Category: News

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ICOMOS Philippines selected as the Implementing Partner of the first UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund Project for the Republic of the Philippines

On July and October 2022, Northern Luzon was struck by two strong earthquakes, with the epicenter in Abra province. One of the areas heavily affected was the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Historic City of Vigan, which was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1999. Despite immediate aid provided by local and national government agencies, the response could not address all the needs of the damaged areas due to limited funding and a lack of expertise for restoration. During this time, UNESCO Jakarta assigned ICOMOS Philippines to conduct a situational analysis and recommend priorities for repair. This project called “Post-Earthquake Damage Assessment of Vernacular Buildings in the World Heritage City of Vigan” was conducted from August to November 2022 led by Dr. Cheek S. Fadriquela.

Onsite survey for the post-earthquake damage assessment situational analysis. Ar. Nico Pilotin, LGU Vigan (left), Dr. Cheek Fadriquela, current ICOMOS Philippines President (left), Ar. Giunno Alonzo, Junior Local Counterpart, Ar. Anjelika Orui, Research Associate, Ms. Cornelia A. Parel, Ancestral Homeowner, Ms. Maria Cristina Paterno, past ICOMOS Philippines President (right).

Following that successful partnership, ICOMOS Philippines applied to the Call For Partnerships (CFP) by UNESCO Jakarta for the project called “Post-Earthquake technical standard enhancement on the conservation and protection of Heritage houses and structures in Vigan World Heritage Site (WHS), Philippines”; the first UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund (HEF) project to the Republic of the Philippines. ICOMOS Philippines was successfully selected and contracted as the official implementing partner of the said project on August 10, 2023 and September 14, 2023, respectively.  The objective of this project is to provide technical assistance to two representative privately-owned ancestral houses and to assess the recently applied methodologies and conservation techniques for damage assessment, shoring and repair and to recommend technical standards as part of the site’s long – term recovery.

Kick-off Meeting. Present from UNESCO Jakarta are Dr. Maki Katsuno-Hayashikawa, Director; Ms. Diana Setiawati, Project Coordinator; Mr. Rizky Fardhyan, Project Assistant; and Mr. Angga Conni Saputra, Project Assistant. From ICOMOS Philippines are Dr. Cheek S. Fadriquela, President; Ar. Kenneth Javier Tua, Vice President; Mr. JH Corpus, Communications Officer; and Mr. John Ray Ramos, Heritage Affairs Officer.

This project will allow the implementation of structural, architectural and materials assessments of the Syquia Mansion and Cabildo (Old) house by a pool of experts, including those from ICOMOS Philippines.

The findings of the two pilot site assessments will then be shared with the local government, the ancestral homeowners, and the Vigan Conservation Council through a series of lectures, training-workshops and town hall meetings. Additionally, ICOMOS will work with local stakeholders to update Vigan’s existing 2010 Heritage Homeowners Preservation Manual with an addendum.

Overall, the goal is to apply learnings from the assessment and structural study of two houses to upskill practitioners, craftsperson and homeowners on effective methods of repairs that are compatible with original building systems and materials. This project duration is from September 2023 – August 2024.

Onboarding session of the Key Expert Teams with the ICOMOS Philippines Project Management Team. Ar. Kenneth Javier Tua leads the project as the Country Project Director; Dr. Cheek S. Fadriquela as the Materials Conservation Expert; Ar. Michael F. Manalo with MNL Solutions, Inc. as the Architectural Conservation Expert team; Engr. Rodolfo P. Mendoza Jr. and Engr. Lessandro Estelito O. Garciano with Petro Jikken, Inc. as the Structural engineering Conservation Expert team; Dr. Eric B. Zerrudo and Ms. Bev Macayan Bautista as the Heritage Conservation (Training-Workshop) Expert Team; Ar. Fatima Nicetas Rabang-Alonzo and Ar. Giunno Alonzo as the Heritage Conservation (Local Manual Review) Expert Team; Dr. Laya Boquiren – Gonzales as the Heritage Interpretation-Curator Expert; and Atty. Lucille Karen Malilong-Isberto as the Legal Counsel-Expert (not in photo). 

This activity was supported by the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund. We wish to thank its donors: the Qatar Fund for Development, the Government of Canada, the Kingdom of Norway, the French Republic, the Principality of Monaco, the Republic of Estonia, ANA Holdings INC, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Slovak Republic, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Principality of Andorra, the Republic of Serbia.

