Republic" or Haring Bayan. Later on, their thesis was revised and updated in an essay titled Andres Bonifacio and the 1896 Revolution published in the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) magazine Sulyap Kultura on with updated sources and information. The controversy on their proposal to recognize Bonifacio as the first Philippine President has since gained significant traction through the years, particularly during the 150th birth anniversary celebrations in 2013 with several academic sectors backing the proposal. Art historian, curator, and art advisor Keen on his interests in art and antiquities, Villegas left the academe and pursued a career as an art historian. In 1983, Villegas published his first important publication on Philippine gold and jewelry, Kayamanan: The Philippine Jewelry Tradition for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), one of four publications for the monetary authority detailing their various holdings of Philippine art and antiquities. In 2005, Villegas and gallerist Evita Sarenas and fellow art dealer Pacifico Gonzales, Jr. helped catalog and appraised the entire BSP fine art collection. Villegas served as the permanent curator for the BSP gold and pottery collection that was previously exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila. Before his death, he served as the editor to Likha - Enduring Legacies of Filipino Artistry: The Decorative Arts Collection of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas that cataloged the collection of Philippine decorative arts of the BSP and was published in 2017. He also served in various capacities as an independent curator, and consultant for several public institutions including the Intramuros Administration, the Lopez Museum, the National Museum of the Philippines, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, the Ayala Museum and the Museo De La Salle of the De La Salle University – Dasmariñas. Villegas served as an art advisor and helped appraise private collections held by the Ayala Corporation, the Bank of the Philippine Islands, Banco de Oro, PHINMA Property Holdings Corporation, and the United Coconut Planters Bank. He has also worked for the Asia Society, the Asian Civilizations Museum, the Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, and other leading international institutions. As a leading curator and consultant, Villegas has help mount important international exhibitions on Philippine art and antiquities including Trésors des Philippines: Un archipel de rites (1994) at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in Paris, The Sheer Realities: A Celebration of Philippine Culture (2000) at the Grey Art Gallery in New