Mapping of the Tangible and Intangible Heritage of Tabaco City, Philippines

Publisher: Bicol University PDF

Abstract

Cultural heritage mapping is an important process towards heritage preservation and protection, and a vital step in establishing and maintaining a cultural property. This paper determined the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Tabaco City, Philippines, and the local initiatives in conserving its cultural heritage. Purposive cultural mapping which was adopted from the Cultural Mapping Framework of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts was employed by this study. Furthermore, community immersion through Sikolohiyang Filipino, Focused Group Discussion (FGD), and document analysis were done in gathering data. This study revealed that Tabaco City, Philippines, has a rich tangible cultural heritage expressed in their old edifices such as the St. John the Baptist Church (“Dakulang Simbahan”), the Ruins of the old St. John the Baptist Church, the Tabaco City Catholic Cemetery Cimburrio, and the Bahay na Bato or the Ancestral House of Angela Manalang-Gloria, and the richness of their culture is mirrored in their intangible heritage such as folk narratives, folk stories (osipon), and religious tradition. The establishment of Tabaco City Culture and the Arts Council and the inventory of historical and cultural endowment are the conservation measures of LGU–Tabaco to its cultural heritage. This study recommends that LGU–Tabaco City should conduct a comprehensive cultural mapping activity to ensure that all important cultural heritage assets are documented for their protection, preservation, and promotion from the government and other stakeholders.