Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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Upon initial investigation on the American-era school buildings around the province,
unique details havebeen observed in the Gabaldon schools built in Bohol. In fact,
there is reason to infer that, despite beingbuilt from a similar prototype, no two
Gabaldon schools all over the country are built exactly alike. Eachlocality
customized according to the specific requirements of their locale, as well as
injecting details andornamentation that define local cultures and
traditions.Additionally, major alterations on the Gabaldon school buildings in the
province have been observed. Someschool buildings that may have been Gabaldontypes have been demolished without ruckus or concernfrom the community, with
reports of demolition as recent as the last five years (i.e. a structure inTagbilaran
City East Elementary School).This architectural research and documentation,
anchoring upon the importance of cultural heritagepreservation, aims to:1.
Identify, explore, map and document the Gabaldon schools of Bohol2.
Educate and raise awareness on the socio-cultural, historical and architectural
significance of Gabaldon schools3.
Promote the conservation of Gabaldon schools4.
Promote the adoption of the most effective architectural features and construction
techniques of the Gabaldon-type schools in designing and constructing new learning
spacesArchitectural documentation is the first most important step in the heritage
conservation process andserves to elevate and actualize the architectural and
socio-cultural significance of a heritage structure.Following a systematic approach,
architectural documentation encompasses the inspection andintrospection of the
evolution of the physical context of the structure, and extends into the examination
of its meaning and significance in the socio-cultural fabric it served then and is
serving now.Activities will include:1.
Identification and tagging of Gabaldon schools in Bohol2.
Conduct of key informant interviews and gather historical/ written data on the
Gabaldon schools3.
Evaluating of the forms, systems, components and construction details of the
Gabaldon schoolbuildings4.
Documenting of the architecture and structural particulars of the Gabaldon
schools5.
Re-establish the anatomy the Gabaldon schoolhouses through sketches and
diagrams andphotographsThe documentation also includes investigations of
building use, social functions, cultural context andpractical issues of conservation
and rehabilitation.It is empirical, henceforth, that this study, after the above
activities, will include the formulation of recommendations on preserving the
Gabaldon schools
as well as present architectural solutions thatwill sustain the school buildings to
adapt to current use and emerging climatic and technologicalneeds without
compromising their architectural integrity.
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The documentation of Bohol Gabaldon schools will be divided into five (5) subgroups:1.
Tagbilaran City, Dauis and Panglao2.
Northwestern Bohol towns from Maribojoc to Inabanga3.
Southwestern Bohol towns from Baclayon to Garcia-Hernandez4.
Interior Bohol towns5.
The rest of BoholIt is hoped that with these initial steps of documenting the
Gabaldon schoolhouses of Bohol, the meaningand value of said structures not only
as learning spaces, its rich social and historical significance toBoholanos, but also as
important architectural landmarks that are testament to the Filipino and Bolanoncraftsmanship.Re-establishing the importance of designed and built learning
environments, in general, and the Gabaldonschools, in particular will also reinforce
the discourse on the value of education for all.
The ProponentsAsia Center for Sustainable Futures, Inc.
(ACSF) is a non-stock, non-profit alternative research andadvocacy center,
established in 2010 with the vision of advancing the interest of the people
throughparticipation and creative collaboration in research and advocacy towards
sustainable futures. ACSF isbased in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.
Arch. Edeliza V. Macalandag, UAP
is an architect advocating for social, cultural and ecologicalconsciousness in the
designed environment professions. A writer and development
communicationspractitioner, she is the Communications and Advocacy Officer
of ACSF. In June 2011, she became an adjunctlecturer in the Department of
Architecture and Industrial Design, College of Engineering Architecture at theBohol
Island State University Main Campus in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.
References:
Araneta, G. C. (2006).
Those Gabaldons.
Retrieved August 1, 2011, from Philippine Heritage Conservation
Society:http://www.heritage.org.ph/article.php?id=39Constituting a Task Force on
the Conservation of Heritage School Buildings. (2009, April 15).
DepED Memorandum No.164 S. 2009
.
Gabaldon Schools of Ilocos Norte.
(2009, March). Retrieved August 1, 2011, from Museo Ilocos
Norte:http://www.museoilocosnorte.com/index.php?
option=com_content&view=article&id=221:gabaldon-schools-of-ilocosnorte&catid=13:featured-exhibits&Itemid=18Henares, I. (2006, March 8).
Pillars of the Philippine educational system.
Retrieved August 2011, from The GabaldonLegacy:
http://gabaldon.ivanhenares.com/2006/03/pillars-of-philippineeducational.htmlNational Historical Commission of the Philippines. (2011). Draft
Copy of Gabaldon Restoration Guidelines 2011.RA 10066: National Cultural Heritage
Act of 2009. (2010, March 26).Villalon, A. (2010, May 24).
Pride of Place: Philippine-Australian cooperation restores Gabaldon-type
school inCamiguin.
Retrieved August 2011, from Philippine Daily
Inquirer:http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/artsandbooks/artsandbooks/view/20100524271665/Philippine-Australian-cooperation-restores--Gabaldon-type-school-inCamiguin