Towards An Informed Philippine Heritage Practice
In November 2021, ICOMOS Philippines held the Pamanang Pasig Conference to highlight the importance of the Pasig River in light of the impending construction of the Pasig River Expressway (PAREX). Members of ICOMOS Philippines then gathered together to draft a statement of significance for the Pasig River.
International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Philippines’s representative Dr. Laya Boaquiren – Gonzales participated in the 1st day of the Consultation Workshop on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Philippines for the 2022 Voluntary National Review (VNR).
The Voluntary National Review (VNR) is a process through which countries assess and present progress made in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the pledge to leave no one behind. The purpose of VNRs is to present a snapshot of where the country stands in SDG implementation, with a view to help accelerate progress through experience sharing, peer-learning, identifying gaps and good practices, and mobilizing partnerships.
The 1st day of the Consultation Workshops captured how the Philippines responded to the demands and challenges of the pandemic in the areas of education, gender equality, and environmental sustainability particularly on the following aspects:
a. Resource Mobilization and Financing. Address financing gaps in SDG implementation, and integrate planning and budgeting to ensure that resources are optimized and allocated for SDG-related programs, activities, and policies;
b. Localization. Develop communications for more effective stakeholder engagement at the subnational level;
c. Monitoring. Enhance accountability mechanisms to ensure proper data monitoring and reporting of SDG progress; and
d. Stakeholder engagement. Development mechanisms to harmonize efforts from different actors on the SDGs
Through the abovementioned aspects, three (3) workshops were divided to tackle the following: Challenges, Best Practices, and Lessons learned / Ways forward / Recommendations.
Photo from National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)
Photo from National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)
Photo from National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)
Photo from Dr. Laya Boquiren – Gonzales
Dr. Boquiren – Gonzales represented ICOMOS Philippines during the 1st day of the consultation workshops held last April 26, 2022, Tuesday, at Discovery Suites Ortigas, 25 ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.
Dr. Laya Boquiren – Gonzales provided highlights of the 1st workshop:
“I joined the breakout session for non-government actors, where we highlighted our organization’s programs and projects on heritage education and capacity building. ICOMOS Philippines provides heritage education, continuing professional development, and internships — all with access to a network of international, national, and local specialists in heritage. Partnerships with organizations for skills-based training in heritage conservation, documentation, and restoration work (for job generation and poverty reduction) were also mentioned. That ICOMOS has a seat in NCMS makes it strategically positioned to contribute to collective efforts in attaining the SDGs.”
“The non-government actors of civil society organizations (CSOs) recommended that NEDA produce an AI-enabled platform to map out the efforts and beneficiaries of the CSOs that will be critical in monitoring the SDGs and helping one another streamline efforts in education for nation-building. We were also asked to identify challenges in resource mobilization and financing. We also recommended that since the government is duty-bound as an enabler, it should dedicate human resources to gather and consolidate data and reach out to government actors so that the resource mobilization issues we have identified will be appropriately communicated.”
Other present Stakeholders’ Chamber members were Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (PhilDHRRA), Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., First Philippine Holdings Corporation, European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) etc.
To know more about NEDA’s initiative, kindly visit bit.ly/SDGChamber
For more information on ICOMOS Philippines and SDGWG ➡️ (https://tinyurl.com/2sj8k3sb)
#ICOMOS #ICOMOSPH #SDGWG #SustainableDevelopmentGoals #LikasKayangPagUnlad #PhilippineHeritage #PAMANA2030 #PartnershipForTheGoals #2030Agenda #StakeholdersChamberForSDGs #SustainableDevelopment #AmBisyonNatin2040
Being a member of ICOMOS means the opportunity to access a network of heritage professionals, and local and international members-only events.
The Open Forum Series was created with these benefits in mind: Open Forum Talks allow members to present their work for member peer review in an open yet professional setting, thereby leveraging the wisdom of the ICOMOS membership.
August 18, 2021, 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM.
Kevin Florentin
Moderator: Kara Garilao
Reactors: Dr. Eric Zerrudo, Atty. Kay Malilong
“Cultural Mapping in Context: Towards Rehumanizing Smart Cities for Sustainable Development”.
