This is a list of structures and sites which have not been declared by any government agency but are screaming for a declaration. They haven't been declared maybe because the NCCA, NHI or National Museum have not been informed of their existence, know that they exist but are waiting for someone to propose it to them, or are simply taking so long to declare the site. I'll start with Pampanga to show a format then you can post your comments so that I could add them to the list.
CRITERIA FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF HISTORIC SITES AND STRUCTURES
The criteria used in evaluating potential entries in the National Registry of Historic Structures are as follows:
1. Properties strongly associated with important historical events and illustrious Filipinos, of those whose owner had achieved an enduring contribution toward the enrichment of Filipino cultural heritage;
2. Properties of architectural, cultural, historical and social significance, including those that depict the local aesthetic values of their builders and those related t a significant cultural-historical experience of the Filipino people;
3. Properties that bear strong foreign architectural influence such as American, Spanish, or Japanese and those with strong evidences of an active political, social, economic and cultural relations with neighboring countries, e.g. Metropolitan Theater in Manila;
4. Properties such as gates, walls, forts, towers, bastions, ramparts, parapets, bridges or palisades that stand out as monuments to the artistry, craftsmanship and industry of Filipino artisans and laborers who were responsible for their construction and serve as mute witnesses to the heroic spirit of the Filipinos of yesteryears;
5. Properties which were the sites of the first establishments in the Philippines, such as the site where the first printing press was built, first commercial house, first theater, first school, first transportation office, etc.; and
6. Groups of buildings or structures or a whole town that are given importance because of their setting and not due to their individual elements and characteristics.
CATEGORIZATION OF HISTORIC STRUCTURES
Under existing procedures, the framework adopted by the NHI in the evaluation of historical sites and structures for preservation consists of the following:
NATIONAL SHRINES: Historic sites or objects hallowed or honored for their history or association, e.g. the Rizal and Shrines and the Mabini Shrines;
NATIONAL MONUMENTS: Objects, natural features or areas of specific historic interest that are set aside by local or national government as public properties, e.g. the Rizal and Bonifacio Monuments, and the Walls of Intramuros;
NATIONAL LANDMARKS: Places or objects that are associated with an event, achievement, characteristics or modification that presents a turning point or stage in history;
NATIONAL HERITAGE HOUSE:
CLASSIFIED: Structures and sites not falling under any of the above categories are listed as classified and recorded in the NHI's National Registry of Historic Structures
In the identification procedure, all structures must at least be fifty (50) years old to qualify for consideration.
"It is hereby declared to be the policy of the state to preserve and protect the important cultural properties and National Cultural Treasures of the nation and to safeguard their intrinsic value."
~EXCERPT FROM PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No. 374 AMENDING CERTAIN SECTIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT No. 4846, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE CULTURAL PROPERTIES PRESERVATION AND PROTECTION ACT"
CULTURAL PROPERTIES: Old buildings, monuments,shrines, documents, and objects which may be classified as antiques, relics, or artifacts, landmarks,anthropological and historical sites, and specimens of natural history which are of cultural, historical, anthropological or scientific value and significance to the nation ; such as physical, anthropological, archaeological and ethnographical materials, meteorites and tektites; historical objects and manuscripts ; household and agricultural implements ; decorative articles or personal adornment; works of art such as paintings,sculptures, carvings, jewelry, music, architecture,sketches, drawings, or illustrations in part or in whole ;works of industrial and commercial art such as furniture, pottery, ceramics, wrought iron, gold, bronze,silver, wood or other heraldic items, metals, coins,medals, badges, insignias, coat of arms, crests, flags,arms, and armor; vehicles or ships or boats in part or in whole.
IMPORTANT CULTURAL PROPERTIES: Cultural properties which have been singled out from among the innumerable cultural properties as having exceptional historical and cultural significance to the Philippines, but are not sufficiently outstanding to merit the classification of "National Cultural Treasures"
NATIONAL CULTURAL TREASURE: A unique object found locally, possessing outstanding historical, cultural, artistic and/or scientific value which is significant and important to this country and nation.
