Preservation of Cultural Heritage in the Philippines

Archaeological sites have garnered a growing public interest from tourists all over the
world. The Great Wall of China, Machu Picchu, Angkor Wat, Great Pyramid of Giza,
Pompeii, Colosseum in Rome, Acropolis and other historical and ancient ruins and museums
each attracts millions of tourists every year. This tells us more than just about people being
aesthetically pleased by the wonders made by our ancestors but also about peoples thirst for
knowing their origin, the achievements and milestones of man as he evolves from being a
nomadic, tree-climbing primate, into what he is today.

The Philippines has its fair portion of archaeological wealth. Bones of early humans
unearthed such as the Tabon Man and the Callao Man date back to as early as 47,000 and
67,000 years ago, respectively. Discoveries in the northern part of Luzon prove that the now-
extinct Pleistocene mammals once roamed the country. The Oton Death Mask, Manunggul
Jar, Laguna Copperplate, the Limestone Tombs of Mt. Kamhantik and the many other
churches, pots, ceramics, burial sites and other remnants of the past cultures tell us the way of
life our ancestors had.

Archaeological remains, ruins, buildings, and artifacts are part of our heritage. These
are handed down to us by older generations, epochs, and ages and even traces back to older
eras. These tangible heritage comes with the knowledge, skills, traditions and customs our
ancestors had. But archaeology gives us more than what settlements of early people look like
or when fire was first used or what they believe in and how they lived. Archaeology is more
than just uncovering the past and its secrets; it also gives us a sense of identity. It tells us the
story of our evolution. It tells us that we are a part of something great and incessant. It tells us
that these people may be thousands and millions of years dead, but their contributions are
recognized until now and that someday it will be our turn too. Human life may be just too
short, but each life spent is a legacy. It tells us that what we have accomplished as a
generation will not be put to nought; our achievements and discoveries will be handed down
to succeeding generations and just like how man, who only knew back then how to hunt wild
animals and gather fruits evolved into a man who just made his first step in the moon, future
people will develop our present knowledge into something greater.
 Archaeology is a study of human behaviour in the past, but more than that, it helps us
to shape our present modern lives and to enhance our future. It enhances international
relations by giving us more understanding, sensitivity and respect for other cultures and ways
of life. It gives us a sense of a responsibility to contribute to society as we are not just an
individual but a part of a community. Archaeology satisfies our curiosity about the past by
detailing stories that were not even recorded in books and ancient manuscripts. The artifacts
themselves retell history with less bias than what were written in the accounts of historians. It
presents the diversity of culture, even teaching us the past of our minority and indigenous
groups whose history are sometimes left behind. Lastly, archaeology reinforces other
scientific fields such as the different political and economic systems developed in different
periods of time, techniques and strategies in warfare, similarities in language and culture
among different countries and patterns and history of diseases. These can give us important
insights that can aid us in making more sound decisions and economic, scientific and national
developments.

Our cultural heritage, because of its historical, economic and social importance,
should be given utmost protection. The archaeological sites and artifacts should be given
proper care because once lost, they can never be retrieved. Several laws exist such as RA
8492 or the National Museum Act of 1998 which establishes that the National Museum will
undertake researches in salvage archaeology and monitor archaeological excavation, and RA
4846 or the Cultural Properties Preservation and Protection Act.

Inevitably, the cultural sites and artifacts deteriorate because of natural forces such as
extreme weather conditions, earthquakes, floods, fire or simply the decay of the materials by
which they were made. There is no other way to stop this but preventive measures can lessen
the rate at which they do. Unfortunately, human intervention speeds up their disappearance
through poor tourism management, looting, war and conflict, neglect and more importantly
with our economic advancements. For example, in 2004, parts of the Huluga Archaeological
Complex, an important historical site in Cagayan de Oro, were destroyed to give way to a
road-and-bridge construction project.

