Portfolio

A beautiful replica of the SPOLIARIUM, a renowned painting by Juan Luna was donated to the Philippine Folklife Museum by Margarita Baxter-Lazaro, daughter of the late Dona Esperanza Baxter.

Manga Story: In the land now known as the Philippines, there was a time when colonial Spain ruled for more than 300 years. During a period when native Filipinos once called Indios were oppressed, exploited, and stripped of their human rights, Jose Rizal was born on the outskirts of Manila. "What does it mean to be a Filipino?" "Is it possible to incite change through knowledge and not violence?" He thought of those every day. A doctor, novelist, and a painter who can speak 15 languages, Jose Rizal is a legendary figure who brought about national revolution through one epic novel!

A Filipino revolutionary hero who founded the Katipunan, a secret society which spearheaded the uprising against Spain and laid the groundwork for the first Philippine Republic.

Josè Protacio Rizal Mercado Y Alonso Realonda was born in the town of Calamba, Laguna, Philippines on June 19, 1861 and died at age 35 on December 30, 1896 in Manila, Philippines. He was the seventh of eleven children (2 boys and 9 girls). Both his parents were educated and belonged to distinguished families. His [...]

Our Piña Exhibit includes a display of the Philippine fabric made of piña and its origin. A gallery of photos shows the Filipino attire from Barong Tagalog for men to the evolution of costumes for women. The highlight of the exhibit is a private collection of the three gowns made of piña with intricate embroidery – circa 1936. These were gifts from the late Mrs. Aurora Quezon, wife of the late President Manuel L. Quezon, to her friend Mrs. Ann Schinazi.

View the unique fourteen panels depicting the History of the Philippines from early Filipinos, to the arrival of the Chinese, Muslim, Spaniards, the fight for Independence, the landing of McArthur inLeyte, the American influence in education and government, thePeople's Power Revolution and Malacanang Palace all carved in baticuling wood by Filipino Artist Luis Ac-ac.

It is strikingly akin to most basic female garments in the Southeast Asian world, and seems somehow related to the Indian sari. The Filipino wrap-around skirt called tapis or patadyong my have emerged from environmental conditions and technical repertoires similar to those that produced the sarong and the sari. As the female counterpart to the [...]

The Maria Clara dress is an elegant formal outfit for women. It is considered a mestiza dress because it is an ensemble combining indigenous and Spanish influences. The Maria Clara dress became very popular during the Spanish era since its emergence in 1890. The name was taken from the legendary Maria Clara, the heroine of [...]

The Spanish era brought about Spanish ethics, which influenced Christianized women to wear a skirt called the saya and a blouse called the baro, which was worn throughout the 400 years of colonization. The baro was of butterfly sleeves made consistently of fine fabrics and was said to have been influenced by the costume of [...]

The Balintawak is a traditional Filipino costume that has a shortened skirt, with puffy butterfly short sleeves, plaid textile, and low cut bodice and at times plenty of ornate embroidery. It was worn during picnics and other jaunts into the countryside. The balintawak was deeply associated with Antipolo, a favorite summer destination for [...]