Abstract:
Twenty years ago, Kashiwanoha was a golf course and a horse breeding ground before that. Today, it is home to 3,000 households within just a 1km radius retrofitted with smart city technology that seeks to improve their quality of life on four fronts –energy, mobility, public space, and health. Cultural mapping was implemented, a first in the world for a smart city, to identify tangible and intangible characteristics of identity of its infant community. He presents the specifics of how cultural mapping was implemented, and seeks membership opinion on how we can understand heritage in such a context. When is something considered heritage? If it is new, is it ascribed by the community, to a place, or tradition? Considering that technology has inherent obsolescence, should it be remembered for its tangibles or its intangibles?
Associate member Kevin Florentin presented his research on
March 2, 2022 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM, progress report made with his research since his initial open forum in August of 2021. For the second session, Dr. Fernando Zialcita and ICOMOS Treasurer Erik Akpedonu attended as reactors for Kevin’s presentation.
Kevin Florentin is a Ph.D. candidate with the University of Tokyo Graduate Program in Sustainability Science Global Leadership Initiative. He currently holds a joint diploma degree in Sustainability Science with the University of Tokyo and the United Nations University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from the University of the Philippines. His current research interest is in understanding human aspects of the smart city. In addition, he has worked closely with ICOMOS Philippines and Intramuros Administration in pioneering pre-disaster recovery planning for heritage in Intramuros.
18th of September 2021 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Leandro Poco
Moderated by: Erik Akpedonu
Reactors: Guiller Asido, Paulo Alcazaren and Fernando Zialcita
“ENCLAVE URBANISM: 1.0 – A historical and configurational assessment of Spanish Manila’s Intramuros and its surrounding Spatial Fabric”.
Abstract:
The global privatization of the built environment into enclaves is seen as a contemporary theme leading to today’s range of socio-spatial disparities. Present-day Metro Manila is hollowed-out, with a long-blighted historical core. Most economic activity has moved to the enclaves composed of business districts and gated villages outside of Manila. This study investigates the historical roots of this enclave urbanism using spatial network analysis methodologies of space syntax theory.
This study uncovers the underlying structures beneath the order imposed by the Spanish on Manila. These include the center of political control – the civic plaza and urban grid within the walls of Intramuros; outside of Intramuros, the mission church plazas centering local populations around the Bajo de la Campana, serving as the base of Reducciones labour control; the unintended consequences of the Spanish defensive posture, and marginalization of the Sangley Chinese trader population; and the underlying importance of the Pasig River and its network of waterways in the commercial spatial network of Spanish Manila.
This study calls the critical attention of Philippine planning as it moves forward with repeating similar patterns of enclave urbanism in its push to urbanize and develop, whilst presenting a new evidence-based approach for local urbanism scholarship.
Leandro Poco completed his MSc Space Syntax: Architecture and Cities degree at University College London’s Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment. He previously completed his MA in Urban Design at the National University of Singapore in 2008. He is a Philippine registered Architect and Environmental Planner with over 15 years of combined Planning and Architectural practice experience in both Manila and Singapore. He is a Partner with Leonardo A. Poco & Associates, Architects, and has a keen interest in Metro Manila’s historical urbanism. He believes that evidence-based planning and design are key in improving Metro Manila’s dystopia and addressing her residents’ discontents.
In celebration of the International Day for Monuments and Sites, ICOMOS Philippines and ICOMOS Nepal collaborate on a talk that explores how climate change affects each country’s vernacular heritage. As vernacular heritage is a product of local climate, topography, culture and locally available materials in the past, how will future climate hazards – changing temperatures, rainfall patterns, winds, drought, flash floods, wildfire, storm, landslide, etc., have a larger impact on the site?
Two cases from each country shall present how the place of origin, climatic condition and the culture of the people living in the area has shaped their architecture. The speakers discuss how the vulnerabilities might manifest (rising damp, changing landscapes, loss of roofing, for example), how sites have adapted to keep resilient, and what other interventions we should be planning for today to secure sites for the imminence of climate change.The talk will take place on Monday, April 18, from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM.
Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0rdOCupjMvH9xxMOoBKIRGDfJI8v-iHQmk
In celebration of National Heritage Month, ICOMOS Philippines explores the theme of color. Color is a large contributing factor to its aesthetic value, and to a site’s authenticity- often evidenced by popular uproar when a historic site is restored with a different color.
ICOMOS Philippines examines color within the broader context of preserving authenticity in heritage. The materiality, symbology, and historic significance of color, from the global to local contexts will be discussed, including practical applications of restoration of colored renders and paint finishes.
