The state of heritage conservation in the Philippines

FOR ALMOST a century, the conservation of structures in the Philippines has been a quiet yet steadfast practice.

- By Joel V. Rico

Although only a handful of buildings were formally recognized as heritage during the Spanish and American Colonial Periods, the drive to preserve our architectural legacy — particularly civic and church structures — has been an enduring part of our national identity.

In the aftermath of the 1863 earthquake, the Pasig Church Bell Tower was restored by Felix Roxas, symbolizing an early example of heritage conservation. During the Malolos Convention, Arcadio Arellano meticulously repaired the Barasoain Church. Likewise, Tomas Mapua oversaw the restoration of the Intendencia de Intramuros and the Ayuntamiento de Manila in 1935 in anticipation of the Commonwealth Proclamation. The most ambitious of these early efforts came in the 1980s when the Intramuros Administration (IA) restored the entire walls of Intramuros — an unprecedented feat that remains the largest conservation project in Philippine history.