Executive Officers
Dr. Cheek S. Fadriquela, Chairman / President
Cheek is currently an Assistant Professor lecturer at the University of Santo Tomas Graduate School Master of Arts in Cultural Heritage Studies program. He obtained his PhD as an Academic Achievement Awardee in Forestry: Wood Science and Technology at the University of the Philippines Los Baños in 2017, and finished his Master’s degree in Cultural Heritage Studies, Summa Cum Laude, at the University of Santos Tomas in 2008. He was a Riksantikvaren (The Directorate of Cultural Heritage) scholar in Norway for his training in the International Course of Wood Conservation Technology in 2016, and a Spanish Program for Cultural Cooperation research grantee in 2008 and publication grantee in 2010 which culminated in his 2014 National Book Award finalist multi-volume work entitled “Kahoy: Wood in the Philippines”. As a MEXT / Monbukagakusho (文部科学省奨学金) scholar in Japan from 1990 to 1996 for his technical and bachelor’s degrees, he has conducted research on advanced materials such as superconductors and blue lasers, among others.
Apart from materials and conservation science, he is also interested in disaster risk management in cultural heritage sites. He was involved in the World Bank funded Assessment of the Multi-Hazard Vulnerability of Priority Cultural Heritage Structures in the Philippines in 2015 as a materials specialist. As an NCCA Competitive Grants awardee in 2019, he developed a conservation management plan with a risk assessment component to various hazards for the Nuestra Señora del Pronto Socorro in Binondo Church. As a trustee of the International Committee on Monuments and Sites Philippines, Inc. since 2021 and an expert member of the ICOMOS International Wood Committee since 2020, he led both projects on the Post-Typhoon Odette Damage Assessment and the UNESCO funded Post-Earthquake Damage Assessment of Vernacular Buildings in the World Heritage City of Vigan project in 2022. At present, he is a pioneer lecturer of the course on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in Cultural Heritage at the first culture-based governance degree in the Master in Publication Administration program of the University of Northern Philippines in Vigan, Ilocos Sur.
As the President of ICOMOS Philippines, Cheek leads long term and short-term plans with the Executive Board, including the development of programs to carry out the goals of the organization together with project directors and managers.
Ar. Kenneth Javier Tua, Vice President
Ken is a registered & licensed architect, an economic scientist, and a heritage conservation and management specialist based in Asia. He has degrees in Bachelor of Science in Architecture at the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas – College of Architecture and an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) in DYnamics of Cultural Landscape, heritage, Memory and conflictualities (MSc – MA DYCLAM+) and Master of Arts in Cultural Diplomacy and International Relations (MA CDIR) as a fully-funded scholar by the European Union. He also acquired professional certifications as a fully – funded scholar in Sustainability, Sustainable Development, and Innovation / Corporate programmes from YSISEA in Singapore, APYE in Thailand, Social Innovation Center, Hanyang University, South Korea, and Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) in the Philippines. Previously, he worked at the Philippine government through the Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines – Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC) where he helped in the sustainable restoration and conservation of the Pasig River and its adjacent communities.
During his terms as a Board Trustee of the organization from 2022 – 2023 and the Policy Guidance Manager from December 2020 – 2022, he was recognized as an Emerging Sustainability Leader Under 40 and was the recipient of the 2022 Arts and Culture Sustainability Leadership Award by Sustainable Philippines for his works on Sustainability and Sustainable Development together with ICOMOS SDGWG Philippines.
Currently, he is also a Doctoral student / researcher of Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Science with a focus on Heritage Economic Valuation and Cultural Landscapes at the Environmental Economics laboratory, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan through the Japanese Government’s MEXT / Monbukagakusho (文部科学省奨学金) PhD – Research Scholarship.
As the Vice President of ICOMOS Philippines, Ken oversees the overall operations of the organization including staff management and the immediate supervisor of the Officers and National Representatives/Coordinators. He also takes a leadership role in the business’s operations, helping the president with activities as required therein and will serve as the Membership Director when communicating with ICOMOS International on matters relating to National Committee Compliances in cooperation with the Treasurer General.
Ms. Lilia Rosa “Tats” Rejante-Manahan, Corporate Secretary
Tats, by profession is a surface decorator specializing in historical paint finishes and a restorer for wall paintings, holding a Master Certificate for Artisanship from Centro Europeo per I Mestieri del Patrimonio. Her undergraduate diploma from Maryknoll College is Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts. Thus, her professional life is dual faceted, 18 years spent in television production as a writer, producer and director and about the same number of years practicing her second profession as a decorator and restorer.
As an active practitioner in media, she has a resume that encompasses a number of entertainment genres. Her outstanding work has been cited in local awards of that period, the Patas Awards. One of her documentaries, “Days of the Crimson Sun, The Re-telling of the Battle of Manila” had a special showing at the International Documentary Association in La, USA, shown in SBH Australia and is now archived at the Filipinas Heritage Library.
Her work for cultural heritage preservation includes the restoration of the Pasig Cathedral façade, the Baptistry of Sta. Ana Church, and others. She heads the restoration team for St. Joseph the Worker Chapel in Victorias, Negros Occ where the well known mural of Alfonso Ossorio known as “The Angry Christ” is housed. Her work with the restoration team for Gota de Leche, headed by ICOMOS Philippines first President, Ar. Augusto Villalon, was given a UNESCO Honorable Mention for Southeast Asia.