Late May; Date & Time TBD
Leandro Poco gives a historic introduction of the historic significance of color in urban planning and architecture (e.g., use of color in Antiquity such as Greek and Roman statuary and temples, color schemes in Cycladic Islands, colors of Spanish-era colonial settlements such as Vigan, theory of Brutalist finishes, corporate identity color schemes, etc.).
This talk introduces the color and materiality of human settlements and cities using the lenses of history, contextual geography, and socio-economic conditions. It expounds on how color and materiality are not just forms of artistic expression, but, when combined with an understanding of underlying factors, have a deep cultural and contextual meaning that add depth to our understanding of the built environment. One can trace the thread of color and materiality as it starts out as a consequence of geographical context, achieving the height of craftsmanship and expression within local communities. This then moves into the commodification and homogenization of materials into the industrial age of international modernity, wherein increasing production, global trade, and post-ww2 ideologies bring about changes to production and the adoption of a more global (less local) identity. Leading into how the current age of mass market capitalism and branding, suburbanization and corporate enclavization of cities has led to the increased need for mass-customization of materiality and colors to stand out in a public sphere where brands and identity dominate for eyeballs and influence. The aim is to enlighten while presenting, enlightening, and poking fun at our pre-held conceptions on color in the urban sphere, and make us aware of the subtext of color and materials in our built environment.
Christian Aguilar gives an overview of the use of colors in history from Antiquity via the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and Baroque to the Present. He will then discuss materials (pigments, binders, and admixtures); application (surface treatments, layers, technique); and details (protection, maintenance). Aguilar discuss the use of colors in restoration projects (case studies of Sta. Ana Church, Pasig Church and San Agustin Churches; the Intramuros walls) and the challenges faced in the Philippines in implementing proper restoration practices. The talk will conclude with a brief overview of contemporary applications of colors in the Philippines discussing challenges and commonly made mistakes.
Erik Akpedonu will discuss the symbolism of colors in various cultures (e.g., mourning colors in East Asia, Europe, and West Africa) and their application in the built environments of, for example, in Europe and China (Feng Shui). He will discuss the psychology of color in Architecture and in Interior Design in particular, as well as the ecological aspect of proper color choice for ecologically-appropriate color schemes.
Color is a fundamental aspect of how we perceive our environment and has a profound impact on our psychological well-being. Given their powerful effects, colors the world over have been employed to symbolize specific concepts, ideas, and feelings, such as joy and mourning, power and purity, good and evil, aggression and peace, and many more. How colors are used in architecture varies from culture to culture, be it the manifold symbolic meanings of color in Chinese traditional architecture based on geomancy (Feng Shui); the vibrant colors of Bolivia translated into contemporary buildings, or the geometric patterns of sub-Saharan Africa. Perceptions of color are likewise influenced over time by notions of ideology, power, and manipulation, ranging from the colorful emotional extravaganza of the Baroque via the monochromatic rationality of Neoclassicism and the controversial color debates surrounding Classic Modernism up to the present free-for-all of Post-Modernism. Finally, our natural environment influences our choice of colors, be it the blue-and-white schemes of traditional Greek houses, the colorful dwellings of Scandinavia, or the earth tones of traditional clay architecture. Given its strong psychological and symbolic impact, colors also play a vital role in interior design, where they are used in a wide range of combinations to visually reduce or enlarge space, add or remove light, and create the desired ambience depending on the target audience. Finally, color`s physical aspects can be put to good use at a time when Global Warming increasingly calls for designs that use color to aid in passively cooling or heating buildings, creating a sustainable architecture for the 21st century.
Photo from National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)
Photo from National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)
The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Philippines has officially become a member of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Stakeholders’ Chamber on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The NEDA Subcommittee on Sustainable Development Goals inaugurated forty-two (42) member organizations from various sectors dedicated to upholding the SDGs in the Philippines.
The Stakeholders Chamber is a platform for the Government to engage Non-Government partners to improve coordination, alignment and understanding, resource management, ownership and facilitate the emergence of well-aligned partnerships for the achievement of the SDGs. The Chamber is the avenue for policy dialogue, stakeholder mapping, increasing awareness and support for the SDGs. The Philippine National Committee of ICOMOS is the sole member of the Chamber whose global expertise works for the conservation and protection of cultural and natural heritage worldwide. ICOMOS is an advisory group of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and ICOMOS Philippines also holds a seat on the National Committee on Monuments and Sites, of the National Commission of Culture and Arts (NCCA).
