Preserving the Bicol Heritage: A Cultural Mapping Project of Partido Municipalities in Camarines Sur

A. Statement of the Problem For third-world countries such as the Philippines, development is usually prioritized over the conservation of heritage. The development plan for the Bicol region involves improving infrastructure for transportation, energy, and communications as well as land use management – a massive effort that will uplift the quality of life of millions. However, could there be a way where both can be achieved? The project aims to provide a solution to this problem by focusing on the cultural mapping of the Partido municipalities. B. Background and Objectives of the Project Virgilio Almario, the National Artist who supports cultural mapping as an approach to document thousands of cultural heritages in the regions, defines Cultural mapping as “an approach or the process used to identify, record, and use cultural resources and activities for building communities. Communities map what is important to them.†An Overview on Cultural Mapping Partido District is an abundant source of Cultural Heritage. However, its cultural identity is improperly preserved, and one of the objectives of this study is to record its disclosed Cultural Heritage. Dr. Raul G. Bradecina, the researcher President of Partido State University, lensed the importance of a research approach in the study of Partido’s cultural heritage. He recognized Cultural Mapping approach as a socio-cultural scientific tool in research to record resources in the municipalities and marginalized areas. Mapping the available resources in culture and heritage is understanding the people’s lives, which is the basis to support the development of the community’s socio-economic and socio-political conditions.