When Heritage Conservation goes NoNsense

NOTE: This article appeared [with minor edits] in the July-Sep 2015ArcHiKonst Magazine

Issue 67, Vol. 18, No.3, Manila, Philippines

When Heritage Conservation goes non-senseInteresting! Young academics in the Philippines showing

greater interest in heritage stuff lately? Is this a fad? Or shade of ‘throwback culture’ cooked up by today’s social media?

During registration day, Heritage Conservation [HC] appears to be a crowd favorite among students choosing specialization courses in the architecture graduate program [M. Arch] of UP. Andit may not be in UP alone. This may be happening as well in otherschools offering HC in the country. Not perhaps statistically significant, but a glance at enrolment numbers in the UP College of Architecture now shows that more students gravitate toward HC than in Housing or Architectural Science courses.

WHY? What makes young people fall in love with things of thepast? Does HC make sense now as a promising career path? Or only because these young folks just started to see the immense value of our rich architectural heritage in their lives? Or maybe this is some kind of awakening triggered by developments that put HC concerns in the limelight -“Torre de Manila”, “Las Casas”, “Jai Alai’, Vigan the 7th Wonder” -to name a few?

Do we have problem with that? Talking momentarily from somewhat materialistic point of

view, HC, arguably, is a career path that promises no big bucks or ready money. No, it’s not even a profitable venture to get into business of contracting old public or old religious structures as projects –if business, really, is to be business. This idea is not hard to accept if one looks at the line of clients HC practice can potentially attract – LGUs, non-profits, parishes, dioceses - those that are known to always have “no sufficient funds” [maybe an issue of priority on the development table]; those which do not necessarily pay outright [apology for the gross undertone], and those that encourage donations more than spending own resources for another worthwhile cause (pardon for sounding a bit sacrilegious).

A sneak peek at the Face Book [FB] page of select group of practitioners – Architects, Designers, and LAs [Landscape Architects], will reveal an amusing litany of gripes about the design practice. And look, this has a big bearing on one’s takingthe HC path! Particularly pronounced are stories on how hard it is to deal with clients. Practitioners often lament the difficulty of getting paid for services that are rendered - the pains of collecting, the bellicose payment release, and in general, the toughness of making money out of a profession that in the first place, is being looked up to as a money-bound career, besides being adored as a fashionable, ‘hot’ vocation. But yes –thanks- the anecdotes are muted though by the still dazzling image of the ‘sexiest of all professions’. Yet, these

are an everyday narrative that normally finds space in a social medium like FB. Grateful we are to the ever advancing thrust of information technology, at least there is an outlet for professionals to release pent up stresses about the reality of practice!

The accounts can be an amplification of a well known joke among people in many design circles: “design professionals are just there looking for projects, they’re not looking for payment anyway!” The satirical intent is prickly, but no less funny. What more if one reads thetrue -to-life revelation of “An Architect’s Wife” at LinkedIn (April 23, 2015, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/architects-wife-chelsea-van-riet)! The essay seems to add a little more color to the whine of one designer. When pressed by a tightfisted client to come for meeting one really ‘holy’ holiday, she quipped -“oh sure, why not?” and hushed to herself -“as if we folks don’t havelives of our own”.

The above stories paint a situation common to the general design practice, but can reflect more on project engagements associated with HC.

Taking up HC is like practicing in a related area of Architectural History as an academic research field, in which notso many grants, funds, and job commissions are in stock these days. In Japan, Korea, or even in Europe or North America, this study zone does not boast anymore of big following and funding support. It doesn’t usually draw much attention and interest fromlarger communities outside the academe, say, the industry or mainstream private sector –at least, if compared to areas like Environment Conservation, Climate Change, Disaster Risk Management, or IT, among others. It may be due to HC being a crowded field already. Many research initiatives under the subject of Architectural History have already been done. In fact,some people say it is now saturated to the point that the main pack consumes all the paths, and there’s nowhere to go for

someone trying to find a new one, so to speak, but to follow, or else, migrate into a totally different turf.

