Cultural diversity is above all a fact: there exists a wide range of distinct

cultures, even if the contours delimiting a particular culture prove more difficult

to establish than might at first sight appear. (UNESCO, 2009). People around the

world were born with different culture and tradition. In fact, there are seven

culture regions around the world in which people share similar beliefs, history and

language.

Although there is no single definition for the term cultural diversity, it

usually refers to a particular individual or group who possess backgrounds and

experiences that are significantly different from those who comprise

“mainstream” (Thomas & Grimes, 2002). These differences may the legacy of

physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited

from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of

future generations. Cultural heritage includes tangible culture (such as buildings,

monuments, landscapes, books, works of art, and artefacts). It also includes

intangible culture traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and

passed on to our descendants, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social

practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and

the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts intangible

culture (such as folklore, traditions, language, and knowledge), and natural

heritage (including culturally significant landscapes, and biodiversity).

 Culture diversity teaches people to recognize and respect similarities as

well as differences. Regardless of age, people are often intrigued by the

similarities and differences among people. In general, when people are able to

recognize and respect common traits as well as unique characteristics, they are

better equipped to live cohesively with individuals who are different. (Thomas &

Grimes, 2002). It is important to recognize our own culture to promote and

preserve it.

According to Dekker & Young (2008) there are more than 6000 languages

spoken by the 7.7 billion people in the world today – however, those languages

are not evenly divided among the world’s population – over 90% of people

globally speak only about 300 majority languages – the remaining 5700 languages

being termed ‘minority languages. These languages represent the ethnolinguistic

diversity of our world and the rich cultural heritage embedded within cultural

communities. 

On the other hand, Philippines are home to enormous ethnic diversity it

composed of 7,107 islands and some 80 major ethno-linguistic groups that make

Philippine society a complex and diverse one.  If one takes languages as an

indicator, there are 172 languages — of which Pilipino (Filipino)/Tagalog and

English are the official languages — known in the Philippines; of these, 169 are

living languages. Although these sociolinguistic groups vary considerably in size

and in their relationship to the mainstream society, the Philippines represents an

ethnically highly diverse society in which some groups define themselves as

distinct from a perceived majority and their state institutions. The archipelago still

holds one of the earliest tribes that exists in the whole world which are the

Negritos/Aetas. They settled in the isolated mountains of Luzon, far away from

the country’s urban settlements.

According to UNESCO (2009), most local communities worldwide have

been exposed to some extent to the images and consumer practices typical of this

Western paradigm, which has now impacted on almost all countries, irrespective

of culture, religion, social system and political regime (Nyamjoh and Warnier,

2007). The adoption of many of its facets is closely linked to rapidly expanding

urban living, which now involves some 50 percent of the world’s population (see

Figure 1.1). Cultural erosion has accordingly become an issue of increasing

concern since numerous modes of life are being lost and many cultural forms and

expressions are disappearing.

 The cultural diversity produced by the series of colonization involving

Spaniards, Americans, and Japanese created a weak sense of Filipino identity,

which resulted to the culture of neglect for cultural heritage conservation. As

Pierre Nora (1989) emphasized, there is the absence of the will to remember. This

identity crisis has contributed to the commodification of culture that was further

enhanced by urbanization. Once culture is treated as a commodity, financial value

is attached to it and losses its authenticity (Taylor, 2001). Hence, cultural heritage

conservation becomes a financial and material concept.

In addition, the Filipino culture has been characterized as hybrid in nature

being a mixture of elements from different and often incongruous sources such

that Filipinos are oriental about family, Chinese about business, and American

about ambitions (Viray, 1968). That is why it is not impossible that even a

Filipino feel alienated with its own culture.

This has been an ideal testimonial of what Jose Rizal provided in his essay

Filipinas Dentro de Cien Años (The Philippine A Century Hence), appeared in La

Solidaridad, September 1889 – January 1890 edition, which argues that: “At a

terribly critical time when an entire people was undergoing change in

government, laws, customs, religion and beliefs, the Philippine Islands were

depopulated, impoverished, and retarded by these wars… they lost confidence in

the past, all faith in the present and all hope in the future... little by little they lost

their ancient traditions and their culture. They forgot their native alphabet, their

songs, their poetry, their laws, in order to learn by writing other doctrines which

they did not understand.” Being Nationalistic is a choice. Some choose to

understand and promote Filipino culture in many artistic ways so that they could

establish pride and honor as true-blooded Filipinos. But some people choose to

shame their country’s slow progress in establishing identity. As citizens of our

country, we should help one another and teach people to the way of loving our

own culture despite the internal or external threats. From this point it is easy to

understand that culture and the understanding of culture is in a continuous state of

fluctuation, change and development.

J. Kamlian (2003) Stated that, the Philippines, like many of the third world

countries in Southeast Asia, is now seriously confronted with problems related to

their ethnic and religious minority populations. As a multi-cultural state, one of

her major problems is how to forge unity and cooperation among the various

ethnic groups in the country. A number of interfaith and intercultural dialogues

have been conducted by the academe, civil society organizations, and non-

governmental organizations in the different parts of Mindanao. However, Filipino

Muslims in the country still feel they are discriminated. These cases of

discrimination are one of the reasons of the cultural conflict in Mindanao.

There exists a wide range of different beliefs of Muslims in the Philippines.

Maranao one of its tribe. Most of them resides in Lanao del sur specifically,

Marawi. Marawi was derived from the name Kota Marahui

Kota Marahui was fortification made of earth and stone built by the

Maranaos to protect themselves from foreign invasion.

 Since 1650, when the Maranaos routed the Spanish expeditionary forces

sent by Governor Corcuera, Lake Lanao had been free of foreign intervention. It

was not until 1891 that Spaniards sent another invading force to try to capture the

lake area. In that same year, Governor-General Valeriano Weyler personally led

the campaign against the Maranaos. He aimed to establish military strongholds in

the areas of Lanao and Cotabato. He organized more than a thousand troops who

were transported to Iligan Bay by four ships packed with military supplies. The

Kota Marahui was heavily guarded by the Maranaos. On August 19, Marahui fell,

the next day Amai Pakpak, together with followers, planned a counter attack,

and determined not to give up to the enemies.

On August 21, 1891, the Spaniards launched a two-pronged attack

targeting the fort. They bombarded the area, overwhelming its defenders; both

sides sustained heavy casualties. Amai Pakpak retreated into the lake and

regrouped his forces. Three days later, the Muslims were back – a bigger and

more formidable force that compelled the Spaniards to withdraw in their own

redoubts in North Lanao.

Henceforth, the Muslims regularly staged lighting raids, in small units,

against the enemy settlements in southern Misamis Oriental and Iligan for four

years. In time, the colonial government decided that if the stalemate were to end

and the Muslim settlements around Lake Lanao subdued, the campaign on land
should be bolstered by naval support – a tactic which had found success elsewhere

in Mindanao. Thus, a fleet of four steel hulled light gunboats was sent to the lake

within a period of one year, from 1894 until 1895.

While the absence of major confrontation and a temporary peace was in

the air, the Muslim was preparing for what possible things to happen. Amai

Pakpak and other datus rebuilt their forts, strategically placing on these stonewalls

more massive cannons, and strengthened their forces. On March 10, 1895, the big

test for Amai Pakpak and the rest of his troops took place. The Spaniards found

themselves faced by the strong cotta of Amai Pakpak. Bravery and heroism were

demonstrated by our countrymen but they were no match against the fire power of

the Spaniards. Eventually, the cotta fell. Datu Amai Pakpak, including his son and

23 other datus, as well as 150 other Maranaos, fell defending their cotta. The

Spaniards lost only two officers and sixteen soldiers. Some of the Muslims

managed to escape.

Amai Pakpak’s legacy flies high in protecting his beloved land from the

invaders. He shed his life together with other Muslim brothers. Even though his

wings were broken his spirit lives on especially in the hearts of the Filipinos. The

battle fought by Amai Pakpak served as a springboard for our other Muslim

brothers to continue fighting for freedom. In honor of Amai Pakpak’s bravery and

heroism, Kota Marahui was renamed as Camp Amai Pakpak.

