The first Pamanang Pook Conference introduced new funding initiatives for the preservation of cultural heritage sites across various regions at the Dusit Thani Manila Hotel on October 21, 2024.
Spearheaded by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) with the support of UNESCO Jakarta, the Pamanang Pook Conference is an event aimed towards catalyzing international cooperation and support for conserving the Philippines’ rich cultural heritage.
Opening the conference were NCCA Chair Victorino Mapa Manalo, and UNESCO Jakarta Director and Representative Maki Katsuno-Hayashikawa who shared their respective messages. NCCA Executive Director Eric Zerrudo, Ph.D. also delivered a message on behalf of Senator Loren Legarda.
A total of five representatives were present at the conference to share and discuss their efforts in preserving cultural heritage sites.
First to present was Ms. Beverly M. Bautista, Officer in Charge of the UST Graduate School Center for Conservation of Cultural Property and Environment in the Tropics (CCCPET) who shared networking and funding opportunities for the safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) through Education in Asia-Pacific Region.
Next was Rev. Fr. Hector Gonzales, OAR, the Executive Director of the San Sebastian Basilica Conservation & Development Foundation, Inc. who shared their efforts in preserving their very own architectural masterpiece. Completed in 1891, the San Sebastian Basilica in Quiapo, Manila, is the only all-steel church in Asia and is deemed a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines.
Lake Sebu Municipality Tourism Officer Dr. Jennifer Tupas also showcased their efforts in sustainable tourism and community development through heritage preservation utilizing agrobiodiversity in the country’s traditional agroecosystems.
Also present to share the initiatives of the British Council Philippines in supporting sustainable promotion of cultural exchange and heritage preservation was BPC Head of Arts Andrei Nikolai Pamintuan.
Lastly, Ar. Kenneth Javier Tua, PhD. Cand., Vice President and Country Director of UNESCO HEF project from ICOMOS Philippines discussed collaborative initiatives with UNESCO Jakarta in promoting cultural heritage and sustainable development with their flagship project, the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund Project in the Philippines.
A brief intermission was filled with a lively performance by Phisix, an all-male acapella group based in the Philippines.
The conference was capped off with a networking lunch, enabling participants to privately converse and exchange dialogue about their respective initiatives.