MANILA, Philippines — The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) brought history closer to the public with this History to Experience (histoEx) 2026.
“We want people to experience history so we have interactive booths, we have activities,” the NHCP’s Jericho Lester Vargas told The Manila Times in Filipino and English in an interview at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall where the event was held.
Vargas said that “we want history learned not just through reading books, not just in the classroom, but [also] seen, felt, tangible through our exhibitors here in histoEx.”
Vargas said that “if we experience it firsthand, we will have more appreciation of history.”
The purpose of history was “to learn the lessons of the past, to guide us in the present and in the future,” Vargas said, adding, “if our understanding and appreciation of history will be more interactive, more engaging, so to speak, we might no longer make a mistake in the present and future, we will be able to really use history as a guide more.”
“That is the real value of history: the lessons of the past. So that it is what we carry so we no longer, hopefully, experience all the suffering, war, all the conflicts…,” Vargas said.
The event included booths of, among others, the non-profit group Renacimiento Manila which holds heritage walks and historical reenactment group Historia Viviente Manila.
“We’re in a bigger venue,” Vargas said, noting that many went to the event even if it was held on weekdays.
“I think, overall, on its third year, histoEx is always successful. Many signify that they want to join as exhibitor and everything so it’s a success for the NHCP, especially with our mandate to popularize history,” Vargas said.
This year’s theme was “Across Borders and Currents.”
Vargas said, “2026 is the year of Philippine Diplomatic History and Diaspora so we recognize the OFWs, the value of diplomacy, the migration of Filipinos that, it seems, every part of the world, there is a Filipino and by that virtue, by that fact, so to speak, Filipinos are already part of world history because in any part of the world, the Filipino is there.”
The event also included booths of the Department of Migrant Workers, Department of Foreign Affairs, and Museo del Galeón, among others.
On Wednesday, the last day of the three-day event, the NHCP held a history quiz bee.
It also held a talk with veteran theater performer Gab Pangilinan as speaker.
Pangilinan, who will portray heroine Gabriela Silang in a musical this November, said in Filipino and English that her dream is for Philippine theater to become “so apparent that people will travel here.”
“The dream is for people to want to see local productions as much as they want to see foreign productions,” Pangilinan said.
She said the quality of Philippine theater was “at par” with that of international productions.
“Quality, standards, in terms of talent. There are many–I mean, we all know that the Philippines is overflowing with talent,” she said.