The Mosque in Maguindanao and Maranao

Islam probably arrived in the Maguindanao area around 1460 with the

coming of a certain Sharif Awliya whose marriage soon followed. After that, two

brothers. Sharif Hasan and Sharif Maraja, arrived from Johore on the Malay

Peninsula. 68 The first stayed in Sulu while Sharif Maraja "went to the area of

Slangan along the northern branch of the Pulangi River where he is said to have

married the daughter of the Sharif Awliya." Around 1515 Sharif Muhammad

Kabungsuwan arrived in Maguindanao and it is to him that most of the conversion

work is attributed. He established himself as a ruler in what is now called

Malabang. It is also reported "that it was the men of Kabungsuwan who built the

town of Cotabato, that is. the town of Maguindanao (or Slangan). " Although the

building of a mosque in the Maguindanao area is not specifically mentioned, we

may assume that Muhammad Kabungsuwan built one. We know that he "had a

high degree of Muslim consciousness." He probably assumed in Maguindanao a

role similar to that of Karim ui-Makhdum in Sulu with regard to architecture and

building. He is reported to have had "a rigid atitude towards non-Muslims and the

use of force against them was not unknown to him. From Maguindanao Islam

spread to the Maranao area principally through marriage alliances. In the

beginning the penetration of the new faith was superficial, as can be expected, but

"in the nineteenth century, the people of the Lake (lanao] had all become
Mus1ims." Some Maranaos claim "that the first mosque in Lanao was built in

Buadi Alao in the inged {township) of Ditsaan (presently part of the municipality

of Ditsaan-Ramain). " In support of this belief the author adduces two oral

traditions which both mention the building of a mosque in Ditsaan. The first one

goes back all the way to a certain Sarif (Sharif) Ali of Mecca who married the

daughter of the Sultan of Baghdad. One of the sons came to Johore and later to

Mindanao. where he married a native princess. One of his sons settled in Ditsaan

and built a mosque there. The second oral tradition mentions a lot of complicated

marriage alliances and divisions of territory. A certain

Alao who had met a Muslim Sarif and had invited him to stay at Ditsaan, built a

mosque there. We see that both traditions claim that the first mosque was in

Ditsaan, but they differ as to the respective builders. What is mentioned in other

traditions is that originally the Muslim rulers of Ditsaan, who eventually

established the Sultanate of Bayabao, were very strict in applying the Islamic rule

which regulated the number of mosques and the distance between them. When the

sister of Alao almost drowned on her way to the mosque in Ditsaan, she obtained

permission to have her own mosque constructed for herself and her people. This

event, still according to traditions, started the "proliferation of mosques" in the

Lake Lanao area. Abbahil reports that in Marawi City one can hear the

simultaneous calls to prayer(adhan) from three or four muezzins, a situation

which should be avoided, according to Islamic rule. As a final note to the

commentary on the first mosque in the Maranao area. it should be mentioned that

other communities also claim that they each have the oldest mosque, e.g., the

Taraka people who built their Babo Rahman mosque. Abbahil di.stinguishes

between the "wooden tiered-roof style of mosque architecture common in the

Malay world" and the "domed, minareted style in cement and other more

permanent materials favored in the Middle East and South Asia. We could, of

course, make the distinction between types of mosques on the basis of materials

(wood versus cement) and also on the basis of form, which is "the expressor of

meanings." The comparison of forms should include an attempt to determine the

various influences on the final form. We may assume that the original Lake Lanao

mosque consisted of a squarish base with a pyramidal roof decorated at its apex

with a multi-tiered small tower-like structure, the amoran, whose lower portion

may have resembled a vase. The ranggar (prayer hall) in Karigongan, Bubong

may serve as an example. The attempt to elaborate on this simple shape went in

two directions. In the first one, the simple pyramidal roof was repeated two or

three times and the small tower on top was retained. The result was the two, three

or four-tiered mosque, originally built in wood. The vertical portions were

sometimes beautifully painted with abstract designs such as those on the Taraka

mosque in Lanao del Sur." The other attempt retained the simple pyramidal roof

and inserted between apex and the tower-like marker a dome resting on a single or
double base. mostly octagonal in plan. The dome-like structure has an onion-

shaped outline but is often octagonal rather than circular in form; this means that

the dome has edges or ridges. usually eight in number. There are numerous

examples of this type on the shores of Lake lanao. The next step in the

development of the form of the Maranao mosque was to add a small squarish

space for the quibla niche. It was often crowned by a multi-tiered pagoda-like

roof, sometimes carrying a small onion-shaped dome with a marker on top. A

further step was taken by articulating the corners of the mosque proper. This was

usually done by adding small towers, crowned again by pagoda-like roofs with

small domes on top. Sometimes the mihrab niche was also articulated by a similar

tower. In plan these towers were often square at the bottom and octagonal at the

upper portions.

The size of the community belonging to a mosque is still based on the

kinship-related agama (social unit). The barangay system introduced by the

central Philippine government has practically no influence on

The Hindu-Malay Style of the Mosque

 It seems justified to consider the steps just mentioned in the development

of the Filipino mosque as constituting the Hfndu-Javanese or Hindu-Malay style,

following the example of Hausherr. Others, like Gowing,82 call this period the

old style prefer to allude to it by the first term because it conveys to us something

about the architectural influences on Muslim architecture in the Philippines,

which is a difficult subject to discuss. More research is needed to come to some

definite conclusions regarding this matter. We know from parallel developments

concerning other people that they normally build the images and forms they carry

in their heads when they move from one place to another. The name Hindu-

Javanese or Hindu-Malay indicates that there is a strong influence of Hinduism

from India on the Filipino mosque. That is not surprising because the Hindu

influence on other areas of Filipino culture, such as literature and decorative art, is

well documented and acknowledged. The name Hindu-Javanese or Hindu-Malay

also indicates that the Hindu influence did not arrive directly in the Philippine

archipelago, but filtered through from the Indonesian islands, such as Sumatra,

Java, Borneo. etc. In other words, as the Muslim culture moved through the

islands just mentioned, it absorbed elements of Hindu culture already present and

that mixture arrived in the Philippines. With these preliminary remarks in mind

we can now face the question regarding the origin of the pagoda-like shapes of the

early Filipino mosques. Madale attempts to link these shapes to a Chinese

influence by arguing that "some Maranaos are proud to possess Chinese jars as
posaka. That probably means that Chinese settlers already present in the Lanao

area influenced the design of the mosque as the inhabitants accepted the new

faith, which is hard to believe. There is, of course, the other possibility that

Chinese Muslim traders were already present in the Lanao area as they were,

according to Majul, In Brunei. But It is easier to find evidence that the pagoda-

like shape was a Hindu influence, which came to the Philippines via the

·Indonesian islands. On the island of Bali, where. the Hindu influence has

remained strong up to the present day, we find pagoda-like temples built in wood

as, e.g., the state temples at Bangil, BaliN or the Schiwa Temple at Mengwi, Bali.

The onion-shaped dome, on the other hand. so prevalent in Maranao mosque

architecture, could have been inspired by examples in any of the Muslim countries

such as Egypt, Syria, Persia, etc. sinpe the dome was a typical early Muslim form

which took shape after the sanctuary of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem was

built. But most likely it was again Muslim India which provided the main impulse

on this form as it filtered down through the Malay peninsula and the Indonesian

islands. As this form of high style Muslim architecture was adapted to the

vernacular style, certain changes were necessitated partly also by the change from

stone to wood. In plan the dome changed from circular to octagonal, or a similar

cornered shape, each of which was easier to construct in wood, as already

mentioned. Hausherr ( 1972) Gowing (1979) The old Hindu-Malay multi-tiered

mosque style is fast disappearing around Lake Lanao as was made clear to me
during a recent visit (Nov. 19841. The old mosques have been torn down or

''improved" using the new style. In two places I found the old mosque all by itself

inside, while a larger new mosque of reinforced concrete and hollow blocks was

built around it. Photographs of the multi-tiered mosques are available at the Aga

Khan Museum, some of them taken by the late Dr. Gowing of the multi-cornered

base was placed under it, sometimes one on top of the other. These bases received

window openings in the vertical component as light sources for the C35 interior.

The native marker on top of the dome represented a native influence. Often the

dome is supported by a huge central wooden pillar inside the mosque; in this case

a true dome-like interior architectural space is lost.

The Rivera-McMillan report on Rural Philippines in 1952 made the

following observations on the differences of a few social and cultural

characteristics as compared with the Filipinos in general, namely:

1. Male authority is more dominant in family and society, generally.

2. A few wealthy men have several wives, but monogamous marriage prevailed

among them as among all Filipino elements.

3. Earlier marriage is encouraged.

4. The custom of dowry is observed in nearly all marriages, with the bride’s

parents generally receiving the property collected.

5. Divorce can be obtained more easily.

6. Segregation of the sexes is enforced more rigidly, especially after puberty.

7. The Maranao household is large, not because wives have more children each,

but because several families often live in the same dwelling. (Several household

of the shieks, hadjis and datus contained 20 or 30 persons).

8. The clan organization is stronger with elaborate ritual and hierarchy of

functionaries.

9. The datus are more powerful politically than appointed or elected officials of

the Philippines Government.

