Mindanao State University (MSU) continues to affirm its leadership in cultural heritage and governance as two of its distinguished representatives, Ayesha Merdeka Alonto and Dr. Linang M. Cabugatan, formally took their oaths as executive members of national committees under separate subcommissions of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). These appointments reinforce the university’s role in shaping national cultural policy and programs.
At the Metropolitan Theater in Manila, Ayesha Merdeka M. Alonto, Head of the Meranaw Cultural Heritage Center, took her oath on April 14, 2026, before NCCA Chairman and Executive Director Dr. Eric B. Zerrudo. She will serve as an executive member of the Subcommission on Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts (SCCTA) under the National Committee on Southern Cultural Communities for the 2026–2028 term. She serves in this capacity by virtue of her unanimous election as Head of the Meranaw Cluster, reflecting the strong confidence of her peers in her leadership and advocacy for Meranaw heritage.
Meanwhile, on April 16, 2026, Dr. Linang M. Cabugatan, Director of the Aga Khan Museum, took her oath at the same venue before Dr. Zerrudo. She will serve as an executive member under the Subcommission on Museums, specifically on the National Committee on Museums, representing the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Dr. Cabugatan previously served the NCCA as a member of the National Committee on Monuments and Sites (2024–2026), where she contributed to heritage conservation and policy development. Her continued engagement highlights her expertise in museum leadership and the promotion of inclusive, regionally grounded narratives.
The appointments of Alonto and Cabugatan underscore MSU’s sustained commitment to cultural stewardship, academic excellence, and public service, ensuring that Mindanao and BARMM perspectives remain integral to the country’s cultural agenda.