What’s really at stake?But believe me - these young heritage enthusiasts are

very commendable in many respects. Absent the promise of greener career, their pursuit of HC can be seen as a vocation rooted in altruistic intent and fused with youthful ardor. Yes, young people, on one side, may glamorize doing old things just for pasttime, but possibly, on the other side, it goes way, way beyond that. There may be that sense of belongingness to something that one cannot readily fathom – maybe an attempt to satisfy the innate desire of connecting with ones’ old roots. I think I’ve seen this one –again on FB - one day, “A city without old buildings is like aperson without memory”. No, it’s not about Alzheimer’s though, but the message is sharp and has its relevance. These young graduate students are a responsible lot, they feel the need for adding meaning to one’s life or existence, which is tightly connected with the past. And because design of the built environment is their avowed forte, championing the cause of architectural heritage maybe felt as one noble calling fueling that motivation.

But HC is not merely feeling good for an old church in a plaza lined with antique houses. Surely, it means much, much more. When Amira, the young M. Arch fellow, thinks and visualizesa built environment contrived by astute designers -in which oldies and antique buildings reign - she might be dreaming of a parallel universe that can bequeath her a master’s degree, but atthe same time put more meaning into her life as a design buff. And that meaning revolves around a realization that even if the other universe won’t promise a financially bountiful career, the personal sake can be made docile to a larger, expedient calling –that of advancing the collective interests of society through saving the links to its past, which is a cause worth pursuing.

Further, while not promising a lucrative profession on a personal career level, there’s so much at stake if one views HC from the country’s economic perspective. HC, actually, has a lot of potentials. A sound and progressive HC program would always begreat for the country’s tourism. Tourism strongly drives development. It is the largest employer in the world. If we achieve the goal of becoming a tourism-giant Philippines, this can catalyze socio-economic progress and development in all fronts.

Let’s look at some important statistics (Table below). The aggregated figures in the table show a comparison of 8 ASEAN countries in terms of Tourist Arrivals and the contribution it has in their economies, in particular, the share of Travel and Tourism in GDP. Indicated as well is the countries’ population size. Focus can be on those of Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand, while other countries’ figures provide a good backdrop.

In 2013, the Philippines got 4.6 million tourist arrivals out of the target of 8 million. Malaysia and Thailand on the other hand, have 25.7 and 26.4 million, respectively. This shows we are not even nearer the 1/6th of tourists visiting these 2 countries, when in fact the Philippines maybe endowed with better, if not at par, natural attractions. In the same year, 2013, Malaysia had US$ 693.5 billion GDP, Thailand had US$964.5 billion, the Philippines got US$ 643.08 billion. Our GDP may not be far off compared to the two, but looking at the countries’ population, we could have produced much more.

Country

Population [in

Millions]

GDP [PPP, US$]TouristArrivals

T&TContribution to GDP

[%]Cambodia 14.4 46,027,215,702 4,210,000 26.8Indonesia 248.5 2,388,996,868,971 8,802,000 9.0Malaysia 29.8 693,534,945,934 25,715,000 15.8

Philippines

96.2 643,088,185,461 4,681,000 7.1

Singapore 5.4 425,259,267,992 11,899,000 11.1Thailand 66.2 964,517,717,998 26,547,000 17.0Vietnam 89.7 474,958,376,794 7,572,000 9.6 GDP = Gross Domestic Product; PPP = Purchasing Power Parity; T&T = Travel & TourismSources: World Bank, Knoema World Data Atlas, World Travel Tourism

Council

Comparison of selected ASEAN countries’ Tourism figures (2013)

We cannot overemphasize the gains Malaysia and Thailand (andother countries) are getting from these tourists. The share of tourism in GDP shows that the Philippines (7.1%) is way, way behind. It is not even half of what Malaysia (15.8%) and Thailand(17.0%) get, and so we have to do a lot more catching up to attain the same level of tourist coming to our shores.

Looking at the contribution these tourists give to the nations’ economy, we can see why many countries usually bet strongly on tourism. And a major component of their tourism industry includes a progressive program of heritage preservation and development, not just the focus on natural charms of beaches,seas, and mountains.

Tony Fernandes, the successful Air Asia CEO, sees the Philippines as "… the jewel in our crown… with massive tourism potential, amazing people, and has some of the most beautiful places in the world that the world doesn't know about -- Palawan, Coron, Bohol, these are amazing places…” [http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/public_sector/tony_fernandes_on_driving_asean_entrepreneurship; Cathy RoseGarcia, March 28, 2015]. Yes, the Philippines is indeed a jewel by many measures, but as in allreal, stone jewels, it needs to be positioned on a firm gemstone setting. Complementing our natural assets with a sound, no non-sense HC program will help the country perform better as a dynamic tourism powerhouse, one that will match or even surpass its ASEAN counterparts.

