ICOMOS Philippines

ICOMOS Philippines celebrates World Heritage Day with parks and plazas tour

2008-04-13T23:46:00.001+08:00

The International Committee on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) celebrates the International Day for Monuments and Sites on April 18 every year. But since that falls on a Friday, the Heritage Conservation Society and ICOMOS Philippines will join the celebration by organizing a Manila parks and plazas tour on Saturday, April 19, 2008.

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The Preservation of Terraced Landscape of Cinque Terre

2008-01-15T10:02:00.000+08:00

Mariolina Besio
Dipartimento di Progettazione e Costruzione dell'Architettura
Università di Genova, Italy

The Cinque Terre is an impressive and unique landscape that covers about 4000 hectares near the Liguria region’s border with Tuscany in the north western coast of Italy. It has a population of about 5000 people and its rural landscape is characterized by steep hillsides that drop down to the sea. These are marked by a geometry of terraces held up by dry-stone walls and covered with vines. The landscape has been recognized by UNESCO in 1997 as a world heritage site and as a cultural landscape. It was produced by collective creativity that was able to draw opportunities for a peculiar agriculture from the difficulties of the natural environment.

It is unfortunate that most of the territory, at present, has undergone “artificialization” which imposed a new “human nature” on the first “natural nature”. The natural make-up of land and draining were transformed by the system of terraces. In the terraced areas spontaneous vegetation was replaced by agriculture. A generalised tendency to abandon agricultural practices has long been evident: in the heyday of agriculture. If man’s presence declines, the survival of landscape is at risk and its stability can degenerate until it collapses.

Landscape management tools are introduced to help preserve and restore the terraces. The landscape model aims to protect the landscape and to develop the local socio-economic conditions of the community. It joins local and national plans, its instruments and policies.

These planning tools operate to:
■ conserve the terraced landscape built structures
■ re-qualify after degradation
■ accessibility and transportation

The instruments of socio-economic development operate to support:
■ structures and services for local communities
■ traditional farming and wine production
■ tourist supply.

Pamana Natin, Pag-Asa Natin

2008-01-15T09:47:00.000+08:00

Chaco Molina
Executive Director
Fundacion Santiago – Philippines

Fundacion Santiago is a private service-provider development organization established on September 29, 1993 and was officially registered at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on October 14, 1993.

Fundacion Santiago envisions a compleat filipino, a person who, by knowing oneself, can care for oneself and one’s others.

It has a two-fold mission:
■ to contribute to a strong grasp of the national identity by promoting and sustaining historical awareness; and
■ to contribute to true, sustainable and equitable national development through the promotion of entrepreneurship and commitment to community. These took shape in its two institutional programs--- “PAMANA” (Heritage) and “PAGASA” (Hope).

In order to advance this paradigms, Fundacion Santiago sought a strategic partnership with PhilDRRA (Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas), a nationwide network of rural development non-government organizations, and Island Caravan, a tour operator.

At present, Fundacion Santiago concentrates on communities located in Southern Tagalog.

Mayoyao Traditional Landscapes: A Fading Legacy

2008-01-15T09:45:00.000+08:00

Esther Lichanan
Executive Director
Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement (SITmo)
Kiangan, Banaue, Philippines

The Banaue Rice Terraces is a cultural landscape that can be viewed as a result of man’s adaptation to his natural environment. Situated in a harsh environment with limited agricultural space, the early inhabitants of Ifugao conquered these threats by constructing terrace ricefields through their ingenuity and sheer manpower. Unfortunately the Banaue community is now experiencing challenges regarding the preservation and management of these traditional landscapes.

The triadic paradigm composed of the local government units (LGUS), civil society organizations, and captive local businesses are now joining forces to create sustainable development measures that will aid in the preservation of the Banaue Rice Terraces. This move is also gaining support from national and international governments. There is a need to harness the same ingenuity and man power to help preserve what our great ancestors have left for us and our future generation.

The Built Heritage and the Cultural Landscape

2008-01-15T09:35:00.000+08:00

El Patrimonio Edificado y los Paisajes Culturales: Identidad Y Desarollo

Valeria Prieto
ICOMOS - Mexico

Vernacular architecture can be seen in traditional buildings which is the built context of historical cities. An entire village, for instance, is a perfect example of how vernacular constructions are integrated as a whole. In this setting, the natural environment reflects a community’s main productive activity.

Examples of traditional villages that show a close relationship with nature are as follows:
1. The Arizona Desert
2. Juchitan, Mexico
3. Zimbabwe
4. Danjia village in China
5. Water towns South of the Yangtze River
6. Tlacotalpan on the Papaloapan River in the Gulf of Mexico
7. Tomonoura, Uwayima and Uchiko, in Japan
8. Cosalá on the Pacific coast of Mexico
9. The Mayan House at The Yucatan San Antonio Tierras Blancas, Michoacan, Mexico Peninsula

While it is fortunate that there are still groups which have preserved their built traditions and their natural landscape, the last few years saw living heritage sites experiencing pressures of development. Cultural landscapes and vernacular architecture have been damaged along with the emergence of urban areas and new industrial construction materials. To be able to keep up with the constantly changing environment, it is important to study the whole problem and integrate heritage with the community’s customs and traditions. Environmental care must not be neglected. The key is to maintain the cultural landscape as it is integrated to vernacular settlements. Most particularly, it is vital to help the community develop their social and economic potentials without sacrificing the identity and integrity of its people.

CIAV Annual Report 2007

2008-01-15T09:10:00.000+08:00

Marc de Caraffe, president
January 2008

1. The late Gilles Nourissier
Gilles Nourissier had joined CIAV only a few months before his untimely death, and I would like to take this opportunity to express, on behalf of the committee, our sincere regrets. Gilles would have brought to our committee his indomitable enthusiasm and energy, and we all regret him deeply.

2. Annual Meeting in Banaue, Philippines
First, a word of thanks to the many sponsors who have made our 2007 annual meeting a success; their contribution was extremely generous and most welcomed. These sponsors are: Her Excellency Kristie Kenney, American Ambassador to the Philippines, the Tokyo Electric Power, the Fundacion Santiago, the Ayala Foundation, the Department of Tourism of the Philippines, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines and Holcim Cement. Second, I would like to express my gratitude to our dear colleague Augusto Villalon for having organized this wonderful conference. Augusto has spared no efforts in the preparation of this conference to ensure its success.

CIAV’s annual conference served to bring together for the first time all the major Filipino experts involved in the preservation of the Rice Terraces, a World Heritage Site that has been inscribed on the List of endangered sites in 2001. Conference participants focussed on the issue of whether traditional landscapes were still viable in the 21st century and delivered interesting papers with energy and passion. The rice terraces of the Philippines are threatened by the fast changing lifestyle of its inhabitants, by the deterioration of the terraces and the natural resources, and by insufficient recognition of these problems by the government, among other issues. The problems were clearly demonstrated during the conference and local experts presented effective solutions to these problems. It was demonstrated that similar problems are shared in many parts of the world. It was clearly established during this conference that the Filipino experts have developed working solutions to the problems pertaining to the conservation of the Rice Terraces and that these solutions will need to be implemented in a near future. Delegates left the Philippines with the confidence that the future of the Rice Terraces was in capable hands and this breathtaking landscape will be protected.