She was a member of the second ICOMOS Board of Trustees, is the immediate past Chairperson for the Heritage Conservation Society (HCS), immediate past representative for ICOMOS Philippines on the National Commission on Monuments and Sites (NCMS) and is currently on the Advisory Board of HCS. She is an expert member of ICOMOS ISC for Shared Built Heritage and is currently President of the Board of Trustees for Alice Reyes Dance Philippines (ARDP).
As the Corporate Secretary of ICOMOS Philippines, Tats is in charge of external responsibilities of the organization including compliance with government mandated requirements and enforcement of the statutes of ICOMOS International, the organization’s parent company. She will also serve as the Secretary General when communicating with ICOMOS International on matters relating to National Committee compliances.
Ar. Harvey A. Vasquez, Treasurer
Harvey is a Registered and Licensed Architect (RLA) in the Philippines with 16 years of experience ranging from renowned local firms to international offices servicing wide-range of projects. International exposure gained while employed in Dubai (U.A.E.) and Singapore has enormously improved his interaction and negotiation skills affirming better grasp in the architectural profession. He is the Managing Partner at Kalamaam Design Studio and a Full-time Professional Faculty and the Architecture Program Chairperson at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB). He is currently heading STUDIO N0W as his banner studio. STUDIO N0W’s research interest lies in the intersection of Art and Architecture and its permutations in installation art. The studio also focuses on the seamless integration of the existing built environment with new Architectural Intervention using the strategic platform of Research by Design. He also became the OIC- Program Chairperson for the School of Design and Arts-Environment Studies Cluster-Architecture Program last May 9, 2020, during the Benilde Online Learning Term (BOLT). This appointment was made official for the 1st Term of Academic Year 2020-2021 last September 01, 2020. He still serves the same position at present.
As the Treasurer of ICOMOS Philippines, he provides financial oversight and encourages the board’s strategic thinking about the short and long term budgets in relation to its advancement of the organization’s mission. The treasurer develops financial management policies & protocols for monitoring and evaluating the organization financial performance. He will also serve as the Treasurer General when communicating with ICOMOS International on matters relating to National Committee compliances.
Concurrently, he is the Ex-Officio Representative of ICOMOS Philippines to the National sub-Commission for Monuments and Sites (NCMS) of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). NCMS’ mandate is to assist the NCCA in conserving Filipino built heritage and its environments and the committee formulates strategies, policies, plans, programs, projects, and networking for the protection of historic structures, complexes, and landscapes throughout the Philippines.
Ar. Michael “Mico” F. Manalo, Board Trustee and Spokesperson
Mico is an architect specializing in the conservation of the built environment and a member of ICOMOS Philippines since 2008. He graduated with a degree in architecture from the University of Santo Tomás and earned his Masters in Architectural Conservation from the Escuela Nacional de Conservación, Restauración y Museografía in Mexico City. He was commissioner for culture of the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines from 2010 up to 2016, during which he was part of the Philippine Delegation while it was a member of the World Heritage Committee. He was the Executive Director of the Escuela Taller in Intramuros from 2008 til 2013, member of the Executive Committee of the National Committee for Monuments and Sites of the NCCA from 2016 til 2022, and Head of the Subcommission for Cultural Heritage from 2020 to 2022. He headed the Culture Committee of the UNESCO National Commission for the Philippines from 2010 til 2016, and today he teaches at the University of Santo Tomas’ Graduate program in Cultural Heritage Studies. His field of study is concentrated in colonial architecture and interiors in the Philippines (1580-1945), particularly in the City of Manila, Northern Luzon, and the Visayas, where he explores building aesthetics and technology, its transcultural aspects and linkages to history as well as daily life. He has also lead the formulation of several conservation management plans, including those for the San Sebastián Basilica (National Cultural Treasure), Manila Central Post Office Building (Important Cultural Property), and he was part of the team who authored the CMP for the Walled City of Intramuros.
As one of the Board Trustees, Mico assists the President in the cultivation of donors, partners, supporters, collaborators, allies, and other stakeholders. He is also in charge of ensuring the organization’s activities and projects are compliant and in furtherance of its mission in compliance with international parent organization and VMV charter. He is also a primary spokesperson of the organization together with the President on various heritage issues both locally and internationally.
The Secretariat
Mr. John Ray B. Ramos, Heritage Affairs Officer
John Ray is ICOMOS Philippines’ Heritage Affairs Manager who assists the Board of Trustees in its functions, is in-charge of administrative work, and helps manage projects.
He finished his bachelor’s degree in History and is finishing his Masters in Public Administration in the University of the Philippines – Diliman. He is the author of the nonfiction children’s book Bayani Biographies: Jose Rizal and the coauthor of Bayani Biographies: Andres Bonifacio both published by Kahel Press. He has worked as a historical consultant for multiple heritage documentation and conservation projects on old churches, ancestral houses, Spanish fortifications, and other built heritage. As a scholar and cultural worker, his research interests include public history, heritage conservation and management, and cultural policy and governance.