Step Back in Time and Experience Sugbuanon Culture at Gabii Sa Kabilin!

Cebuanos can expect an evening filled with cultural experiences for the upcoming Gabii sa Kabilin (GSK) on May 12, 2023.

Following the success of Gabii sa Kabilin in October 2022, GSK returns this year in time for National Heritage Month, with new museum partners, new exhibits, and elevated improvements on the GSK night.

Apart from visiting participating museums and heritage sites at night, Gabii sa Kabilin brings new and exciting activities for a more immersive historical journey. From 6PM to midnight, 22 partner museums and heritage sites located in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Talisay will open their doors for guests to enjoy indoor and outdoor exhibits and cultural presentations, plus children’s activities, contests with cash prizes, food bazaars, outdoor exhibits, and other activities, all in one fun-filled night. Ticketholders can walk or ride buses, as well as take a ride in a tartanilla (horse-drawn carriage), based on the type of ticket purchased.

This year’s theme will be “Pagpanag-iya (Owning our Story)” which commemorates the upcoming 125th Anniversary of the Philippine Independence. GSK plans to showcase how we were able to manipulate the trappings of colonialism to serve our interests as a people, and how we asserted our right to tell our story.

Gabii Sa Kabilin 2023 will also have two types of tickets. Tickets with bus Rides and one (1) free tartanilla ride are priced at P300 and tickets without bus rides are priced at P200. There will be a P20 off discount for senior citizens, PWDs, and students With ID. Additionally, children under 7 years old can access the sites for free as long as they are accompanied by one (1) adult GSK ticketholder.

GSK ticketholders can once again participate in the highly anticipated GSK Heritage Hunt along with other event contests such as the Vlogging, Phonography, and Photo Story Contests. Registration to the contests is ongoing.

This year’s GSK will also see the addition of the University of San Jose-Recoletos and Freedom Park as partner-sites, as well as the inclusion of outdoor exhibits to enhance the experience to the Gabii Sa Kabilin.

A celebration of Cebuano culture and history would not be complete without food. GSK now offers more food bazaars that feature a wide array of sumptuous local delicacies and dishes to keep participants fueled and hydrated throughout the event.

Those interested in joining this year’s Gabii sa Kabilin, can purchase their tickets at any of the following participating museum and heritage sites:

The GSK event was initiated by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. Culture & Heritage Unit in 2007.

GSK 2023 is supported by the Cebu City Government, Talisay City Government, Lapulapu City Government, Philippine National Police, Inter-Agency Task Force for Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, Cebu City Traffic Office, Cebu City Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission (CHAC), and the Cebu Chapter of the Radio Emergency Assistance Volunteer Organization (REAVO).

THEME

This year’s theme of the Gabii sa Kabilin is “Pagpanag-iya (Owning the Story)”, which commemorates the 125^th anniversary of Philippine Independence. GSK plans on showcasing how we were able to manipulate the trappings of colonialism to serve our interests as a people, and how we asserted our right to tell our story.

Many assume that the colonial projects undertaken in our country would gradually subsume, if not erase, our native way of life. However, this year’s theme highlights how our ancestors asserted their independence, their identity and sense of community, despite the corrosive nature of colonialism to serve our interests as a people.

EVENT MECHANICS

The ticket provides entry to all the sites that guests choose to visit during the event. This year, there are two types of GSK tickets which are ticket with (bus and tartanilla) rides and ticket without rides to decongest bus rides throughout the GSK sites.

Tickets with rides are priced at P300 where you can avail free bus rides as well as one-time tartanilla ride, while tickets without rides are priced at P200. These tickets are only valid on May 12, 2023, from 6PM until midnight. Students, PWDs, and senior citizens with IDs can avail of the 20 pesos off for tickets, while children under 7 years old get free admissions and rides.

Tickets for GSK 2023 are limited so be sure to secure your tickets early on, which are available for purchase in any of the 22 partner sites. You can also use the ticket numbers found in your ticket to join the contests to get a chance of winning cash prizes!

HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES

1. General Guidelines

• Only ticketholders with GSK Tickets (marked with free rides for buses and one tartanilla ride) are allowed to ride the bus and tartanilla.
• Only those who registered as participants can join the specific contests.
• Always follow minimum health protocols.
  • Wear a facemask at all times.
  • Observe physical distancing, in queues and during indoor tours and presentations.
  • Refrain from touching surfaces and museum displays.
  • Sanitize every time you arrive and leave the area.

1. While at the Venue

• Ticketholders must stick to the time limit given.
• Ticketholders must observe proper decorum and follow rules imposed in the participating museums and heritage sites.