Heritage Conservation Society

24/08/2026

🌱 NEW DISCUSSION PAPER: Policy Landscape for Built Heritage in the Cordillera 🏔️🏛️

When national heritage policies meet local realities, how do state-centered regulations align with the living, interconnected traditions of indigenous communities?

We are pleased to announce the release of UP CIDS Discussion Paper, "Policy Landscape for Built Heritage in the Cordillera". Authored by Leah Abayao, this study is published under our Local Regional Studies Network (LRSN) X Cordillera Studies Center UP Baguio. It takes a critical look into the implementation of national cultural heritage laws at the subnational level, examining how state frameworks interact with customary governance and indigenous knowledge systems.

🔍 Key Highlights from the Paper:
⚙️ The Limits of "Authorized Heritage": Analyzing how national policies compartmentalize heritage into rigid tangible and intangible categories, often undervaluing the holistic and interconnected ways local communities view their cultural landscape.
🏝️ LGU Initiatives & Customary Frameworks: Exploring proactive municipal responses—such as Sagada's heritage and tourism ordinances—that attempt to balance statutory compliance with the traditional authority of local elders and political institutions.
🦀 Balancing Preservation and Pressures: Examining the challenges of heritage management, from the risks of tourism-driven commodification and compliance-heavy bureaucracy to the displacement of sacred ritual spaces.
💡 Policy Directions for Living Heritage: Proposing a recalibration of heritage frameworks—moving away from static asset protection toward a dynamic model rooted in customary institutions, adaptive reuse, and meaningful community participation.

By recognizing heritage as a dynamic social process of cultural growth rather than a mere physical asset, we can ensure that preservation efforts empower indigenous communities and protect their living traditions.

📖 Download the full discussion paper for FREE:
https://cids.up.edu.ph/download/policy-landscape-built-heritage-cordillera/

24/08/2026

🎨 CALL FOR 2027 EXHIBITION PROPOSALS is NOW OPEN!

Let your vision take shape and become part of the NCCA's 2027 exhibition lineup.

📅 Submission Deadline: September 30, 2026 (Wednesday) 11:59PM (Philippine Standard Time)

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) invites artists, curators, collectors, cultural workers, and institutions to submit exhibition proposals for its 2027 Exhibition Program.

This is an opportunity to present exhibitions that celebrate the richness, diversity, and dynamism of Philippine arts and culture while fostering meaningful dialogue and public engagement through the visual arts.

If you have a compelling exhibition concept that contributes to the appreciation, promotion, and development of Philippine artistic expression, we encourage you to submit your proposal.

For the complete guidelines, eligibility requirements, and submission details, visit:
https://ncca.gov.ph/2026/07/09/call-for-2027-exhibition-proposals/

23/08/2026

20/08/2026

20/08/2026

Sailing back in time on the B/B Florentino Das 🌊🇵🇭

Heritage Conservation Society (HCS) recently got to board this incredible 24-meter replica of a pre-colonial Filipino balangay, crafted out of solid Philippine ironwood. It was amazing to step onto a piece of living history, but the real power of this vessel is the story behind it.

The boat is named after Florentino Das, a legendary mariner who built a homemade boat called Lady Timarau and sailed solo all the way across the Pacific from Hawaii to the Philippines just to get home. He went through immense struggles at sea, driven by a simple goal: to prove that Filipinos are world-class boatbuilders and seafarers.

Expedition leader Art Valdez gave us an inside look at how this project celebrates our ancient seafaring roots and our shared maritime culture across Southeast Asian neighbors.

Even though it’s built for the open sea, they actually modified the boat to navigate the Pasig River. The goal? To bring eyes to the many challenges faced by the Pasig river such as garbage, debris among others plaguing the waterway, and to inspire all of us to care more about river rehabilitation.

Our past was built on the water, and protecting it is up to us now.

19/08/2026

Capturing history, one frame at a time.✨

In celebration of World Photography Day, we’re celebrating the power of the lens to preserve our heritage.

Documenting heritage sites through photography is more than just taking a beautiful picture. It’s a vital way to honor, protect, and freeze our history in an ever-changing landscape.

Every photo serves as a visual record, helping us monitor environmental changes, raise awareness for conservation, and ensure these cultural treasures aren’t forgotten by future generations.

Where is your favorite heritage site? Share your own photos and tag us! We’d love to see it!

19/08/2026

➡️Look: our HCS President, Gio Abcede, as guest speaker at the 4th Metro Naga Young Leaders Forum with the theme, “Empowered Youth, Stronger Communities, Sustainable Future”.

15/08/2026