DAGUPAN CITY – The city of Dagupan has declared more than 17 sites and structures as Dagupan’s Important Cultural Property and Built Heritage in accordance with the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009.
These sites and structures are considered as built heritage, historical shrines, historical landmarks, historical monuments or movable cultural property.
Among these sites and structure are the Philippine National Railway (PNR) Station, jackstones in Bonuan Tondaligan, lighthouse in Bonuan Gueset, the stage at the city plaza, the water tower behind the city hall, Vicar Hotel and the former Alimango restaurant in Arellano, the Sanctuario de San Juan, the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint John, the MacArthur landing marker, Home Economics building at West Central 1 Elementary School, remnants of Franklin Bridge, Rizal Monument at the city plaza, the city plaza, the head train in front of the city museum, the Sanitary Bakery and the center of the city hall, Nahirang Lake in Malued, marriage contract of Henry Kipping and Leonor Rivera, landmark of Edades residence in Bolosan, Joe Datuin, the artist, Methodist church and others.
An ordinance proposed by City Councilor Jeslito “Jigs” Seen, chairman of the Arts, Culture and Heritage committee, on Tuesday (March 13) sought to declare these structures and sites as parts of the Important Cultural Properties of Dagupan City.
The ordinance defined cultural property as products of human creativity by which a people and a nation reveal their identity, including architecture and sites of human activity like churches, mosques and other places and worships, schools) and natural history specimens and sites, whether public or privately owned, movable or immovable, and tangible or intangible.
Built heritage refers to architectural and engineering structures, such as but not limited to bridges, government buildings, ancestral houses, places of worship, traditional dwellings, military installations, train stations, light houses, small ports, city and streetscapes, educational technological and industrial complexes, and their settings and landscapes with notable historical and cultural significance.
Historical landmarks refer to sites or structures that are associated with events or achievements significant to Philippine History as declared by the National Historical Commission.
Historical monuments, on the other hand, refer to structures that honor illustrious persons or commemorate events of historical value as declared by the National Historical Commission.
The consideration of the proposed structures and sites was duly approved by the Dagupan Heritage Culture and Arts Office.
With the enactment of an ordinance these cultural sites and structures will enjoy the state’s protection, preservation and promotion. (Joseph C. Bacani/CIO/March 13, 2018)