The Metropolitan Museum of Manila hosted a gala for the “Muhon: Traces of an Adolescent City” exhibit after its run at the 2016 Venice Biennale. The program featured several messages: a warm welcome from MET Museum president Tina Colayco, a letter from NCCA Chairman Virgilio Almario, a greeting by Senator Loren Legarda, and a testimonial from the curatorial team: – Leandro Locsin, Jr., Sudarshan V. Khadka, Jr., and Juan Paolo Dela Cruz. The word muhon, is translated roughly as “monument” or “place-marker,. The first room was a nostalgic lookback at the historial  wonders of Filipino architecture, while the second room provided a reflection and interpretation of our city's landscape,  while the third  displayed the possibilities of our architectural future. The Muhon exhibit reminds us that moving forward is not the opposite of embracing our heritage. Moreover, it challenges us to evolve our national identity without forsaking advancement and locality.