PRESERVE EVERYTHING WE HAVE

What is preservation? From the root word “preserve”, it is to maintain, sustain, protect, save, and to keep alive. For me, to preserve is something we do to give value to something that is very important for us, to sustain it for a long time for the people to remember.  

The Alberto house is important, not only for Biñan and the province of Laguna but also for the Philippines. The people should know the value of their heritage and the need to preserve it. Part of their memory will be gone if we won’t take part on preserving it.

Republic act no. 10066, this Act is also known as the “National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009”. Their objectives were to maintain the Filipino identity, and promote the nation’s cultural heritage.  The act states that, the demolition of structures at least fifty years old cannot proceed without the authorization of the “National Commission for culture and arts.”

The Alberto House is more than a century and they started demolishing it without any permit. On June 9, 2010 (Wednesday, 7 p.m), they held a campaign “Isang Gabi ng Dula, Awit, Sayawan, Atbp.” to save and to keep Alberto House.  It’s a cultural protest of condemning the demolition and transfer of Alberto House to Bataan. They protested in front of the house located at the plaza of Biñan. The city of Biñan stepped in and offered to purchase the house.

The “United Artist for Cultural Conservation and Development, City of Biñan, Inc.” has begun the fund raising efforts for the eventual restoration of the house and the city of Biñan Laguna pledges its full support for the restoration of the Alberto House. The local government is trying to gather 20 million pesos to revoke it in court, to give them the reputation to enter and to be able to intervene. 

Pictures from: June 9, 2009 (Before) and October 22, 2012 (After)

 

This shows how people wanted Alberto House to be preserved.  Together as a citizen of the Philippines, we should do something as a sign of support.  LET’S SAVE ALBERTO HOME!

 

Other sources: Ivan About Town. (2010, June 3). Save the historic Alberto House in Biñan, Laguna! Retrieved (2012, Oct. 23) from http://www.ivanhenares.com/2010/06/laguna-save-alberto-house-in-binan.html