What ails HC? But what ails HC in the Philippines in the first place?

There can be myriad of reasons. Many could be traced back to whatails other aspects of the Philippine well-being as well. In short, root causes are intertwined and interconnected, and it mayentail a deeper analysis (and a larger treatise) to come out witha definite, evidence-based answer.

But I’m always fascinated when students in my graduate subject, AR 201, start working on the semester’s research proposals. And there it is! That’s where I can find some cues andtherefore, links, to connect the dots that may lead to answering the big question.

As always, most students would incline to doing HC themes. Proposals are made along the topics of ‘laws, regulations, and guidelines are deficient and RA 10066 is a gap-filled guide’; ‘what techniques to use –concrete or lime?’; ‘who’s the expert’, and ‘what the authority should HC be made; and ’how to determine Filipino heritage buildings’, among others. But an overarching argument being advanced pervades and normally revolves around theconjecture that everything done ‘should be Filipino’. Yes, there is a strong under-current toward broad-based conservation while invoking rigid nationalistic stance; pressing for ‘a very Filipino’ HC, while glamorizing all things foreign [well, who said ‘Filipino’ was not foreign in the first place?]. There’s thepervasive attempt to promote exceptionalist national identity. Inalmost all endeavors [in fact, not only in HC but in most areas],banal appearance of nationalism is ever-present.

When HC doesn’t make sense There is a promise of change that can actually catalyze from

this phenomenon of young academics flocking to the heritage route. The forming of critical mass that leans toward championingthe HC cause can effect real progress in the heritage movement.

This could bring about an HC program grounded on open-minded vision, philosophy, and strategy, and one that promotes - not insularity- but true unity and common good.

The present situation in HC is no different from the prevailing state of the Philippine society. It seems characterized by chronic fragmentation, disconnectedness, and indifference [http://www.rappler.com/nation/73274-ph-cultural-agencies-nhcp-ncca-national-museum-overhaul; Pia Ranada, October 28, 2014]. I wonder if it can be an outcome of academic upbringing that focuses on self-centered philosophy and promotion of exceptionalist national identity, and not on genuine efforts of advancing the collective well-being. It is ironic to see how attempts at uniting the society through inward-looking nationalist stance produce the reverse- the disunity among sectors that, in the first place, all love HC. A foreign Ph. D. student seems right-on-target when he tried to infer on WHY there’s a sorry urban condition in the metropolis; “The lack of cohesion of Filipino society is reflected adamantly in the dysfunctionality of the city”. [http://www.interaksyon.com/article/110279/commentary--public-servants-should-stop-privatizing-public-spaces-and-create-more-parks; Jorge Mojarro, May 10, 2015].

It’s about time that we question the old theory. The idea that “Filipinos are fragmented and so strong Filipino nationalism is needed to unify them” seems worn out and outdated. The opposite can be true: “The philosophy of establishing exceptionalist national identity creates a fragmented Filipinosociety even more” – and so better try a new approach. [I am inclined to pursue these lines of argument in my future writing].

A heritage movement that is devoid of substance yet heavy onpatriotic rhetoric is an anomaly. It doesn’t make sense unless set on a foundation that is tenable, evidence-based, and strategic - fostering unity and common good, and not based on nationalistic, philosophical conjecture. Remember the metaphor ofa jewel on a gemstone setting?

http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/173745/september-massacre-of-manilas-heritage-condemned#ixzz3a0UoEXTM; Edgar Sembrano, October 6, 2014.

The younger generation’s recent infatuation with HC must notbe founded on exclusive patriotism – one that shall not be made central to how HC program should work. If we have it that way, itwouldn’t be surprising if we end up making HC go real non-sense, not even for a while, but in a persevering way! Things would thenbe a throwback culture that only lasts one FB post away!

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Romeo B. Santos0915 507 [email protected]

Building: Michel Apartment (Art Deco)Location: Malate, ManilaDesigner: Francis Mendelbaum

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