Conversation of historical markers enhanced

The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, approved on first reading a proposed ordinance appropriating funds for the conservation of all historical markers in the city, creating a historical markers conservation working team, defining its functions and purpose.

It is a declared policy of the city government to conserve its historical legacies in accordance with its mission and vision aligned with existing national laws and policies.

Further, the city government shall strive to implement programs purposely to conserve and promote all historical markers and their significance and to popularize their history with the end view of raising social consciousness, appreciation, and sense of belongingness.

The ordinance seeks to create the Historical Markers Conservation Working Team to be organized by the City Administrator who shall serve as the team leader and presiding officer with the concurrence of the City Mayor being the local chief executive. The team shall be composed of not more than 15 members with 8 as mandatory members. The working team shall include representatives from both the government and private sectors whose office mandates and lines of interest, and advocates for private individuals, are related to the promotion of history and protection of historical markers within the city.

Among the purposes and functions of the historical markers conservation working team shall focus on the protection and promotion of all historical markers situated in the city, assist the city in popularizing all the significant markers in the schools, among residents and tourists, take the lead in behalf of the city in coordinating with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and other offices and entities for program alignment and collaboration purposes and perform regular inspection and conduct assessment on the condition of all historical markers situated in the city and recommend policies to the city council related to conservation, protection, restoration, maintenance and promotion of historical markers in the city.

The ordinance mandated the appropriation of P500,000 annually to be included in the annual budget of the City Administrator’s Office subject to accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

Moreover, the funding is earmarked primarily for the conservation of all historical markers in the city but not limited to related policy research and development in aid of legislation, conduct of promotion programs for historical markers and significance, public consultation and collaborative meeting, policy vetting, assessment and formulation.

At present, there are some 16 historical markers that are found in the different parts of the city which had been cleared and installed by the NHCP.

These historical markers had been installed in the Philippine Commission’s first session in Baguio, Philippine Military Academy (PMA), Baguio Teachers’ Camp, former site of PMA in Teachers’ Camp, Camp John Hay, Camp Henry T. Allen, Easter College, Dominican Hill and Retreat House, Casa Vallejo, United Church of Christ of the Philippines Baguio, Baguio City Hall, United States Embassy–Baguio, Baguio Country Club, Brent School, Camp ng mga Guro-Teachers’ Camp and Mansion House. – Dexter A. See