10. Religion probably plays a larger role in the daily behavior of the Moslems

than of Christians.

11. Formal education is valued less among the Maranaos than among Christian

Filipinos, especially with reference to women.”

Social Structure:

1. Upper class called “Malai-i-bangsa” – These are the sultans, wealthy datus and

their relatives. They belong to the royal blood so to speak of.

2. Lower class called “Mabubai-bangsa” or “Matagtao” – The small farmers and

the artisans belong to this group.

3. Slave class call “Bisaya” – These are the servants and laborers.

In Lumbayao, there are actually two ruling sultans and four datus. The title

of sultan is inherited by one of his sons when he fades out. A son who has the

confidence and love of the family and the people under the sultanate is usually the

one chosen and not necessarily the oldest son.

Religion

The Maranaos are all Moslems and their bible is the "Koran". Their

religion is far more important in their daily living than elsewhere in the

Philippines. With a visit to the holy city of Mecca, a man, a woman or even a

child acquires the title of "Hadji". Marriages are legalized by the Imam who also

officiates in funeral services and birth ceremonies. Incidentally, the circumcision

practices are not performed by the Imam but by the "Pandita", a very devout

person who knows how to pray. The church is very well supported by the

community. The Imam receives fees for funerals and gets one tenth of all

harvests. If an individual does not go to 129 church and pray regularly, he is

called a Kaffir, a name given to the Christians and to those who are against the

Islam Faith. The Moslem Sabbath is Friday, and a cleansing bath is required

before entering the mosque for worship. Marriage customs and practices are very

well defined. For the boys, marriage is an expensive affair and is therefore a

heavy burden. This is true for all classes of people although among the poor the
"price" of the bride is proportionately low. Among the upper classes, the bride's

price which may be called a "dowry" runs to thousands of pesos plus some

carabaos. In many instances, in order to finance a marriage, some mortgages are

necessary and the boy may have to resort to asking some financial help from

relatives. The dowry must be met, as no legal marriage would be affected without

it. In later years, it is the responsibility of the young couple to pay the sum if the

money is borrowed from elsewhere. In marriage, the young Maranao boy and girl

are dominated by parental wishes and a very restricted courtship takes place. The

boy and girl are not allowed to speak with each other except in groups and when

they do, they are closely watched.

Agriculture

Agriculture in a narrow strip of land where the hills rise quickly on its

western border and with Lake Lanao limiting it on the eastern side contains

approximately 235 hectares of agricultural land fully devoted to the production of

corn, rice, cassava, bananas, vegetables and some coffee. Agriculture is primitive.

and production is low. About 90% of the 311 households are engaged in

agriculture 20% of which are tenant farmers. While the average farm is 4 hectares

the actual cultivation is only 2.7. Five land holders own 50.2% of the total area,

the largest being 118 hectares.

Housing and Sanitation

 Sanitary conditions are v e r y poor. This poses a constant threat to the

general health of the people. The use of the rivers and lake for elimination and

waste disposal is not only unsightly but also a public health menace. The water for

drinking, cooking, and washing is taken from the same source. A few educated

Maranaos have some storage tanks for catching rain water for drinking. The rural

community survey in 1952 revealed only two deep well pumps and one Antipolo

toilet in a barrio of 311 households having 2,113 people. The barrio has many

large and long houses with several families crowding in each house. Sanitary

facilities and proper ventilation are very much wanting. The windows are small

and oftentimes only narrow slits in the walls are open to admit air and sunlight.

When highly communicable diseases like common diarrheas and respiratory

infections attack one, they spread unabatedly because of overcrowding and lack of

health facilities including elementary knowledge of disease prevention. It is

traditionally customary for several related families to live together which

therefore calls for long houses. A Maranao ventured to say that they must live in

this crowded fashion for reasons of economy as it is quite expensive for each

family to build its own dwelling. The families with large long houses are people

with substantial means according to their social standard. Very often the head

belongs to a ruling class classified as: datu, sultan, high priest (imam) and hadji,

among lower social groups, the houses are small and poorly constructed with light

materials of wood, bamboo and nipa. It is usually a single or two-room house with
very scanty furniture. The windows are also very small, just sufficient for one to

peep out. These small unsightly houses are mostly found on the farms and are

owned by the small farmers and tenants. There is neither a public health physician

nor a nurse in the area and the nearest health officers available are in Dansalan

City. Medical care in sickness or in childbirth, therefore, comes from the local

"quack doctor" called locally as "Pamomolong". They are mostly men and about

10 in number. The midwives (4 in number) are called "Panggowai", Care of the

sick, child raising and other related matters pertaining to health follow the old

traditional methods and seem not to have been influenced by the new trends and

progressive ideas. A few examples of health practices may be illustrative of the

kind of health services existing in the community. In child birth, local midwives

are called and they are both men (pang-gowai) and women (pang-gowai abubai).

The woman midwife, however, is more popular. These midwives have not had

any training and schooling in any midwifery institution nor knowledge in asepsis.

The services of the midwife usually cover a period of one week and the condition

of payment varies according to the class situation of the mother. It is only in hard

and abnormal labor that the case is brought to Dansalan where a hospital and

physicians are available or else a doctor from that city may be called to attend an

emergency. Breast feeding begins immediately and the infant is nursed without a

fixed schedule. Solid food is given to the infant at the age of about two months,

with the mother chewing the food first before placing it in the infant's mouth.
Breast feeding continues for one year or more, and even when the mother is

pregnant with the second child. When weaning has been effected, it is customary

that the mother and child are separated for a few days, perhaps for adjustment of

both. The boys and girls undergo circumcision rites according to the Moslem

practices-the boys between the ages of 12 and 14 and girls from the age of four to

the time before menstruation begins.

Education

The people in general are fairly literate as a large number of the population

can read and write in Arabic. There is only one 1st grade school of 35 pupils

under one teacher. The children of the higher elementary grades go to school in

nearby Malaig. Only 12.4% of the school children 6 to 9 years old are attending

school as compared with about 50% in other Christian communities, of which

15.2% are males and 9.3% females. Only 29.9% of the population 10 years old

and over are not able to read and write and 34.4% of the population 20 years old

and over have not completed any grade in the primary system of education under

the Bureau of Public Schools. Many Maranao men speak fairly good English but

one hardly finds a woman that speaks another language besides her native tongue.

The girls are usually taken out from the public school and kept at home especially

when they are approaching the age of puberty. It is also customary that the girls of

the upper class are as much as possible secluded from the general public while the
poorer women go outside and do all household errands including buying and

selling in the market. The restrictions on the education arid movement of the

Maranao Moslem women limit the intellectual, cultural and social growth of

practically one-half of the community's population. The situation indicates that

marked conservatism of the Maranao culture still exists among the people.

Products

The Arts In a nearby town, the foundry workers and blacksmiths turn out

beautiful brass and steel products such as kris, bolos, daggers of different types

and sizes, gongs, flower vases, spittons, 'replicas of Moslem mosques, and many

other artistic products. They are sold in Dansalan mainly as curios for the tourists.

They command good prices. In the world of arts and music, the Maranaos hold on

to their own, unaffected by Western cultures. The songs are purely oriental and

have the characteristics of a Malay cultural background and repetitious recitals of

unwritten epics usually portray the achievements, grandeur and greatness of the

Maranao heroes centuries past. The dances and musical instruments are purely

oriental and closely similar to those observed and found in Indonesia with some

tint of Arabic influence. The musical instruments are few, namely the kolintals,

'flute, brass gong and a few others. A play, of the fan in romantic scenes

especially in love making is an important feature in some entertainments.

 The Moslem Filipinos, like any other people in progressive communities:

have also a strong desire towards the attainment of a wholesome and peaceful life,

progress and economic advancement. The main drawbacks, however, are the lack

of understanding and slowness if not altogether non-susceptibility in accepting

new ideas and trends, new inventions and other technological changes, new

concept of democratic way of life, and other cultural changes. Many Moslem

Filipinos have little tolerance for these changes and breaking the ice seems

difficult. It is, however, very promising that the young people who are now in

school, and those who have already returned to their respective communities after

schooling elsewhere are showing restlessness and impatience with the outmoded

practices in agriculture, health and education, and even in courtship and marriage.

They are also restless because of the delayed progress of their respective

communities. To these educated and dedicated youths, the people are pinning

their hopes for a more accelerated progress and improved standard of living. The

major problems in agriculture, health, education, housing, social organization,

attitudes, and others have been identified in the above discussions. They are not

new problems. They have remained with: out remedy or with half-baked solutions

for many generations, perhaps centuries. They are salient points wherein a

program of development can be planned and started. Suggested solutions are not

presented here for reasons of brevity. However, our government and people

should take the problems of a large minority group such as the Moslem Filipinos
seriously and should institute measures for their early solution. The Philippine

Republic cannot become a strong and stable nation with a large number of its

inhabitants staying in isolation, in ignorance, in ill-health, in poverty, and of

doubtful loyalty to the constituted authorities.