3. Membership
The committee has currently 74 members from 44 countries and six honorary members from five countries. Membership has slightly increased over the last year, but we need to increase it by attracting young professionals interested in vernacular heritage. We have to think about the future of CIAV, and this future is in the hands of the next generation.

4. Accomplishments
Augusto Villalon, has launched his book, Living Landscapes and Cultural Landmarks, on World Heritage properties in the Philippines, at the UNESCO Salon des Délégués on 6 June 2007. Miles Lewis has also published The Victorian Barn this year. Our congratulations go to both authors. The president was asked to write a brief article on the Vernacular Charter for Europa Nostra, a European journal, and he gave a presentation on the impacts of global climate changes on York Factory, a national historic site of Canada, in Pretoria. Valeria Prieto, our energetic secretary general, has produced seven newsletters so far.

You will recall that it was part of our strategic plan to lobby to have UNESCO budgets for World Heritage Designations changed to include the work undertaken for desk reviews. Some progress to this effect was accomplished during the last advisory committee meeting that took place in Pretoria. A resolution was passed that read: Concerned about the ongoing quality of ICOMOS evaluations and monitoring concerning World Heritage Sites, and realizing that such voluntary work can become time-consuming, if only because nominations now have increased documentation and complexity, and the increasing requests for evaluators, the Advisory Committee endorses CIAV, ICAHM, and CIVVIH’s recommendation that ICOMOS needs to:

a. recommend a clear brief for the evaluation or monitoring task, for example the use of scientific and professional standards, and the nature of the work required in the report;
b. recommend allowing a nominal fee for all the evaluation or monitoring tasks, thus recognizing both the professional nature of the work and the time contributed, by balancing the ICOMOS budget for World Heritage to meet this need.

This recommendation was sent to ICOMOS Executive Committee. We will see how they respond to it.

The little village of San Antonio, in Mexico, has made a lot of progress since our visit last year. Streets are being paved and roofs are being changed as we can see on the photograph of the municipal hall below. The medical clinic is almost completed, and the people are learning different trades, such as sewing, nursing, metalwork, embroidery and spinning techniques to supplement their income. A recent donation will serve to build washing facilities. The future looks promising for the inhabitants of this village.

Finally, ICOMOS Vice-President, Kristal Buckley, commented most favorably on CIAV’s activities in the Asia Pacific region during the last meeting of ICOMOS advisory committee. The national committees of this region are keen to cooperate with International Scientific Committees. These committees have expanded activities and membership in this region, and CIAV was cited as being particularly active. Congratulations to our colleagues from this region for their excellent work.

5. Advocacy
The committee is still monitoring the proposed construction of a road bridge that would destroy the historic character of Tomo-no-Ura in Japan.

The committee has approved a resolution of support for the nomination of the Red River Terracces Fields of the Hani people in China as a World Heritage Site. This resolution was conveyed to ICOMOS China.

The committee has delegated to Kirsten Maelzer the responsibility of monitoring the situation of German settlements in Ukraine. These settlements are threatened by abandon and demolition.

The committee will be present at the Terra 2008 conference that will take place in Mali in February 2008. The delegates are Valeria Prieto and Christoph Machat.

6. Next Annual Meetings
CIAV’s next annual meeting will take place during the General Assembly of ICOMOS in Québec City. So far, the boat tour to Grosse-Ile has been very popular, and I can confirm that it will take place. I would like to remind you that the cost of this excursion is 75$ U.S. Other ISCs, the Earth committee, the Cultural Landscape committee and CIPA in particular, have said that they would be interested in joining us, so we will have an opportunity to network with them. The tour will take place on 29 September 2008, and it will last the entire day. We will hold our annual meeting during that evening. Grosse-Ile can be extremely windy, cold and wet, particularly at the end of September, so bring appropriate clothing.

We have accepted an invitation to hold our 2009 meeting in Romania. This conference will take place from 16 to 23 May 2009 in the town of Rimetea, which is located in Transylvania. It will be held in conjunction with Tusnad. Its topic will be the protection of vernacular heritage and rural existence conditions, focusing on issues of multiculturalism.

It would be useful to think now about our future meetings, particularly for 2010, as I expect that we will hold our 2011 meeting during the General Assembly of ICOMOS wherever the location of that venue will be. I welcome suggestions for the 2010 meeting on location and theme.

7. Elections
As you know, our statutes stipulate that the executive is elected for a term of three years. So there will be elections during our meeting in 2008. The present executive, with one exception, will solicit, with your permission, another mandate. The exception is vice-president Masero Maeno, and it is with extreme sadness that we accept his decision. It would be useful to have somebody from the Asia-Pacific region on the executive. A voting committee will be set up to manage next year’s elections.

8. Awards
Three propositions for awards were received. Our colleague, Dimitrios Psarros, from Greece, suggested the names of Professor Nikos Moutsopoulos, from Greece, and of Professor Haluk Sezgin, from Turkey. Both of them were founding and active members of CIAV. It was agreed that Professors Moutsopoulos and Sezgin receive the title of honorary members of our committee. Our colleague, Gisela Medina Chavez, from Mexico has received an award for her exemplary work in preserving the Purhépecha community of San Antonio Tierras Blancas, municipalidad de los Reyes, Michoacán. Gisela has contributed in building a medical clinic in this village. Finally, on the recommendation of ICOMOS Finland, an award was given to the pupils, the teachers and team of specialists at the School of Murole, Finland, for having created a unique model for transmitting knowledge of vernacular architecture from one generation to another, from researcher to layperson, and for raising awareness of the conservation of local heritage.

‘Still an awesome landscape in Ifugao’

2007-12-19T21:37:00.000+08:00

By Maribelle Bimohya
Philippine Daily Inquirer (12/19/2007)

MANIL, Philippines – Although the centuries-old rice terraces of Ifugao have been included in the list of endangered World Heritage sites, these hallmarks of Ifugao industry, craftsmanship and indigenous knowledge, remain an awesome landscape.

This was the shared observation of about 70 international conservationists, architects and experts on traditional landscapes after they visited the rice terraces and interacted with villagers.

“Just looking at the terraces energizes and inspires you,” said Marc de Caraffe, president of the International Council for Monuments and Sites’ (Icomos) committee on vernacular architecture.

The experts joined the International Conference on Protecting Endangered Traditional Landscapes in Banaue town early this month. The meeting was organized by Icomos, an international organization of architects, urban planners, archaeologists, anthropologists, historians and other professionals involved in heritage conservation.

Icomos is the only nongovernment organization accredited to advise the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (Unesco) world heritage committee on cultural heritage matters.

Deterioration
During the conference held on Dec. 3-7, the experts discussed the status of the terraces and came up with recommendations on how to address the various issues surrounding the deterioration of the heritage sites.

“From all the presentations on the various efforts of the provincial government and the Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement (Sitmo) and the interaction with local folks, the group is pleased to know that there is a determined and creative effort from the Ifugao to help restore the terraces,” said Augusto Villalon, Icomos Philippines chair.