The membership will be effective for the Fiscal Year 2022, and subject to renewal. The Board of Trustees appointed Sustainable Development Goals Working Group (SDGWG)’s EnP. Marybeth “Chen” R. Mencias as its Permanent Representative. Ar. Harvey Vasquez and Dr. Laya Boquiren-Gonzales as the Alternate Representatives of ICOMOS Philippines.
Photo prepared by ICOMOS Philippines
EnP. Mencias represented ICOMOS Philippines during the Pledging Ceremony last April 7, 2022, Thursday, at Aboitiz Equity Ventures Head Office, NAC Tower, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
Photo from EnP. Marybeth “Chen” R. Mencias
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, fellow representatives Ar. Harvey Vasquez and Dr. Laya Boquiren-Gonzales attended the Pledging Ceremony remotely.
To know more about NEDA’s initiative, kindly visit this link.
Click this link for more information on ICOMOS Philippines and SDGWG
#ICOMOS #ICOMOSPH #SDGWG #SustainableDevelopmentGoals #LikasKayangPagUnlad #PhilippineHeritage #PAMANA2030 #PartnershipForTheGoals #2030Agenda #StakeholdersChamberForSDGs #SustainableDevelopment #AmBisyonNatin2040
In January 2021, ICOMOS Philippines appointed National Representatives to ICOMOS International SDGWG eventually establishing the National Sustainable Development Goals Working Group (SDGWG PH). At present, it is now composed of ten (10) ICOMOS members.
The Sustainable Development Goals Working Group of ICOMOS Philippines (SDGWG PH) coordinates ICOMOS response to the 2030 Agenda, through advocacy, policy, and localizing of the SDGs. SDGWG PH looks into the important role of culture and heritage as a driver and enabler of the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. It believes that Culture and Heritage supports the achievement of all the 17 SDGs. The linkages of Culture and Heritage starts at Target 11.4 to “strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage to make our cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”, but it also enables the achievement of various SDG targets. This belief is anchored from the ICOMOS International Policy Guidance for the Sustainable Development Goals.
SDGWG PH through the PAMANA 2030 (Heritage 2030) Campaign aims to develop a policy guidance document to localize the “ICOMOS International Policy Guidance document for Heritage and Sustainable Development Goals” from 2021 to 2023.
TEAM, 2021-23:
Ar. Kenneth Tua is the Policy Guidance Manager / Task Team Coordinator. With him as Task Team members are LAr. Gabriel Caballero, EnP. Chen Reyes-Mencias, Dr. Laya Boquiren-Gonzales, IDr. Mylene Lising, Ar. Harvey Vasquez, Ar. Claudia Isabelle Montero, and LAr. Cris Justine Ugalino, and as local members are: Ms. April Dopeño and Mr. Nicanor Germono.
Know more about the people behind the ICOMOS Philippines SDGWG:
ICOMOS Philippines was invited to peer review the Conservation Management Plan for Intramuros. This is their formal review.
Click here for the Critique of the Intramuros Conservation Manangement Plan
In September 2021, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) and San Miguel Corporation (SMC) signed the Supplemental Toll Operations Agreement (STOA) for the Pasig River Expressway (PAREX), a 19.37-kilometer six-lane, all elevated expressway over the Pasig River as a solution to Manila’s traffic problems.
The Pasig river, and the many historic buildings along its banks are
our heritage. The PAREX sacrifices our river heritage for benefits that
are still unproven, and with impacts that are still unsubstantiated.
Pamanang Pasig is a heritage impact assessment forum on the
Pasig River and heritage buildings along its banks. Experts discuss
the historical, aesthetic and social significance of the river and the
impact the Pasig River Expressway (PAREX) will have on these values.
Experts will also discuss the Impact on traffic, disaster risk
management, health, ecology, and society. Global examples of freeways
constructed over or along riverbanks, now being torn down for more
sustainable and people-centered alternatives, will be presented.
The goal of this forum series is to enable a broader perspective on the PAREX. By providing multidisciplinary and data-driven discussions by experts, we hope to invite more conversations and provide more facts for people to decide if this benefits our city.
Here is a statement that ICOMOS Philippines co-authored:
Register at: https://tinyurl.com/fb8zf4ym
Hosted by: ICOMOS Philippines
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/icomosph
