HCS News and Updates (30 March 2007)
I.
COLUMNS AND ARTICLES
1. New book relives old Quiapo
By Tina Santos
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 03/24/2007
MANILA, Philippines -- If you have ever wondered how Quiapo looked like
before sidewalk vendors invaded the area, then reading this book would
be like taking a walk back in time.
"Quiapo: Heart of Manila" documents Quiapo's history, its esteros
(canals), monuments, houses, paintings, sculptures, shrines, among
others, said Fernando Nakpil Zialcita, grandson of Gregoria De Jesus
and Julio Nakpil who used to live in the 1914 house now known as Bahay
Nakpil-Bautista in the district.
Read entire article: http://globalnation.inquirer
2. PRIDE OF PLACE: The Mangyans of Mindoro
By Augusto Villalon
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 03/26/2007
MANILA,
Philippines – Heritage covers such scope that its totality is difficult
to grasp. Many of us compartmentalize heritage into one of its many
components: music, dance, visual arts, architecture, literature,
language, costumes, cuisine, depending on where our interests may
happen to lie.
Often we fail to realize that all of the components
interrelate, that each component forms a vital part that weaves into
the splendid tapestry of our own national identity.
Focused (or
hung up) as many of us might be on Philippine lowland Christian
culture, our many cultural communities and indigenous peoples have gone
unnoticed and misunderstood.
Read entire article:
http://showbizandstyle.inquirer
3. LANDSCAPE: Afraid of history
By Gemma Cruz Araneta
Manila Bulletin, March 22, 2007
WHENEVER
I write about the American occupation of Filipinas, I receive angry
letters accusing me of blaming the USA "for our ills." It never fails;
there are fellow Filipinos out there (some living overseas) who are
incensed because they think I am calling the USA bad. Aside from these
"Americanistas," there are "Hispanistas" who are just as enraged at my
constant delving and think that I am up to no good, Frankly, I am
baffled by such negative reactions, which compel me to burrow even more
relentlessly into the forbidden chambers of our history.
Read entire article:http://www.mb.com.ph/issues
4. LANDSCAPE: Afraid of history (2)
By Gemma Cruz-Araneta
Manila Bulletin, March 27, 2007
IN
January 1900, Senator Alfred J. Beveridge delivered a very carefully
prepared speech that belied all the Christianizing and civilizing as it
was a rallying cry to get on with the war against the First Philippine
Republic. Unfortunately for us, Beveridge spoke with authority as he
had just come from a visit to the Philippines where he assessed US
troop positions and claimed to have traveled more than two thousand
miles in the interior.
Read entire article: http://www.mb.com.ph/OPED200703
5. 'Developing Corregidor'
By Beth Day Romulo
Manila Bulletin, March 27, 2007
ON
March 14th, the National Defense College of the Philippines hosted a
roundtable discussion on "Developing Corregidor: Challenges and
Prospects.'' Some nit-picking criticism of our present preservation
efforts, under the aegis of the National Historical Institute, which
had appeared on the Internet, had whetted their curiosity and 40
members of the college visited Corregidor the day before the meeting to
see what was actually going on. Both our host, Commodore Carlos
Agustin, and his group and the presidential adviser on veterans
affairs, Jesus Terry Adevoso, agreed that "no desecration had taken
place.'' Both seasoned world travelers, they made comparisons to ruins
that have been preserved in Greece and Italy, and Mr. Adevoso suggested
that Corregidor could be the Philippines Acropolis, its Coliseum. But
much needs to be done. What we are working on now is simply the most
urgent repair, that of Middleside Barracks, which took a direct hit in
the last back-to-back typhoons and the trees close to it destroyed
portions of walls.
Read entire article: http://www.mb.com.ph/OPED200703
---
Read more articles and columns at http://www.heritage.org.ph
II. NEWS FROM OUR FRIENDS
1. President of Carcar HCS runs for municipal mayor
http://www.heritage.org.ph
Val Sandiego, president of the Carcar Heritage Conservation
Society (CHCS), is running for Mayor of Carcar, Cebu in the May 2007
elections.
