Declared as Important Cultural Properties are the cathedrals of Manila, Boac in Marinduque and San Fernando in Pampanga; the church complexes of Tondo, Pateros, San Juan Bautista in Quezon City, and Santa Ana in Taguig; and the post office, Aduana, customs and Muntinlupa penitentiary buildings  |
| The Boac Cathedral. Declared by the National Museum of the Philippines as Important Cultural Property - Eli J. Obligacion |
Important Cultural Property is a recognition given to any cultural property (objects or structure) "having exceptional cultural, artistic and historical significnce to the Philippines."
The National Museum of the Philippines has declared more
than 40 sites in the country as National Cultural Treasures (NCT) and Important
Cultural Properties (ICP), most of them coming from the island-province of
Camiguin in northern Mindanao.
Declared national treasures are the archaeological sites in
Camiguin: the Old Bonbon Church ruins in Catarman, Sunken Cemetery also in
Catarman, and the Spanish-era watchtower in Guinsiliban.
The Sunken Cemetery was Catarman’s Spanish-era cemetery which
sank underwater following the eruption of Mt. Vulcan in the 1870s.
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| Sunken Cemetery in Catarman, Samar - Roel Manipon |
The image of Nuestra Señora dela Soledad de Porta Vaga in
Cavite City (“including the intangible properties intrinsic to the cultural
significance of the painting”), Pila Archaeological Site in Laguna, and San
Pancracio chapel inside La Loma Cemetery bordering Manila and Caloocan, were
also declared NCTs.
Declared ICPs are Manila’s Immaculate Conception Cathedral,
El Hogar Filipino Building, Philippine Post Office, Bureau of Customs in Port
Area, Aduana in Intramuros, Tondo Church complex and Tomas Pinpin Monument in
Binondo.
Also declared ICPs are the centuries-old San Francisco
Bautista Church complex in Quezon City, old Concepcion Mansion in Pasig (now
Pasig City Museum), Pateros Church complex, Santa Ana Church complex in Taguig,
Pablo S. Antonio House in Pasay, and national penitentiary main building in
Muntinlupa.
Completing the Luzon ICP sites are the Pindangan Ruins in
San Fernando City and San Juan Church in La Union, San Fernando Cathedral in
Pampanga, Cuartel de Santo Domingo in Santa Rosa, Laguna, and Boac Cathedral in
Marinduque.
In the Visayas, declared ICPs are heritage sites in Negros
Occidental: the art deco Daku Balay, Negros Occidental Museum and Yulo Park in
Bacolod City; Balay ni Tana Dicang and Lacson Mansion in Talisay; Ma-ao Sugar
Central in Bago City; and the sugar simborios (smokestacks) of the province.
Likewise declared ICPs are the old Presidencia Building in
Dumaguete City and the Santo Niño Church in Valencia, Bohol, famed for its
wooden floor with herringbone design.
In Camiguin, the old Mambajao Fountain, Old Mambajao
Municipal Building and the façade of the Santo Rosario Church in Sagay town
have been declared ICPs together with 14 heritage houses in the province.
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| Old Mambajao Fountain, Camiguin - Revee Rapallo |
The 14 ICP houses include those owned by the Borromeo,
Bacut, Luspo, Neri, Nery, Nerio-Chan, Corrales, Corrales y Gamali, Francisco,
Juni and Lim families, as well as the Catalino Chan and Eleuterio Chan
ancestral houses.
Republic Act No. 10066, otherwise known as the National
Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, defines NCTs as cultural properties “possessing
outstanding historical, cultural, artistic and/or scientific value which is
highly significant and important to the country and nation.”
The same law defines ICP as cultural properties “having
exceptional cultural, artistic and historical significance to the Philippines.” - Contributed
Also read:
The Historic Boac Cathedral
Also read:
The Historic Boac Cathedral
