Philippine National Heritage Watch

[Wonderboy]

Heritage Watch

I was a little adamant in starting this thread as I don’t know how long would it last, however, since our country’s heritage sites and historic landmarks are slowly disappearing, here’s hoping that this thread would serve as message board to save the remaining structures that we have.

I’d like to start with a place closer to home: Manila (I would also like to encourage everyone from other regions/ provinces to post here. I will send the weblink of this thread to government agencies and NGOs).

An old house along San Rafael Street will be demolished sometime soon. I took some pictures yesterday during the San Miguel walk:


The sign says it all. Exact address: 333 San Rafael Street, San Miguel, Manila


The house dates back to early 1920s.





Firms/ Companies involved in the demolition project:

LBC Comunidades Development, Incorporated
J.T. Mañosa and Associates (Architects)
Export and Industry Bank
La Casarita Developers (Tel. No.8906265/ 8906326)



The interiors of the house:








There’s even a Rolls Royce in the backyard!


Yes, this is privately owned and it would take extraordinary circumstances to prevent the demolition team from destroying a historic landmark. But if we take the initiative to save this house as well as other sites, people without any cultural sensitivity will be enlightened.

Below is the contact information of the developer:

La Casarita
LBC Comunidades Development, Incorporated
Tel. No. 8906265/ 8906326

NGOs/ Government agencies:

National Commission for Culture and the Arts
5235382 (for Heritage Sites)

Heritage Conservation Society Secretariat
5212239/ 5222497/ 09178668853

Ms. Melly Almosara
National Historical Institute
TM Kalaw Street, Ermita, Manila

[Wonderboy]

Heritage Watch

I was a little adamant in starting this thread as I don’t know how long would it last, however, since our country’s heritage sites and historic landmarks are slowly disappearing, here’s hoping that this thread would serve as message board to save the remaining structures that we have.

I’d like to start with a place closer to home: Manila (I would also like to encourage everyone from other regions/ provinces to post here. I will send the weblink of this thread to government agencies and NGOs).

An old house along San Rafael Street will be demolished sometime soon. I took some pictures yesterday during the San Miguel walk:


The sign says it all. Exact address: 333 San Rafael Street, San Miguel, Manila


The house dates back to early 1920s.





Firms/ Companies involved in the demolition project:

LBC Comunidades Development, Incorporated
J.T. Mañosa and Associates (Architects)
Export and Industry Bank
La Casarita Developers (Tel. No.8906265/ 8906326)



The interiors of the house:








There’s even a Rolls Royce in the backyard!


Yes, this is privately owned and it would take extraordinary circumstances to prevent the demolition team from destroying a historic landmark. But if we take the initiative to save this house as well as other sites, people without any cultural sensitivity will be enlightened.

Below is the contact information of the developer:

La Casarita
LBC Comunidades Development, Incorporated
Tel. No. 8906265/ 8906326

NGOs/ Government agencies:

National Commission for Culture and the Arts
5235382 (for Heritage Sites)

Heritage Conservation Society Secretariat
5212239/ 5222497/ 09178668853

Ms. Melly Almosara
National Historical Institute
TM Kalaw Street, Ermita, Manila

[overtureph]

This is very sad. What a nice house and what a car! Must be one (old) rich family. Is this the street behind San Sebastian and Kentucky (Recto)? Who's house it it? Did they sold the house and the Rolls Royce too?

[overtureph]

This is very sad. What a nice house and what a car! Must be one (old) rich family. Is this the street behind San Sebastian and Kentucky (Recto)? Who's house it it? Did they sold the house and the Rolls Royce too?

[Askal82]

Sayang naman.

[Askal82]

Sayang naman.

[overtureph]

This isn't to discourage anybody, but a few years back, we tried to form a committee in order to save the convento of a provincial church. The convento was used as a school for a number of years and was reverted back to the parish. At first they floated the idea - believe it or not- of putting up an international fast food chain and demolishing the convento. If this isn't surreal or plain stupid, I don't know what is. Well, after voicing our objections to a fast food chain and having the support of parishioners, that plan was shelved. But they (go figure it out who THEY are) where still adamant in having the convento demolished. Without doing any scientific test as I heard, one of the contractors declared the structure unfit (after standing for more or less 150 years hmmm.....). So we did our own ocular inspection, although we didn't do any test either, we found the structure the same as it was when it was being used as a school. In other words, by the look of it, it doesnt look its going to collapse or anything.

