EDUCATION Secretary Leonor Briones reiterated that the Department of Education is actively promoting Philippine history to enrich students’ knowledge.

“We are emphasizing local history, and I believe in local history. Ang national heroes natin taga saan ba sila?” Briones said.

She added that DepEd is proactive in promoting national history using other forms aside from the formal lessons or books used in the curriculum.

“Only recently we encouraged ang Department namin noong nagpalabas ang CCP ng theatre presentation on Lapu-Lapu and kami naman ay very active na nag-support nito. So it’s not only nasa leksyon pero sa other forms of art and communication in-e-emphasize natin lagi ang history, palagi ko iyan inuulit-ulit na hindi natin dapat na makalimutan na even as we catch up with digitalization and technology, and critical thinking, huwag nating kalimutan na tayo ay Pilipino,” she said.

The DepEd also sponsored live performances of the opera “Noli Me Tangere.”

The department is also a major sponsor of the Encyclopedia of the Philippine Arts of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Briones said that the agency is enriching Philippine historical events as it continues to refine and reexamine the basic education curriculum.

“Ang contributors sa ating kultura at ang sense of history ay hindi lamang [responsibilidad] ng Department of Education but we are doing all that we can, especially yung gender aspect,” she said.

The DepEd said that the Araling Panlipunan curriculum, which was approved by the last administration, covers various Philippine history topics across grade levels. The topics also serve as take-off points in all discussions in the AP curriculum of Junior High School and High School.

Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction Diosdado San Antonio said that the agency consulted social studies experts across the country regarding the decision to decongest the curriculum to make it relevant to the challenges of the 21st Century and deepen learners’ critical thinking.

“Gusto ko lang bigyang-diin na hindi kailanman inaabandona ang pagsisiguro na ang mga bata ay malalim ang pagkakaunawa sa kasaysayan ng ating bansa,” San Antonio said.