This is an ongoing study regarding the summoning of indigenous sources in representing distinctive identities found in selected museums in the Philippines. As a contrast to national cultural institutions, those found in communities provide interesting indicators that its members are claiming ownership of museums. They are resisting general or even national narratives that depict Filipinos. Locals are asserting themselves to make visible their identities, histories and aspirations, designating a shift in their positions as stakeholders from passive recipients of cosmopolitan interpretations or invisible groups.

In Manila, meanwhile, the social elites have reclaimed their hold on the cultural life of the city, insisting upon a homogeneous image of the Filipino cast in their mold. Diversity, however, seems to be the key to programs for sustainable museums. A combination of factors has influenced these changes in localities outside the metropolis. This includes political will, government framework, local and international financial support, increasing community value of cultural capital and recognition of human agency. This paper presents a specific example of this dynamic, a case study from southern Luzon, in the main island in the Philippines, where my research project to build a database for a proposed community-based heritage tourism is taking place.