Communicating Heritage and the Mystique of Tourism

     I got an invitation from the National Historical Commission to the two-day LGU training on History and Heritage on July 19-20, 2012 in Tagbilaran City. The activity it said, aims for a three-fold objectives:
  • Increased appreciation of the value of history and cultural heritage
  • Raised consciousness on the relevance of historic or heritage conservation and
  • The identification of local historical and cultural sites as tourist attractions
    On a personal note, I see this invite as the long delayed follow up to the NHC initiative of encouraging local government units at documenting their respective local histories which the National Historical Institute (NHI) reechoed throughout the country sometime in  late 1998 or early 1999. That call did served as an impetus for Balete to look back into its historic past and to try to remember or regain its lost memories by taking the horns of those falsified saga behind the so called El Tiroteo de Agtawagon. Looking back, much have been done, although great are the possibilities waiting for the researchers to discover of our rich history and heritage as Baleten-ons.

 

Now that the NHC is offering us yet another opportunity, I am tempted to readily grab it as if pushed by the Romans' command: Carpi Diem! But something in the objectives of the training held me back. There is something in my psyche that have not been articulated with respect to the way local cultural and historical heritage such as Boracay and the Sto. Niño Festival have turned into. However you look at them, the paradigm of commercialism has succeeded in presenting them as just entertainment to ease the collective boredom. It is more fun in the Philippines, our banner says.

   It is sad to note that those heritage sites or events failed to serve as fulcrums for learning and amplifying the coded memories of our race. I have always believed that while it is necessary for economic growth to materialize for a sustainable development, it is equally important also to consider social advancement and environmental protection to approximate human well-being and spirituality. These three aspects of sustainable development must go hand-in-hand if we are to demystify tourism as the ultimate reason for identifying and promoting local historical and cultural sites.

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  For some serious stuffs on heritage education the following articles/materials/sites might be of help:

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