Sense of Place of Polangui, Albay, Philippines: Identification of Its Significant Cultural Properties

Publisher: Bicol University PDF

Abstract

Cultural heritage is an expression of the ways of living developed by a community and passed on from generation to generation. This includes customs, practices, places, objects, artistic expressions and values. It plays an essential role in society, and knowing its importance gives the people connection to the past, present and future generations, and its function in building a strong nation and its identity. The aim of this research is to record and profile the cultural properties adopting the cultural mapping framework utilized by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). It mainly focuses on mapping the tangible and intangible cultural heritage that provide the “sense of place” and identity of Polangui, Albay which are significantly valuable through generations. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) framework for classifying the significant cultural properties found in the community was used in determining the cultural significance of a property, namely: Historical, Aesthetic, Scientific/Technical, and Social and/or Spiritual values. This study revealed that the municipality of Polangui has several cultural assets, and that should be given the highest order of protection, promotion and preservation by the local government unit. People have created their own amalgam of culture. This study recommends the integration of the cultural profile in the future development plans toward enhancing cultural pride. It is also ideal to use Geographic Information System in creating a cultural map which will contribute to the visualization of its cultural heritage assets.