Related articles
Val wants to be Carcar City's first mayor, vows to help preserve heritage of the community:
http://www.sunstar.com.ph
Choreographer runs for Cebu town mayor:
http://www.gmanews.tv/story
---
Send news and updates, articles,
photos, press releases and annoucements related to heritage
conservation and Philippine built heritage resources to
ivanhenares@heritage.org.ph.
Read more news at
http://www.heritage.org.ph
1. New HCS website is online
Check out the new HCS website at http://www.heritage.org.ph
2. Be an affiliate organization of HCS
Existing heritage councils and foundations in the various cities, municipalities and provinces all over the country are encouraged to affiliate with the Heritage Conservation Society in order to strengthen the national network of heritage organizations. As an affiliate, your organization and contact details will be included in the HCS websites as an affiliate organization. Contact info@heritage.org.ph for more information.
3. HCS student chapters
We encourage students to form chapters of the HCS in their own colleges and universities. Existing organizations can also get themselves accredited as an HCS student chapter of their school. Please download guidelines at http://www.geocities.com
4. List of restoration architects and experts
As a service to the public, we are publishing the names of Filipino architects and experts with advanced degrees or extensive experience in heritage conservation and restoration. The list can be found in the "Membership" section of the HCS website.
IV. HERITAGE WATCH
1. San Agustin Seminary updates
In a meeting with Fr. Pedro Galende, director of the San Agustin Museum last Wednesday, HCS trustee Ivan Anthony Henares found out that reports and photos of a proposed seminary circulating among cultural workers on the Internet were not accurate. The photos were from an old design idea that never became a plan. The blue prints of the current plans are now on display on the first floor, an exterior reconstruction that was approved by UNESCO. The current design came about from several technical working groups which included representatives from the National Museum, NHI, NCCA and IA, and HCS members.
Visit http://www.heritage.org.ph
2. Download memo of Sec. Durano to GM Barbers
Re: Construction of a PTA Sports Complex in Intramuros
http://www.geocities.com
3. Download the latest version of the Heritage Bill
Senate Committee Report No. 297
http://www.geocities.com
V. WORLD HERITAGE DAY (APRIL 18)
April 18 is World Heritage Day! This year, to mark April 18, ICOMOS encourages everyone to organize activities to promote the theme "Cultural Landscapes and Monuments of Nature," to take this theme as an opportunity to raise public's awareness concerning this heritage and the efforts that are required to protect and conserve it, as well as to draw attention to its vulnerability.
A whole section of the ICOMOS website is dedicated to the 18 April 2007 ( http://www.international
INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR MONUMENTS AND SITES
Theme for 2007 : Cultural Landscapes and Monuments of Nature
Theme for 2008 : Religious Heritage and Sacred Places
CULTURAL LANDSCAPES
The term "cultural landscape" as a World Heritage was introduced after a long and intensive series of meetings of international experts. They finally agreed on the definition that cultural landscapes "are cultural properities and represent the 'combined works of nature and man,' illustrative of the evolution of human society and settlement over time, under the influence of the physical contraints and/or opportunities presented by their natural environment and of successive, social, economic and cultural forces, both external and internal." The first site to be inscribed in the Wold Heritage List as a cultural landscape were the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras.
The concept of "cultural landscape" can be divided into two main categories. The first category includes "clearly defined landscape designed and created intentionally by man". This can range from garden and parkland landscape to polders. The second main category is called the "organically evolved landscape". It is the landscape that "has developed its present form by association with and in response to its natural environment".
OVERVIEW
The International Day for Monuments and Sites (World Heritage Day) was created on 18th April, 1982, by ICOMOS and later approved at the 22nd UNESCO General Conference in 1983. This special day offers an opportunity to raise public's awareness concerning the diversity of the world's heritage and the efforts that are required to protect and conserve it, as well as to draw attention to its vulnerability. For seven years now, ICOMOS has been choosing a common theme shared by all ICOMOS National Committees for this day.
