Allow me to wax sentiments. The first time I saw the Probe Team feature “Gintong Pamana”, it made me feel so proud that I cried. It’s about the gold discovered in Surigao which is now on exhibit at the Ayala Museum. As interesting was the story behind the discovery of this treasure, the personalities involved, and how the items changed hands.

Some of the gold are in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas while most items are in the “Gold of Ancestors” collection at the Ayala Museum which features more than one thousand precious objects that are believed to date back as far as the 10th century. It is believed that a number of the gold are still in the hands of private collectors here and abroad.

The collection is believed to the be the “most valuable tangible heritage of the Philippines.” The craftsmanship and intricacies of the items suggest a sophisticated culture existed in the Philippines before colonization. Could these really belong to our ancestors? Nobody knows for sure but it is safe to assume that it is until there are evidence that suggests otherwise. This treasure will surely pave the way for further studies and research on our precolonial past.

We have to thank the family of the late National Artist Leandro Locsin for entrusting the gold to Ayala Museum so that ordinary Filipinos can take a glimpse at these priceless heritage. For those who weren’t able to watch the Probe Team feature, here are the links to the videos.

Part 1 of 9

Here are the rest of the videos:

Part 2 of 9

Part 3 of 9

Part 4 of 9

Part 5 of 9

Part 6 of 9

Part 7 of 9

Part 8 of 9

Part 9 of 9

Image credit: I hope Ayala Museum wouldn’t mind if I downloaded the image from their website.