Asian Cultural Heritage Conservation & Utilization 2024 - Team Tanglaw (Escolta)
Summary
TLDRThe script narrates the rich history of Escolta, a district in Manila, once a thriving business hub for European and American traders. It faced decline during World War II and the rise of malls, leading to a loss of its historical significance. The video proposes innovative solutions like the Tang Map and Sunday bazaars to revitalize the area, emphasizing the importance of preserving cultural heritage and engaging the community in heritage advocacy.
Takeaways
- 🌉 The history of Escolta is deeply connected to the Pasig River and the Filipino-Chinese community, who were instrumental in petitioning for the first bridge in the Philippines, the Puente Grande.
- 🛍️ Escolta was a thriving business district, serving as the first stop for European and American traders, and was known for high-end shopping, restaurants, and entertainment.
- 🏰 The area's name, Escolta, originates from the Spanish term 'escolta', meaning 'to escort', reflecting the practice of escorting the governor general during visits to Santa Cruz Church.
- 💔 World War II heavily damaged Escolta, with iconic landmarks like Jones Bridge destroyed, leading to a decline in business and the area's overall prominence.
- 🏛️ Post-war, many residents sold their properties in Escolta due to financial struggles, contributing to the area's further decline.
- 🎥 The 1960s and 70s saw a decline in the movie industry in Escolta, with companies moving to other areas like Makati, leading to a decrease in tenants and rent defaults.
- 📉 The rise of malls and other commercial areas like Ayala and Cubao overshadowed Escolta, causing it to lose its shine and foot traffic.
- 🗿 A lack of awareness about Escolta's historical significance contributes to its neglect, with many not realizing the potential for revival.
- 🏗️ Proposed initiatives to revitalize Escolta include the use of a Tang Map with QR codes for interactive historical experiences and transforming Escolta Street into an open space for artists and a bazaar.
- 🏫 Emphasizing the importance of heritage conservation in educational curricula and increasing public involvement in heritage advocacy can help preserve Escolta's unique legacy.
Q & A
What is the historical significance of the Pasig River in the development of Escolta?
-The Pasig River played a crucial role in the development of Escolta as it was the reason for the construction of the first bridge in the Philippines, the Puente Grande, which facilitated access for the Filipino-Chinese community, who were essential to Manila's economy.
What does the term 'Escala' mean and how did it come to be associated with the district?
-The term 'Escala' means to escort, which originated from the practice of the governor general being escorted by civil guards when visiting places like Santa Cruz Church. This act of escorting eventually gave rise to the name Escolta.
Why was Escolta an important district for European and American traders and entrepreneurs?
-Escolta was the first stop for European and American traders and entrepreneurs arriving in Manila, leading it to become a flourishing business district known for high-end shopping, restaurants, and entertainment.
How did World War II impact Escolta?
-World War II heavily damaged Manila, with Escolta being one of the hardest hit areas. Its buildings were destroyed, businesses ruined, and iconic landmarks like Jones Bridge were shattered, leading to a significant decline in the district's prominence.
What was the situation for the families owning buildings in Escolta during the post-WWII period?
-The families owning buildings in Escolta suffered greatly during the post-WWII period, not only due to the destruction of properties but also the loss of many lives, leading some to abandon the city due to the emotional and psychological impact.
How did the rise of modern malls and other areas like Makati affect Escolta?
-The rise of modern malls and areas like Makati drew people away from Escolta, leading to a decline in foot traffic, businesses closing down, and a fading of the local pride associated with Escolta.
What is the Tang Map and how does it contribute to the revitalization of Escolta?
-The Tang Map is a tool designed to guide tourists through Escolta's rich heritage, featuring QR codes for each historic building that provide a 3D experience showing the building's appearance before and after changes. It also includes a list of activities to enjoy at each site.
What initiatives are proposed to infuse vibrancy back into Escolta?
-Initiatives proposed to revitalize Escolta include closing Escolta Street every Sunday to transform it into an open space for artists and a lively bazaar, featuring local art, crafts, and cultural expressions.
Why is it important to preserve the historical sights of Escolta?
-Preserving the historical sights of Escolta is important because it attracts tourists due to its history. Destroying these sites would undermine the very reason people visit, and understanding our past is crucial for all cultures to move forward.
How can the involvement of the community and educational institutions contribute to the preservation of Escolta's heritage?
-Community involvement in heritage advocacy and integrating heritage conservation into school curricula across various fields can help address the lack of awareness and equip future generations with the knowledge and passion to protect historical treasures.
Outlines
🏙️ The Historical Significance of Escolta
The first paragraph delves into the rich history of Escolta, highlighting its deep connection with the river and the Filipino-Chinese community. It discusses the community's pivotal role in Manila's development and their efforts to petition for the construction of the first bridge over the Pasig River, known as the Puente Grande. The term 'Escala' is derived from the practice of escorting the governor general, which eventually led to the district becoming a thriving business hub for European and American traders. The paragraph also touches on the district's decline during World War II, the destruction of its iconic landmarks, and the subsequent challenges faced by the community as they struggled to rebuild their lives and businesses.
