LAOAG CITY -- The provincial chief executive of Ilocos Norte has urged local officials and residents to give importance to and maintain old buildings as these could be considered as heritage sites that could play an important role in the lives of the Ilocanos.
She cited as an example the Capitol building here, which turns 100 years old this 2018.
A commemorative marker of the edifice was recently unveiled to the public by Governor Imee Marcos, who recognized its historical significance in the lives of Ilocanos.
During the occasion, the provincial leader cited the Capitol as well as other heritage buildings in other towns and cities of Ilocos Norte in exhorting all officials and residents to “start conserving and preserving these historical assets that are repositories of racial consciousness and identity.”
The Capitol marker was turned over to the provincial government by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines led by Chairman Rene Escalante, in time for the bicentennial founding anniversary celebration of Ilocos Norte.
Escalante said the old Capitol is a model of beauty and architecture in the entire province.
He expressed hope the people of Ilocos Norte will take good care of the 100-year-old building as well as the historical marker and preserve it for future generations.
The Capitol was constructed based on the design of American architect Ralph Harrington Doane. Taking several years to finish, it was finally completed in 1925.
During the time of the Japanese invaders, historians say then Governor Roque Ablan left the Capitol and continued leading the provincial government in the mountainous village of Maananteng, Solsona, Ilocos Norte.
The Capitol was retrieved by the United States Army Forces in the Philippines on Feb. 13, 1945. The building was enlarged and remodeled in 1957.
Marcos said the sturdy, old building that has seen so many changes is testament to the remarkable history of the Ilocanos.
“I am certain that in the next 200 years, we will add more to that history -- glorious, triumphant, and truly united at last,” the governor said. (PNA)
