Initiatives

Cultural Heritage Studies and Encounters

The Cultural Heritage Studies Program fosters love for heritage through overviews and close studies of specific examples. Its courses attract students from all four schools of Ateneo de Manila because a heritage perspective is an asset in many careers. Students eyeing a career in gastronomy, tourism or urban planning find the study of heritage to be a good starting point. So do health-oriented students interested in indigenous medical knowledge, or management students who wish to promote unique examples of local creativity.

Projects

Buhay Quiapo - Ethnographic Study of Historic Quiapo

BUHAY QUIAPO is a newly-launched collaborative interdisciplinary research project by Bakás Pilipinas and the Ateneo de Manila University. The study is based on the understanding that the core area of Quiapo retains its rich heritage of tangible and intangible culture which is worthy of preservation. Bakás Pilipinas recently led a consortium of local non-profit heritage groups in preparing the nomination of this core area for declaration by the government as a Heritage Zone, as presented in the dossier “Lakad- Dasal: Quiapo Pilgrimage and Living Heritage Corridor”. BUHAY QUIAPO proposes to study how this historic core of Quiapo can be preserved with historic preservation serving as the nexus for an urban planning approach that addresses economic, social and environmental issues in the community. How can heritage be the driving force for improving people’s lives and for giving meaning to their existence? How can cultural heritage promote the wellbeing of the community?

Members

Dr. Fernando N. Zialcita
Faculty, Department of Sociology and Anthropology