Baguio City
Historic Town Centers
Camp John Hay
Teachers' Camp
Batangas
Historic Town Centers
San Juan
Bulacan
Historic Town Centers
San Miguel de Mayumu
Maguindanao
Historic Town Centers
Datu Piang
Manila
Historic Town Centers
Escolta Street (Sta. Cruz)
Hidalgo Street and Plaza del Carmen (Quiapo)
San Miguel District
Heritage Houses
Boix House (Quiapo)
Enriquez Mansion (Quiapo)
Nakpil-Bautista House (Quiapo)
Ocampo Mansion (Quiapo)
Padilla House (Quiapo)
Paterno Mansion (Quiapo)
Zamora House (Quiapo)
Others
La Loma Cemetery (La Loma)
Manila Chinese Cemetery (La Loma)
Manila North Cemetery (La Loma)
Ifugao
Historic Town Centers
Kiangan
Pampanga
Churches
Metropolitan Cathedral of San Fernando (San Fernando)
Pio Chapel (Porac)
San Luis Gonzaga Church (San Luis)
Sta. Catalina Church (Arayat)
Sta. Monica Church (Minalin)
Sto. Rosario Church (Angeles)
Heritage Houses
Alvendia House (Floridablanca)
Infante House (Floridablanca)
Lopez House (Guagua)
Santos-Hizon House (San Fernando)
Singian House (San Fernando)
Villa Epifania Guanzon (Sta. Rita)
Government Buildings
Provincial Capitol of Pampanga (San Fernando)
Schools and other Institutions
Holy Angel University (Angeles)
Pampanga High School (San Fernando)
Others
Pampanga Sugar Development Company (San Fernando)
Quezon
Historic Town Centers
Sariaya
Zambales
Historic Town Centers
Sta. Cruz
17 reactions to this post:
is there any declared or undeclared heritage structures or sites in lahar covered bacolor that should be dug up and preserve?
That would be close to impossible to do. The lahar should have destroyed most of the wooden ancestral homes. Bacolor itself could have been declared a national historical landmark. But we can't do anything about that now. So our goal then should be to preserve what is left in other towns of Pampanga.
Ivan, I just wonder why Sta Monica Church, in Minalin was not considered as an Heritage Structures while it received financial support from NCCA around 3-4 years ago. All papers were sent to NHI for approval. Ambeth Ocampo is aware about this. We are also waiting for another financial approval from NCCA to continue the project of restoration.
I would like also to propose the home of my grandfather "Bale Maragul" in Paroba, San Francisco, can I do it personally?
Hi there! The Minalin Church is a heritage structure, no doubt about that. However, it hasn't been declared. That's what we should endeavor to do. I remember that the NCCA did restore some centuries-old murals in the convento.
Yes, you can personally write Ambeth Ocampo about it. You could do the same for the church.
Do you think the NHI will consider these structures?
Malolos Cathedral - Presidential Residence of Aguinaldo.
Constantino House (A 19th-Cebtury Bahay na Bato) in Balagtas, Bulacan.
Calumpit Church
Marilao Church
Meycauayan Church
The churches do have their respective Historical Markers. It is also worthy to add the Constantino House on the list of National Heritage Houses.
That's one question we have to address. Are structures with NHI markers protected? One example as I mentioned was the Abad Santos House. It had an NHI marker outside for Jose Abad Santos but when the owners clarified if they needed permission to demolish it, the NHI said it wasn't declared so it's gone now. Apparently a marker is not a guarantee that it is declared. Imagine?
Hi Ivan, My name is Melanie Casul. I am currently finishing my Masters Thesis on Old Cinema Houses and I am using Bellevue Theater (1932) in Paco as my case study. I have taken extensive photos of both interior and exterior of the cinema including an image map of the immediate vicinity of Pedro Gil. I even have interviews of the previous owners and current managers of the place. I would love to contribute my paper and cd-rom to you guys when I finish and maybe we can help get an NHI marker up for Bellevue.
