A Glimpse of the New Art Museum in Ormoc City

Happy Saturday Hivers!

This is not my first time visiting a museum. Every time I visit a new place, the first thing I look for is a museum. For me, museums are one of the best places to learn about the history of a place. It is where I can see how people lived before, what their livelihood was, the tools and clothing they used, and even the kind of shelters they built during times of war. I also enjoy looking at the different artworks and collections displayed inside the museum.

When I visited Ormoc City, I was lucky because the museum was located very near the bus terminal. It was only within walking distance, so I did not have a hard time finding it. So come with me as we explore and take a look inside the Ormoc City Museum.

Since I visited the place around 12 noon, there were only a few people inside the museum. Upon entering the entrance, the first thing I noticed on the right side was a Filipinized depiction of a nativity scene, where the characters were dressed in different traditional Filipino costumes.

On the left side of the entrance door, there was a visitor log where guests were required to write their names upon entry. No ID was required, and there was no entrance fee. Visitors only needed to write their name and a few basic personal details.

Afterward, I started exploring the museum.

The first exhibit I checked was the scale model of their geothermal power plant. This plant is located in Tungonan, which is one of the barangays of Ormoc City.

This plant is operated by Energy Development Corporation, a private renewable energy company under the Lopez Group. I have not personally seen the geothermal plant in Tongonan, Leyte. The geothermal plant I have seen is in Valencia, Negros Oriental.

Next, I proceeded to the section where they displayed items used during the war. Let’s take a look.

There are different displays of rifles, infantry mortars, Japanese and Philippine currency, a Japanese warship, and photographs from the war.

Whenever war is mentioned, I always feel grateful to our ancestors who fought during World War II. They defended the Philippines from foreign occupation, even at the cost of their own lives. Because of their sacrifice, we are able to enjoy the freedom we have today, and our country remains ours.

During World War II, the Philippines was occupied by Japanese forces, and many battles happened across the country, including in places like Leyte. Despite this painful history, it is good to see that today the Philippines and Japan now share a strong and peaceful relationship.

Something that really caught my attention was the old bicycle on display. It reminded me of the type of bicycle I used when I was a child. In fact, it was similar to the bicycle owned by my best friend’s grandfather, which we used for practice until I eventually learned how to ride.

It was quite tall, and of course, I was still young back then, so it was really big for my size. As expected, I also got a lot of scratches while learning, especially since I was practicing on a larger bike. Seeing that old bicycle brought back a strong sense of nostalgia.

As I continued walking around the museum, I saw an old type of boat on display. It reminded me of the boats I used to see before, those without outriggers. Back then, the boat had no support on the sides, so you really had to have good balance to avoid falling into the water.

Unlike today’s boats that already have outriggers, the old ones were much harder to use because they could easily tip over. Seeing it brought back memories of the past and how different things were compared to now.

We now move to the part of the museum that displays photos after the devastation caused by Typhoon Yolanda. One of the cities badly affected was Ormoc City.

Many buildings and houses were destroyed, and many people lost their livelihoods. Some families also lost their loved ones. Despite the hardships experienced by the people of Ormoc, they did not give up. Instead, they worked together and helped one another to overcome the challenges.

Filipinos during that time showed great strength and resilience, and even other countries came to help so that the heavily affected areas could recover more quickly. In the museum, they highlighted the message “Mission Possible”, that no matter how difficult the situation is, everything becomes possible when people work together.

Next, I continued exploring and saw different canvas paintings of boats. I really admire artists who are skilled in painting. When you look at their work, it feels so real, almost like the scene is truly in front of you. Truly, gifted artists have a unique talent.

Anyway, this is the modern style of boat that already has outriggers.

This part also shows one of the livelihoods in the Philippines, which is fishing. Fishing has helped many families send their children to school and even graduate through catching and selling fish.

In the Philippines, some fishermen sell their catch directly instead of passing it through the market. In some cases, the fisherman's wife is the one who sells the fish. Others display it by the roadside, while some go door-to-door to sell their fresh catch.

I think this post is already getting too long, so I will continue my Ormoc City Museum exploration in the next post. The museum also has a second floor, but what I have shared so far is only from the ground floor.

I hope you enjoyed this virtual museum exploration.

Thank you for reading and see you on my next blog. Cheers!

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