The 85 stations and structures along the 100-kilometer segment of the Philippine National Railway (PNR) is undergoing a historical evaluation project and the University of Santo Tomas Graduate School Center for Conservation of Cultural Property and Environment in the Tropics (USTGS-CCCPET) is a partner of the Department of Transportation (DOTR) in this initiative.
The Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) of the DOTR North-South Commuter Railway Project looks into the significant structures and townscapes along the historic route. It intends to define the significance of the railway- as a route of transportation, as an ensemble of stations and as a collection of structures and to assess the dramatic impact of the new NSCRP to the cultural landscape.
Formally launched on October 18, 2021, the six-month project covers the PNR’s north and south segments. In the north, the segment starts from the Casitas in Solis St., Tondo and ends at the Angeles City Station while in the south, it begins from Paco Station and ends at the Calamba Station.
The DOTR contracted the GCR Consortium which engaged the USTGS-CCCPET experts because of the commendable track record of the CCCPET in the World Bank-Department of Tourism (DOT) Vulnerability Project for the Earthquake Structures of Bohol and the San Pablo Heritage Zone Infrastructure Guidelines Project in Laguna.
UST GS CCCPET Director Eric Babar Zerrudo, Ph.D., serves as the Project Director assisted by Ms. Beverly Bautista as Project Coordinator.
The Historical-Technical Team is composed of UST Archivist Prof. Regalado Trota José, Mr. Jefferson Chua of Greenpeace-Philippines, Mr. Jowee Alviar of Team Manila and Mr. Wilson Yu of FEU.
The Architecture Team is composed of Dr. Caryn Paredes-Santillan of UST College of Architecture who serves as Team Leader with Mr. Joselito Corpus, a Heritage Preservation Specialist, Ar. Theo Residilla of UST and Ar. John Clemence Pinlac of UST College of Architecture.
The team leader of the Material and Structural Team is Dr. Cheek Fadriquela of the USTGS – Cultural Heritage Studies (CHS) with Dr. Lessandro Garciano of De La Salle University, and Ms Rona Catherine Repancol of USTGS-CHS, as members.
The Socio-Cultural team is composed of graduates of the UST Graduate School Cultural Heritage Studies lead by Mr. Jame Monren Mercado of UST-CTHM with Mr. Edgar Allan Sembrano, a journalist, Ms. April Dopeno of Far Eastern University, and Mr. John Christopher Mesana of Colegio de San Juan de Letrán, as members.