With the programs already in place, the stakeholders must sustain conservation activities with the help of the national and local governments, NGOs and Filipinos in general, he said.

Brenda Saquing, provincial administrator, said that while the Ifugao people were striving to conserve their heritage, they were also seeking the help of every individual “who believes in beauty, freedom and survival” to pitch in in restoring the rice terraces.

“After all, the Ifugao rice terraces are not the patrimony of the Ifugao alone, but of the whole humanity,” she said.

Recommendations
The workshops tried to seek recommendations on how to use heritage as a resource for income generation to keep the Ifugao from leaving their families’ terraces.

Among the strategies recommended were arts and crafts development, marketing of the tinawon rice, and the production of organic vegetables, fruits and rice wine.

The experts also believed that the adventure and agro-eco-tourism industries must be strengthened to complement the development of the product industries in Ifugao.

With this, they agreed to push for the improvement of the Bagabag airport in nearby Nueva Vizcaya to cut travel time of tourists going to Ifugao. The province is at least 10 hours by land travel from Metro Manila.

Among the other recommendations was to study if abandoned terraces could be leased to other farmers or to local governments, which should devise ways to make these mountain farms productive.

“Some Ifugao farmers are practicing a system of leasing untilled lands called uhat. Usually the owner will let his farm be tilled by another farmer for free for three years. On the fourth year, the owner will get half of the harvest, provided that he will also share in whatever agricultural inputs or labor cost needed,” said engineer Norberto Tayaban, a rice field owner.

Tayaban said many professionals who could not go to their rice farms preferred to let relatives or village mates till the lands instead of abandoning these.

“While it is true that there are abandoned rice fields, these are usually due to lack of water in the terraces. We cannot till the land without water,” said Perfecta Dulnuan, Banaue planning and development coordinator.

Dulnuan, who allows her relatives to till her rice fields, said that while rice terrace farming was not very profitable, “[we have a] responsibility to our ancestors to keep the payo or rice fields watered and planted.”

“There is an unwritten law that we have to take care of our inheritance. A member of the community who abandons his rice fields without a reasonable [explanation] is considered lazy and disrespectful of his ancestors’ toil and labor,” she said.

We’re doing well in protecting our heritage

2007-12-17T02:19:00.000+08:00

By Augusto Villalon
Philippine Daily Inquirer (12/17/2007)

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines received a hearty thumbs-up from international heritage luminaries for its heritage-conservation efforts.

“The future of the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordillera is in good hands,” declared Marc de Caraffe from the International Council for Monuments and Sites (Icomos) of Canada. De Caraffe is also the president of the international organization’s Committee on Vernacular (Traditional) Architecture.

Signifying support for heritage conservation in the country, United States Ambassador Kristie Kenney through the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation supported the meeting but also personally traveled to Banaue to address the meeting and visit the terraces as well.

Icomos is a Paris-based NGO that regulates professional heritage-conservation activities worldwide and is the official adviser to the Unesco World Heritage Committee on cultural-heritage issues.

For the first time, international heritage luminaries joined members of Icomos Philippines in Banaue last week. The meeting coincided with the 12th anniversary of the inscription of five rice-terraces clusters in Ifugao in the prestigious Unesco World Heritage List as “The Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordillera.”

Seven years later, the site was transferred to the World Heritage in Danger List, signifying that conservation measures should be intensified to prevent the site from further decay. This led to Unesco and Philippine experts agreeing on a set of measures to rehabilitate the site.

In danger
Respected international specialists arrived from Italy, Finland, France, Germany, Macedonia, United States, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Japan and Korea to join their Philippine counterparts to meet on “Protecting Endangered Traditional Landscapes,” focusing on the current status of the five terraces clusters in Ifugao inscribed on the World Heritage in Danger List.

The “In Danger” designation simply means conservation measures for a site on the World Heritage List must be stepped up to prevent its rapid deterioration.

The meeting agreed that the five small terraces clusters (Batad, Hungduan, Hapao, Nagacadan and Mayoyao) were endangered because of their physical deterioration but, more important, the resident population, having difficulty bridging preservation of their heritage with 21st-century lifestyle, was leaving the site in alarming number. Case studies showed a similar phenomenon happening in terraced, agricultural heritage sites in Italy, Ukraine, China and Mexico.

Observing the preservation efforts by the Ifugao provincial government and Save the Terraces Movement (Sitmo), foreign delegates praised the success of the conservation and community-development programs, that most of the Unesco-suggested rehabilitation programs were well underway, which led to the consensus of delegates that it would only be a matter of time before the site would be removed from the World Heritage in Danger List and given a clean bill of health.

The consensus was the long-awaited affirmation for us Filipinos. Despite years of negative reports from the media, our heritage-conservation efforts are back on track.

Lost cause
In countries like the Philippines, preserving heritage is really a lost cause unless preservation is made relevant to its host communities by tying it with development and income generation.

Therefore, presented during the meeting were methods that illustrated various ways to sustainably use heritage as a resource for income generation through community tourism programs, craft development, or harnessing natural resources for sustainable development such as mini-hydroelectric plants.

All participants agreed that the physical repair of the terraces was necessary. However, restoring the terraces and its walls must come together with establishment of cultural and economic opportunities that would make terrace life more viable for the 21st century. Among the positive measures suggested by Unesco is the establishment of additional income-generating opportunities such as community-based cultural and eco-tourism programs.

To further illustrate the benefits of tourism for host communities, field visits for the 70-person group to terrace sites were successfully organized by the provincial government and Sitmo in cooperation with the local communities that were profusely thanked by participants for their professionalism.

Conserving heritage has little relevance to most site residents who live from day to day in survival mode. Therefore Icomos aims to make them aware that among the values of heritage is its use (not exploitation) as a sustainable cultural and eco-tourism resource. Therefore, heritage must be preserved as a livelihood opportunity and also to provide community identity.

Successful community-based heritage projects in the Philippines were presented, such as the Cebu Freedom Trail uniting seaside towns in south Cebu province in a trail of conserved heritage and community-led tourism sponsored by Ramón Aboitiz Foundation; Bahandi tourism project by the Bohol community; and Save Ifugao Terraces Movement (Sitmo) community-development programs in Ifugao.

These success stories prove that Filipinos, contrary to popular opinion, have done well in conserving their heritage.

Institutions supporting the Icomos endeavor are the US Ambassadors’ Fund for Cultural Preservation, e8/Tepco (Tokyo Electric Power Company), Fundación Santiago, Ayala Foundation, Ramón Aboitiz Foundation, Department of Tourism, and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the National Museum, Cibo di M, and Holcim Philippines.

Heritage watch
The construction happening in the landmark Luneta Hotel caused a furor among heritage circles, causing representatives of its new owner, Manila City officials, and heritage experts to meet, agree that the structure should be conserved and that all sectors would cooperate for its conservation.

Instead of angrily marching on the streets, people calmly discuss to come to an agreement on how to save the heritage. This meeting, almost seven years after the Jai Alai debacle, shows a new maturity, having evolved with those who handle heritage. Congratulations to all.

