were with us) during the campaign or hindi (or not), welcome dito (here),” she said.
“Kasi kaya nga siya (Because that’s why it is) Museo ng Pag-asa kasi ‘yung pag-asang dala-dala natin na lahat tayo maging bahagi ng pagpapabuti ng bansa natin (because it has the hope we bring that we can all be a part of our country). So, sana ganun iyong maramdaman nung kahit hindi kasama (hopefully that’s those who were not with us) during the elections na (can feel that they are) welcome sila dito, welcome sila mag-ambag (here, they are welcome to contribute),” Robredo added.
Visiting the museum is free but interested parties must register beforehand at ticket2me.net. Only 50 guests per hour can be accommodated because of “limited space.”
The museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Museo ng Pag-asa is located along Cordillera St., Sta. Mesa Heights in Quezon City.
Tickets to the museum is sold out until Sept. 30. October tickets are still not up on the ticketing site.
