UST Buildings to be declared National Treasures

UST Buildings declared National Treasure

According to a Manila Bulletin article, 4 buildings in UST will be declared National Treasures (about time, look at what happened to Rizal Capitol – destroyed)!

The full article here:

The University of Santo Tomas (UST), which will celebrate its 400th anniversary in 2011, will etch another milestone in its history with the formal declaration of the UST Main Building, the Central Seminary, the Arch of the Centuries and the University’s Open Spaces as National Cultural Treasures by the National Museum, Monday, Jan. 25.

Associate Professor Giovanna V. Fontanilla, director of the UST Public Affairs Office, says the declaration ceremonies will be held at the UST Main Building Lobby, 3 p.m., and will be attended by high-ranking school officials led by Fr. Rolando dela Rosa O.P., the university rector.

Fontanilla said the declaration ceremonies will be held following the unveiling of “The Foundation of the University of Santo Tomas by Archbishop Benavidez” oil canvas painting dated 1911 and restored through the UST Museum’s Heritage Conservation Fund.

Section 3 of the Cultural Properties Preservation and Protection Act states that a “Natural Cultural Treasure is a unique object found locally, possessing outstanding historical, cultural, artistic and/or scientific value which is significant and important to this country and nation.”

The recognition marks the first ever inclusion of an educational institution among the ranks of National Cultural Treasures, with the majority of structures being churches and the rest being terrestrial landmarks, intangible cultural property and movable objects.”

Fontanila said the declaration, considered a milestone for UST, is the culmination of efforts which began in 2004. She added that this coincides with the various activities for UST’s Quadricentennial celebration next year.

I think that’s great.  The Philippines (Philippine Islands then) already had a university, Colegio de Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario in 1611, received university charter in 1645, when the USA (1776) wasn’t even around yet, or Singapore (1965) or the oldest university in Singapore the National University of Singapore (1905) or Indonesia (1945) or Malaysia (1963).  According to Wikipedia, UST is also the only Pontifical University in Asia, and has the oldest extant university charter in the Philippines and in Asia.

I think the National Historical Institute should double-time their tagging and documentation of national architectural heritage, and start declaring more historically important buildings national treasures.