STA. RITA, Samar — The Samar Fortification Preservation Project was officially launched on December 4, 2024, in Sta. Rita, Samar, with a grand ceremony marking the beginning of a major effort to protect the province’s historical fortifications.
Titled “Safeguarding Sentinels of the Samar Seas: Conservation Project of Samar Fortifications,” the initiative is a collaboration between the University of Santo Tomas (UST), the Samar Provincial Government, and the local government of Sta. Rita. The project aims to preserve the fortifications that hold significant historical value to the region.
Beverly M. Bautista, MAEd, Officer-in-Charge of USTGS-CCCPET and Project Director, shared that the project was conceived following a provincewide cultural mapping of fortifications, or “Balwartes,” in 2017.
“Ang documentary team ay maraming nilakbay, inakyat na mga bundok, tinawid na mga ilog, at naranasan ang Filipino hospitality ng mga Samarnon,” she said, highlighting the team’s extensive travels across the province to document these sites.
With the support of UST, a detailed documentation of at least 22 defense structures have been documented, 13 of which are sentinels on mounds overlooking the sea or river routes, seven (7) are fortifications, one (1) is naval garrison, and one (1) undetermined structure, all located in 12 coastal towns of Samar was carried out from June to December 2023.
The project identified three key clusters: the San Juanico Strait (Basey and Sta. Rita), Maquida Bay (Catbalogan, Jiabong, Paranas, Zumarraga, Pinabacdao, and Villareal), and Bangahon (Tarangnan, Pagsanghan, and Gandara).
“The project will not only contribute to the restoration of these historic sites but also promote sustainable development by engaging local communities and utilizing heritage for tourism,” Bautista emphasized.
After extensive review and revisions, the project received a prestigious grant from the U.S. Department of State’s Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), which will play a pivotal role in advancing heritage conservation and fostering community-driven tourism in the province.
Earlier, U.S. Embassy representatives, including Deputy Director for Public Engagement Chad Kinnear and Resource Coordination Specialist Edwin Raymund A. Vergara, visited three fortification sites in Samar to assess the project’s potential. They were joined by the UST CCCPET team, along with members from the UST College of Tourism and Hospitality Management and the College of Architecture.
In August 2024, the $245,000 AFCP grant awarded to UST’s Graduate School Center for Conservation of Cultural Property and Environment in the Tropics (CCCPET) will fund the restoration and research of these historic fortifications.
Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan expressed her gratitude to both the U.S. Embassy and UST for their partnership in preserving the region’s cultural heritage. She emphasized that the project would take a transdisciplinary approach, integrating heritage research, education, and tourism promotion to drive sustainable development in Samar.
“By spotlighting these historical structures, the initiative will also support Spark Samar, a program aimed at enhancing historically significant tourism sites and fostering local community engagement in conservation efforts,” Governor Tan said.
The AFCP, established by the U.S. Department of State, supports global efforts to preserve cultural heritage, including historic buildings, archaeological sites, collections, and intangible heritage such as traditional crafts and languages. | via Ricky Bautista, The Samar Chronicle
