Historic Preservation in the Philippines

By Renato Perdon
Sydney, Australia
February 12, 2015



The preservation of historical strctures in the Philippines has metamorphosed from the simple approach of treating them as markers at historical sites to a more complex one involving not only historical research and documentation but also the use of technology from such fields as chemistry, engineering and architecture.

The present constitution of the Republic of the Philippines states that ‘Filipino culture shall be preserve and developed for national identity’. Historic structures being concrete testimonies of a country’s culture, their preservation is one tangible way of preserving the Filipino heritage.

As early as 1933, a small government body under the American authorities was already engaged in historic preservation with its work, however, limited to permanently marking historical antiquities in the country. A few years later, the instrumentality was formally organised into what was known as the Philippines Historical Committee (PHC), the work of which was expanded to include acquisition, purchase and repair of histrorical antiquities.

Disrupted only the by onset of the Second World War, the PHC continued with its work until 1965 and during its term was able to identify and mark at least 400 historic sites (the Church of Cagsua, the Towm of Cagsaua, Daraga, Albay, in 1940 and Church of Legaspi, Albay, all in 1940). It also acquired three major historic sites for preservation and interpretation purposes.

In 1965, the Philippine Government affirmed its commitment to historic preservation with the creation of the National Historical Commission (NHC) by R.A. No. 4368. The PHC was abolished and the NHC was provided with a policy-making body and implementing units to carry out historic preservation among other things. The NHC was also assigned to handle constructions or reconstruction of historical structures including the care and maintenance of national monuments, shrines and landmarks.

The NHC also assumed the care and custody of seven additional historic sites, mainly civilian places. Historic military sites, including the famous Corregidor Island Fortress, Mt. Samat Shrine in Bataan and the landing site of General Douglas MacArthur’s forces in Leyte, remained under the management of the Ministry of National Defence.

In 1972, the Martial Law Government abolished the NHC and created the National Historical Institutes or NHI lending further organisational support to historic preservation in the Philippines. A unit under the NHI known as the Monuments and Heraldry Division became the technical arm in handling,  identification, designation, preservation, restoation and maintenance of all historic sites in the country. Through this division, the NHI catalogued thirty-two officially declared and classified historical sites. Today (1983), the NHI is the major government body in the Philippines charged with historic preservation responsibilities.

In its preservation projects, the NHI inherited not only the administrative roots from its predecessors but also the bureaucratic problems as well. For instance, it took over six historic sites which were declared by law without proper documentation nor funds for their upkeep and preservation. Some sites were found to be in a dismal state (like the remains of the Cagsua Church now); either the land was not available for rehabilitation or there were no existing structures or ruins to start with.

Another birth pain encountered by the NHI concerns the questions of skills available to carry out preservation work. As preservation is a relative new discipline in the Third World countries, major projects had to wait for the completion of overseas training of NHI staff in the technology of historic preservation.

A Filipino consultant, a recognised expert in restoration of buildings, was first hired to help in historic presrvation underataking of the NHI. In 1975, the Deputy Director of the NHI undertook an observation and study of advanced techniques and procedures in the administration, supervision, maintenance and preservation of historical sites and structures in  Australia. A few months later, another senior official spent nine months on practical studies in conservation and restoration in Australia.

In 1981, a chemist employed as curator by the NHI took a six-month scholarship grant on specialised courses in restoration of monuments and historical centres in Florence, Italy. A senior architect is now (1983) training in architectural preservation at the Centre for Studies in the Restoration of Monuments and Historical Centres in Italy. Another NHI chemist restorer went to Thailand last year for a training course in research methods in the conservation or organic materials under th South-East Asia Ministers of Education Organisation (SEAMEO) for three months.

Other members of the technical group composed of architects, engineers, researchers, translators, chemists, curators and draftsmen, who have had formal training in their respective fields, acquired their knowledge and skills in restoration procedures at the job site doing actual restoration work.

The only facility existing in the Philippines for the training of conservators and other specialist is through an on-the-job training scheme. Specialised training courses are only available overseas such as the case of the Italian Governmen grants to train  Filipno architects and chemists in the field of restoration of monuments and historical centres.

At present (1983), there are eleven restoration, preservation and development projects being undertaken. Most of them are church properties including an underground cemetery, the only one in the Philippines, several ancestral homes and different historic structures.

In most of these projects, the ideal preservation procedure of saving original features of edifices or structures is being attempted, but in some the use of present day materials for replacement purposes cannot be avoided.

There are seventeen historic sites and structures being maintained and open to the public for inspection. These sites are opening as history museums and open eight hours every day. Each site is interpreted utilising relics and memorabilia related to the heroes being honoured in each historic place.

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Source:  Protecting the Past for the Future: Proceedings of the UNESCO Regional Conferences on Historic Places, Sydney, Australia, 22-28 May 1983.