Architectural Identity

Panolong of a Maranao House

This panolong of an ancestral Maranao house shows the naga {dragon)

design. It is attached to the house like a bracket.

To reflect Maranao Culture as true as possible, the facilities must have

strong Maranao architectural elements. They are best known for their produced
probably the most spectacular of Philippine vernacular architecture with their

impressive Torogan. The design motifs which form the basis for their okil is one

of the most systematized in the country. Among the more noted of the design

motifs of their okil is the sarimanok and naga, which are abstract animate forms of

a cock and the dragon or snake, respectively. The awang, the dugout boat they use

in Lake Lanao, is probably the most unique of dugouts in the country, if not the

most ornate. And also, since they have a rich culture for their designs on known

for the sophistication of their weaving and wood and metal craft, the structures

may also take inspirations from it.

 Lamin in Binidayan, South of Lake L.anao

The lam in, which is the elevated bedroom for the princess of the Islamic

ruler in the Philippines, reflects an older way of I ife among the Muslims of the

Maranao area. The lam in often has circular openings on all four sides for

ventilation. and is beautifully decorate<! with colorful okkir designs.

This accounts also for the abstract decorative carving and metal work,

structural elements, such as arches and columns and another medium brought to
perfection by Islamic artists was the colored decorative tile used as wall surfaces

which became and remained a distinctive cultural trait among Muslim Filipinos,

especially among the Maranao.

Mala a walai

A house of the highest rank or richest datu in a “pagawid” principality. It

is a huge, partition-less structure on stilts with okir decoration on the baseboards,

windowsills, and doorjambs. Although this house has ornamentation, it does not

have the panalongs or richly carved end-beam design.

Maranao Torogan
 Maranao Torogan
Maranao Torogan

To reflect Maranao Culture as true as possible, the facilities must have

strong Maranao architectural elements. They are best known for their produced

probably the most spectacular of Philippine vernacular architecture with their

impressive Torogan. The design motifs which form the basis for their okil is one
of the most systematized in the country. Among the more noted of the design

motifs of their okil is the sarimanok and naga, which are abstract animate forms of

a cock and the dragon or snake, respectively. The awang, the dugout boat they use

in Lake Lanao, is probably the most unique of dugouts in the country, if not the

most ornate. And also since they have a rich culture for their designs on known

for the sophistication of their weaving and wood and metal craft , the structures

may also take inspirations from it.

This accounts also for the abstract decorative carving and metal work,

structural elements, such as arches and columns and another medium brought to

perfection by Islamic artists was the colored decorative tile used as wall surfaces

which became and remained a distinctive cultural trait among Muslim Filipinos,

especially among the Maranao.

Since the Philippines has a rich diverse culture, the government's support

for cultural development is particularly highlighted by the passage of Republic

Act 7356 that created the NCCA (National Commission for Culture and the Arts).

The NCCA formulates and implements policies and plans that will conserve and

promote the nation’s historical and cultural heritage. It ensures the widest

dissemination of artistic and cultural products among the greatest number across
the country and overseas for their appreciation and enjoyment; preserves and

integrates traditional culture and its various creative expressions as a dynamic part

of the national cultural mainstream; and ensures that standards of excellence are

pursued in programs and activities implementing its policies. The coordination

among the cultural agencies was strengthened by the virtue of Executive Order

No. 80, which placed the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the National

Historical Institute (now, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines),

the National Museum, The National Library (now, The National Library of the

Philippines), and the Records, Management and Archives Office (now, National

Archives of the Philippines) under the NCCA umbrella. Furthermore, through

Republic Act No 9155, administratively attached the earlier aforementioned five

cultural agencies to the NCCA, including now the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino.

Thus, the NCCA is responsible for culture and the arts in the Philippines and, if

not, the de facto Ministry of Culture. 

Cultural Heritage refers to the contemporary society’s use of the past.

“Our cultural heritage” contributes to the shaping of national stereotypes and

regional identity and it’s a modern or postmodern reflection of the past. In Europe

it is often associated with older city centers. In North America, it is strongly

linked to national parks, museums and galleries in urban areas. In Australia and

New Zealand, it is also associated with the indigenous culture, identity and
landscape (Boyd & Timothy 2003). Cultural heritages also include intangible

heritage, i.e. “living expressions and the traditions that countless groups and

communities worldwide have inherited from their ancestors and transmit to their

descendants, in most cases orally”.

According to Carman and Sørensen (2009), the field of heritage studies

developed from David Lowenthals influential book The Past is a Foreign Country

(1985), and uses methodology mainly from the social sciences to study interaction

between individuals and heritage. Cultural heritage is “that part of the past which

we select in the present for contemporary purposes, be they economic, cultural,

political, or social” (Khakzad 2015, p 110). UNESCO defines cultural heritage as

“the legacy of physical artefacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that

are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for

the benefit of future generations”. This organization describes three dimensions of

the cultural heritage; it is consisted of monuments, groups of buildings and sites.

The challenge today is for each and every Filipino to reclaim his or her

indigeneity by rediscovering and re-rooting in their ancestral traditions (may be

trans-tribal). One must be guided by an understanding of Indigenous Cultural

Communities/Indigenous Peoples not only as referring to minority indigenous

groups, but also to “peoples who are regarded as indigenous on account of their

descent from the populations which inhabited the country. Whatever shape they
take, these things form part of a heritage, and this heritage requires active effort

on our part in order to safeguard it. They may be significant due to their present or

possible economic value, but also because they create a certain emotion within us,

or because they make us feel as though we belong to something - a country, a

tradition, a way of life.

The heritage of a community is essentially its resource for growth - a

threshold for a forward movement even if that is rather evolutionary in character.

It not only constitutes the spiritual resource of the community, as also of

individuals it is an essential source of an identity deeply rooted in the past.

IMPACTS OF CULTURE UNDERSTANDING

According to Dr. Percival F. Almoro, Philippine Studies in scientific research

helps in the dissemination of the various syntheses of local and foreign

methodologies and viewpoints that advances the discipline for the benefit of

humanity. Filipino culture is rich and diverse. It is the key to improve our

technology, arts, laws etc. Philippines is a developing country which many local

or foreign influence affects our growth. The principles that we have today are not

enough to satisfy the needs of the people. Support from the government and

people is also required for Philippine Studies to be efficient. When we acquire

mutual understanding of our culture, we would be able to create our own identity

or branding to promote and create new ideas.

 Philippines has unique features that many tourists visit. It has world class

features that we can see in some of our environment, culture, tradition and

products. The importance of preserving our culture is for us to have a reminder

that Filipinos’ suffered many years before it reached its freedom. Tourists alike

would find our country to be valuable since most of them are focused on

establishing business in our country. The Department of Tourism would be able to

generate income from heritage centers, public parks, and government protected

areas. Lastly, local products would be recognized in local and international

market.

The active involvement of civil society is the best way to safeguard heritage

and create opportunities for human and economic development. It will involve

state-of-the-art theories, methodologies and good practice in mobilizing civil

society around cultural heritage, and their impact on its healthy development.

“Values give purpose and direction to the lives of people within the society. It

gives meaning and significance to their life and to the totality of the society”

(Ramos, 2016). Even if we were colonized by several colonizers, many values

from our ancestors remained essential up to this moment. Majority of the

Philippine population is bound together by common values. Just like any other

countries, our cultural values such as non-rationalism and social acceptance have

both positive and negative impacts to our lives and to the lives of the other people,
but these values matter most on how others perceived and act according to the

standards set within the place we dwell in.

Heritage can be used in a number of ways. Departing from Klas-Göran

Karlssons specification (Karlsson 2004), existential, ideological, commercial and

educational use seems especially useful and applicable. And combined with

provisions for preservation, development and management, heritage then offers a

full range of options to heritage operators, developers, planners and to the public

as well.

According to Ding Xiaoyu, Cultural architecture, specially, museum

architecture, is of significant social value and importance for the improvement of

city image, and for the optimization of people's living environment.

Consequently, it is significant to analyze such kind of architecture from various

perspectives so as to explore its spatial constitution and functional organization.

Generally speaking, museum architecture, belonged to the category of public

cultural architecture, consists of museum, exhibition hall, gallery, etc. It aims at

research, education and appreciation as well as collects, saves, studies, transmits

and exhibits witnesses related to human beings and their environment (including
objects or specimens of nature, history, culture, art, science and technology).

