NCCA urges Ilocos Norte LGUs to protect local heritage sites

The San Agustin Church in Paoay (File photo)

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff reporter

Laoag City—The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) is urging all local government units (LGUs) and other concerned stakeholders to protect local heritage sites in Ilocos Norte.

NCCA Sub commission on Cultural Heritage and Technical Assistance Program representatives were in Laoag City to conduct workshop on heritage law and basic conservation methods while sending other technical experts composed of structural engineers to assess various old churches in need of immediate repair and rehabilitation.

Attended by parish priests, policy makers, tourism officers and engineering and architecture instructors, the workshop held at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall at the Provincial Capitol aims to familiarize participants specifically on what LGUs can do to protect local heritage. The seminar also discussed the salient features of Republic Act No 10066, or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 authored by former Senator Edgardo Angara.

Under the law signed by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on March 26, 2010, a stricter penalty is imposed to violators from 10 years imprisonment or a fine of about P100,000.

The Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA No. 10066 and the basic actual conservation methods were also taught to participants as the second day of the workshop held at the San Agustin church in Paoay, Ilocos Norte. On-site conservation work such as cutting of growing plants on top of crack old buildings were among the topics discussed.  

Atty. Lucille Karen Malilong-Isberto, committee head of the National Committee on Monuments and Sites said “Heritage is an expensive proposition but LGUs and other concerned stakeholders can work harder and find creative ways to preserve heritage structures.”

Admittedly, she said the NCCA or other government funding agencies have limited resources on heritage preservation.

Of the 81 provinces she had visited so far, Atty. Isberto lauded the people of Ilocos Norte for their efforts to preserve heritage and historical structures, establishing more museums and rehabilitating old churches through the help of private foundations here and abroad.