Heritage, Politics and Development

By R and T

An Article from the Ti Similia of the University of the Philippines Baguio

featured the lecture titled HERITAGE: Makakain Ba Yan? which was delivered by Dr.
Eric Zeruddo on February 20. Dr. Zeruddo pointed out in his lecture that
development in itself is not bad, but it must strike a balance with the cultural aspect
of the community.
The City of Baguio is, in in itself, can be dubbed as a Heritage City
considering its vast contribution to the history of the Cordilleras and the Philippines
as a whole. During a Forum in our school attended by Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan,
he stressed the important contribution of the City even during the pre-World War
Era and up to the dawn and dusk of the Second World War.
Just a few months ago, we witnessed the unveiling of a Historical Marker for
the Old Diplomat Hotel located atop Dominican Hill. A few weeks ago, we also heard
that the National Historical Commission of the Philippines already approved the
installation of as historical marker at the Burnham Park to mark its significance.
It is important for us to understand the correlation of Heritage, Politics and
Development. In a convention of Political Science students we attended in 2013,
one of the issues discussed was about the historical and cultural preservation of
artifacts, archives, collections and other important landmarks that defines who we
are and traces where we came from. The Convention also stressed the important
role of the government and the political process in keeping the value of these
cultural and historical landmarks as part of our past.
A big clash underscores the idea of Heritage vis--vis the principles of
Development. Often, we conclude that there exist an imbalance between
development and Heritage conservation. The challenge for us now is on how we can
create a blueprint for development without sacrificing and putting into danger the
value of our past.
Critics and concerned organizations believed that the on-going repair and
facelift projects within the City Hall grounds should have been subjected to the
foregoing rules and guidelines of the National Historical Commission of the
Philippines and other concerned government agencies. They also claimed that the
historical marker installed at the faade of the City Hall building is already a
concrete and legal manifestation of its value as a historical site. The fate of the
Baguio City Hall and other historical and cultural landmarks within the City of
Baguio is at stake. As we continue to strive for development, we must not also
forget that we have to protect the value and integrity that these historical and
heritage sites. The issue here is not about how on the legal basis and aspects of
development, it is on how act and respond to the call to preserve everything that
tells us who we are, where we came from and how we became what we are today.