THE municipal government of Magalang launched a heritage mapping project designed to record built heritage and intangible heritage spots in the first class town.

Mayor Malu Paras Lacson said the project “is necessary to continue the progress and development of Magalang.”

“We must preserve and nurture our heritage and culture so that we can be assured of a bright future,” she added. The project is supported by Vice Mayor Norman Lacson.

The heritage mapping project, which started late January, is being conducted in cooperation with the University of Sto. Tomas and the Department of Education (DepEd).

Ryan Miranda, municipal tourism officer, said “we do this to identify the cultural assets of Magalang.”

“In as much as we want to form policies to protect them, we have to identify them first,” he added.

Eric Zerrudo, director of the UST Center for Conservation of Cultural Property and Environment in the Tropics, said some 100 public school teachers are tasked to do the heritage mapping in all 27 barangays of the town.

The municipal government and DepEd signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the realization of the project.

Zerrudo was assigned by UST to deliver lectures to teachers on the proper way of heritage mapping.

He said the teachers will have until March this year to complete the project. (Chris Navarro)