Realistic actions to save rice terraces awaited

2007-12-11T21:34:00.000+08:00

By Jane Cadalig
SunStar Pampanga (12/11/07)

BANAUE, Ifugao - Several talks have been done to preserve the rice terraces here but the Provincial Government wants a concrete response and action from international civic groups to help the government improve and succeed on its preservation efforts.

"We have been discussing a lot regarding the preservation of our terraces; the Provincial Government and our local partners have already done our part. What we are now awaiting is the response of the international civic society on these efforts we have been doing," Governor Teodoro Baguilat said.

Admitting the local government has been experiencing pressures from the international community on the deteriorating status of the world-famous terraces, Baguilat said the province and its people could "only do as much".

Addressing a group of international heritage conservation experts and professionals who converged at the Banaue Hotel for a conference on the preservation of traditional landscapes, Baguilat cited the need to come up with concrete actions on how to safeguard the terraces.

He expressed optimism that the holding of the international conference in the province, which allowed architects, urban planers and heritage conservation professionals from other countries to have a glimpse of the terraces and the local initiatives done for their preservation, would convince global donors to invest in these preservation plans.

The Ifugao Rice Terraces have been inscribed in the Unesco's list of world heritage sites in 1995 but was declared as one of the endangered world heritages in 2001 due its deteriorating state.

"The terraces are not totally hopeless, there are still a lot of opportunities by which we could save them, and we believe we already have done our part to satisfy donors to assist us in our initiatives," he told Sun.Star.

Baguilat said he is planning to invite international donors to convene in the province and present the preservation programs being done for the terraces in a bid to convince global donors to invest in these programs.

Meantime, Architect Augusto Villalon of the International Committee on Monuments and Sites (Icomos)-Philippines said works being done to preserve cultural heritage sites in the country is seeing a bright future as more communities are getting aware of the significance of protecting their cultural heritages.

CIAV Scientific Conference 2007

2007-12-06T17:09:00.000+08:00

For more conference photos, please click here.

Protecting endangered traditional landscapes

2007-12-05T10:32:00.000+08:00

International heritage luminaries are meeting in the Philippines for the first time from 2-8 December 2007. They are members of ICOMOS (International Council of Monuments and Sites), the official international organization of architects, landscape architects, urban planners, archaeologists, anthropologists, historians, tourism professionals, lawyers, and other professionals involved in the heritage conservation profession who are recognized as international leaders in the field.

Headquartered in Paris, ICOMOS is the international organization that regulates the worldwide conservation profession and is the only NGO accredited to advise the UNESCO World Heritage Committee on cultural heritage matters. Its Philippine members are prominently involved in conservation projects for the government or private sectors and are also members of the academe.

On 2-8 December the ICOMOS National Committee Philippines hosts the 2007 meeting of the ICOMOS International Committee on Vernacular Architecture (CIAV), to be held at the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Respected heritage specialists from Italy, Finland, France, Germany, Macedonia, United States, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Japan and Korea are joining their Philippine counterparts to meet on “Protecting Endangered Traditional Landscapes”, focusing on the current status of the 5 terrace clusters located in Ifugao province inscribed in the World Heritage in Danger List. The “In Danger” designation simply means that conservation measures for a site on the World Heritage List must be stepped up to prevent its rapid deterioration.

The experts will discuss conservation and the socio-economic issues that can support heritage conservation in countries like the Philippines. On the meeting agenda are:

a) The Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, a UNESCO-inscribed World Heritage Site, is endangered today because of physical deterioration but more importantly, the resident population who has always maintained the site is having difficulty bridging the task of preserving their heritage with 21st century lifestyle. Case studies will be presented showing steps taken by other international sites with similar issues.

(b) In countries like the Philippines preserving heritage is really a lost cause unless preservation becomes more relevant to its host communities through tying preservation in with development and income generation. Therefore methods have to be found to use heritage as a resource for income generation i.e through community tourism programs, craft development, or harnessing natural resources for sustainable development such as mini-hydroelectric plants, etc.

At this moment, physical repair of the terraces is necessary. However restoring the terraces and their walls must come together with establishment of cultural and economic opportunities that make terrace life more viable for the 21st century. Among the positive measures suggested by UNESCO, is the establishment of additional income-generating opportunities such as community-based cultural and eco tourism programs.

Therefore the meeting’s sub-theme is identifying methods to use the underutilized rice terraces heritage as a resource to increase present income levels. One program is the establishment of community-based tourism.

Conserving heritage has little relevance to most site residents who live from day to day in survival mode. Therefore ICOMOS aims to make them aware that among the values of heritage is its use (not exploitation) as a sustainable cultural and eco tourism resource. Therefore heritage must be preserved as a livelihood opportunity and also to provide community identity.

Successful community-based heritage projects in the Philippines will be presented such as the Freedom Trail that unites seaside towns in south Cebu province in a trail of conserved heritage and community-led tourism sponsored by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, the heritage tourism project by the Bohol community, Taal heritage program, and the Save Ifugao Terraces Movement (SITMO) community development programs in Ifugao province. These success stories prove that the Filipino, contrary to popular opinion, has actually done well in conserving his heritage. The Philippine presentations will show that good community-oriented conservation work is being done in the country, proving that our heritage is not going down the drain like everyone else thinks.

Training of Philippine conservation practitioners is another objective of the meeting. Since conservation courses are not offered in Philippine universities, the presence of foreign colleagues is a rare opportunity for ICOMOS Philippine Committee members and other heritage professionals to widen their personal international networks and to upgrade professional. Most of the Philippine participants will be from the youth sector.

Institutions supporting the ICOMOS endeavor are the US Ambassadors’ Fund for Cultural Preservation, e8/TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company), Fundación Santiago, Ayala Foundation, Ramón Aboitiz Foundation, Department of Tourism, and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

HCS 2008 Calendar: Heritage Recycled

2007-09-25T18:23:00.000+08:00

The HCS will be featuring fine examples of built heritage structures transformed into commercially-sustainable business projects. You will find elegant family residences that have been recycled into boutique hotels and banks; a century-old train terminal (Tutuban) became a shopping mall and the first international airport of Manila (Nielson Tower) was restored and recycled into a library and bookstore.

All these are compiled into the 2008 Heritage Calendar/Postcard Collection called HERITAGE RECYCLED. These unique calendars are excellent Christmas gifts to your friends and business associates. You can also have your company and/or personal logo printed on the standee.

As you know, the HCS is a non-profit group. One of our main objectives is to show how the restoration of heritage structures can enhance the value of real estate development projects, urban planning, and tourism.

By ordering, you will be contributing to this worthwhile advocacy. (P200/copy; 10% discount for members and bulk orders of 100pcs++)

Thank you for your valued support. E-mail us at info@heritage.org.ph

* * *

HERITAGE RECYCLED
Adaptive re-use is a creative mode of conservation that gives heritage structures new and alternative functions other than the original ones that may no longer be required.

Adaptive re-use is applicable to most heritage structures. These need not be as grandiose as the vintage Department of Finance, now the National Museum. HCS did not include it to show that ancestral homes of modest proportions, obscure town halls, colonial watchtowers and bridges, warehouses and train stations can also be recycled into sustainable projects.

