Butuan Museum Deepens Balangay Heritage Awareness Through Excavation Site Learning Visit

BUTUAN CITY (MindaNews / 25 July 2026) — The National Museum of the Philippines (NMP)-Butuan has introduced a new initiative to bring the heritage of the ancient wooden boats known as "Balangay" to life. On Thursday, July 23, the NMP-Butuan branch opened an active excavation site, usually off-limits to the public, for a learning visit titled "Archaeology in Action: A Learning Visit to the Butuan Boats Excavation Site." The aim is to enhance public awareness of heritage and foster a deeper understanding of Butuan's rich history. The activity took place at the Toyota Site, near the Butuan Boats 4 and 9 in situ Conservation Site in Barangay Libertad. The learning visit was opened to the public and conducted in two batches. The morning session was attended by officials from Libertad and students from Libertad National High School, while the afternoon session welcomed university students, educators, heritage advocates, and other interested members of the community. The program forms part of the ongoing archaeological investigation being conducted by the NMP’s Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage Division (MUCHD). Participants were given a firsthand look at the excavation site and were introduced to the archaeological processes and field methodologies involved in conducting excavations, as demonstrated by the MUCHD team. Some participants were also given the opportunity to take part in wet sieving, a process that involves passing excavated soil through progressively finer mesh screens to recover small artifacts and other archaeological materials that might otherwise be overlooked. Eunice Plaza, head of NMP-Butuan, noted that museum displays are merely finished collections, and the meticulous work from excavation to conservation and exhibition is rarely seen by the public. She stated that this learning visit offered a valuable opportunity to glimpse behind the scenes. Kimberly Cawaling, a tourism student at Father Saturnino Urios University in Butuan City, expressed during the reflection session that the learning visit deepened her understanding of Butuan's history through direct interaction with the experts from the MUCHD. "Thank you so much for the opportunity. It’s good that we are being exposed to these kinds of learning experiences because they help us better understand our history. It’s a great opportunity for us," Cawaling said. Nero Austero, team leader and senior museum researcher of MUCHD, explained that the excavation site currently under investigation was first explored in 2025, leading to the discovery of at least two wooden planks, initially presumed to belong to Butuan Boat No. 3. However, subsequent research and reading of additional resources indicated these planks were not from Boat No. 3. During the current investigation, the team uncovered another wooden plank that appears to be an extension of the remains discovered during the 2025 excavation. Austero noted that they have yet to determine whether the planks belong to any of the 11 previously recorded Butuan boats. "It’s a good thing because that might mean there are still other boats out there," he added. He said the project does not only focus on previously excavated vessels but also seeks to identify new archaeological sites and possible additional Butuan boats in the future. Rachel Anne Geline Ureta, conservator and senior museum researcher, said the Butuan Boats archaeological project started in 2024 and has since been institutionalized, allowing the team to conduct annual archaeological investigations in Butuan. "The project will take a very long time because there are still many reported Butuan Boat sites that we want to revisit," Ureta said. The learning visit was the second edition of the activity organized by NMP-Butuan. The first was held in August 2025, alongside the MUCHD’s excavation activities at the site. (Ivy Marie Mangadlao/MindaNews) Source: MindaNews Philippines (GN)