Preventive and remedial measures must be given to preserve our archaeological sites
and artifacts. They must be carefully studied and the causes of their deterioration should be
removed. Structural stabilization and careful reburial and reconstruction can also be made to
weak and fragile structures; and there are protective shelters used to house the artifacts to
prevent looting and provide better storage conditions. Our archaeological sites should have a
management plan that describes ways on how to preserve them. However, in our case, even if
plans are prepared, they are not implemented efficiently or sometimes, not at all. The primary
reason is our lack of budget and therefore lack of resources to fund these developments.
Another factor could be the presence of corruption which leads to even lesser resources.
.
It is a difficult task to preserve our historical and archaeological sites given our
economic state. Basic social services such as food, health, education and infrastructures
should be prioritized more than anything else. While funding for the preservation of these
sites are good investments as they can generate profits from tourism, countries like the
Philippines cannot afford to divert a significant portion of the budget to the preservation of
these sites as Western countries do.

However, while we cannot afford the costs of intensive repair and protection of our
heritage, we also cannot afford to lose our historical mementos forever. There is still a way to
do so by spending only a few resources.

First is a stronger enforcement of the law regarding the preservation of these

mementos. With this, looting of artifacts may be prevented. The archaeological sites used as
tourist spots should also be managed efficiently to maintain them and prevent the destructions
brought about by mass tourism such as vandalism and climbing and touching fragile
structures.

Second, public awareness regarding this should be raised. People and the officials
should learn about how precious these tangible cultural heritage are, especially those that are
present or near their areas. Through community involvement, and better planning, these
heritage will have a slower rate of deterioration. Culture and the beliefs associated with these
sites should be taught to people for them to have a better understanding and greater respect
for the sites. As an effect, we will have greater sensitivity of these sites. Ancient cities and
structures are usually destroyed to make way for modern ones, but if people have deeper
understanding of what these sites mean, this could be prevented.
References:
1) Smith, C. A., & Harris, J. F. (n.d.). Why is Archaeology Important? Early Georgia,
29(1), 27-33. Retrieved from http://www.georgia-
archaeology.org/EarlyGA/may2001/EarlyGeorgia_29_1_04.pdf
2) What is Cultural Heritage. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.cultureindevelopment.nl/cultural_heritage/what_is_cultural_heritage
3) Henderson, B. (2010, August 3). Archaeologists unearth 67,000-year-old human bone
in Philippines. The Telegraph. Retrieved from
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/philippines/7924538/Archaeologists
-unearth-67000-year-old-human-bone-in-Philippines.html
4) Fox, R. B. (1978). Early Paleolithic in South and East Asia (F. I. Smith, Ed.).
Retrieved from
https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=yZHmpRGYtTEC&pg=PA82&lpg=PA82&dq
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5) REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8492. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.unesco.org/culture/natlaws/media/pdf/philippines/ph_actnatmuseums1998
_engorof.pdf
6) Presidential Decree No. 374. (1974, January 10). Retrieved from
http://ncca.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/P.D.-3741.pdf
7) Hernandez, V., & Faylona, P. (n.d.). Evaluating the Heritage Value of the Huluga
Archaeological Site. Hukay, 9, 88-102. Retrieved from
journals.upd.edu.ph/index.php/asp/article/download/5001/4508.
8) Matero, F. G. (n.d.). Heritage, Conservation, and Archaeology: An Introduction. AIA
Site Preservation Program, 1-5. Retrieved from
https://www.archaeological.org/pdfs/Matero.pdf.
9) What is Intangible Cultural Heritage? (n.d.). UNESCO. Retrieved from
www.unesco.org/culture/ich/doc/src/01851-EN.pdf.
10) Saving Our Vanishing Heritage: Safeguarding Endangered Cultural Heritage Sites in
the Developing World. (n.d.). Retrieved from
globalheritagefund.org/.../GHFSavingOurVanishingHeritagev1.0singlepageview.pdf
11) Bouchenaki, M. (2014). Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Development (E. Korka,
Ed.). The Protection of Archaeological Heritage in Times of Economic Crisis.
Retrieved from www.cambridgescholars.com/download/sample/62313