Most often than not, built heritage resources are found on premium real estate property so developers are in a hurry to demolish rather than restore and recycle. Today, there is a growing awareness that adaptive re-use can enhance property value.

In many countries, like Australia for example, demolition of heritage structures is considered wasteful. Heritage resources are given adaptive re-use because it is good for the environment. Recycling a valued heritage place makes adaptive re-use of historic buildings an essential component of sustainable development. The United States of America abounds with examples of creative (and remunerative) re-use of heritage. Old warehouses in Manhattan's meat-packing areas have been transformed into fashionable and expensive lofts. Elegant mansions in "Gone with the Wind" country were transformed into boutique hotels.

In London, a power plant along the River Thames became the elegant Tate Gallery of Modern Art. In Mexico City, the Cemento Azteca plant is now an environment-friendly children's museum-- El Papalote. Singapore has salvaged a cluster of decrepit shop houses, turning Boat Quay and Clarke Quay into an eclectic mix of high-end restaurants, al fresco dining, dazzling bars and pubs.

We are not too far behind in the Philippines that is why the HCS has chosen "Heritage Recycled" as its theme for 2008. Until now, you may not have noticed these twelve amazing projects of sustainable, adaptive re-use. Take a good look around you and find more incredible examples of how Filipinos have so creatively recycled heritage.

However, in the Philippine scene, recycling heritage and adaptive re-use are still polemical issues. Should heritage conservation be done strictly "in situ"? Should heritage structures be transferred to different sites and settings, when that is the only way to save them? Is adaptive re-use intrusive? Or, should heritage conservation be a priority at all? Let the debate begin. After which we, conservation advocates, can make policies suitable to our own needs and vision.

Register now for the Philippine Towns and Cities Seminar (9 November 2007)

2007-09-24T18:36:00.000+08:00

The main objective of this seminar series is to enhance civic engagement with local governments units so the Heritage Conservation Society (HCS) can inform and guide them on the proper care and utilization of a valuable asset — built heritage resources. The first seminar was held last 8 November 2006, at the Development Academy of the Philippines, Pasig City.

In our towns and cities, wanton real estate speculation and over-construction are often mistaken for modernization when in fact these exert devastating pressure on the historic and cultural core of many of our human settlements. As a result, a valuable economic resource – built heritage — is left to deteriorate or is thoughtlessly demolished in the name of progress. Concerted effort is imperative to protect heritage resources because these are revenue and job-generating assets that can spark economic revitalization, as the case of Vigan clearly shows.

However, there is a general lack of awareness at the local government level, which is precisely where policies should be formulated and ordinances passed to declare heritage districts and protect these as the town's or city's prime assets. Built heritage resources should be the core of any master plan for urban development and inner town/city revitalization. Livelihood opportunities are generated by adaptive re-use, the revival of traditional crafts for restoration work and an increase in tourism receipts.

Significantly, communities begin to feel a "pride of place".

The "Philippine Towns and Cities" seminar series is a communications campaign to influence policy makers at the local government level. Through the "Mayors' Forum", best practices are shared. Other stakeholders in the Executive branch, the private sector and the academe are invited to participate because heritage conservation is a multi-disciplinary concern.

In a second seminar, the Heritage Conservation Society will take this awareness and education campaign to the local governments of the Vizayas, where built heritage resources abound in the cities of Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Dumaguete, Tagbilaran, and many others.

"PHILIPPINE TOWNS & CITIES:
Reflections of the Past, Lessons for the Future"
9 November 2007, Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention Center, 101 General Luna Street, Iloilo City

REGISTRATION DETAILS:
Seminar Fee
Private Sector: P2,500
Government Sector: P1,500
Student (with valid ID): P500

Check payable to: Heritage Conservation Society
PAYMENT AND REGISTRATION DEADLINE: 31 October 2007, Wednesday
Deposit to: Heritage Conservation Society
BPI C/A # 8105-8153-61, M.H. Del Pilar Branch, Ermita

Contact Persons
Ms. Dorie Soriano (HCS)
Tel.: 521-2239
Fax: 522-2497
Email: info@heritage.org.ph

Ms. Len Diño (UPF)
Tel.: 895-1812 / 896-1902
Fax: 890-2480
Email: annalynn.upf@gmail.com

Ms. Vivian (Iloilo City)
Tel.: (033) 3372172
Email: benitojimena@yahoo.com

Seminar Organizers:
HERITAGE CONSERVATION SOCIETY (HCS)
THE ILOILO CITY GOVERNMENT
THE URBAN PARTNERSHIPS FOUNDATION (UPF)
PHILIPPINE INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNERS (PIEP)

New Book on World Heritage Sites in the Philippines

2007-09-15T23:35:00.000+08:00

Living Landscapes and Cultural Landmarks: World Heritage Sites in the Philippines by Augusto F. Villalon,
Photographs by Neal M. Oshima,
Publisher: ArtPostAsia Pte. Ltd, Manila, the Philippines

This attractive book is the first publication to present all five World Heritage properties located in the Philippines in a single volume. Widely acknowledged by the international scientific community as a "biodiversity hotspot", the Philippines hosts an astoundingly rich and varied network of terrestrial and marine life. Moreover, the distinctive blend of Eastern and Western architectural principles and technology that has evolved in the Philippines has given rise to sites of outstanding aesthetic and cultural values. For example, the Rice Terraces Cultural Landscape of the Philippine Cordilleras, inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1995, has been shaped by traditional know-how handed down from successive generations. Furthermore, these magnificent rice terraces provide an exquisite setting for the traditional Hudhud chants of the local Ifugao people, which were recognized in 2001 by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Consequently, this unique yet fragile cultural landscape has come down through the ages as a testimony to the harmonious balance between heritage of humankind - both tangible and intangible - and the environment.

This publication received financial support from the World Heritage Fund. It was launched at UNESCO Headquarters in June 2007 to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the adoption of the 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention. UNESCO considers that such activities contribute positively to the ongoing debates on the many issues and challenges concerning the implementation of the World Heritage Convention in developing countries.

2007 HCS Calendar

2006-09-26T03:06:00.000+08:00

The 2007 HCS Calendar featuring heritage provincial capitols, city halls and municipios, is now on sale. For more information, contact:

Heritage Conservation Society
G/F Museo Pambata Building
Roxas Boulevard, Ermita
Manila, Philippines
Tel. +632 521 2239
Fax. +632 522 2497

For a closer look, you can download a pdf file here.

Brick horno in Camalaniugan, Cagayan

2006-07-26T22:10:00.000+08:00

The lost lighthouses of Ilocos Sur

2006-07-26T11:18:00.000+08:00

By Frank Cimatu, Leoncio Balbin Jr.
Inquirer
Last updated 01:06am (Mla time) 07/26/2006

Published on Page A15 of the July 26, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

Editor's Note: This is the fourth of a series of reports on lighthouses in Northern Luzon. The Inquirer is featuring these century-old structures to highlight their importance to the country's northern sea lanes and call public attention to their neglect.

