The National Museum of the Philippines is currently conducting a training workshop for museum guides at the Western Visayas Regional Museum (WVRM) and satellite office at the Provincial Capitol compound, located along Bonifacio Drive in Iloilo City.

According to National Museum Assistant Director Ana M. T. Labrador, she hopes the training will encourage participants to help satisfy the need for individuals to articulate information about collections in Western Visayas.

“The more or less 50 participants are expected to acquire fundamental skills in museum tour guiding and basic tour script writing; have a better understanding on the Philippine tourism context; appreciate cultural heritage, particularly of Iloilo; and come up with a workable museum tour script,” she explained.

The training is expected to end tomorrow, May 10.

Meanwhile, the National Museum recently published findings on the earliest-known hominim presence in the Philippines, which is said to have been 709,000 years ago.

“These findings are indeed the highest of importance to the prehistory of the Philippines,” said National Museum Director Jeremy Barns.

Hominim, or hominini, refers to the tribe that humans and their close extinct relatives evolved from.

The WVRM currently houses five permanent galleries and two open galleries, including the Geological and Paleontological Exhibition Hall. The museum plans on launching exhibitions later this year./WDJ