🎥 The Shifting Fortunes of Escolta's Movie Industry
Paragraph two focuses on the movie industry's impact on Escolta, where many actors and producers started their careers. It outlines the decline of the industry and the subsequent economic challenges faced by the district as companies moved to other areas like Makati. The emergence of malls and other commercial centers contributed to Escolta's loss of prominence. The paragraph emphasizes the lack of awareness about Escolta's historical significance and the need for revitalization. It suggests innovative approaches, such as the Tang Map, which uses QR codes to provide interactive historical experiences for tourists, and proposes turning Escolta Street into an open space for artists and a bazaar to reinvigorate the area.
🏛️ Revitalizing Escolta Through Heritage Conservation
The final paragraph discusses the importance of preserving Escolta's heritage and proposes various initiatives to achieve this. It suggests involving heritage building owners in incorporating entertainment features and increasing public participation in heritage advocacy. The paragraph also stresses the need to integrate heritage conservation into educational curricula to raise awareness and foster a sense of responsibility towards preserving historical sites. It calls for collective efforts to support local events, educate others, and advocate for the preservation of cultural legacies, ensuring that Escolta's story continues to inspire future generations.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Escala
💡Puente Grande
💡Cultural Heritage
💡World War II
💡Modernization
💡Heritage Conservation
💡Revitalization
💡Community Engagement
💡Historical Significance
💡Innovation
💡Public Pressure
Highlights
The history of Escolta is deeply connected to the river and the Filipino-Chinese Community.
Filipino-Chinese Community petitioned for the first bridge in the Philippines, the Puente Grande.
The term 'Escolta' originates from the practice of escorting the governor general.
Escolta was the first stop for European and American traders, leading to a flourishing business district.
Escolta was famous for high-end shopping, restaurants, and entertainment, maintaining its prominence for centuries.
During World War II, Manila, including Escolta, was heavily damaged, destroying buildings and businesses.
The trauma of WWII extended beyond physical destruction to the loss of lives and emotional impact.
After the war, many residents sold their property in Escolta due to financial struggles.
Modern malls and developments led to a decline in Escolta's prominence.
The movie industry's decline contributed to Escolta's fading glory.
A lack of awareness about Escolta's historical significance has led to its neglect.
Preserving historical buildings is driven by love for country and heritage.
Innovative approaches like the Tang Map can guide visitors through Escolta's rich history.
Proposed initiatives include closing Escolta Street on Sundays for a vibrant open space and bazaar.
Revitalizing Escolta requires preserving its historical sights as they attract tourists.
Heritage conservation should be integrated into educational curricula across various fields.
Increasing public involvement in heritage advocacy is crucial for the preservation of cultural legacy.
Smaller projects can lead to the gradual revitalization of the entire Escolta area.
The community can collaborate to bring new engaging events to Escolta.
Encouraging heritage building owners to integrate entertainment and cultural activities is part of the revitalization strategy.
The story of Escolta can inspire and enrich the community for future generations.
Transcripts
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esult the history of Esa is very much
connected to the river and the Filipino
Chinese Community with the Filipino
Chinese Community being present here and
facing challenges in accessing the area
because they were the business people
laborers and the backbone of Manila they
had to petition the governor general to
build a bridge over the river the very
first bridge in the Philippines and the
very first Bridge AC traversing the
pasig river and that is the pente Grande
qu Grande is not literally on the Jones
Bridge but it's actually in between post
office and Jones Bridge and it's that
quent grante that
eventually made the beginnings of Escala
the term escalar meaning to escort comes
from the practice of the governor
general being escorted by civil guards
or the guards of the governor general
when they would visit the Santa Cruz
Church and other places
this act of escorting eventually gave
rise to the name
Escala Escala was the first stop for
European and American traders and
entrepreneurs arriving in Manila which
led it to become a flourishing business
district its strategic role in the
gallan trade helped it grow
rapidly making it famous for being the
site of many
first including highend shopping
restaurant ice cream shop and
entertainment and it maintained its
prominence for
centuries how the
isalta the queen of
streets Fall From
Grace and how can we harness local
wisdom to innovate and protect its
cultural heritage
during World War II Manila was heavily
damaged with one of the hardest heat
areas being
iscala once a bustling and elegant part
of the city iscala so its beautiful
buildings destroyed and its businesses
ruined iconic landmarks like the Jones
Bridge were shattered cutting off vital
connections and isolating communities
stories from the survivors reveal that
the families owning this building
suffered greatly during those
times the trauma was not just about the
destructions of the buildings it
extended to the loss of many lives the
situation was so dire that some people
in Manila had to abandon the city
because of the deep emotional and
psychological impact in the aftermath
many residents sold their property due
to financial struggles with their means
of earning a living destroyed they were
left with little choice but to make do
with what they had this challenge was
not unique to Manila but affected the
entire
Philippines as the nation grappled with
the aftermath of World War
II Manila became the second most
devastated city in the world and the
severity of the destruction was truly
staggering as the city tried to rebuild
modern moles took over drawing people
