Philippine E-Journals

The Philippine Cultural Heritage Law on Architectural Heritage Conservation and Culture Education

Ramil l. Cuerdo | Teodoro M. Maranan

 

Abstract:

Abstract - This paper analyzes the Philippine Cultural Heritage Act pursuant to architectural heritage conservation and culture education. Employing the descriptive method utilizing content analysis, data were gleaned from documentary materials with the full-text document of the Act as subject and supplemented with other materials and support literature that are deemed significant. The study sought to find out the advantages and disadvantages of the Act in terms of administration/implementation and cultural property management, the ways that the law protects architectural heritage and propagate cultural education, the specifics of the highlighted provisions namely: policies and principles, definition of terms, definition of cultural properties, registration and conservation of cultural properties, role of cultural agencies, cultural education and violations and penalties, and the measures being taken regarding enforcement and compliance to the law. The results reveal that the law is advantageous as it identifies and empowers cultural agencies, provides privileges to cultural property and manifests appreciation of cultural workers. Disadvantages were also revealed such as the overlapping jurisdiction of agencies, private ownership issues, identification of significance of cultural property and lax participation of local government units and other agencies. It was further revealed that the law protects architectural heritage through the active cases pursued against supposed violators, and propagates cultural education through the Philippine Cultural Education Program.