UST sites named national treasures

MANILA, Philippines - Four sites at the University of Santo Tomas campus in Manila have been declared as National Cultural Treasures by the National Museum, marking the first time that edifices of an educational institution has been included in the roster.

Officially declared as National Cultural Treasures last Jan. 25 were UST’s Main Building, its Central Seminary, the Arch of the Centuries and the university’s open spaces.

The UST administration said that honor was another milestone leading up to the pontifical university’s quadricentennial celebrations in 2011.

As National Cultural Treasures, the four university sites, pursuant to Republic Act 4846 or the Cultural Properties Preservation and Protection Act of 1966, will be given special grants from the government to help the university preserve the monuments and edifices.

The majority of the National Museum’s roster of National Cultural Treasures are churches, with the rest being terrestrial landmarks, intangible cultural property and movable objects.

RA 4846 states that a National Cultural Treasure is a unique object found locally, possessing outstanding historical, cultural, artistic and/or scientific value which is significant and important to the country.

To help UST oversee the protection and preservation of its four National Cultural Treasures, a special committee will be formed, aided by experts from the National Museum. – Rainier Allan Ronda