From Junior Guides to Marine Stewards

 

How the Museo Sang Bata sa Negros Shapes the Next Generation

Strategically located on the upper corner of Sagay City, Negros Occidental – and perhaps serving as a beacon of marine education on the shoreline it helps protect – stands a building with clean white walls and a roof shaped like a wave. For over two decades now, this space has been one of Negros’ most unique institutions: a museum built not just for children, but guided by them.

The Museo Sang Bata sa Negros, or the Children’s Museum of Negros, began in 2003 in the public plaza of Sagay, during the term of then-Mayor Fortunato “Bingbing” Javelosa. Housed in an old, deteriorating building, the museum soon needed a more sustainable home. The idea to relocate it by the sea was backed by the local government, and construction was later completed under Mayor Alfredo G. Marañon Jr. In 2006, the museum reopened on city-owned coastal land – anchoring its mission to the very environment it sought to protect.

“We chose this site because Sagay is known for its marine environment,” says Elizabeth Cordova LaO’, the museum’s founding director.

She goes further: the museum isn’t just about marine science – it’s about forming stewards of the sea. “If you want to take care of the environment, especially the marine environment, you need to also start with the children.”

It’s a premise that has proven powerful.

A New Kind of Learning

Negros is rich in natural resources – but in coastal communities like Barangay Old Sagay, that richness comes with responsibility. Over 90% of families here depend on the sea for food and livelihood. Yet formal education systems often skim past marine conservation, leaving a critical gap in awareness.

The Museo was built to fill that gap, becoming what Ms. LaO’ describes as an “Alternative Learning Center.” Exhibits are tactile, child-scaled, and deliberately local – from different species of mangroves and touch tanks with varying starfishes, to a giant plastic receptacle shaped like a fish. Each room serves a purpose: not just to inform, but to transform.

This vision aligns with Sagay City’s long-standing environmental advocacy. The city is home to the 32,000-hectare Sagay Marine Reserve – one of the largest in the Philippines – and has led efforts in mangrove reforestation, community-based sea warden programs, and the crackdown on illegal fishing. Within this larger civic movement, the Museo’s child-centered approach offers a grassroots complement to policy-level conservation.

“We start with storytelling about what happens in the sea when you throw trash,” Ms. LaO’ explains. “Most of these kids live around here so they are aware that there's a diminishing number of fishes. And sometimes their own parents cannot catch enough because of illegal fishing practices.”

The Junior Guides

At the heart of the museum is a program that has changed the lives of many Sagaynon children: the Junior Museum Guides.

Each summer, selected students from Old Sagay Elementary School undergo training. It’s not just to memorize facts, but to speak confidently, guide visitors, and explain marine ecosystems with clarity and heart. The result is a generation of children who don’t just learn about the importance of protecting the marine reserve – they embody it.

“I was a shy girl before,” recalls Malou, a former guide who now works at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. “This has trained me to hone my communication skills. My foundation in marine ecosystems began here, and I'm continually pursuing conservation programs for the environment.”

“Museo Sang Bata Sa Negros taught us how to love nature,” says Leah, now a 23-year-old Sangguniang Kabataan counselor in Barangay Old Sagay. “And how to preserve our cultural identity.”

Leah, a fisherman's daughter, was just six years old when she began as a guide. Today, she co-chairs the environmental committee in her barangay. The skills she gained – from public speaking to environmental awareness – shape the programs she now leads for other youth.

“It starts within you,” she says. “From simply doing your responsibility as a person living near the shoreline.”

Another former guide, Sheree, is now a registered nurse. Though she didn’t become the marine biologist she once dreamed of, she still credits the museum with shaping her awareness of the environment – and her empathy.

“The museum really helped me how to connect with people,” she says.

Building a Future, Room by Room

Today’s visitors are often surprised by how much is achieved with so little. Volunteers and staff maintain the space year-round, and despite tight resources, new programs continue to emerge. Teacher training workshops. Art installations made from recycled plastic. A mascot named Kassie Kasag who teaches kids about responsible fishing.

But it’s the children who remain the strongest argument for investment.

“Almost all the visitors who come here love the Junior Guides,” Ms. LaO’ shares. “They’re really what attracts people when they come here.”

For children like those in Old Sagay – many of whom come from families of fisherfolk – this museum is more than an educational space. It’s a stage where confidence is built, values are passed on, and the seeds of leadership are planted early.

What It Takes to Keep the Beacon Burning

And yet, for the museum to grow, it needs more than admiration. It needs financial support. With stronger facilities, more training tools, and sustained program support, the Museo Sang Bata sa Negros could expand its reach far beyond what it already achieves.

“I hope that even when I’m not around, the staff will continue,” Ms. LaO’ says. “The children are our future. They’re the ones who will take care of the environment when we’re long gone.”

She’s not alone in that hope.

Want to Help?

You can support the Museo Sang Bata sa Negros by donating to their programs or helping fund their needed facility upgrades.

Visit museosangbata.org/donate to learn how you can contribute to the future of marine education in Sagay City – and the future leaders rising from the shoreline.

Writer: John Mari A. Marcelo

Photos and video: Unit A Creatives