Dr. Ivan Anthony Henares, the Secretary General of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), has urged the Benguet provincial government to incorporate mining sites into the identification of areas eligible for recognition under the Cultural Mapping Law.
Speaking at the awarding ceremony of the Benguet Indigenous Youth Arts Guild (BIYAG) at the provincial capitol in La Trinidad municipality on Monday, Henares emphasized the significant role of mining in the province’s history and economy.
“While we are not endorsing mining per se, we aim to highlight the contribution of industrial heritage to the province’s history. We want to explore the presence of remaining colonial period structures in historical mine sites that could potentially be converted into tourism attractions,” he stated.
Henares highlighted the importance of adopting a mindset geared towards sustainable development in identifying historical sites and attractions, stressing the need to preserve culture and the environment.
He further said that with the passage of the cultural mapping law, funds can be allocated by the government for the preservation and protection of privately owned places.
Photo courtesy of Philippine News Agency (PNA)
