Friendly Observer
By Arthur Keefe
A Heritage Center
San Carlos has a long history which in many respects mirrors the history of the country. The problem is that few people know much of this, and as the older generation pass away, much of this is either forgotten or lost to the next generation. This need not be so
.
The benefits of preserving and celebrating heritage are many. Having a sense of ‘place’ and knowing where you have come from is important to us all. For children, history is often taught as if it is only about national heroes or soldiers usually based far away in Luzon. In fact, THEIR history is of farming, fishing, craft production, sugar mills, the Catholic Church, the Friars, and so on.
Apart from these intrinsic reasons, there are also prosaic reasons for maintaining a record of our history. Many small towns and villages around the world, not just in Europe and the USA, generate big tourist industries by celebrating their history. Sometimes these are genuinely preserved old buildings, monuments, artifacts, etc. Sometimes these are supplemented by careful recreation of lost aspects of the past, perhaps linked to live displays of old crafts and shows, such as rodeos or other no longer practiced activities.
I recognize that San Carlos has limited resources to spend creating sophisticated history centers, but a more modest approach could reap big rewards, both for those living here and for tourists.
I have some proposals which could be considered as part of a strategy for the City. It should be a joint initiative of the economic development, tourism, and education officers of the council. Perhaps this should be led by the (fairly invisible but well-paid) tourism officer. His first step would be to invite interested people in the city to join an advisory group to help generate ideas and mull over proposals. Possible members would include hoteliers with an economic interest, business people whose assets would be part of the development, school history teachers with their knowledge, and just individuals who have an interest in local history.
In my city in the UK, an active local history society publishes small pamphlets on aspects of the city and these are very saleable with good photographs and well researched facts.
An oral history series recording the experiences of older people living in the city and its surroundings proved especially popular and could easily be replicated here. An example of this here might be one on the history of San Carlos Milling Company; another might cover the development of the churches and the cathedral; another on the ancestral houses of the planters which we are in danger of collapsing any time soon unless heritage warriors rescue them. Others may have better ideas, but these are suggested as written and photographic records are available.
I have previously suggested that a local museum should be established jointly with the library. It will require a curator to maintain it and to secure temporary exhibitions (which need not be only historical, but can show contemporary happenings such as art and photographic competitions).
The present library is not adequate for this, but the obvious candidate is the old City Hall in the town centre. It has been falling into disrepair in the 18 years I have been coming here. I have been told it is now owned by a Filipino-Chinese businessman, but there are still no signs of activity there. As a successful businessman, he might be encouraged to give it to the city from which he has made his money, or at least sell it at a greatly reduced valuation. Restoration of the building will be an expensive job, so the cost of acquisition needs to be minimal. This would be the “Jewel in the Crown” of the city’s heritage. A tourist information office could be established there, together with an office for the tourism officer, who would become very visible by then!
I am well aware that the issue of running costs will be raised, so my experience of being a councilor responsible for the museum in my town maybe of interest. In my city we had an expensive but excellent museum. We levied an entrance fee to offset expenses, but this had the effect of deterring visitors, so it was often empty. We then devised an income generation strategy to replace the entrance fee. This included offering a franchise for a café in the museum. This could be either a rental income or a profit share (as is the case with the museum café in Bacolod). We also developed the shop in the museum, selling copies of items on show, postcards and larger pictures, historical society books, locally made crafts (such as our very popular local blue glass) .
We aimed not just at the museum-interested public, but also at tourists looking for good quality souvenirs. Christmas was an especially good time as people looked for unusual but interesting presents. I bought many of mine there! This did not cover all the running costs and a continuing public subsidy was needed there as it would be here, but it was a big help. Other options are possible, such as renting it for weddings, especially if the building can be made more attractive. The museum advisory group would doubtless have ideas well suited to the local market.
The ideas suggested may be attractive, but the key issue is whether there is political will and public interest in such a venture. Do we cherish and nurture our heritage or just let it crumble to dust and fading memories as is happening now? Over to you!
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