Concerned stakeholders who are interested in providing in-kind contribution, you may contact Ar. Kenneth Javier Tua through kenneth.javier.tua@icomosphilippines.com and cc.: info@icomosphilippines.com. Let’s protect and promote our diverse cultural heritage together. For more information on ICOMOS Philippines ➡️ https://philippines.icomos.org/

#UNESCO #unescoJAKARTA #ICOMOS #icomosPHILIPPINES #HeritageEmergencyFund #firstHEF #WorldHeritageSite #HistoricCityofVigan #PhilippineHeritage #SustainableHeritageManagement

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ICOMOS Ph co-hosting Preserving Legacies: A Future for our Past & Climate Risk

Preserving Legacies is a global initiative supported by the National Geographic Society and funded by Manulife to address climate change. Climate change is the fastest growing threat to cultural – natural sites and the greatest danger to our planet’s most spectacular natural heritage today. One in three natural sites and one in six cultural heritage sites are threatened by climate change impacts like floods, droughts, and rising seas.

To safeguard cultural heritage, there is an urgent need to equip communities worldwide with the tools to accurately anticipate worsening and future climate impacts, and empower them with training to turn that scientific knowledge into action that will safeguard sites, support community adaptation, and plan for unavoidable loss and damage.

For the Preserving Legacies project, about eight sites globally are cadet sites; they have been chosen to fully engage in climate heritage training and a peer-to-peer learning experience. Site custodians from these sites will shadow the full process of pilot sites located at Jordan and the Philippines, including attending their workshops, to better prepare for their own assessments in 2024.

Two primary sites will go through a more robust program to link climate science and site conservation by enabling access to locally downscaled climate change models and organize a community-led workshop of the sites’ climate vulnerability as well as impacts on local communities. Petra, Jordan and the Ifugao Rice Terraces of the Philippines are the beneficiaries of the first program. 

The Preserving Legacies leg for the Climate Risk and Resilience at the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras conference was from October 11 and concluded October 13. Participants celebrated with the Kiangan rice harvest with eating, rituals, chants, and dancing, a site visit to the Nagacadan cluster of the Rice Terraces of the Cordilleras, presentations of the sites by farmers and local officials, lectures by Marlon Martin of the Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement (SITMo), a climate lecture by Dr. Ma Laurice Jamero, leader of the Resilience Collaboratory from the Manila Observatory, and roundtable discussions of the topics that were presented. 

With the knowledge base of both the international site custodians and local Ifugao community, the conference has put forth comparative analyses of climate change around the world, presented suggestions for increased adaptation capacities and mitigation strategies, and  recommendations for ways forwards for an environment that is sustainable and resilient.

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6th Annual Gawad Maestro Award Granted to ICOMOS Philippines

ICOMOS Philippines advocates for best heritage practices, and to realize this goal, ICOMOS Philippines offers lectures and seminars to up-skill any interested individual who desires to gain more knowledge about the many disciplines and skill sets that comprise and contribute to the field of heritage conservation. 

On September 21, 2023, ICOMOS Philippines won the 2023 Gawad Maestro Award as a Learning and Development Organization for the NGO category by the Philippine Society for Talent Development. Among the many initiatives, its Photogrammetry Field School was lauded by the said awarding body. The event was held in BNCC Hall, Savoy Hotel Boracay Newcoast, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan.

Photogrammetry is one of the many advanced technologies that is used for one of the most essential steps in conservation, the documentation of a monument or structure. It is highly accurate and is able to capture and measure structures from photographs. Although it can be used with simple tools such as a smartphone, it can be labor-intensive and requires a mastery of how to use the technology. 

Knowing that this technology is fast becoming a standard practice and there was a lack of practitioners outside of Manila, ICOMOS Philippines offered the first photogrammetry program in the Philippines that was financially sustainable and inclusive of paying and subsidized trainees available across the Philippines.

After the completion of the field school, many participants felt empowered to be able to use the technology on their own. The post-evaluation revealed that 50% could document a room, and over 30% could document a building. 

Four students passed on their skills to their communities through their own training programs. Three of the former students have become so adept at this technology that they now specialize in photogrammetry and have formed a non-profit, Limang Siglo.  

We would like to extend our gratitude to the Philippine Society for Talent Development for recognizing ICOMOS Philippines as a Gawad Maestro awardee. We thank PTSD for celebrating this milestone with us for sending us this kind message: “Your organization’s journey serves as a shining example of what is possible when passion and talent are combIned with relentless determination. The contributions have not only advanced the Talent Development industry but have also inspired and paved the way for future generations in our field.”

