Last Friday, the historical marker of the Augusto P. Hizon Heritage House was unveiled by representatives of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), City Government of San Fernando, Pampanga, and the Hizon Family. The house was declared a Heritage House by the NHCP on July 21, 2010 bringing the number of NHCP-declared houses in San Fernando, Pampanga to five.
This turn-of-the-century Victorian-style house was originally owned by Teodoro Santos and Africa Ventura. It was later purchased by Maria Salome Hizon, a volunteer of the Red Cross during the Philippine Revolution. The property was acquired by her brother Ramon Hizon. And is currently owned by the heirs of his son Augusto P. Hizon.
Heritage updates from San Fernando
As local citizens continue to oppose the construction of an SM mall along San Fernando's heritage street, here is some good news. The Pampanga High School Building or former UP San Fernando is currently being reconstructed. More than a century old, it was the very building where President Diosdado P. Macapagal finished high school in 1929. Once completed next year, it will house the Museong Kapampangan.
Funds have also been approved for the restoration of the San Fernando Train Station. Work on the station will begin in early 2011. It will house a Death March Museum and World War II Memorial once completed.
I will definitely take some time to look at San Fernando Pampanga's Old Houses. We always go to Pampanga and I have not yet stopped by to look or take pictures of the Old Houses. Thanks for posting this,
ReplyDeleteThat's good news!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Ivan and to the people of San Fernando!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the very positive developments in San Fernando! And all the best to the initiatives to counter the SM development.
ReplyDeleteMy father, who was a participant of the Death March, left me some prints of pencil sketches of the March made by an American soldier who was also a participant of the Death March. I'd like to donate these to the museum once its finished. Just remind me about it.
Dinky
thanks for the update IVAN!! real good news indeed!
ReplyDeleteDear Ivan,
ReplyDeleteThanks for calling the attention of all to SM. It represents a threat, not only to heritage, but also to equitable development.
1) To heritage because it propagates homogenization. Go to one SM in any part of the country and you will meet the same products. There is little effort by it to attract local businessmen to sell their wares. Also SM consciously seeks to compete with small businessmen in the heart of each town. But it is the heart of each town where heritage structures are located.
2) To equitable development because SM throws small businessmen out of business. Their plan calls for setting up Savemores beside wet markets to attract the latter's customers. It isn't just the tinderas who are driven out, so are the hundreds of shops selling dry goods. E.g. look at what has happened to Session Rd in Baguio or to the Historic Center of Iloilo.
In other countries (Japan and Spain), the government discourages big malls in order to protect small businessmen. But ours is a Weak State that is easily manipulated by powerful private interests.
If I may make a suggestion: HCS's message will be better understood if it allies itself with other segments of the population. E.g. with small shopkeepers and small businessmen -- in this case. In other cases, we may think of forming alliances with urban poor who need housing. Our inner cities have many semi-empty buildings (some of heritage value) that could be restored as rental housing -- as has happened in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco, USA.
Perhaps the next conference of HCS could focus on forming alliances with other sectors.
Best regards,
Butch
sir ano na po nangyari dito? matutuloy po ba ang sm?
ReplyDeleteHopefully they could scout for more heritage houses. There are a lot of them just left unnoticed.
ReplyDeleteGreat job...
ReplyDeletesa family ba ni Spanky yang house? :D
ReplyDeletewell done, cabalen! Cong Manny
ReplyDeletecan you go inside the houses? have pictures taken?
ReplyDelete