(Tang et al., 2009)

In an Introduction to Architecture for Comprehensive Engineering Schools

in Paris a monograph of Jean-Louis Dylan, he put forward the feature of museum

architecture design, i.e., practical applicability. The audiences of museum

architecture refer to the group that it serves. For audiences, the most intimate

functional space in a museum architecture consists of three aspects, i.e., exhibition

space (Henderson, 2001), traffic space and rest space (Henderson, 2001).

Exhibition space acts as both the basic space in architecture, for instance,

museums and the carrier of the exhibition. In general, plane layout of a exhibition

room is divided into the following types, i.e., tandem type, radial type and hall

type (Zhang and Zhou, 1998). The tandem type aims at connecting all exhibition

rooms; its visiting circulation is specific and coherent but less flexible. As for

radial type, all the exhibition room are arranged around the atrium or set along the

hallway etc., which has strong flexible and selectable peculiarity. Besides, the hall

type centers on centralizing most exhibition spaces into a comprehensive hall,

whose layout is well-knit and flexible. However, it inevitably tends to result in

overlapping visiting routes and noise interference.

The exhibition rooms of Hefei-Kurume Friendly Art Gallery are settled on

the first floor. Passing through the aisle, audiences can reach their destination. The
staircase, hidden behind the wall, is mainly for emergency evacuation, and will

not give any misguidance to audiences.

Under the premise of not obstructing visitors' passageway, it is often

arranged optionally in order that audiences can stop and have a rest at any time.

Although it is not easy to obtain a quiet environment for rest, it is important to

ensure such rest space can be seen everywhere without a need to look for it

specially. Such kind of rest space can be found in all of the three investigated

exhibition museums. In short, the requirement for rest can be satisfied by simply

arranging simple seats along the wall in the aisle.

Utilizing remaining space to set up rest area

In order to obtain excellent indoor sensation toward space, most space in

the architecture is diverse. Among such kinds of space, there may be some small

jagged and interlocking space which can be used to set up an area for rest, which

can not only enhance ratio of space utilization but also form a small visual center.

In addition, a corner of the small space can be arranged as a retail section,

supplying beverage or simple food to audiences. A refined and detailed design of

the space is highly recommended and will definitely impress visitors with certain

esthetic appreciation.
Rest area attached to other functional space
The rest space attached to other functional space aims at providing

services. For example, the rest space around the Lavatory or beside the elevator

affords ease and comfort. Although there are not many seats in such space, the

concept of humanistic design can still be reflected sufficiently. Because

architecture is not just to provide shelter away from wind and rain, a qualified

architect should take people's behavior pattern into full consideration, and

simultaneously devise suitable space, providing convenient service for people's

various behaviors.

Rest areas set inside the exhibition hall

Although it is not common to see such kind of rest areas, we can find

examples in many exhibition museums. With respect to the investigated cases,

some teahouses are arranged with ancient furniture in the exhibition room of

Anhui Museum so that audiences can have a rest. Similarly, Hefei-Kurume

Friendly Art Gallery also places sofas and tea tables eastwards in its east

exhibition room so as to offer a specific place for audiences to have a break after a

long-time tour.

Syntagmatic relationship among exhibition space, traffic space and rest space
 Being influenced by various factors, the layout of the public exhibition

architecture, which is continuous in its spatial combination to satisfy the

requirements of visiting routes, is diverse. However, spatial combination is

basically divided into four types (Fig. 7), including tandem type spatial

combination, radial type spatial combination, channel type spatial combination as

well as spatial combination of comprehensive hall type (Zhang, 2008).

Fig. 7. Types of spatial combination.

Fig. 8. Q1–Q7 Statistics of investigated data (unit :%).

(1)

Audiences not only pay attention to the exhibits themselves but also care

the spatial environment around the exhibits. 24.1% of audiences will visit the

exhibition because exhibits are attractive. Therefore, it is essential to arrange

visiting routes and build interesting environment for visitors in the design of

exhibition space.

(2)
 Considering the fact that 55.3% of audiences prefer escalator and 21.8% of

audiences choose elevator, convenient and efficient means of transportation must

be provided in the design of traffic space. Under the condition that the scale of the

exhibition museum permits, a priority should be given to escalator and elevator.

At the same time, the design of evacuation must be accomplished.

(3)

85% of audiences choose to take a motor vehicle (including their own car,

bus and taxi) to get to the exhibition museum, so adequate parking space should

be provided. Meanwhile, arrange the transportation streamline of cars and taxies

reasonably so as to avoid cross influence. Although only 5.8% of audiences

choose bicycle as their transportation means, parking space for non-motor

vehicles should also be provided in the design to encourage low-carbon lifestyle.

(4)

As we all know, comfortable rest space can help relieve fatigue faster.

Thus, scattered setup of all types of rest space enables audiences to have a rest

without having to go far, which enhances their favorable impression of the

exhibition museum so that they will stay longer in the exhibition museum.

It is essential to create interesting exhibition space in the design of

museum architecture to improve visiting ratio of the exhibition. At the same,

convenient and labor-saving transportation means should take precedence and

diversified design of rest space should be paid attention to.

According to Republic Act No. 10066

This law aims to protect, preserve, conserve and promote the nation’s

cultural heritage, its property and histories, and the ethnicity of local

communities. It also aims to establish and strengthen cultural institutions and

protect cultural workers and ensure their professional development and well-

being.

Through this law, the State endeavors to create a balanced atmosphere

where the historic past co-exists in harmony with modern society, and to

administer the heritage resources in a spirit of stewardship for the inspiration and

benefit of the present and future generations.

The following cultural properties are considered Important Cultural

Property for purposes of protecting them against exportation, modification or

demolition, unless declared otherwise by the pertinent cultural agency:

 Works by a Manlilikhang Bayan;

 Works by a National Artist;

 Archaeological and traditional ethnographic materials;

 Works of national heroes;

  Marked structure;

 Structures dating at least fifty (50) years old; and

 Archival material/document dating at least fifty (50) years old.

All cultural properties declared as Important Cultural Property may receive

government funding for its protection, conservation, and restoration. An official

Heritage Marker shall likewise be placed on an immovable cultural property to

identify the same as important cultural property.

The cultural properties may also be declared as National Cultural Treasures

and national historical landmarks which shall be entitled to certain privileges.

Cultural properties may be declared, or de-listed as National Cultural

Treasures or Important Cultural Property. This law provides for its procedure.

The registration and conservation of cultural property is an important feature

if this act. For this purpose, the establishment of Philippine Registry of Cultural

Property (PRECUP) is required. The local government units, through their

cultural offices, are tasked to maintain inventories of cultural properties under

their jurisdiction.

To conserve the cultural property, it is required that all intervention works and

measures on conservation of cultural properties must strictly adhere to the

accepted international standards of conservation.

 This act also highlights the need for the local government units to document

traditional and contemporary arts and crafts, including their processes and makers,

and sustain the sources of their raw materials. It is further tasked to encourage and

sustain traditional arts and crafts as active and viable sources of income for the

community.

Since this act intends to strengthen the role of the National Commission For

Culture And The Arts (NCCA), the powers of the commission and cultural

agencies are identified as follows:

Power to Issue a Cease and Desist Order suspending all activities that will put

in danger of destruction or will cause significant alteration from its original state

the national cultural treasures or important cultural properties;

Power to Issue Compulsory Repair Order when a privately-owned heritage

site cannot be maintained by the owner, or has fallen into disrepair due to neglect

to such an extent that it will lose its potential for conservation;

Visitorial Powers wherein the cultural agencies concerned, through the

Commission are given the power to inspect National Cultural Treasures and

Important Cultural Properties, and national historical landmarks, sites or

monuments at any time to ensure their protection and integrity.

 Power to Deputize Other Government Agencies and their successors in

interest, to enforce the provisions of this act and its implementing rules and

regulations. Heads of departments, commissions, bureaus, agencies or offices,

officers and/or agents found to have intentionally failed to perform their required

duty as prescribed by the deputization order shall be liable for nonfeasance, and

shall be penalized in accordance with applicable laws.

Power to Recover Cultural Properties which are under the custody of foreign

nationals or entities and to bring these properties back to Philippine custody.

This act also mandates that any government or non-government infrastructure

project or architectural site development shall include anthropological,

archaeological, historical and heritage site conservation concerns in their

Environmental Impact Assessment System.

Furthermore, the Department of the Interior and Local Government is tasked

to coordinate with the national cultural agencies on matters pertaining to Cultural

Properties under its jurisdiction, and ensure that the provisions of this act is

properly executed by the local government unit.