ILOCOS SUR is one of the oldest provinces in the country and an important trading center for the Spaniards. The Chinese pirate Limahong used to pillage the settlements there and later traded with local folk four centuries ago.

The province has an extensive shoreline, but many residents are wondering why they can't spot a lighthouse as imposing as Cape Bojeador at the tip of Ilocos Norte.

But the lighthouses of Ilocos Sur are there, albeit forgotten and neglected. Now, local officials are calling for the restoration of the "lost beacons."

The once important lighthouses during the Spanish times are in Narvacan, San Esteban and Sinait towns, Vice Gov. Deogracias Savellano said.

"These are brick monuments of history. As much as we wanted to restore them, we have no funds yet for this project," Savellano said.

The structure in Narvacan may not even be a lighthouse but a watchtower.

Michael Canosa, 42, a resident of Barangay Sulvec, said the old brick facility in their backyard was built during the time of the Spaniards.

Canosa said based on the stories shared by his relatives, his great grandfather, Lope Canosa, was among the recruited soldiers who served as sentry under the Spanish government.

The watchtower was used to warn residents of the arrival of pirates.

"They would blow a horn to signal the arrival of the pirates for residents to prepare," Canosa said.

The watchtower is deteriorating; its bricks chipping off due to exposure to the elements. The ownership of the area where the watchtower sits is also being disputed in court between the Canosas and the municipal government.

Reminders
Ilocos Sur Rep. Eric Singson has initiated moves to restore the lighthouse in nearby San Esteban. "Even if these lighthouses are obsolete, they are still important reminders of the glory that was Ilocos Sur," he said.

He said lighthouses used to draw the community together. To make his point, he converted the Parola lighthouse in Barangay Darapidap in Candon City into a promenade. The lighthouse was built in the 1950s.

A boardwalk, a fountain and a mini-stage were inaugurated in the area in April. Bands perform onstage during the balmy summer nights. Singson said an amusement park would be added later.

The 20-meter lighthouse is useful to fishermen in the town, Eduardo Villanueva, chair of Barangay Darapidap, said. "It serves as a reference for fishermen during blackouts."

At first, they used kerosene for the beacon until 1971 when electricity was tapped in the village.

Another modern lighthouse is in Cabugao town.

Savellano said the historic Dardarat lighthouse also guided fishermen's voyages to the Salomague port. Because of the port, Salomague is among the few Ilocos villages found on ancient mariner's maps.

"During the American occupation, it served as a mooring place for USS Manauili that ferried thousands of mostly Ilocano residents across the Pacific to work at sugar plantations in Hawaii and California," Savellano said.

Now leased to a private corporation, it is the transshipment port of goods and products to Taiwan. It is also the unloading point of commercial fishing vessels.

101-year-old lighthouse is Bolinao’s landmark

2006-06-29T22:22:00.000+08:00

http://newsinfo.inq7.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view_article.php?article_id=6949

By Yolanda Sotelo-Fuertes
Inquirer
Last updated 00:26am (Mla time) 06/28/2006

Published on Page A19 of the June 28, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

Editor’s Note: This is the third of a series of reports on lighthouses in Northern Luzon. The Inquirer is featuring these century-old structures to highlight their importance to the country’s northern sea lanes and call attention to their neglect.

FOR 101 years now, the Cape Bolinao lighthouse stands proud atop Punta Piedra Point in Barangay Patar in Bolinao, Pangasinan, guiding ships and vessels cruising the international passage along the South China Sea.

Nestled amid trees, the lighthouse was built in 1905 by Filipino, British and American engineers. It is one of the five major lighthouses in the country and the second tallest, next to the Cape Bojeador lighthouse in Burgos, Ilocos Norte. It has become a prominent landmark that tourists frequent.

The 30.78-meter (101-foot) tower provides a panoramic view of the blue sea and white beaches, offshore reefs and rock formations, as well as rolling verdant hills. Once in a while, a passing vessel dots the sea, an international route of vessels going to Hong Kong, Japan and the United States.

The 140-step winding stairway of the tower leads to the illumination room, 76.2 m above sea level. According to Pedro Honrada, the lighthouse’s head keeper, the lantern is visible 44 kilometers away, guiding seafarers (led toward this area by a lighthouse in Zambales) toward the lighthouse in Poro Point, La Union.

The late Bolinao historian Catalino Catanaoan said the original light machine was manufactured in England, while the lantern, with three wicks and chimneys, was imported from France.

“Filipino machinists were able to copy the original [when they repaired it]. The light machine is rotated by a system of gears like that of a big clock with a pendulum of weights, winded and suspended with steel cable,” he said.

Kerosene fuel

The lighthouse was fueled by kerosene during its first 80 years of operation. When the Pangasinan I Electric Cooperative extended its lines to Patar, the lanterns were powered by electricity.

In 1999, the lighthouse was renovated through a loan package extended by the Japanese government to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), which is in charge of the facility. Aside from repairing and repainting the tower, the assistance included setting up solar panels, a new apparatus and two beacon lights. The panels recharge the lights.

The lighthouse has also been getting the attention it deserves from the municipal government.

In June last year, Mayor Alfonso Celeste entered into a memorandum of agreement with the PCG to “adopt” the Cape Bolinao lighthouse to ensure its preservation and maintenance, under the PCG’s “Adopt a Lighthouse Program.”

Under the MOA, the PCG continues to be the sole owner of the lighthouse. It has the right to deny entry into the area during emergency cases and is responsible for the operation, repair and regular maintenance of the beacon light and its supporting mechanisms.

On the other hand, the local government will take charge of rehabilitation and maintenance of the immediate vicinity (except that of the beacon, solar panels and other equipment), provide maintenance personnel, and protect the facilities from vandals.

Cultural heritage

The local government is also tasked with promoting the declaration of the lighthouse as a cultural heritage.

Already, the lighthouse compound has been spruced up. The uphill road leading to the tower has been paved with the help of Pangasinan Rep. Arturo Celeste. A view deck has been put up in the area.

The rehabilitation of the administration building and a public bath was funded by the Department of Transportation and Communications.

Brunner Carranza, municipal planning and development officer, said a worker assigned by the local government keeps the area clean all day.

While the lighthouse has become a tourist attraction by itself, it has failed to do its “job” of guiding sea vessels at night, Honrada said.

In early November 2004, the beacon lights started to dim until it finally shut off on Nov. 8.

“The batteries bogged down,” Honrada said. He has been following up with the PCG navigation command the repair of the batteries that cost about P1 million—to no avail.

“My wish is that before I retire [in October], the lighthouse will be working again,” Honrada said.

A Petition to the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines: Please Stop the Further Defacing of Philippine Heritage Churches

2006-06-23T16:33:00.000+08:00

Most Reverend Eminences and Excellencies:

Almost every town in the Philippines has at least one church built during the Spanish colonial period, all of which are inherent parts of the architectural heritage of Filipinos and stand as testaments to the excellence and creativity of Filipino artisans and craftsmen of yesteryears who labored to create these works of art.