Once the food chain idea was defeated, came the main concern of (they) is that it is a fire hazard. If we follow this logic, most old churches has an adjacent or attached fire hazard to it. We presented our arguments and proposal for its other uses. Since the church has a museum which very few of the parishioners knew existed (I guess, since they seem to be surprised to hear in the meetings that there was one), we suggested of moving the museum to the old convento for more visibility and put up a cafe. But nooooooooooooooooo.

So we got an architect who has a firm in Makati and pro bono at that, helped us drew several plans as alternatives and for conservation purposes. Like for example, since one of the main concern was fire (hazzard), we had a plan of just demolishing the part connecting it to the church. And heres the ironic part. Thinking the old convento was a fire hazzard, would you believe that it was the other more recent convento that the they where using that was burned. Tsk tsk. But that incident seemed to have sealed the fate of the old one. They seem to deduced that since the convento that they were using burned to the ground, lets demolish the old one.

May I add also, that one of (they) had the bright idea of demolishing the convento and turning it into a ruins with a garden. Duh????????????????

So what happened, we didn't win. Why? It was like fighting cityhall (but it was worth it). And the usual apathy of the people. I am just hoping that there was a lesson to be learned here for the sake of our culture and history.

Thanks to people like Augusto Villalon, Bambi Harper, Paolo Alcazaren, Ambeth Ocampo, Fr. Rene Javellana, Fr. Pedro Gallende, Regalado Trota Jose, Wonderboy, Animo and to all those people in this thread whose campaigning and educating us, of and for, our heritage and history. It seems things are changing although slowly, but at least it seems people are more aware of what they have and what they are loosing. In addition, there where also succesful conservation projects that where done.

So I hope something be done to conserve the house and hopefully the car too. I think we have more than enough SHOE BOX architecture already.

Great work Wonderboy.

[overtureph]

This isn't to discourage anybody, but a few years back, we tried to form a committee in order to save the convento of a provincial church. The convento was used as a school for a number of years and was reverted back to the parish. At first they floated the idea - believe it or not- of putting up an international fast food chain and demolishing the convento. If this isn't surreal or plain stupid, I don't know what is. Well, after voicing our objections to a fast food chain and having the support of parishioners, that plan was shelved. But they (go figure it out who THEY are) where still adamant in having the convento demolished. Without doing any scientific test as I heard, one of the contractors declared the structure unfit (after standing for more or less 150 years hmmm.....). So we did our own ocular inspection, although we didn't do any test either, we found the structure the same as it was when it was being used as a school. In other words, by the look of it, it doesnt look its going to collapse or anything.

Once the food chain idea was defeated, came the main concern of (they) is that it is a fire hazard. If we follow this logic, most old churches has an adjacent or attached fire hazard to it. We presented our arguments and proposal for its other uses. Since the church has a museum which very few of the parishioners knew existed (I guess, since they seem to be surprised to hear in the meetings that there was one), we suggested of moving the museum to the old convento for more visibility and put up a cafe. But nooooooooooooooooo.

So we got an architect who has a firm in Makati and pro bono at that, helped us drew several plans as alternatives and for conservation purposes. Like for example, since one of the main concern was fire (hazzard), we had a plan of just demolishing the part connecting it to the church. And heres the ironic part. Thinking the old convento was a fire hazzard, would you believe that it was the other more recent convento that the they where using that was burned. Tsk tsk. But that incident seemed to have sealed the fate of the old one. They seem to deduced that since the convento that they were using burned to the ground, lets demolish the old one.

May I add also, that one of (they) had the bright idea of demolishing the convento and turning it into a ruins with a garden. Duh????????????????

So what happened, we didn't win. Why? It was like fighting cityhall (but it was worth it). And the usual apathy of the people. I am just hoping that there was a lesson to be learned here for the sake of our culture and history.