To the extent that the offense is not punishable by a higher punishment

under another provision of law, the following acts among others done

intentionally are considered violations of this law:

 Destroying, demolishing, mutilating or damaging any world heritage site

national cultural treasures important cultural property, and archaeological and

anthropological sites;

Modifying, altering, or destroying the original features of or undertaking

construction or real estate development in any national shrine, monument,

landmark and other historic edifices and structures, declared, classified, and

marked by the National Historical Institute as such, without the prior written

permission from the Commission. This includes the designated security or buffer

zone, extending five (5) meters from the visible perimeter of the monument or

site.

AFRICOM standard

The AFRICOM standard also includes useful examples of terminology for

individual fields in both the English-French and Arabic editions (International

Council of Museums, 1996 and 1997). These include lists for Material and

Technique.

Object numbering, labelling and marking It is important to assign a unique

number to each object and to relate this to the object by either writing it on a label
associated with the object or marking it on the object itself (International Council

of Museums. International Committee for Documentation, 1994). The object

number provides the link between the object and its documentation and can be

invaluable if the object is stolen or misplaced.

The basic collection preservation strategies Basic strategies that address all

or many agents at once:

1. A reliable roof, reliable against local precipitation, covering all organic

artefacts (and preferably most inorganic artefacts.) While this is obvious to even

people outside museums, it also applies to large objects, such as historic vehicles,

or historic machines with paint. They cannot be expected to survive many years if

exposed to sun and weather.

2. Reliable walls, windows and doors that block local weather, local pests,

amateur thieves and vandals.

3. Reasonable order and cleanliness in storage and displays. The word

“reasonable” is crucial. It does not mean spend most of your time on obsessive

neatness, which provides very little benefit, and can even be counterproductive. It

means keeping sufficient order that objects are not crushing each other, that

inspection and surveys are easy, that objects are raised off the floor, and that

object retrieval is easy. It means sufficiently clean that pests are not given
habitats, that metals do not accumulate corrosive dust, and that porous and

difficult to clean artefacts are not soiled.

4. An up-to-date catalogue of the collections, with location of artefacts, and

photographs at least adequate for identification of the object if stolen, and

preferably adequate for identification of new damage.

5. Inspection of collections on a regular basis, in storage and in exhibits. This

becomes especially important in museums that have limited resources for other

strategies of preservation. The time period between inspections should be no less

than the time it takes insect pests to mature from eggs (approximately 3 weeks for

the clothes moth). Inspect not only for new damage, new signs of risks, but also

for thefts.

6. Bags, envelopes, or encapsulation used wherever necessary. Except where

other rigid boxes are already provided, this includes all small and fragile objects,

all objects easily damaged by water, all objects easily attacked by local pollution,

all objects easily attacked by insects. These enclosures must be at least dust-proof,

preferably airtight, waterproof, pest resistant. Transparent polyethylene or

polyester is the most reliable, such as food quality bags (e.g.“Zip-Loc”).There is a

large literature on details of these methods for textiles, archives, coins ,etc.

7. Strong, inert backing boards for all delicate flat objects, to support, and to block

many agents from behind. This includes manuscripts, paintings on canvas,

paintings on paper and board, wall maps, stretched textiles, photographic prints,

(both in storage and on display).For any that have front surfaces vulnerable to

pollution or water or vandalism, provide protection by glass.

8. Staff and volunteers are committed to preservation, are informed and

appropriately trained. Basic strategies that address a single agent that is a high risk

to most or all of the collection

9. Locks on all doors and windows. These should be at least as secure as an

average local home, and preferably much better.

10. A detection system for thieves (human or electronic) that has a response time

less than the time it takes an amateur to break the locks or windows. If not

possible, the most valuable artefacts are stored in another, more secure location,

when the museum is unoccupied.

11. An automatic fire suppression system, i.e., sprinklers (or other modern

systems). This can be considered non-critical only if absolutely all building

materials and all collections are non-flammable, e.g., ceramic collections in metal

and glass cases in a masonry building with no wood joists.

12. All problems of sustained damp are addressed quickly. Damp is a rapid and

aggressive agent, causing many risks, such as mould , corrosion, and gross

distortion. Unlike fire, floods, and insects, it is so common it is often tolerated.

The two usual sources of damp are small water leaks and condensation due to

large changes in temperature drops (as at night). Move the collection away from

the damp. Fix the water leak. Ventilate against condensation.

13. No intense light, no direct sunlight, no powerful electric light, on any coloured

artefacts, unless one is sure the colour has zero sensitivity to light, e.g., fired

ceramics, fired glass enamels.

To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must be of outstanding

universal value and meet at least one out of ten selection criteria.

 to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius;

 to exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time

or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or

technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design;

 to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or

to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared;

 to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or

technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant

stage(s) in human history;

 to be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use,

or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human

interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable

under the impact of irreversible change;

 to be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with

ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding

universal significance. (The Committee considers that this criterion should

preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria);

 to contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural

beauty and aesthetic importance;

 to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history,

including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in

the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic

features;

 to be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological

and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial,

fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and

animals;
  to contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ

conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened

species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or

conservation.

ICOMOS

General criteria

 Conservation, reinforcement and restoration of architectural heritage

requires a multi-disciplinary approach.

 Value and authenticity of architectural heritage cannot be based on fixed

criteria because the respect due to all cultures also requires that its

physical heritage be considered within the cultural context to which it

belongs.

 The value of architectural heritage is not only in its appearance, but also in

the integrity of all its components as a unique product of the specific

building technology of its time. In particular the removal of the inner

structures maintaining only the fa?ades does not fit the conservation

criteria.
  When any change of use or function is proposed, all the conservation

requirements and safety conditions have to be carefully taken into account.

 Restoration of the structure in Architecture Heritage is not an end in itself

but a means to an end, which is the building as a whole.

 The peculiarity of heritage structures, with their complex history, requires

the organisation of studies and proposals in precise steps that are similar to

those used in medicine. Anamnesis, diagnosis, therapy and controls,

corresponding respectively to the searches for significant data and

information, individuation of the causes of damage and decay, choice of

the remedial measures and control of the efficiency of the interventions. In

order to achieve cost effectiveness and minimal impact on architectural

heritage using funds available in a rational way; it is usually necessary that

the study repeats these steps in an iterative process.

 No action should be undertaken without having ascertained the achievable

benefit and harm to the architectural heritage, except in cases where urgent

safeguard measures are necessary to avoid the imminent collapse of the

structures (e.g. after seismic damages); those urgent measures, however,

should when possible avoid modifying the fabric in an irreversible way.

EXAMPLES OF HERITAGE CENTER

THREE ANCESTOR’S CULTURAL MUSEUM

Zhuolu county is one of the cradles of the Chinese civilization, in which is

the melting pot for the three Chinese legendary ancestors of Huangdi, Yandi, and

Chiyou. The three collective Chinese cultural layers of Hongshan, Yangshaoand

Hetao were integrated from here. Morevover, three important battles were

triggered by this cultural collision, which were the battle of Banquan, Zhulu, and

Hefu. Since then, the Chinese nation went from secession towards solidarity. In

line with this, the new Museum will be divided into three portions, and physically

shape into a converging pattern, in order to symbolize the gathering of the three

legendary tribes, as well as the Chinese civilization.

 At a time of the stone age, the stoneware was the only material carrier for

the human beings. The ancient cultural marks could be explored and traced from

the unearthed cultural relics. By imitating the raw physical form of natural stone,

the new Museum is endeavored to create a powerful spirit of the place, and to

formulate the shape, power, and soul of the Chinese dragon – the Chinese Icon.

The appearance of the architectural built-form is grand and magnificent, which

implies the culture of Zhulu in reflection to the Chinese cultural context. By using

the natural rough stones on the surface of the building, the new Museum is

echoing the environmental characteristics of the ancient civilization, highlighting

the three ancestral cultural characteristics and charm. Just as the unearthed stone

artifact, this new construction will lead you into the exploration of the ancient

civilization.

RESTORATION OF HISTORICAL MUSEUM IN SARAJEVO (1963)

 The delicate ‘modernist ruin’ image and heritage of the museum is

defended by many architects due to the fact that it has been a part of collective

memory, a kind of testament to a culture that has once been, which produced this

architectural icon and the current transitional society moral that leaves these

important institutions in derelict. This is a valid argument since many inhabitants

of former Yugoslavia who romanticize socialist and modernist periods perceived

stable and progressive. On the other hand, the basic function of a museum is to

preserve collections and items deemed valuable and in present state the museum

is trying to function (due to enthusiasts and individuals who support and run the

institution) despite the circumstances. As architects and engineers who have

closely inspected and recorded the building, one also has dualistic and mixed

emotions and rationale about the actions to be undertaken on the building. Modern
heritage – its evaluation and restoration are becoming more a part of the issue

among professionals, and cultural institutions are doing more to claim the

buildings as heritage, but currently there is very limited experience in restoring

them.