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
Below are a number of general suggestions for locally-organized activities to mark this event
- Visits to monuments and sites, and restoration works, possibly with free admission
- Articles in newspapers and magazines, as well as television and radio broadcasts
- Hanging banners in town squares or principal traffic arteries calling attention to the day and the preservation of cultural heritage
- Inviting local and foreign experts and personalities for conferences and interviews
- Organizing discussions in cultural-centers, city halls, and other public spaces
- Exhibitions (photos, paintings, etc.)
- Publication of books, post-cards, stamps, posters
- Awarding prizes to organizations or persons who have made an outstanding contribution to the conservation and promotion of cultural heritage or produced an excellent publication on the subject.
- Inaugurate a recently restored monument
- Special awareness raising activities amongst school children and youth
VI. MEMBERS' HERITAGE BLOGS
1. Ivan About Town (Ivan Anthony Henares) - Finalist (Travel) Philippine Blog Awards 2007
http://ivanhenares.blogspot.com
- More travel notes from Manila (03/28): http://ivanhenares.blogspot
.com/2007/03/more-travel-notes -from-manila.html -
Quiapo, heart of Manila (03/24):
http://ivanhenares.blogspot
.com/2007/03/quiapo-heart-of -manila.html
2. Old Manila Walks (Ivan ManDy)
http://www.oldmanilawalks.com
3. Authentic, Though not Exotic (Dr. Fernando "Butch" Zialcita)
http://www.dsa-ateneo.net
4. Walk This Way (Carlos Celdran) - Finalist (Travel) Philippine Blog Awards 2007
http://celdrantours.blogspot
5. The Sleepy Traveller (Karlo de Leon) - Finalist (Photo Blog) Philippine Blog Awards 2007
http://karlodl.blogspot.com
VII. HCS BLOGS
1. HCS Database of Philippine Built Heritage Resources
http://heritageconservation
2. HCS Database of Heritage Articles & Columns
http://preservephilippineherita
VIII. MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL AND APPLICATION
HCS is reminding all its old members to renew their annual membership with the organization. We are also inviting all interested individuals, institutions and corporations to become registered members of the HCS.
Corporate Patron - PHP50,000.00
Individual Patron - PHP10,000.00
Executive - PHP5,000.00
Individual - PHP1,000.00
Associate (individual below the age of 30) - PHP500.00
Academic (undergraduate student) - PHP100.00
Please issue check payments to HERITAGE CONSERVATION SOCIETY. Cash payments could be deposited to HCS Current Account: 8105-8153-61, BPI-M H del Pilar Branch. Please send to Heritage Conservation Society, Museo Pambata Compound, Roxas Boulevard, Ermita, Manila or Fax to 522-2497 or e-mail to info@heritage.org.ph
Application Form - http://www.heritage.org.ph
Renewal Form - http://www.heritage.org.ph
IX. NEW HCS E-MAIL ADDRESS
The Heritage Conservation Society (HCS) has a new e-mail address.You can reach us at info@heritage.org.ph
The HCS is a non-stock, non-profit organization advocating the protection and preservation of our built heritage, cultural and historical sites and settings, thus upholding the Philippine Constitution that heritage and culture should be developed and preserved for national identity.
VISION
A Filipino society that values and preserves its cultural heritage in order to instill pride of place and strengthen Philippine national identity.
MISSION
The HCS will be the prime mover and advocate for the preservation of Philippine built heritage resources in order to contribute towards the establishment of a Society that preserves and values its cultural heritage through advocacy and volunteerism, project implementation, education and information.
WHY CONSERVE HERITAGE?
The
HCS affirms that an efficient 21st century lifestyle can take place in
the same urban and architectural envelope created by earlier
generations. Built heritage can be recycled for contemporary, adaptive
re-use, thereby preserving the cultural charm and traditional character
of our cities and towns. Heritage conservation enhances progress and
modernization: from urban revitalization and community housing, to the
revival of traditional crafts and the stimulation of entrepreneurial
activities. It awakens our "pride of place," arousing cultural and
historical awareness, which often advances cultural tourism.
Heritage Conservation Society
G/F Museo Pambata Building
Roxas Boulevard, Ermita
Manila, Philippines
Tel. +632 521 2239
Fax. +632 522 2497
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