PH Consulate Participates in a Development Workshop by Dr. Miriam Factora
Dr. Miriam Factora opens her music education workshop (San Francisco PCG photo)
BURLINGAME, CALIFORNIA – The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, represented by Vice Consul Glaiza Quarteros and Cultural Officer Anne Maris Estoya, participated in the workshop titled, From Fieldwork to Classroom: A Journey Through Philippine Songs, Spoken Rhymes, Games, and Dances, facilitated by Dr. Miriam B. Factora. The workshop, held on 28 March 2026 at the Burlingame Methodist Church in Burlingame, California, was organized by the Northern California Association of Kodály Educators (NCAKE).
During the interactive workshop, which was attended by around twenty music educators from across the San Francisco Bay Area, Dr. Factora featured her published materials on Philippine folk songs, music, games, and dances, collated and sourced from various regions of the Philippines as a result of her extensive field research. She shared that her early education in the Philippines motivated her to further study the materials used in teaching music to young students. At an early age, she recognized the absence of locally grounded and culturally relevant teaching resources, which inspired her to contribute to the development of materials that reflect Philippine heritage and traditions.
Aside from contextual discussions and the presentation of musical samples, field recordings, songs, games, and dances, Dr. Factora actively engaged participants by encouraging them to learn through replication of the songs and movements she introduced. She also prompted the educators to develop their own classroom activities tailored to their respective students. The workshop provided a fun and creative approach to learning, while promoting greater awareness and appreciation of Philippine culture among participants.
The Philippine Consulate commends Dr. Factora for her advocacies in advancing Filipino culture and the arts through education, research, and community engagement.
Dr. Factora’s publications are available through this link and may be accessed in various formats.END
Educators playing Philippine folk songs using different musical instruments (San Francisco PCG photo)
Books on Philippine folk games, music, rhymes, and songs written and published by Dr. Miriam Factora. The books have translations in English, Filipino, and Ilocano (San Francisco PCG)
From Left to Right: Cultural Officer Anne Maris Estoya, Dr. Miriam Factora, and Vice Consul Glaiza Quarteros during the workshop (San Francisco PCG photo)