away from
Escala this shf left the area struggling
reduced food traffic led to many
businesses closing down and the local
Pride that wants to find
Escala
faded when Mr San T bought the building
most of our tenants were from the movie
industry we had a lot of tenants who
were involved in the film production
renting space for office production were
involved in the movie industry many of
these people started as actors and
eventually became movie Producers but
during that time the movie industry was
starting to decline in claro MTO many of
the companies were moving to kuau and
maati so the industry here started to
die down we ended up with many tenants
who would not pay the
rent in the 60s and'
70s when places like aala and kobau
started
emerging and malls began to appear the
Escala began to lose its shine Escala
had two theaters back then the capital
and the lyric theaters that people would
flck
to but as the other areas just like I
said Ayala and kuau became more
Progressive aggressive the scas
Limelight seem to fade
away today es sc's decline is worsened
by the lack of awareness about its
historical significance and potential
for
Revival the area remains
neglected with its past Glory
overshadowed by new developments
actually I've already been to
Escala but I didn't know much about its
history but when I saw something on Tik
Tok it seemed like there really is
something historical connected to Escala
in it history um there's not much that I
know but I do know that Escala is known
for its aesthetic of its old buildings
and uh the era in which they were
constructed most of this citizens around
here probably didn't know what's
happening with the historical buildings
so it's just a lack of awareness
generally while modernization is
inevitable in every place we can still
find solutions that pers serve and
celebrate our
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heritage well now we have no incentive
it doesn't matter we would preserve it
purely by heart
it is because we because of love of
country that we preserve this building
it is because we want our youth to see
what a building built in the American
period looks
like that's why we preserve
it if it's true such dedication and love
for our heritage combined with local
wisdom and Innovation that we can bring
a scult Back to Life by embracing the
past and harnessing the insights of our
community we can protect and celebrate
Escala unique Legacy for future
generation Tang map is a tool designed
to guide tourists through escalas swich
Heritage each historic building will
feature its own QR code which when
scanned provides a 3y experience showing
the building's appearance before in
recent years the map also includes a
list of activity these you can enjoy at
each site as you explore and visit each
buildings you will collect stamps on
your map making your journey through
Escala both interactive and
immersive to further Revitalize Escala
we propose closing Escala Street every
Sunday to transform it into an open
space for artists and a lively Bazaar
this initiatives aimed to infuse Escala
with vibrancy by featuring local art
crabs and culture Expressions will
celebrate our heritage and create a
vibrant engaging
atmosphere as we consider the
revitalization of Escala it is crucial
to recognize the importance of
preserving its historical sight tourists
are drawn here because of its history
and if we destroy these historical sites
we undermine the very reason people come
understanding our p is important for all
cultures which is why we have museums to
move forward we need to know where we
came from destroying historical sites
erases our identity and it often takes
public pressure to make politicians
prioritize preservation I hope we can
start by closing the street from bankera
to the area in front of the two
buildings every Sunday this would create
space for activities like a Sunday
market previously vintage cars used to
gather here we can explore other daytime
activities our creative community at Hub
make clab which is inclusive and
supportive of safe spaces can
collaborate to bring new engaging events
to Escala there are opportunities to get
involved by encouraging owners of
Heritage buildings in Escala to
incorporate entertainment features such
as mini movie theaters or event spaces
into their structures currently is scult
has a lot of potential for development
due to its low foot traffic making it
easier to make make gradual improvements
starting with smaller projects along the
sides of the street could eventually
lead to revitalizing the entire area
additionally it's important to increase
Heth involvement in Heritage advocacy
and integrate Heritage conservation into
school curricula this should include not
only architecture students but also
those in tourism business and
Engineering a broader educational
approach can help address the LA of
awareness that often leads to
destruction of our heritage properties
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preserving scult as Heritage requires a
concerted effort from all of us by
embracing local wisdom and Innovative
approach like tangl map we can guide a
new generation of visitors through its
Rich history and cultural significance
through Dynamic initiatives such as
transforming is C Street into a vibrant
open space and encouraging building
owners to integrate entertainment and
cultural activities we can breath a new
life into this historic district Key
informance and sight highlight the need
for greater involvement in Heritage
advocacy and the importance of including
Heritage conservation in educational
curricula across various Fields this
approach will equip future generation
with the knowledge and passion to
protect our historical Treasures it is a
time to up let us come together to
support these initiatives Advocate the
preservation of our cultural Legacy and
ensure that the story continues to
inspire and enrich our community join us
in making escota vibrant Testament to
our history and Heritage for future
Generations your involvement whether
supporting local events educating others
our advocating for preservation is
crucial in this effort let's take this
opportunity to safeguard our past and
shape a brighter future for a together
we can make a difference
spee
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