SENATOR Loren Legarda has welcomed the launch of the 13-volume Sugidanon (Epics) of Panay series and seven new books by Panay authors, describing the publications as a major milestone in preserving indigenous heritage and promoting regional scholarship.

The books were formally launched at the Performing Arts Hall of the University of the Philippines Visayas in Iloilo City during a program organized by UP Visayas and UP Press.

Legarda said the publication of the Sugidanon series helps safeguard the country’s cultural heritage by documenting the oral traditions of the Panay Bukidnon community for future generations.

“The publication of the thirteen volumes of the Sugidanon of Panay is an important achievement in the preservation of our nation’s cultural heritage. These epics are our literary treasures. They are living repositories of our ancestors’ worldview, values, histories, and imagination,” the senator said.

The Sugidanon collection, led by chief researcher and senior translator Dr. Alicia Magos with research associate Anna Razel Limoso Ramirez, features the epic chants of Panay Bukidnon culture bearers Federico Caballero, Romulo Caballero, Leopoldo Caballero, and Teresita Caballero Castor. The volumes preserve stories of heroism, spirituality, and community life.

Legarda also welcomed the release of seven new UP Press titles by Panay writers, saying the publications showcase the richness of Philippine literature and the strength of regional scholarship.

She said the books underscore the role of universities as centers of learning, culture, memory, and critical thought by bringing regional voices to a wider audience.

The senator also cited her role as principal sponsor of Republic Act No. 11961, or the Cultural Mapping Law, and expressed pride as a daughter of Panay in the continuing efforts to preserve the region’s cultural heritage.

Legarda likewise highlighted her long-standing collaboration with UP Visayas, which has resulted in numerous cultural inventories and publications documenting the heritage of Panay, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, and Antique.

She expressed hope that the newly launched publications would inspire more Filipinos to rediscover the country’s languages, oral traditions, and regional literature, stressing that the nation’s identity is reflected in the diverse stories and voices found across its islands.