These properties of the Filipino people are under the custodianship of the Roman Catholic Church and their representatives in the Republic of the Philippines.

It must have come to your knowledge that several parish priests have taken it upon themselves to modernize and renovate heritage churches under their care without proper consultation with conservationists or representatives of agencies mandated to protect cultural and historical heritage. In their desire to "leave their mark" on the churches, parish priests have caused irreversible damage to our old churches during their short stints in their parishes.

Sadly, there have been instances where parish priests sold off priceless antiques and other church property to unscrupulous antique dealers and collectors to fund these renovations, with the treasures of the Church ending up in homes and other private collections.

In many occasions, the renovations are costly and unnecessary, and at times ostentatious. Priests and parish pastoral councils have undertaken and continue to undertake large-scale fundraising campaigns for these renovations when such funds could be put to better use, especially in a Third-world country such as the Philippines.

The funds could instead be directed toward the three-fold pastoral program of action of the CBCP, to build character, capability and community. Instead of spending on renovations, the various parishes could use the funds “to empower those who are needy to construct a better future” by supporting “social action programs, training programs and institutions, research centers, schools, charitable agencies and organizations, religious orders and congregations, lay organizations and movements, Basic Ecclesial Communities,” that would “help people grow in capacities, such as the capacity to govern themselves, the capacity to develop their abilities, the capacity to find meaningful and fruitful employment and work, the capacity to care for our environment, the capacity to make leadership accountable.”

We, the undersigned petitioners, thus urge the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to protect the cultural heritage of the Philippine Catholic Church from further damage by ordering the immediate stop to all ongoing and proposed renovations to heritage churches that have not been approved by the CBCP Committee for the Cultural Heritage of the Church or reviewed by representatives of agencies mandated to protect cultural and historical heritage.

We also urge the CBCP to declare all Catholic churches in the Philippines fifty years or older as part of the cultural heritage of the Church and create a comprehensive list of all these churches for the information of the Filipino people and to aid the CBCP Committee for the Cultural Heritage of the Church in monitoring the said churches.

It should also empower the CBCP Committee for the Cultural Heritage of the Church by giving it the sole authority to approve any restoration, construction or further improvements of heritage churches, with the aid of representatives of agencies mandated to protect cultural and historical heritage, and the power to order the halt any restoration, construction or further improvement that it deems damaging to a heritage church.

Finally, we urge the CBCP to adopt a policy of frugality with the renovation of churches. It would be best to channel the funds for unnecessary renovations to the pastoral program of action of the CBCP.

---

To sign the petition, visit http://www.petitiononline.com/cbcp/

Faro de Cabo Engaño

2006-06-14T15:47:00.000+08:00

Cagayan’s guiding light won’t let darkness fall
http://news.inq7.net/regions/index.php?index=2&story_id=79029

By Melvin Gascon
Inquirer

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second of a series of reports on lighthouses in Northern Luzon. The Inquirer is featuring these century-old structures to highlight their importance to the country’s northern sea lanes and call attention to their neglect.

TERESA Jamorabon was beaming as she recalled the years when living at the Faro de Cabo Engaño was everything she, her husband and their brood of nine could only dream of.

Her husband, the late Gregorio Jamorabon, was among the longest-serving lighthouse keepers in the Cape Engaño light station on Palaui Island at the northeastern tip of the archipelago.

From 1946 to 1968, the Jamorabons called the Cape Engaño lighthouse their home.

“It was wonderful. We were like living in paradise; we had everything we needed. We were happy because best of all, my husband was working while he had with him his family,” Jamorabon, 80, said.

The Cape Engaño is one of the 27 major lighthouses in the country, which, until now, continues to play a crucial role in navigation, especially for ships traversing the Babuyan Channel in Northern Luzon and the Pacific Ocean. It is under the supervision of the Department of Transportation and Communications, through the Philippine Coast Guard’s lighthouse division.

Perched on the northern edge of the island, Cape Engaño is still regarded as one of the most beautiful lighthouses in the country.

Built in 1888, mostly by Filipino laborers, the structure has withstood the Spanish-American War and World War II, as well as the wrath of scores of typhoons.

Fortress-like
The fortress-like station sits atop a hill 92 meters above sea level, overlooking the Cape Engaño cove on the east, the clear waters of the Babuyan Channel and the Dos Hermanas (Two Sisters) Islands on the north, and the vast Pacific Ocean on the west.

It is said that Spanish seafarers who first set foot on the cape were so enthralled by its natural beauty that they named it Engaño.

From the Santa Ana town proper, the station can be reached by a 30-minute boat ride from the Barangay San Vicente port, going northward and docking at the white sand beach of the Cape Engaño cove. It takes 20 minutes to hike the top of the hill.

The station has four major structures: The one-story main pavilion that serves as the office and the workers’ quarters; two smaller identical buildings, which used to be the kitchen; and the storage and powerhouse.

At the center is the 11-m (47-foot) octagonal tower, whose protruding attic (the platform on which the crown and lantern rest) is visible from all angles around the cape.

Lighthouse families
According to Jamorabon, the complex used to shelter seven crew members tasked with maintaining the lighthouse. Their families lived with them.

It used to be like a castle, she said, describing how for a long time, it stood in all its grandeur, and how its lights used to glow at night like a modern city in the middle of the jungle.

To live there was to be the object of envy for many people in Santa Ana, according to Jamorabon, because, for one, it was the only place in the area where residents enjoyed electricity.

“Santa Ana was still then a dense jungle, so that when people came here, it was like they had gone to the city,” she said.

Jamorabon described how well the government took care of the lighthouse keepers and the station. The workers’ families lived harmoniously in separate rooms, but under one roof.

Their rations—rice, beans, noodles, cooking oil and kerosene—arrived every month and were shared equally among the workers, regardless of rank, she said.

Imelda Jamorabon-Leaño, 47, Jamorabon’s eighth child, recalled how she and the other workers’ children, coming home from school every weekend or during Christmas or summer breaks, found joy in watching ships as these arrived from the Pacific Ocean and the Babuyan Channel.

The lighthouse keepers also raised goats to augment their food. The forest and the sea were also abundant sources of food, said Leaño, now a grade school teacher at the Santa Ana Central Elementary School.

But the light station received substantial attention from the government only until the early 1980s, said Jamorabon, adding that assistance dwindled with the change of administrations.

She has not set foot again on Cape Engaño since her husband retired from service in the 1960s.

Sorry state
But Jamorabon feels that pinch in her heart whenever she hears people’s accounts of what has become of the lighthouse.

Today, the light station sits forlorn on the island and is in a sorry state of decay and neglect. It continues to be destroyed by elements, aggravated by the government’s apparent apathy to preserve this cultural and historical treasure.

The windows, doors and roof of the main pavilion, as well as that of the kitchens and the storage rooms, have been destroyed, leaving only the two-foot thick granite walls intact. The rusting power generators are now pieces of junk.

The tower has also fallen victim to thieves and vandals. The eight bronze lion busts, which used to cling onto the tower’s eight corners underneath the attic, have been stolen. Even its bronze marker was also pried off from the front wall of the pavilion.

