News & Events

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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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List of Candidates to the Board of ICOMOS Philippines 2023-2026

In accordance with the ICOMOS Philippines By-laws, the 2023 General Assembly to be held on July 15, 2023 will elect 5 members of the Board of Trustees for a term of three years (2023-2026). The Board of Trustees will elect among themselves the Chairperson / President, Vice President, Corporate Secretary, Treasurer General, and a Board Trustee, a total of 5 seats.

Below is the final list of candidates for the election of members to the 2023-2026 ICOMOS Philippines Board of Trustees . To view the candidates’ bio and their prepared 3-year action plan, kindly click on the links in each candidate’s name.

Cheek Fadriquela

Kenneth Tua

Harvey Vasquez

Michael Manalo

Liliane Manahan

Eric Zerrudo

Erik Akpedonu

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Call for Candidature – ICOMOS Philippines Board of Trustees (2023-2026)

The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) in the Philippines was originally established on August 8, 1988, accredited by the ICOMOS International Secretariat. The President was Regalado Trota Jose, with Ramon Faustman as Vice President, Milagros Jamir as Treasurer, Fr. Rene Javellana, S.J., as Secretary and Rache Cuna as Membership Officer. The organization was established anew in 2010 as a non-profit corporation, with founding trustees Augusto Villalon, Michael Manalo, Jocelyn Mananghaya, Lucille Karen Malilong and Melvin Patawaran. The Philippine National Committee of ICOMOS International is subject to Philippine law as well as ICOMOS International Statutes and Rules. In particular, it has adopted the Ethical Principles for ICOMOS Members (adopted at the 18th General Assembly, 12 November 2014)

In accordance with the ICOMOS Philippines By-laws, the 2023 General Assembly will elect the Board of Trustees for a term of three years (2023-2026). The Board of Trustees will elect among themselves the Chairman / President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.

Functions and Powers of the Board of Trustees (in by-laws)

The Board of Trustees shall have general charge of the property, business, and affairs of the Organization with the power to manage, direct and supervise the same under its collective responsibility as provided in the By-Laws and the Policies and Procedure. Trustees shall:

  1. Appoint or elect all officers, employees and other administrative officers of the Organization as may be designated, except junior officers and minor employees; to define their duties and to discipline or remove them.
  2. Purchase or otherwise acquire for the Organization rights and privileges of properties, and to manage, conserve and invest the funds of the Organization.
  3. Approve the annual budget of the Organization.
  4. Delegate from time to time any of the powers of the Board which can lawfully be delegated to any standing or special committee or to any agent or officers and to appoint any person or persons to act as agents of the Organization with such powers and upon such terms as it may deem fit.

Additional Scope of Work of the Board of Trustees (as defined by current board)

Members of the ICOMOS Philippines Board of Trustees donate time and expertise to the Organization and they are part of a working board. As such, Trustees are expected to do the following tasks:

  1. Donate a minimum of 20 hours a month of their time to the organization. Each trustee must take charge of one of the following for the duration of their tenure: staff management; fundraising; or 1 project per year with support of the Secretariat or Membership.
  2. Assist the President in the cultivation of donors, partners, supporters, collaborators, allies, and other stakeholders.
  3. Ensure the organization’s activities are compliant and in furtherance of its mission in compliance with international parent organization and local mission / vision.
  4. Engage in the creation of long and short-term goals with the Board.
  5. Respond to email within 48 hours for items for Board approval, as and when required.
  6. Craft policies to further a sustainable organization.

Requirements for Candidates

Application Procedure:

Interested parties should submit the following:

  1. Updated CV 
  2. letter of intent 
  3. proposed action plan for the next 3 years 
  4. short bio 
  5. a formal photo (for internal and public announcements)

Send to the ICOMOS Philippines’ Secretariat at info@icomosphilippines.com with the email title: “Trustee Application 2023 – Last Name” by 03 July 2023.

Candidates’ information (application requirements) will be made available to the membership through the ICOMOS Philippines members only Facebook group and via email. The list of candidates and their respective platforms will also be posted in the ICOMOS Philippines official website.