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ICYMI: One of ICOMOS Philippines’s project is featured in today’s Philippine Daily Inquirer article

ICOMOS Philippines was tasked by UNESCO Multi-sectoral Regional Office in Jakarta, Indonesia to consolidate findings of several post-earthquake assessments into a situational analysis report on the damage to the Historic City of Vigan in the July 2022 earthquake. National agencies have prioritized several public structures while privately owned heritage houses have had no immediate access to support. Following the assessment, the UNESCO Jakarta’s Heritage Emergency Fund was one of the grants recommended by ICOMOS Philippines for the World Heritage site to apply. Though the fund is limited and cannot cover full restoration work, it is to be utilized to pursue technical scientific studies that can benefit and be applied to most of the ancestral houses, having a ripple effect. These studies will ensure that the majority of the damaged structures will be restored efficiently and be compliant to local and international standards.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Multi-sectoral Regional Office covers Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste. ICOMOS is one of the advisory bodies to UNESCO in the conservation of World Heritage Sites. Please see the article today in the Philippine Daily Inquirer Lifestyle and Arts section.

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Technical Forum on Built Heritage and Fire Successfully Held

“Built Heritage and Fire: Technical Forum on Fire Protection, Investigation, and Restoration through Engineering” brought together experts, professionals, and stakeholders to address the specific challenges and complexities associated with fire-related incidents and recommended possible strategies for post-disaster restoration this past Friday, August 11, 2023. 

ICOMOS Philippines recognizes that this technical forum is a much-needed response to the devastating fire disaster at the Manila Central Post Office in Manila on May 22, 2023. Fire hazard awareness, policies, response, and restoration are important factors in the protection of our heritage structures and sites across the Philippines. Response and coordination to fire disasters is critical at all levels of government and for all stakeholders, and we know that this forum has enlightened our fellow heritage site advocates and stewards to the importance of this topic. 

Some of the onsite participants of the Technical Forum together with the organizers and speakers.

ICOMOS Philippines thanks our partner, Bakás Pilipinas, and organizers the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines (ASEP), the Institution of Specialist Structural Engineers of the Philippines (ISSEP), the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) for the forum which attracted over 1,000 attendees.

Rodolfo Mendoza Jr., ASEP Secretary (left 1st row), Cheek Fadriquela, ICOMOS Philippines President, Ivan Henares, UNACOM Secretary General and NCCA Commissioner for Cultural Heritage, Rene Escalante, former NCCA Chairman, Tristan Beriña, IIEE Member, Carlos Villaraza, former ASEP President (right 1st row). Giuseppe Abcede, HCS President (left 2nd row), JH Corpus, ICOMOS Philippines Communications Officer, Patrick Lee, NCCA CPPRD Chief, Philippine Post Office Officers (right 2nd row)

To our speakers Christopher Marrion, Erik Akpendonu, Rodolfo P. Mendoza, Jr, Carlos M. Villaraza, Tristan G. Beriña, and Stephen Kelley, we extend our gratitude to your invaluable expertise and time. Thank you Johit Rigyasu for your contributions to Christopher Marrion’s presentation.

To watch the recently concluded Forum kindly check NCCA’s Facebook page ➡️

Part 1 (8 hours): http://bitly.ws/S4Ee

Part 2 (1 hour): http://bitly.ws/S4Ei

Please consider membership with ICOMOS Philippines to get involved in the advocacy of disaster risk reduction management: info@icomosphilippines.com.

#ICOMOS #ICOMOSPH #HeritageProfessionals #InAction #TechnicalForum #BuiltHeritageAndFIRE

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ICOMOS Philippines Foundation Day

Did you miss this?

On August 8, 1988, ICOMOS Philippines was organized by Regalado Trota José. It was the first international non-profit cultural heritage organization to have been formed in the Philippines to conserve and protect places of significance in the Philippines. Within the first twelve years, ICOMOS Philippines founding members were pivotal in the inscription to the World Heritage List: the serial sites of the Baroque Churches of the Philippines (1993), the Ifugao Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras (1995), and the Historic City of Vigan (1999). These listed sites catapulted the Philippines onto the world heritage stage.

ICOMOS Philippines has been instrumental in working with various local and international institutions and organizations by strengthening dialogues between heritage professionals through our network of National Committees, International Scientific Committees and Working Groups and via Capacity Building Programs and international webinars with renowned partners.

Let’s celebrate this momentous occasion by looking back at our 35 years of history!

Please consider donating to ICOMOS Philippines or apply for membership at: http://bitly.ws/RyhB to further our mission and vision to elevate heritage protection and conservation towards international standards in harmony with our local context. Let’s protect and promote our diverse cultural heritage together.