The cisterns or concrete reservoirs, where lighthouse keepers used to collect rainwater for drinking and household needs, are no longer in use.

Treasure hunters had dug a tunnel underneath the main building and graffiti dominate the buildings’ white granite walls.

But all is not lost for the Cape Engaño light station.

Thanks to dedicated lighthouse keepers like 51-year-old Cesario Sumibcay, who, despite the low pay and lack of adequate attention from the government, continues to ensure that the lighthouse remains functional.

The Coast Guard has replaced the lantern with a solar-based lighting mechanism, which required little human intervention.

Gov. Edgar Lara is optimistic that a joint restoration project that the provincial government was embarking on, in partnership with the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority and a number of nongovernment organizations, would restore the luster of Cape Engaño.

“This is why we are opening up the place to ecotourism to raise public awareness about the need to preserve the lighthouse and possibly attract future investments on the island,” he said.

Help a beacon, save a national treasure

2006-06-14T15:46:00.000+08:00

http://news.inq7.net/regions/index.php?index=1&story_id=78959

By Cristina Arzadon
Inquirer

BURGOS, Ilocos Norte -- The over a century-old Burgos lighthouse (known locally as the Cape Bojeador lighthouse) is not just a beacon to seafarers.

It is also a source of provincial pride after the National Museum declared it a national cultural treasure in December 2005.

Perched on Vigia de Nagpartian hill, the lighthouse, however, cries out for national attention as it continues to battle the elements that have been battering it the last 114 years.

The structure is composed of a 160-m tall light tower, living and office quarters and a courtyard.

Completed on March 30, 1892, the lighthouse was built by Guillermo Brockman from a design by Magin Pers y Pers. It is made of locally fabricated bricks and accented with cast metal grillwork.

Octagonal tower
Motorists driving north through the province of Ilocos Norte can catch sight of the lighthouse which dominates the Burgos skyline.

Lone lighthouse keeper Vicente Acoba Sr. is kept busy by the steady stream of visitors who climb the steep steps leading to the tri-level complex that supports the octagonal lighthouse tower.

Panorama of the sea
From its top, one can easily take in the sweeping panorama of the sea and the surrounding countryside.

“Sea vessels making the voyage from the Babuyanes Channel toward Hong Kong or Yokohama (Japan) can’t miss the lighthouse,” Acoba told the Inquirer.

Based on an initial study commissioned by the National Museum, the base of the lighthouse needs to be strengthened before the structure could be improved.

The building is in good condition but the living quarters and offices need to be repaired.

At one point, Councilor Joegie Jimenez, chair of the Burgos Tourism Council, said, archeologists from the University of the Philippines who did research on the lighthouse excavated a site where the kiln that was used to fire up the bricks that make up the structure was buried. Old bricks were also found in the hole.

Jimenez said the tourism council plans to put up a landmark at the site.

“We need to make people aware of the need to save the lighthouse. This is the town’s single, most important structure,” he said.

Jimenez said efforts to preserve the lighthouse complex were continuing after initial restoration work for the roofing was completed.

Symbol of Spanish times
Donations, mostly from Burgos residents here and abroad, helped restore the town’s most enduring symbol of the Spanish era.

The funds, however, were not enough to restore the entire structure.

“We need to have more improvements. We only managed to repair the rotting roof and upgrade its wooden support,” Jimenez said.

“We thought that by being declared a national treasure, the national government would pay attention to its preservation by helping produce funds,” Jimenez, a board member at the time, said.

He said the lighthouse was in bad shape after being whipped by Typhoon Feria in 2001.

“The iron sheets were flapping while several glass panels surrounding the lighting device were shattered.”

“The structure itself was left rotting,” Jimenez said.

He said the foundation is preparing a rehabilitation proposal it will submit to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts for funding support.

1,000-postcard campaign
The proposal would contain a technical study on what kind of preservation the lighthouse should undergo.

The roof improvement was made possible through the “Save the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse” campaign that Jimenez and the Cape Bojeador Development Foundation initiated in 2003. Ilocos Norte Gov. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is the foundation’s honorary chair.

Burgos Mayor Benjamin Campañano caused the placing of streetlights in the courtyard, which serves as the main entrance to the complex.

Jimenez reproduced some 1,000 postcards, touting the campaign, which were distributed to Burgos natives living in other countries.

The campaign raised some P2.2 million from contributions and from provincial government funds.

It was the second rehabilitation the lighthouse underwent since its construction in 1892. The first improvement was done in 1982.

Las Estaciones Ferrocarril Manila-Dagupan

2006-04-09T17:49:00.000+08:00

by Manuél Máximo Nóche Lopez del Castíllo

Train travel has always been a major component in nation building. The Manila-Dagupan line of the Manila Railway Company Limited, precursor of the Philippine National Railways opened its first line in 1892. This quickly led to the efficient delivery and transport not only of goods and people but also information to the north via an efficient, reliable and fast (8 hours at that time) mode of transport the Philippines during the last decade of the 19th century has yet seen.
Along the rail route, numerous stations were built to house and accommodate passengers and Station Masters. These structures, most made of brick and wood, who shelter the official needs and functions of the assigned Station Master as well as commuters who would wait for their rides as well as onlookers who as part of their daily routine would flock to see the trains pass by. The station thus became a hub of the community, springing to life a multitude of activities from selling food to travelers as well as meeting place for travelers.

With the proposed revitalization and modernization of the North Line, a plan has been put forward to demolish the old stations and replaced with new ones. This wanton destruction will remove from history the vestiges of these stations leaving the people no trace of the rich architectural past the railways had on Philippine History. It is the purpose of this study to document and study the Spanish built stations along the North Line. To secure, document and if might be preserving the rich architecture these stations had for future generations of travelers to come.

Growth needs progress, and progress sometimes leads to the removal of the old in place of the new. The government in its desire to revitalize the North Line of the Philippine National Railroad has now seriously undertaken the task of rebuilding the destroyed North Line. Part of the modernization program of the government is the revitalization, and upgrading of the rail link between Manila-Clark, which forms part of the First Phase, and eventually the whole line to Dagupan City. In line with this redevelopment is the replacement of all the old terminals with new ones.

With the impending revitalization and thus modernization of the Manila-Dagupan Line, the need to chart and document the remaining Spanish Built Train Stations along the line is integral. The management of the Philippine National Railroad as yet has not signified their intentions of retaining these structures prompting some local government particularly those of San Fernando in Pampanga to declare these stations as historic. But unfortunately not all-local officials are enlightened. With time fast ticking by and with the proposed revitalization not only a dream but also now a reality. The demolition of these stations is fast becoming a reality as well.

Bulacan

Meycauayan Station

Bocaue Station

Bigaa Station

Malolos Station

Calumpit Station

Pampanga

Apalit Station

Sto. Tomas Station

San Fernando Station
(NHI-declared historical site)

Angeles Station

Mabalacat Station

Tarlac

Bamban Station

Capas Station

Tarlac Station

Paniqui Station

Gerona Station

Moncada Station

Pangasinan

Bayambang Station
(demolished)

San Carlos Station

Malasiqui Station

Calasiao Station

Dagupan Station