Addition to items of all heritage a minimalist intervention

recommendation is to be followed here, although mostly will be irreversible.

These minimal interventions would include the extensive repair of the roof and

basic structural interventions upon inspection of main structural elements as well

as their replacement or intensive maintenance. As for the most visible alterations

to the fac ade the most conservative approach would be preferred with minimal

replacement of stone cladding and transparent elements. In the case study of

museum building that started out as a purely technical survey and assessment of

conditions, the authors of the article become even more aware of deeper layers

and meanings of the building, and of its metaphysical presence that has in the end

dictated the main discourse for the process of restoration.

JEJU UNIVERSITY CULTURAL HERITAGE CENTER

 The design of the new Jeju Cultural Heritage Centre started from an

attempt to interpret the cultural value of the traditional artifacts that are to be

exhibited here with contemporary view. poly.m.ur was intrigued by the fact that

these artifacts are exemplary in showing the influence of regional material on the

life of early settlers, and they wanted their proposal to be seen as an object which

can symbolize the local characteristics shaped by the abundant availability of

basalt as raw material and the indigenous techniques of tool making.

While the use of basalt rock imagery of the overall appearance of the

building was intended as the simple yet most effective symbolism which can be

associated with its specific locality, the ratio and rigor underlying the construction
of the geometry was metaphorical to the intellects presents in the indigenous

culture.

The building sits on a triangular plot, and the overall massing is based on

the trigonal pyramid which is formed by 4 equal regular triangles. The entire

massing is modular to this trigonal pyramid and therefore can be clad entirely by

equal regular triangle pan-els. To introduce flexibility, poly.m.ur designed 5 types

of triangular glass-reinforced concrete panels with different sizes of openings, and

with combination of rotating possibilities, these panels can create almost infinite

number of combinations.

AGA KHAN MUSEUM OF MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY

 The University Museum was opened on June 13, 1962 as a one-room

affair by Dr. Mamitua Saber. Known today as the Aga Khan Museum, it has the

biggest Philippine Muslim collection in the country. It is named after His Royal

Highness, Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, whose donation made the construction of

the building possible. The Museum was inaugurated on March 23, 1969.

Aga Khan Museum aims:

1. To collect and preserve folk art specimens and artifacts of the thirteen Muslim

groups and other indigenous minorities of Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan regions;

2. To organize a systematic collection that is useful to scholars and researchers of

the Philippine Muslim Culture;

3. To encourage research and to lend assistance in the revival and salvaging of

folk arts; and

3. To spread knowledge about the people of these regions in an effort towards

culture integration.

Today, the museum is one of the major spots for tourist attractions in

Marawi City and Lanao del Sur. Countless visitors flock yearly to the museum of

the “Moro Wars” (jihadic battles by Muslims against the Spaniards and

Americans) as captured by the implements used in combat (lantacans or brass

canons, krises and kampilans). Other items of cultural interest are the

miniaturized, pagoda-type mosques, replicas or portions of the torogan (Maranao

royal house), musical instruments (kolintang ensemble, kobing), farm

implements, bird traps, and many more.

GUIDELINES FOR CONVENTION CENTER

Convention Center Expansion Opportunities and Suggestions:

 Provide rooftop function space with view to river. This space should

not be accessible by the general public.

 Maintain service access to Doubletree and provide screening from the

river and Centennial Trail.

  Provide turn-around for vehicles and pedestrians out by river’s edge

similar to the way some roads terminate

at ocean beaches.

 Provide central access point for the Convention Center. This point

should have vehicle drop-off and

gathering area. Multiple entrances are a management challenge.

 Incorporate art into the facility expansion.

 Incorporate visitor information center into the expansion.

The design of contemporary auditorium structures has developed to

accommodate a range of functions and these new styles now accompany

traditional historical theatre buildings. Considerable revival in the design of the

theatre and auditorium has seen a move away from decorative architectural

expression towards providing more multipurpose, flexible and functional

structures. In addition, flexible seating and storage facilities, along with variable

stage openings and mobile ceilings, allow adaptation of audience capacity and

acoustic dynamics. These unified elements of contemporary design cater for all

types of productions - from the staging of modest amateur dramas to large-scale

orchestral concerts, opera and musicals. Theatres and arts centres vary in their

ranges of facilities, and their use of the structural space. This is evident in
established buildings but even more so in recent contemporary designs, where art

exhibition spaces, shops, restaurants and even tourist information services are

included. Traditionally, theatre buildings have been substantial and sometimes

awe-inspiring structures, with elaborate.

Interiors and grand carpeted stairways leading to the main auditorium.

Traditional designs remain from the Victorian period when decorations and

furnishings were lavish. These grand sophisticated theatres tend to accommodate

large-scale touring productions, and will sometimes have a theatrical company in

residence. ‘Fringe’ or amateur theatres often convert existing buildings, to

accommodate workshops and studios designed for a specific company and their

particular performance type. The auditoriums are smaller, often with steeply raked

seating and intimate performance space. Some of these theatres may also have a

cafdbar/restaurant, close to the box office. Whether the main building

accommodates rehearsal studios and production workshops varies according to

the theatrical company in residence. Arts centres are often designed to serve a

more interactive purpose between production and arts education. These

developments are often located within more of a community type setting.

Extensive facilities can be incorporated into restricted sites. Sometimes existing

buildings or community centres are used, and instead of large lobbies and foyers

leading to a grand auditorium, there are more functional spaces for workshops,

experimental/ studio theatre, and interactive performance areas. Administration

offices and information centres are often located on site, as well as conference

rooms and function suites. Arts centres may accommodate a variety of functions,

such as public and private social events, exhibitions, weddings and meetings. In

recent years, ‘arts centres’ and ‘theatres’ are more and more being merged

together within contemporary buildings. Fully fitted with multimedia technology

and facilities to serve a variety of functions, these modern structures can cater for

most performances, from large sale box office touring productions, to intimate

dramas and workshops. The main task of the architect is to maintain the balance

between commercial, artistic and spectator requirements. Location of the building

is very important, and although traditionally theatres tended to be situated in

cultural centres in towns and cities, arts centres can also be located within smaller

residential areas, and sometimes even villages, according to the project

specifications. The theatre structure should not be insensitive to the geographical

location and ‘must maintain continuity with its surroundings, revitalising public

areas and creating an inspirational and sculptural use of space. The geography and

history of either existing or new sites is essential to the architectural form.

Areas vary in content and size depending on type of theatre: drama and

musical auditoriums, or an arts centre for amateur theatre and education. A ‘bricks

and mortar’ theatre is one without an in-house performing company.

RECEPTION/FRONT OF HOUSE

The reception area of the building should have a sensitive relationship

with the landscape. Some contemporary designs have used sophisticated glass

fagades and bright lighting in the entrance foyer, allowing the interior to spill out

onto the street and creating a more inviting access for the public. Other structures

are more sculptural, with large open plans and interesting uses of natural lighting.

It is important that the organisation within the supporting spaces that lead to the
auditorium is clear and welcoming. The main reception area may include a box

officehnformation desk, cloakroom, and access to toilets. Sometimes, lobbies

make available walls for art exhibition areas and multimedia displays, animating

the public areas. A restaurant or barkaf6 is good for creating an atmosphere, and

can overlap into open lobby areas, or can be accessed through corridors/doors

leading from the reception areas. Access to the main auditorium should be

prominent, and a choice of lifts, stairs or a grand stairway should be available.

Other optional facilities include a shop, information services, conference rooms,

function suits, and museum or gallery spaces. Access for people with disabilities,

congestion and draughts are common problems with theatre foyers; clarity of

circulation is paramount. A range of disabilities should be catered for, including

lifts from the entrance hall to the auditorium. Some foyers occupy just the ‘prow’

of the building, whilst others are located around the front and sides. Doors should

open outwards, against the exit flow in the corridor and should be self-closing. In

many cases, especially in traditional theatre buildings, the main stairway leading

to the auditorium is located prominently in the principal foyer.