Thanks to people like Augusto Villalon, Bambi Harper, Paolo Alcazaren, Ambeth Ocampo, Fr. Rene Javellana, Fr. Pedro Gallende, Regalado Trota Jose, Wonderboy, Animo and to all those people in this thread whose campaigning and educating us, of and for, our heritage and history. It seems things are changing although slowly, but at least it seems people are more aware of what they have and what they are loosing. In addition, there where also succesful conservation projects that where done.

So I hope something be done to conserve the house and hopefully the car too. I think we have more than enough SHOE BOX architecture already.

Great work Wonderboy.

[ishtefh_03]

anyone here who is part/member of the heritage conservation society?? i know up pa lng may chapter, sana mayroon rin sa ust...

[ishtefh_03]

anyone here who is part/member of the heritage conservation society?? i know up pa lng may chapter, sana mayroon rin sa ust...

[Wonderboy]

Originally Posted by ishtefh_03

anyone here who is part/member of the heritage conservation society?? i know up pa lng may chapter, sana mayroon rin sa ust...

I'm a member Steph.

Ms. Roz Li, a volunteer based in NYC mentioned that UST should also have its own HCS chapter.

[Wonderboy]

Originally Posted by ishtefh_03

anyone here who is part/member of the heritage conservation society?? i know up pa lng may chapter, sana mayroon rin sa ust...

I'm a member Steph.

Ms. Roz Li, a volunteer based in NYC mentioned that UST should also have its own HCS chapter.

[ishtefh_03]

wow!! member ako kaso sa yahoo groups ako nag join kaya ung inbox ko puro msg ng hsc then i compiled it... and my heritage-youth rin diba??? oo nga dapat meron ang ust, ilakad ko kaya... hmmn... kaso matrabaho...

[ishtefh_03]

wow!! member ako kaso sa yahoo groups ako nag join kaya ung inbox ko puro msg ng hsc then i compiled it... and my heritage-youth rin diba??? oo nga dapat meron ang ust, ilakad ko kaya... hmmn... kaso matrabaho...

[ishtefh_03]

pano poh ba mag pa member dun??

[ishtefh_03]

pano poh ba mag pa member dun??

[Wonderboy]

Originally Posted by ishtefh_03

wow!! member ako kaso sa yahoo groups ako nag join kaya ung inbox ko puro msg ng hsc then i compiled it... and my heritage-youth rin diba??? oo nga dapat meron ang ust, ilakad ko kaya... hmmn... kaso matrabaho...

Steph, that would be good. I know it would be very tedious but if it's for the sake of protecting what's left for the next generation, your brave move would serve its purpose and encourage more people to be involved in conserving our heritage.

A close colleague mentioned that UST really should put up HCS chapter since the UST admins/ board of directors are putting up gymnasiums, courts, etc. without giving much importance to the fact that the entire UST should be declared a heritage site.

[Wonderboy]

Originally Posted by ishtefh_03

wow!! member ako kaso sa yahoo groups ako nag join kaya ung inbox ko puro msg ng hsc then i compiled it... and my heritage-youth rin diba??? oo nga dapat meron ang ust, ilakad ko kaya... hmmn... kaso matrabaho...

Steph, that would be good. I know it would be very tedious but if it's for the sake of protecting what's left for the next generation, your brave move would serve its purpose and encourage more people to be involved in conserving our heritage.

A close colleague mentioned that UST really should put up HCS chapter since the UST admins/ board of directors are putting up gymnasiums, courts, etc. without giving much importance to the fact that the entire UST should be declared a heritage site.

[Wonderboy]

Originally Posted by ishtefh_03

pano po ba mag pa member dun??

You may get call Heritage Conservation Society Secretariat
5212239/ 5222497/ 09175668853 (c/o Ms. Dorie).

[Wonderboy]

Originally Posted by ishtefh_03

pano po ba mag pa member dun??

You may get call Heritage Conservation Society Secretariat
5212239/ 5222497/ 09175668853 (c/o Ms. Dorie).