Buglas, a mural which depicts the history and culture Negros, is a stunning art piece that has helped a Bacolod-based foundation earn funds to provide 15,000 meals for undernourished children and victims of disasters, and a livelihood for its artisans.
The 3 by 6 meters mural, which hangs at the lobby of Bacolod’s newest hotel, is a livelihood project of the Negrense Volunteers for Change (NVC) Foundation.
“It was created by 16 NVC Artisans of Hope who spent four months crafting this expression of history and culture using broken ceramic tile pieces, discarded Nespresso coffee capsules, Capiz shell trimmings and broken glass, NVC president Millie Kilayko said.
Centuries ago, Buglas was the Hiligaynon name for Negros Occidental. It refers to land which was “cut off” from a bigger land mass, she said.
This mural is a modern Buglas, a slice of the province’s history and culture, Kilayko said.
Rising from the once monocrop industry that was both a boom and bane to the province, a new way of earning has emerged.
“Giant shrimps and fish jump out of its waters. Weeds and leaves are transformed into functional forms and art. Food that graced local tables of old has become fare for the world’s palate. New ways and movements are present from cycling up its hills to diving deep into the province’s waters. Yet the glory of structures of the past and the stories of its people weave through this piece of art, topped by the majestic Mount Kanlaon,” Kilayko said.
She said the money earned by NVC from the sale of the mural commissioned by Citadines Bacolod, the city’s newest hotel, will enable the foundation to serve 15,000 MingoMeals
The mural has also helped sustain the livelihood of NVC’s artisans. The foundation trains artisans to create high-value, handmade products such as murals, which give their makers a sustainable source of livelihood.
NVC delivered Mingo Meals to evacuees in areas affected by Kanlaon Volcano’s eruption on June 3.
It served 31,395 Mingo Meals to 9,592 evacuees in 12 evacuations centers, Kilayko said.
Mingo is a nutritious instant complementary food made from locally sourced rice, mongo (mung beans), and malunggay (moringa).*