IMPORTANT CULTURAL PROPERTY. Rachel Flores of the National Museum hands over the Public Declaration of The Dumaguete Presidencia as an Important Cultural Property to Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo, joined by the city's councilors, March 13, 2019. (Photo by Judy Flores Partlow)
DUMAGUETE CITY – Dumaguete Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo has highlighted the significant role of the city council in the restoration of the old city hall, dubbed The Dumaguete Presidencia, which the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) has declared as an Important Cultural Property (ICP).
Mayor Remollo, in an interview shortly after the Public Declaration of The Dumaguete Presidencia as ICP on Wednesday, admitted he became emotional because he missed the opportunity to embark on this project during his first term as city mayor.
“Back then I did not have the support of the city council, I only had two councilors on my side and the vice mayor then, but now the city councilors have unanimously supported me” in having this property restored and to be used as a museum, he said in the Cebuano dialect.
The mayor said the city government is trying to make the people understand the importance of preserving their culture, monuments and buildings to give the future generations a glimpse of the past.
Rachel Flores of the National Museum, representing NMP Director Jeremy Barns, officially read the public declaration of The Dumaguete Presidencia as an Important Cultural Property and handed over the certificate to Mayor Remollo.
The Dumaguete Presidencia was chosen as ICP because of its “exceptional cultural, artistic, and historical significance”, according to Flores.
“It has been declared as Important Cultural Property under the provisions of the law because it has exemplary significance constituting architectural, engineering, (and) social impact to the national government,” she said.
She confirmed plans to “transform the use of the original Presidencia from being a municipal hall to a repository of important cultural artifacts of Dumaguete” which National Museum scientists worked on earlier.
Dr. Earl Jude Cleope, director of the Dumaguete Heritage Council and vice president for Academic Affairs of Silliman University, in his message, stressed the importance of being able “to understand and identify our heritage so that we will be able to value them”.
According to him, an Important Cultural Property “gives people a connection to certain social values, beliefs, religions and customs.”
“It allows them to identify with others of similar mindsets and backgrounds. This important cultural property can provide an automatic sense of unity and belonging within a group and allows us to better understand previous generations and the history of where we come from,” Cleope noted.
Furthermore, he said the declaration of The Presidencia as an ICP is important to Dumagueteños, and they must keep it “attached to our historical, social, political and aesthetic identity”.
The old city hall or Presidencia was built in 1937, designed by renowned Filipino architect Juan Arellano, which adds to the structure’s important historical significance.
Remollo said the restoration, funded with some PHP50 million by the city government, has about 70 to 80 percent of the original structure preserved. (PNA)