For more information on ICOMOS Philippines ➡️ https://philippines.icomos.org/

#ICOMOS#ICOMOSPh#Happy35thAnniversary#CoralAnniversary

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ICOMOS Philippines partners with ASEP, ISSEP, NCCA and Bakás Pilipinas on a Technical Forum on Built Heritage and Fire

ICOMOS Philippines in cooperation with the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines (ASEP), the Institution of Specialist Structural Engineers of the Philippines (ISSEP), the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and Bakás Pilipinas, bring international and country-based experts for a hybrid Technical Forum on “Built Heritage and FIRE: Fire protection, Investigation, and Restoration through Engineering”.

The event will be held from 8:00 AM, Manila Time on August 11, 2023, Friday at the Metropolitan Theater of Manila (The MET) simultaneously streamed via online Zoom Conferencing Platform.

This forum intends to bring experts, professionals, and stakeholders to address the specific challenges and complexities associated with the Manila Post Office fire and fire-related incidents to built heritage, and develop possible strategies for its restoration. This also extends to addressing the concerns of fire risk management and restoration of cultural heritage in the country.

The Topics and Speakers are as follows:

Protecting our Cultural Heritage from Fire: Understanding the Challenges and Opportunities to Effectively Manage Fire by Christopher Marrion PE, FSFPE, MScFPE, President of Marrion Fire & Risk Consulting PE, LLC, and President of the International Committee on Risk Preparedness

Opportunities to Manage Fire Risk Through Traditional Knowledge and Community Engagement by Rohit Jigyasu, ICORP Vice President and UNESCO Chair on Cultural Heritage Management and Risk Management

Structural Evaluation and Rehabilitation of Fire-Damaged Structures by Stephen Kelley, SJK Preservation Architect/Engineer, ISCARSAH Past President

Burning for Heritage: Fire Threats to Built Heritage in Manila by Erik Akpedonu, Ateneo De Manila University, and ICOMOS Philippines Former Treasurer

Fire-Induced Effects on Concrete Material and Structure by Dr. Rodolfo P. Mendoza Jr., D.ENG, M.ASEP, ASEP Secretary

The Overall Approach to Assessing a Fire-Damaged Structure: Philippine Case Studies by Engr. Carlos M. Villaraza, F.ASEP, ASEP Past President

Electrical Safety Audit on Historic Buildings by Engr. Tristan G. Beriña, REE, Member, Electrical Safety Committee, Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines

To participate via Zoom kindly register in this REGISTRATION LINK or use the QR code above.

For more information on ICOMOS Philippines ➡️ https://philippines.icomos.org/

#ICOMOS #ICOMOSPH #HeritageProfessionals #InAction #TechnicalForum #BuiltHeritageAndFIRE

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ICOMOS Philippines Elected New Board of Trustees and Officers

Manila, Philippines – ICOMOS Philippines recently concluded their Annual General Assembly on July 15, 2023, 3:00 PM (GMT+8) in a hybrid setup using the Zoom Conferencing Platform and held onsite at the Plaza Santiago Bldg., Intramuros, Manila, Philippines. 

The main agenda of the Annual Membership Meeting were the presentation of the End of Term Reports of outgoing Trustees and Officers, and the Election of the New Board of Trustees. 

Outgoing President Maria Cristina Paterno presents her final term report for 2022 – 2023

In accordance with the provisions of the current by – laws of the International Council on Monuments and Sites Philippines, Inc. (ICOMOS PH) and in coherence with the Statutes, Rules of Procedure and Ethical principles of ICOMOS International,  the ICOMOS PH Membership, with a quorum of 55 present out of 81 members at its official General Assembly, elected its new Board of Trustees and Executive Officers for 2023 – 2026 (3-year term).

The ICOMOS Philippines onsite attendees pose for a group photo together with the Membership who attended via Zoom Platform.

For the term of 2023 – 2026, the following are the new Board of Trustees (BoT) and Executive Officers (EOs) as elected during the first Executive Meeting of the new BoT held last July 17, 2023:

  • Chairman / President: Dr. Cheek S. Fadriquela
  • Vice President: Ar. Kenneth Javier Tua
  • Corporate Secretary: Ms. Lilia Rosa “Tats” Rejante-Manahan
  • Treasurer: Ar. Harvey A. Vasquez
  • Board Trustee and Spokesperson: Ar. Michael “Mico” F. Manalo

In the same meeting, the new BoT selected and appointed the new Committee Officers and National Representatives / Coordinators for the same 3-year term:

  • Communications Officer: Mr. JH Corpus
  • Membership Officer: Ar. Giuseppe “Gio” Luigi Hernandez Abcede
  • Legal Counsel: Atty. Kathleen “Kate” Felise Constance D. Tantuico
  • EPWG National Representative: Ar. Claudia Isabelle V. Montero
  • SDGWG National Representative: Ar. Anjelika A. Orui
  • CCHWG National Representative: Ms. Kristine Kate A. Lim

(EPWG: Emerging Professionals Working Group, SDGWG: Sustainable Development Goals Working Group, CCHWG: Climate Change and Heritage Working Group. All National Representatives are also Coordinators)

New Board of Trustees, Officers and National Representatives

The ICOMOS Philippines Membership is pleased to have them in the National Committee and looks forward to their valuable contribution towards an excellent and fruitful three-year term.

