What begets respect?
It’s not political power, which instills fear. Neither is it economic or material wealth.
What begets respect are cultural achievements.
These are contributions to human heritage such as philosophical and scientific thought, technological breakthroughs, the arts, languages, spiritual insights, ideas leading to human well-being, creative brilliance of all kinds, and protection of wildlife and the ecology.
Culture, a heritage of skills, is our main human resource. Knowing our culture means knowing our strengths, the directions we can take towards sustainable development, and our place in the world. Any kind of development is culture-based. Understanding the culture of people enables a leader to govern well.
In this light, the basic principle of cultural policy that the Asian Social Institute’s Center for Heritage Conservation faithfully adheres to is protecting and mainstreaming Filipino cultural heritage, making sure that the contribution of every ethnicity in the country is visible, well-publicized, and promoted in textbooks; all kinds of print, electronic and social media; awards, public art, festivals and celebrations, rituals, institutions; and backed up by laws.