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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

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ICOMOS Philippines joins NCCA in promoting National Heritage Month

ICOMOS Philippines reaffirms its commitment to advance heritage conservation and management in the country through its participation at the Inter-Agency Meeting of cultural organisations called by the National Commission on Culture and Arts (NCCA) on February 28. 

This year’s National Heritage Month theme is “Change and Continuity,”  shared values that ICOMOS Philippines upholds in all its programs and activities that promote cultural heritage as a tool and driver of development.

According to the NCCA, the theme aims to highlight the potential of cultural heritage in enhancing social capital, economic growth, and environmental sustainability.

The celebration, which happens every May, also seeks to showcase the benefits, impacts, and growth opportunities produced by heritage science research and innovation; promote advocacies; and encourage participation in programs that safeguard intangible and urban cultural heritage.

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ICOMOS Philippines, UA&P team up to amplify heritage issues in National Arts Month

In line with the celebration of National Arts Month in February, ICOMOS Philippines’ Treasurer Erik Akpedonu led the discussion on “Renegotiating Philippine Heritage,” an event organised by the University of Asia & the Pacific’s (UA&P) College of Arts and Science held on February 28.

The lecture met its objectives after helping the participants with the following:

  • Identify Philippine artistic heritage with emphasis on different categories of cultural properties and their aesthetic values
  • Examine the parameters of significance that explain why cultural properties are important Philippine artistic legacies
  • Analyse the role of the colonial experience in shaping how heritage is understood, collected, conserved, presented, and interpreted
  • Investigate social, historical, and cultural transformations and issues that affect Philippine artistic heritage
  • Determine how stakeholders in artistic heritage are participating in conservation and preservation efforts and why it is significant

Mr. Akpedonu also discussed the lack of architectural heritage appreciation evident in basic and higher education curricula, and the steps heritage advocates must take to raise awareness and understanding among students and youth.

Dozens of UA&P faculty members, staff, students, and guests outside the institution joined the on-site activity, with many expressing interest in joining future learning sessions focused on cultural heritage management and conservation.

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Heritage conservation, a driver for sustainable development

ICOMOS Philippines, the only heritage professional organization included in the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Stakeholder’s Chamber, led the discussion on heritage conservation as a driver for genuine and sustainable societal transformation during the agency’s 1st Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Summit held on November 22 to 23, 2022.

Dr. Laya Boquiren-Gonzales presenting ICOMOS Philippines’ PAMANA 2030 Project

Dr. Laya Boquiren-Gonzales presented ICOMOS Philippines’ PAMANA (Heritage) 2030 Project led by the organization’s SDG Working Group. With only 8 years left to achieve the SDGs by 2030, references to heritage in the global collective aspiration remain alarmingly scarce as evident in the insufficient discussions and practices by local and national government agencies related to heritage promotion and protection.

To bridge this gap, the Pamana (Heritage) 2030 Project of ICOMOS Philippines launched in 2021 aims to further accomplish the following in the near future:

  • Release a call for case profiles and will produce a policy guidance document with relevant stakeholders;
  • Gather key local government solutions in addressing societal concerns of inclusive social development, holistic economic development, environmental sustainability, peace and security, and key partnerships within their local realities; and
  • Provide timely baseline data and policy recommendations focused on the intersection of heritage and the SDGs in various parts of the country.
Ar. Harvey Vasquez presents the findings of the ICOMOS Philippines’ emergency assessment on the earthquake’s damage to some heritage structures in Vigan City

Meanwhile, Ar. Harvey Vasquez zoomed in on the importance of efficient pre-disaster recovery planning and concise post-disaster methodological actions in conserving heritage sites through the case of the World Heritage City of Vigan, impacted by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Northwestern Luzon in July this year.

ICOMOS Philippines joined the City Government of Vigan and the multi-sectoral Vigan Conservation Council in the rapid assessment of the damage, made possible by funding from UNESCO Jakarta.

NEDA Undersecretary for National Development Policy and Planning Rosemarie Edillon awards Certificate of Appreciation to ICOMOS Philippines

Through the summit, ICOMOS Philippines hopes that more individuals will become aware of the importance of heritage conservation in the present and future, and become involved in this encompassing, holistic, and transformative movement.

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