That would be great! Our office is in the Museo Pambata Compound, Roxas Boulevard cor. South Drive, Ermita, Manila. Or e-mail hcs_secretariat@yahoo.com
The church complex in Hilongos. Leyte is also not in the list...it has a marker from the Historical Commission. I'm inviting you to visit the place and see how we can help...I'm from that place and my late father is instrumental for having the commission visit the place about 15 years ago and making it as a heritage structure in Leyte. I'm now residing in Cebu City and just visited the place last Holy Week. As an architect I want to help for the conservation of the "cota" (as they caalled the fort complex) in whatever way. How do I start?
Hi Jun, an NHI marker does not mean automatic declaration. Hilongos would be a marked site then.
hello ivan, i don't know if you would still read and reply to this, because only now i have this question in mind and your post is 3 or 4 yrs old already. anyway, i read on your blog about those CULTURAL PROPERTIES and such examples are buildings, documents, paintings, jewelries, etc. My question: if a building or old spanish house or jewelry is a legitimate property of an individual, would then the government or any institute have the right or authority to sequester or confiscate such property? would the government or any historical institute have the sole authority to dictate on the fate of such property? if this is the case, this would surely violate the right of ownership. i really like to be enlightened. thank you.
When a historical structure is declared, the government does not sequester the property. Let's be clear about that. That's a common misconception. In fact, it adds prestige to a house and its owner when it becomes part of national heritage.
Declaration simply puts restrictions on demolition and alteration. It's not a violation because protecting the national patrimony comes before the right of personal ownership.
There are several historical houses in Sta. Ana Manila. Is there no NGO or PO involved in the declaration of their district as a historical site? One of the sad stories is the ongoing and nearly finished demolition of the Emilio Aguinaldo College Dormitory that they say is giving way to SM Hypermart.
Yes, the HCS is aware of that and is trying to talk to SM about it. We're trying to organize a walking tour for top management so that they could appreciate the heritage of the area.
hi ivan. can the supposed location of where andres bonifacio and his brother procopio were arrested in brgy limbon, indang, cavite be considered as a possible historical landmark? there is already a memorial on the location. together with the maragondon trial house, this makes up a bigger picture of one of the darker sides of the philippine revolution.
i would love to see the ruins of the old Polo Church in Valenzuela [the belfry, door arch and some remnants] included in the list of heritage structures. more than a thousand men were killed there by the japs during WWII. after war it was just the roof and the upper part of the convent that is gone, but over decades, the whole remnants were hideously reduced. now it is posed to demolition as it is now considered threat to safety, esp. the belfry. the people were successful in preventing its destruction, but until when will it be saved? a city ordinance was imposed declaring it as a landmark. but will it ensure its preservation? or better yet, its whole restoration?
also in the Polo area of valenzuela [Polo is Valenzuela's spanish pueblo] are several 30's and 40's houses that were even used by movie artists as sets for their films that are now "sunken". since Polo is a low lying area, threat of flood is always at hand, and the first solution of the government is to raise roads, thus the heritage houses left submerged that led to its deterioration. now, most of the ground floor of the houses, including Dr. Pio Valenzuela's [one of katipunan's head and a Polo town mayor that became the namesake of the whole city at present] is now submerged in stagnant water whole year round. I'd really love to contribute to the preservation of the old town since Valenzuela has already lost most of its identity in just 5 decades. but what solutions can be done about this problem? will it be permissible to uproot the structures, raise the soil level and rebuild it again? Valenzuela is now heading to its 400th foundation year in 2023, but it seems that people just know that valenzuela was just founded 50 years ago because the tangible evidences, including the church ruins are left to deterioration. what can be done about these??
btw, the church ruins also lay on a low-leveled soil. this is the URL to my flickr set on Polo Church : http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurencebukas/sets/72157619184042388/
and a set for some of Polo's heritage structures : http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurencebukas/sets/72157612931391852/
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