The UST Graduate School Center for Conservation of Cultural Property and Environment in the Tropics (CCCPET) and the Provincial Government of Northern Samar collaborated to present a unique Seminar-Workshop titled “PAMANARAAN: Cultural Mapping, Cultural Planning, and Heritage Utilization.” This event was held on August 15 and 16, 2024, in Catarman, Northern Samar.
The seminar workshop’s primary objective was to enhance participants’ knowledge of cultural mapping and equip them with the skills to apply it in their communities. This comprehensive approach aimed to create a detailed inventory of cultural assets, assess their significance, and identify their potential for community development, including enhancing tourism, education, and economic growth.
The seminar also introduced cultural planning as a strategic framework for integrating cultural assets into broader sustainable development efforts, addressing community needs and objectives. Additionally, it emphasized heritage utilization, which leverages cultural mapping and planning outcomes to benefit the community through tourism, education, and local economic development.
The event included not only lectures but also hands-on workshops. Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Dexter Galit, a committed advocate for cultural development, welcomed the guest speakers and participants. Ms. Beverly Macayan-Bautista, the Officer-in-charge of CCCPET, who took the helm of conceptualizing the Pamanaraan program, shared a lecture on ‘Cultural Mapping: Laws, Process, and Utilization’ and facilitated a workshop on cultural mapping. Assistant Professor Jame Monren Mercado, academic staff from the College of Tourism and Hospitality Management and Coordinator of Sentro Turismo, shared his insights on ‘Cultural Development Planning’ and led the workshop on cultural planning.
The final part of the workshop, focusing on heritage utilization and the creation of a museum, was led by Dr. Eric B. Zerrudo, Executive Director of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
The seminar-workshop underscores the Provincial Government’s unwavering commitment, under the leadership of Governor Edwin Ongchuan, to preserving Northern Samar’s rich history, culture, and heritage, including the establishment of the Ibabao Museum of Northern Samar, the envisioned provincial museum of Nortehanon.
