In early January, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) won a letter of petition calling for the lifting of the prestige of vital cultural assets (PCI) of the Taoist temple pao Ong Hu located behind Our Sera of the Homeless in Sta. Ana, Manila, on the grounds that hers in 2016 was done without due process because there was no public hearing prior to her appointment as AKI.
In addition, the letter sent through a secure Chloe Go indicated that the building, dating back to the 19th century, had been passed by the former owner naked and without any artifacts besides that they did not know the state of the two PKI. as well as the signature of deeds, the fact was not reported through the National Museum.
The establishment of the temple removal request from the ICP list is a legal decision, as stated in Article 11 of Law No. 10066 on Rules and Regulations for the Application of the Republic, better known as the Heritage Law, which states, “a declaration or one of a cultural good as a national or vital cultural treasure shall com begin with the submission of a verified request through the owner Array the data subject or any user Commission (NCCA), which will take into account transitional appeals, if necessary, shield a site before the declaration, after which it refers the matter to the appropriate cultural agency. »
The ideal cultural firm with jurisdiction over construction is the NCCA, as indicated in its conduct to the public on 8 January.
Following the publication of the notice, heritage defenders and organizations temporarily opposed the lifting of the importance of the building, as this, according to sources, can lead to demolition.
Kaisa para sa Kaunlaran, in Intramuros, with its heritage branch Kaisa Heritage Center, a sociocultural organization in Intramuros, Manila, which protects the history, culture and heritage of Tsinoy, had expressed opposition to the delisting of the construction it described. as one of the oldest Taoist temples in Manila.
In a letter to NCCA President Arsenio Lizaso, Kaisa’s current president, Michael Guzmán, represented through founding president and historian Teresita Ang See, said the design should be preserved even if it is not the original construction because the site has been a place of worship. through Tsinoys and Filipinos.
Guzman said that “the temple not only honors the Taoist god, Pao Ong Hu, but also has a shrine dedicated to Our Lady of the Abandoned, also respected as St. Ana Lao Ma, or Taoist goddess Ma-Zu (Male in Hokkien) and as the Buddhist goddess of mercy (Kuanyin), so much so that she is one of the exclusive Kuanyin Mary in the Philippines.
He said construction is a monument to syncretism because it is the only one that combines Catholic, Taoist and Buddhist beliefs.
In the same letter, Guzman said that construction was a symbol of Sta. Ana’s connection to the Chinese, as evidenced by the vital archaeological discoveries discovered in the region in the 1960s, dating back to precolonial times.
Because of this evidence, he said, “St. Anne’s District played an indelible and significant role in this industry that not only connected our islands with others, but also connected us to China, the east, and through China with the rest of the world. “
Kaisa also responded to the claim that the old and new owners had no idea of the temple saying that ignorance of the law excuses no one.
Guzman said, however, that his organization is open to helping the current owner find a solution beneficial to all that benefits for all stakeholders.
He stated that construction can be used adaptively for a number of purposes, such as a school or reception center, and can even symbolize the entire Sta district. Ana.
“The architecture of the temple deserves to be preserved because it is one of the oldest Chinese-style architectures in the country,” he said.
“The structure, if preserved, can draw attention and resurrect the ancient and only on-site archaeological excavation under the church of St. Anne before the Franciscans closed it,” he added.
Another group, Manila Heritage Tours Sta. Ana (MHTSA) also opposes the suppression of construction and its imaginable demolition.
In an interview with Lifestyle, MHTSA’s Boyet Magale said the temple is very because it symbolizes the discussion of other denominations.
He said the temple is internal to the Declared Zone of St. Ana of histo-cultural overlap that makes it more vital and its equivalent preservation.
Magale said its demolition meant a loss to what it described as Manila’s underrated tourist site.
If he’s demolished, he said, “we’ll miss him forever. “
Meanwhile, the National Historical Society of the Philippines, led through Bernardita Reyes-Churchill, is supporting the preservation of the historic building.
“I hope we get the right measures in this regard, not to remove it from the list, but to keep it as intangible heritage,” he said.
Often overlooked as heritage sites, Chinese temples abound in the country, especially in Manila.
In an interview with Lifestyle, See said that many existing temples are at least one hundred years old, but that the maximum is between 50 and 70 years old, which also makes them heritage structures.
The Heritage Act stipulates that structures of persons over the age of 50 are considered vital cultural assets and must also be protected.
See says that many temples were built in the 1960s and that “only a few have been built in the last decade. “
“Liberal politics and tolerance of the American regime have allowed Chinese religion and popular ideals to thrive,” he said.
“At that time too, Chinese families met with women (rare in the Spanish period) who were beginning to arrive,” she explains.
“More and more women arrived in the 1920s, so they brought with them a more active observance of their folk traditions, rituals and faith,” she added.
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