ONCE again, the concern over the sad state of the Baguio’s postal office has resurfaced in social media and it ventilated more criticisms and irked many netizens including former city residents living abroad who value the worth of historical edifices. One suggests that city residents must be persistent in rallying to point out to government their insensitive actions, vested interests, incompetence and absence of love for our hometown and its historical sites. Many commenters opine that historical and heritage sites must be treated as a national treasure.
As early as 2013, we had talks with officials of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NCHP) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) concerning the decaying Baguio Post office and we were assured that the matter of recognizing the PO as a matter of importance is being considered.
The NHCP, by virtue of Republic Act 10086, is responsible for the conservation and preservation of the country’s historical legacies. Its major thrusts encompass an ambitious cultural program on historical studies, curatorial works, architectural conservation, Philippine heraldry, historical information dissemination activities, restoration and preservation of relics and memorabilia of heroes and other renowned Filipinos. The NHCP according to its mandate undertakes the commemoration of significant events and personages in Philippine history and safeguard the blazoning of the national government and its political divisions and instrumentalities. Aside from leading commemorative programs like the observance of Independence Day where they also distribute Philippine flaglets, the NHCP bestows historic markers to heritage sites like the Baden Powell Hall and the Diplomat Hotel of Baguio’s Dominican Hill.
According to the Act that created it, the NHCP is responsible in conserving, promoting and popularizing the nation's historical and cultural heritage and resources. This is pursuant to the country's Constitution that all artistic and historic wealth constitutes the cultural treasure of the nation and shall be under the protection of the State which may regulate its disposition.
By reinforcing the importance of national and local history and providing government support for historical researches and conserving historical relics, monuments and resources, the NHCP is set to help build a Philippine identity based on unity and pride in diversity held together by a common history.
Built heritage places like the centuries old architectural structures of Vigan, Ilocos Sur, the engineering structures and garrisons of Fort Santiago in old Manila, old churches build during the Hispanic period, ancestral houses of known personalities and traditional dwellings are among the sites that NHCP has identified for restoration and conservation.
I have actually seen historical items that are being restored like the ash grey suit of Dr. Jose Rizal when it was still at the hands of experts at the former National Historical Institute when it was still at the basement of Quezon Memorial Shrine. I would like to believe that the size of the national hero’s suit may have shrunk over time because it appeared to be the jacket of a short petite male who stands about 4.7 to 4.9 ft in height.
As defined by the act that created NHCP, Conservation refers to all processes and measures of maintaining the cultural significance of a cultural property including, but not limited to, physical, social or legal preservation, restoration, reconstruction, protection, adaptation or any combination thereof.
In order for conservation to commence in an identified historical site, there must be documentation, thorough research and validation by the NHCP noting its historical, cultural, social, architectural and artistic significance.
Historical research and writings are also among the possible items to be conserved, restored and archived by NHCP especially scholarly investigation of people, places and events in the past. I actually thought of asking Baguio residents to look into their old family albums if they have letters and postcards that dates back to the time of the early settlers when postal matters may have been carried by mule or horse riding mailmen and by the early transport system like the Philippine National Railways.
Perhaps, there are historical writings and scholarly documentation of people, places and events in the past that we can still unearth from our personal chests and archive. I have seen net images of Dean C. Worcester postcards sent to his friends and vice versa and these are the types of items that can be included as exhibit items once the Baguio Post Office can have one of its wing used as a postal museum.
As for me, I started collecting mail matters and I can say that I am a proud owner of stamps that are over one hundred years old.