We in TwoEco, Inc, with our partners DigiScript Philippines and Arch. Michael Manalo, are honored to have completed the Intramuros Conservation Management Plan, with Intramuros being the most significant heritage site in the country. Working on the Plan required extensive archival research, physical scanning and assessment, consultations with stakeholders and policy design, leading to the creation of a conservation management plan that sets the framework for future conservation efforts, and meets the international standards in the conservation practice.
At its core, Intramuros is significant for its central role in history, politics, commerce, religion, education, among others, of the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. However, it must be recognized that, in a broader sense, its significance extends beyond that historical period, to embrace many key aspects or dimensions of significance from the pre-colonial era into the present - during the American occupation to the Commonwealth, the devastation of the massacre of Manila in World War II, the post-war vacillation between reconstruction and redevelopment, and the current phase of attempts at restoration and reconstruction under the Intramuros Administration. These phases in the evolution of Intramuros reflect the resilience and evolution of a community. The story of Intramuros does not end with the surrender of Spain to the United States. It continues into the present, and forms part of the ongoing story of the nation.
Conservation policies and action plans must thus reflect these realities, particularly that, because of the war, very little is left of the urban fabric from the Spanish colonial period. This understanding forms the core of the Plan. It thus focuses on policies and strategies, particularly in reconciling the legal mandate of the Intramuros Administration with the evolving state of best practices in the field of conservation, to create a framework for future initiatives.
We are honored to have worked with the Intramuros Administration and the stakeholders of the area in developing this Plan.