AN INVENTORY of important cultural properties is being sought.
On the move of councilor Peter Fianza, the City Building and Architects Office (CIBAO) has been tasked to prepare the list of all important cultural properties within the city.
Fianza is batting to have a listing of all structure of cultural importance in a bid to help preserve and sustain the heritage it contains despite having the lack of a cultural office in the city.
Heritage conservation is action taken to sustain the value, meaning and significance of cultural resources from the past for the use of present and inspiration of future generations.
In 2015, the National Museum has declared 32 important cultural properties including the Collegio del Santisimo Rosario (Diplomat Hotel) Ruins in Dominican Hill, The Laperal House and Peredo’s Lodging House with the Mansion house earlier been declared.
Peredo’s Lodging House was built in 1925 by Mountain Province Engineer Roque Peredo for his wife and their 12 children using narra and yakal trees planted within their property along the Navy base barangay.
Today with its six rooms, Peredo's House became a resting place for visitors wanting to experience City life at the City of Pines.
Diplomat Hotel meanwhile sits atop Dominican Hill. In 1911, it was built to be a vacation house, became a school to be exempted of tax then developed to a 33-bedroom hotel.
During World War II, the 17-hectare property was occupied by refugees fleeing from the Japanese Army Liberation Forces.
Diplomat Hotel became one of the most visited spot in the city due to its picturesque scenery - the ruins of what used to be a hotel with its grandeur, its large rooms, its admirable designs and the breathtaking view of the City camp, Burnham Park and most part of Baguio.
The Laperal house was built in the late 1920's for the family in the City but during the Japanese regime in Baguio, the family was forced to leave their home. Japanese conquistadors made the Laperal home to a garrison house – fortress.
Now the house is owned by Lucio Tan and it showcases the Bamboo Exhibit.
The Mansion house is the President's house while in the city which is a Spanish colonial inspired home.
In 1908, the Mansion was built to serve as a summer residence of US governor generals. The house was built under the administration of Governor-General William Cameron Forbes. Based on the preliminary plans of Baguio City's planner Daniel Burnham, Architect William Parsons designed the House according to the Tenets of City Beautiful Movement.
When the Philippine Commonwealth was inaugurated, the Mansion along with the magnificent Malacañang Palace was turned over to the country.
An Important Cultural Property is “a cultural property that possesses “exceptional cultural, artistic and/or historical significance”, whereas the highest designation of National Cultural Treasure pertains to “a unique cultural property found locally, possessing outstanding historical, cultural, artistic and/or scientific value which is highly significant and important to the country and nation.”
The National Museum is mandated to declare cultural properties of the Philippines as either Important Cultural Properties or National Cultural Treasures, pursuant to several laws, Cultural Properties Preservation and Protection Act, the National Museum Act of 1998 and National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009.