Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo has stressed the need for the creation of a Dumaguete City Heritage Council to undertake a massive task of investigating, documenting, retrieval and preserving of historical items that will speak of the city’s cultural heritage.
Mayor Remollo administered the oath of office of members of the Dumaguete City Heritage Council, comprising representatives from various sectors to include the academe and historians Thursday afternoon.
The council is tasked to “preserve valuable potential or existing sites, properties, building, institutions, books and cultural practices and traditions in the city that are worth preserving, rehabilitating or protecting for posterity’s sake”, said Mayor Remollo.
The Council is headed by Dr. Earl Jude Cleope as chairperson, history professor of Silliman University.
The members are: Dumaguete Councilor Manuel Arbon, City Planning & Development Office Engr. Leonides Caro, City Engr. Edwin Quirit, City Tourism Officer Jacqueline Veloso- Antonio, Rev. Fr. Roman Sagun Jr., history professors Prof. Carlos Magtolis Jr., and Dr. Regan Jomao-as; Dessa Quesada-Palm, National Scientist Dr. Angel C. Alcala, Dr. Valentino Sitoy, Nick Ian Cornelia, Peter Macabinguil, Camilo Pangan, Justin Bulado, United Architects of the Philippines representative Architect Zorich Guia, Retired Justice Venancio D. Aldecoa Jr., Leo Mamicpic, and Prof. Ian Casocot.
They have a fixed term of membership of two years, said City Information Officer Dems Rey Demecillo.
Tourism Officer Antonio disclosed in an interview that since last year, the group had started collecting information and other items about Dumaguete City from the National Archives.
They plan to come up with book-bound copies for distribution to the City library and the schools.
Antonio also said that during the oath-taking of the Council, Mayor Remollo hinted at collaboration with the Diocese of Dumaguete headed by Bishop Julito Cortes to come up with a cultural heritage documentation of the City.
A heritage summit is scheduled on May 27 here, with some 200 participants expected to attend, Antonio said. (Judy Flores Partlow/PNA)
