Gabii sa Kabilin 2025 spotlights youth as ‘modern-day heroes’

Local

THE 18th edition of Gabii sa Kabilin (GSK), Cebu’s premier cultural heritage night, will take place on May 23, 2025, featuring 22 participating sites across Cebu City, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and Talisay.

Organized by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI), the annual heritage event returns with the theme “Batan-ong Bahandi” (Youthful Treasure), placing the spotlight on the role of the Filipino youth in shaping national identity, both in history and in present-day society.

“This year’s theme is anchored on the valor and contributions of young heroes such as Emilio Jacinto, Gregorio del Pilar, and Gregoria de Jesus,” said Joworski Alipon, deputy lead of GSK 2025’s Communications Committee and RAFI representative, during a media forum on Tuesday, April 8.

“But beyond commemorating the past, we also honor the idealism, creativity, and impact of today’s youth,” he added.

GSK 2025 aligns with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines’ (NHCP) heritage theme, “Youth in Philippine History,” in time for the 150th birth anniversaries of Emilio Jacinto and Gregorio Del Pilar—two young revolutionaries who played pivotal roles during the Philippine Revolution.

Alipon emphasized the event’s broader purpose of highlighting “contemporary youth as modern-day heroes” through their talents, innovation, and civic contributions.

“We don’t need to die for the country to serve it. By maximizing our skills and wisdom, we can make a real difference in society,” he said.

GSK 2025 will run from 6 p.m. to midnight, featuring exhibits, cultural presentations, and heritage tours at 22 official sites, including key museums, schools, and historical landmarks such as the Cebu City Museum, Casa Gorordo Museum, National Museum of the Philippines – Cebu, and Fort San Pedro.

New participants this year include Cebu Institute of Technology – University, which joins longstanding GSK partners such as St. Theresa’s College, Palm Grass: The Cebu Heritage Hotel, and the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

To ensure meaningful experiences, RAFI and participating institutions have conducted a series of pre-GSK workshops and trainings focused on curation, service excellence, and heritage conservation.

Alipon said these efforts aim to build the long-term capacity of local institutions in promoting culture and heritage beyond the event night.

“We want to empower our partners to maintain and elevate their sites year-round,” he said. “It’s about sustainability—preserving what we have and inspiring others to be part of the movement.”

GSK, which began in 2007, is held every May in line with National Heritage Month. It is recognized as the first event of its kind in the Philippines, modeled after Europe’s “Night of Museums,” and has since become a cornerstone cultural event in Cebu.

In 2024, GSK carried the theme “Beloved Bisaya,” inspired by 17th-century Jesuit historian Fr. Francisco Ignacio Alcina, whose extensive documentation of Visayan culture is considered one of the earliest ethnographic accounts of the region.(TGP)