Know more about the people behind the International Council on Monuments and Sites Philippines in the links below: 

Board of Trustees and the Secretariat

Committee Officers and National Representatives

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Arch. Harvey Vasquez is Newly Appointed Representative of ICOMOS Philippines to the National Committee on Monuments and Sites

The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Philippines has appointed Ar. Harvey Vasquez as the new Ex-Officio Representative to the National Committee on Monuments and Sites (NCMS) of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

The NCMS is one of the subcommittees under the Subcommission on Cultural Heritage of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). The NCMS has a mandate to assist the NCCA in conserving built heritage and its environments through policy and program creation, and decision-making pertaining to cultural monuments and sites. ICOMOS Philippines has been providing technical advice to NCCA through its seat at the NCMS. 

Arch. Harvey joined the oathtaking of NCMS ExeCon members for 2023-2025 last April 28, 2023. He is joined by other newly appointed members coming from different sectors  and disciplines including architecture, archaeology, cultural landscapes, structural engineering, and heritage preservation advocacy.

Arch. Vasquez is a permanent faculty at the Architecture Program of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. He is the OIC-Associate Dean of the Environment Studies Cluster of the School of Design and Arts. He was also voted as Director of the NCR Sector of the Council of Deans and Heads of Architectural Schools in the Philippines (CODHASP) for the Luzon Super-region. He finished his master’s degree in Architecture from the University of the Philippines major in Architectural Heritage Conservation. He is a practicing licensed architect for sixteen years and co-founded Kalamaam Design Studio which, aside from commercial and private projects, is engaged in heritage conservation. The studio is currently doing restoration work on the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat – San Beda Church in Mendiola. He has been appointed the Heritage Conservation Consultant of the PNR South Long Haul Project of China Railway Design Corporation. 

Arch. Vasquez is an active cultural worker and a member of ICOMOS Philippines. He is participating in the organization’s subcommittee of Sustainable Development Goals Working Group (SDGWG). He is also the representative to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)’s Stakeholders’ Chamber on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Philippines.

With his active participation in the past few years as a practitioner in heritage conservation, the recent appointment as the NCMS ex-officio representative for ICOMOS Philippines was a natural progression for Arch. Vasquez.

ICOMOS Philippines expresses its profound gratitude to Arch. Vasquez for having accepted this appointment and is extending its full support to his undertakings and responsibility as part of the NCMS.

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Statement of Significance for the Pasig River by ICOMOS Philippines

In the last quarter of 2021, International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Philippines, together with the Advocates for Heritage Preservation (AHP), organized Pamanang Pasig, a heritage impact assessment of the  Pasig River Expressway (PAREX) on the Pasig River. The PAREX is a 19.37 kilometer, 6-lane expressway to be constructed over the river.

More than a dozen speakers discussed the Pasig River’s historical, aesthetic, and social significance, and the potential impact the PAREX would have on these values. Experts also discussed its impacts on traffic, disaster risk management, public health and the ecology. The series ended with alternate uses for Metro Manila’s river heritage, and global examples of sustainable development of urban rivers. Recordings of the discussions may be viewed here ➡️ Pamanang Pasig

This Statement of Significance for the Pasig River is based in part on those experts’ input, research, including a statement by the the Tuklas Pilipinas Society, Inc. and the Kapisanan ng mga Arkeologist sa Pilipinas (KAPI).

To this day, despite its role in the formation and development of Tagalog culture and history, the Pasig River remains undeclared as a heritage site. ICOMOS Philippines recommends that the National Government revisit the several petitions to declare Pasig River as a National Cultural Treasure.

See Pasig River Statement of Significance (SoS)

See KAPI and Tuklas Pilipinas Society’s statement on the Pasig River in Archaeology and Early History

Cover of the Statement of Significance for the Pasig River by ICOMOS Philippines

For more information on ICOMOS Philippines ➡️ https://philippines.icomos.org

#ICOMOS #ICOMOSPH #PamanangPasig #PasigRiver #NationalCulturalTreasure #NoToPAREX