‘Philippine Heritage Collection’ of Dubai-based artist unveiled

The past is taking place at the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai, particularly in Al Qusais, where excavations, according to records, have traces to the Bronze and Iron Age.

Consider these: The thoroughfare of Magallanes in the “Queen City of the South” of the Philippines which is Cebu Province in Central Visayas. The Philippines’ “Wall Street of Asia,” Escolta, which, despite the blitzkreig for the Liberation of Manila during World War II – buildings, constructed to magnificently display the wealth gained during the 1500 to 1800 Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade, remain.

Binondo, the world’s oldest Chinatown, a witness to the rise of the 20th century Chinoy billionaires, away from the condescension their migrant ancestors went through, particularly during the Spanish Era when they were derogatorily labelled as the Sangleys.

A total of 15, these are the “Philippine Heritage Collection” of Cebu-born Dubai resident Edcel Cabalan, whose silently-creeping latent talent in watercolouring – that elementary art orientation schoolchildren learn to enjoy and embrace – yet arduous enough to be an expert on – was recently inaugurated.

In time for the “National Heritage Month” and only a few weeks to the 127th commemoration of the June 12, 1898 emancipation of the Filipino natives and Philippine-born Spaniards from the 300-year horrific rule of their Spanish conquistadores, the exhibition is the fifth instalment to the “Labindalawa” or “Twelve” cultural diplomacy programming of the consular mission.

It is part of the “Museo sa Konsulado,” which, since its January 2025 debut, has become the gateway for the novice – and the other conduit for the established Filipino artist across the UAE.

Consul General in Dubai and the Northern Emirates Marford Angeles said: “The ‘Philippine Heritage Collection’ of Mr. Edcel Cabalan is a tribute to the structures, places, and memories that shape our national imagination.”

Commenting on the ingenuity of the architect who was able to overcome the restrictions caused by the trouble-maker Novel Coronavirus 2020, Angeles also said, “Each piece captures the white dignity of ancestral homes, the rhythm of the colonial-era streets, and the character of churches and civic buildings that have now identified the Filipino’s built-in paradigm.”

“His mastery of the watercolour, a medium difficult to handle, allows the viewer to experience heritage not as a static imagery; but, as a living memory portrayed with movement, light and atmosphere,” Angeles continued.

Pointing out that as pages of the past have traditionally been locked in by way of the sepia photographs, Angeles expressed hope that with the expertise of Cabalan in breathing life into the photos of the 1800s, Filipinos would be inspired.

Connecting the “National Heritage Month and the “Philippine Heritage Collection,” Angeles told Gulf Today: “National Heritage Month remains to be a vital observance. Perhaps even more so in an era marked by rapid technological shifts. As humanity explores Artificial Intelligence and the cosmos, heritage offers a necessary counterbalance. It grounds us in values, traditions and identity. Far from being outdated, culture and heritage provide depth and context to progress. They remind us who we are and what we carry forward, regardless of how far we go.”

“Our heritage and technology need not be seen in opposition. On the contrary, they can strengthen each other. Honouring heritage is not a retreat into the past, but a conscious act of bringing our roots into every future we build,” he also said.

Now a fulltime artist, Cabalan, whose 168 of his 210 paintings have found owners not only in the UAE but overseas as well, said: “Through this collection, I aim to preserve the soul of Philippine heritage architecture. Those timeless structures that have witnessed our nation’s rich history, cultural evolution, and enduring spirit.” “Watercolour, with its delicate translucency and emotional softness, allows me to interpret these architectural icons not only with technical precision but with heartfelt reverence. Each stroke becomes a way of honouring the craftsmanship, history, and cultural identity embedded in these spaces,” Cabalan added.