AUDITORIUM

The audience can enter the auditorium, either from the foyer at the rear,

from the sides of the seating rows, or from an opening within the seating ranks. In

open stages, the stage area and auditorium are one space; traditional proscenium

stages can have spectacular engaging forestage openings and elaborate

comfortable interiors. Contemporary designs tend to be more simple and elegant

in their approach, accommodating forestage grids, lighting bridges, acoustic

devices and multipurpose panels, arranged around walls and ceilings. Acoustic

and visual requirements must be considered at the outset. This will determine

seating arrangements, layout and materials used for ceilings, walls, floors and

chairs. The auditorium must be completely protected from any external sound,

and internal sound from rehearsal rooms or the studio. In some cases, sound

Floors and ceilings Floors are often carpeted, although timber boards are

preferable acoustically. Floor layouts can be flexible for variable seating and

acoustic requirements. High ceilings are required for concerts, musicals and

opera, providing longer reverberation time: typical hall volume - 20.5 m3-35

m3/audience seat. Lower ceilings should be used for drama and speech - 7.5 m3-

14 m3/audience seat. Acoustic requirements may dictate that reflective surfaces at

the ceiling of the orchestra enclosure extend out above audience seating. In

contemporary auditoriums, ceilings are movable with large panelling in segments

that can be opened and closed on systems of winches and flying grids. These

variables allow for the widely diverging acoustic requirements of electronic and

live locks have been used on the doors. Concrete and brick in walls and ceilings is

not only non-absorbent, and therefore internally acoustically dynamic, but is also
good at excluding external sound. orchestral music as opposed to speech and

drama.

School Of Living Traditions Guidelines

Rationale

The UNESCO declares that there are two approaches to preserve cultural

heritage: one is to record it in a tangible form and conserve it in archives; the

other is to preserve it in a living form by ensuring its transmission to the next

generations.

The establishment of Schools of Living Traditions (SLT) is in response to

the second approach. While there are various facets of cultural heritage that can

be transmitted to the next generations, this program would like to specifically

focus on the transmission of indigenous skills and techniques to the young. It aims

to encourage culture specialists/masters to continue with their own work, develop

and expand the frontiers of that work, and train younger people to take their place

in the future.

The program for the establishment of SLTs is also anchored on the

mandate of NCCA to: (1) conserve and promote the nation’s historical and

cultural heritage by encouraging and supporting the study, recognition and

preservation of endangered human cultural resources such as weavers, chanters,

dancers and other craftsmen, as well as the conservation and development of such

artistic, linguistic and occupational skills that are threatened with extinction; and

(2) preserve and integrate traditional culture and its various creative expressions

as a dynamic part of the national cultural mainstream by helping set up or

encourage, monitor and subsidize companion systems at the regional, provincial

and local levels, intended to develop traditional cultures such as arts/crafts

centers, preferably in community settings apart from the usual museum settings,

where exponents of living arts and crafts can practice and teach their art and

enrich contemporary designs.

Program description and objectives

The SLT program of the SCCTA generally aims to provide a venue where

a culture specialist/master, who embodies the skills and techniques of a particular

traditional art form, imparts to a group of interested youth the skills and

techniques of such form. Specifically, the program aims to identify

aspects/components of traditional culture and art considered to be important to a

cultural community and have to be transferred to the young so that these aspects

can be perpetuated.

Definition of terms
 School of Living Traditions – One where a living master/culture bearer or

culture specialist imparts to a group of young people from the same ethno-

linguistic community the skills and techniques of doing a traditional art or craft.

The mode of teaching is usually non-formal, oral and with practical

demonstrations. The site maybe the house of the living master, a community

social hall, or a center constructed for the purpose.

Culture bearer/master/specialist – This refers to the individual who is

recognized to possess the skills and techniques in doing a particular traditional art

or craft and designated to be a teacher in the SLT. He shall be responsible in

teaching his craft to a group of learners and shall ensure that his/her students learn

the craft within the agreed period. A monthly allowance shall be paid for the

services of the master until such time that his/her service is terminated.

Project Coordinator – The Project Coordinator shall see to it that the

NCCA guidelines are considered in the implementation of the project and that the

grant is judiciously administered. He must ensure that the cultural

master/bearer/specialist has been properly identified and learning in the center is

properly carried out. A monthly allowance shall be paid to the Project Coordinator

until such time that his/her service is terminated.

 The project coordinator must also live close to the SLT site and must have

a thorough understanding of the objectives of the SLT program. He/she must

submit to the NCCA a monthly report on the activities done in the center.

Guidelines in establishing an SLT

Identify the master/specialist of a traditional craft as well as the young

people who are interested in learning the craft. The NCCA will provide

honorarium for the master and incentives for the students, such as food,

transportation and materials needed for the training. It should be understood,

however, that the support for the master is to recognize him for his primacy and

leadership in his field and in elevating further his stature rather than because he is

a salaried government employee.

The SLT may be held in a place/venue most convenient to the students and

masters. It may be community-based and informal in nature. The activities may be

part of the daily life of the master and must, therefore, not interrupt his regular

schedule except to facilitate the teaching-learning process. Participation of

students is voluntary, although, they have to pass a rigid screening to be done by

the master and the project coordinator.

 A holistic training shall be observed. This means the training shall not

only focus on the practical aspect but also on the philosophical aspect to ensure

that everyone involved in the program understands its objectives. Some sessions

may be used to inculcate cultural awareness and the need to preserve and promote

one’s cultural heritage.

It shall be emphasized that the major concern of the program is to teach

the really pure form of traditional arts; commercial production may be pursued by

the participants later but is not the concern of the program.

To ensure viability, the proponent must be able to tap other sources of

funds and must have the support and commitment of existing local institutions,

such as tribal/community organizations, schools, LGU, NGO or church

organizations, depending on what is appropriate. Their concurrence and support

shall be expressed in a resolution and a MOA with the NCCA shall then be

executed. One of the highly valued indicators of the SLT’s success is its ability to

continue even without NCCA’s financial assistance.

If possible, a formal opening of the SLT should be held where NCCA

officers are invited. The occasion may be used to explain further the objectives of

the project and the policies of the NCCA.

 The proponent shall ensure that the presence of the SLT in the area is

widely disseminated both in the municipal and provincial levels.

Signboards/streamers to indicate its location and the sponsorship of the NCCA

and other major organizations should be posted in conspicuous places of the

community.

The grant shall be used to cover the cost of the following items: (a)

honorarium of masters, project coordinator and monitor (b) materials and supplies

and © students’ allowance. The proponent must provide counterpart funding to

ensure continuity and viability of the project.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The NCCA for its part shall assign persons to periodically evaluate the

project in the field. The monitor could be a Project Development Officer, a

Committee member or a locally-based individual who may be hired for such

purpose.

The Local Coordinator shall submit a monthly report to the NCCA

Monitoring Division consisting of (a) list of students and their activities (b)

financial expenses for the month and (3) accomplishment of the project. If the

Coordinator is a Committee member, he shall render a monthly report to the

Committee that approved the project.

 Support for the continuation of NCCA assistance shall depend on the

evaluation and recommendation of the SLT evaluating team. The NCCA reserves

the right to terminate the project if the NCCA deems it necessary. In case of

failure to do his/her functions properly, the services of the cultural

master/specialist, Monitoring Officer, Project Coordinator and other persons hired

in the project may be terminated or replaced according to the recommendations of

the NCCA.

Liquidation of Grant

Liquidation of grant shall be according to the approved Specialized

Liquidation Procedure approved by COA in year 2000.

In case a Realignment of Line Item-Budget is necessary, the approval of

the Executive Director shall be sought by the Project Coordinator.

Building Classification according to National Building Code of the

Philippines

The propose Maranao Culture and Heritage center is a mixed Occupancy which is

composed of a Heritage center, School of Living Tradition and Convention hall

and so the development is classified as:

Heritage center and School of Living Tradition

Group C – Education and Recreation Group C Occupancies shall be buildings

used for school or day-care purposes, involving assemblage for instruction,

education, or recreation, and not classified in Group I or in Division 1 and 2 or

Group H Occupancies.

Convention Hall

Group H - Assembly Other Than Group I

Group H Occupancies shall include: Division 1- Any assembly building with a

stage and an occupant load of less than 1000 in the building.

General Requirements for Occupant Loads and Exits

The table above shows the General Requirements for Occupant Loads and Exits

of the required spaces proposed Maranao Culture and Heritage Center.

REFERENCE:

Viray, Manuel (1968). “Racial Heritage” in Six Perspectives on the

Philippines, ed George Guthrie, 165-198. Manila: Bookmark.

Ding Xiaoyu, 2010. Architectural Space and Exhibition Design of

Museums, ArchiCreation no. 10, pp. 164–171. Google Scholar

Thomas, A. & Grimes, J. (Eds.) (2002). Best practices in school

psychology IV. Bethesda, MD: The National Association of School

Psychologists.

Cultural Heritage Preservation: The Past, the Present and the Future

Cultural Heritage Preservation: The Past, the Present and the Future Tomas

Nilson & Kristina Thorell (eds.)

Carrithers, M. 2006. Why humans have culture. Oxford: Oxford

University Press.