The Heritage Conservation Society (HCS) Summit 2013 will be held in Quezon City on Nov. 9. Theme is “Heritage and Real Estate Development.” Objective is to discuss the current state of heritage preservation and the best practices of adaptive reuse in the Philippines and Asia.
The topic is in keeping with Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista’s conservation master plan to preserve heritage structures in Quezon City.
Among his more recent activities in heritage preservation was to transfer the old residence of President Manuel L. Quezon in New Manila, which was up for demolition, to Quezon Circle, adaptively reusing the structure as a museum housing the memorabilia of the first Commonwealth president.
Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte’s keen interest in heritage preservation stems from her postgraduate degrees in two British universities: Museum Studies at Leicester University; and Archaeology at University College London.
HCS has a strong stand against the demolition of heritage structures in the name of progress. The presentations will include successful experiences of real-estate developers, local government units and community conservation groups.
“Who needs another shiny mall that looks like every other shiny mall that has the same merchandise?” asks Sorina Santos, staunch heritage advocate and student-affairs head at Escuela Taller de Intramuros.
The same sentiment is expressed by many others who mourn the loss of a heritage landscape: grand homes and spacious lots in the New Manila area that have given way to crowded high-rise condominiums or parking lots; charming old buildings that have morphed into generic fast-food chains; or even tree-lined avenues once populated by ancient leafy hardwoods now chopped down to widen roads.
Translated into economic terms, the preservation of old structures through “recycling” can be a means of increasing tourism revenue aside from preserving the visual memories of nostalgic locales.
Eric Babar Zerrudo, specialist in heritage management, museum development and cultural diplomacy, will talk about the preservation of Vigan, declared a Unesco Heritage Site, and the economic resurgence and enhanced community pride that resulted from cultural conservation.
Other speakers and their topics include: architect Rene Luis Mata (“The Principles of Adaptive Reuse”); Ana Dizon (“Heritage Structures for Rental Housing”); Erik Akpedonu (“Development Pressure on Heritage Homes in New Manila”); architect Manuel B. Tingzon (“Iloilo Business Revitalization”); architect Dominic Galicia (“Adaptive Reuse of the Museum of Natural History”); Eric Manuel (“Adaptive Reuse and Real-Estate Development”); Mark Evidente (“Establishing a Heritage Trust in the Philippines”).
The task force of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts will give an update on the rehabilitation of Bohol and Cebu churches destroyed or damage by the last earthquake.
The HCS Summit, to be held at Luxent Hotel, Timog Ave., QC, is a one-day affair, with an optional second day for a tour of Quezon City heritage sights.
Some 200 slots are open on a first-come, first-served basis; with a P1,000 pre-registration fee before Nov. 6.
On-site registration is P1,500.
Fee is P800 for HCS members of good standing or masteral students with IDs, and P300 for undergraduates with IDs.
Registration fee is inclusive of conference materials and lunch.
Pre-registration payments can be made through BPI/CA account no. 8105-8153-61, cash or check. Checks are to be made to: Heritage Conservation Society. Deposit slips are to be e-mailed to info@heritage.org.ph.