PAOAY, Ilocos Norte—The Paoay church had been inscribed as a world heritage in 1998 and stake holders are beginning to realize the need to participate in the conservation efforts of the single, most important historical icon in this town. Community folks agree that Paoay, being the site of a world cultural heritage, is more than just media hype or a business – the town has been placed under the watch of the global community as the home of a world-class pride. That the country’s cultural community has continued to take notice of Paoay was indicated when the National Commission for Culture and the Arts picked the town as the launching pad last Sunday (April 30) for this year’s Filipino Heritage Festival. Pres. Macapagal-Arroyo put the celebration to law in 2003 through proclamation 439 declaring May of every year as National heritage Month. This year’s heritage festival showcases rich Filipino heritage in different provinces as a means to spur public and private support towards the preservation of ethnic and cultural roots. Ilocos Norte Gov. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and Paoay Mayor Bonifacio Clemente headed the contingent that welcomed festival organizers led by the NCCA Heritage Festival committee. “In this troubled times, it is important to remind all of us how we came to be as a people. By this self-examination, we can trace our roots and understand our direction for the future,” Marcos said during the festival’s inaugural program. Part of the festival preparation was restoring the church’s interior walls through a fund-raising activity that Fr. Victor Calma, parish priest, had initiated. The church’s rehabilitation, however, was not completed in time for the event. Calma said that additional funds were needed to complete the restoration works on the church’s interior. Through donations, the church’s interior walls and chambers were coated with white paint and gold linings while visible fissures on the walls were reportedly plastered according to specifications prescribed by the National Historical Institute. It was not clear, however, whether the restoration was intended for the festival ceremonies. When funds fell short, restoration was temporarily suspended leaving the church’s exit ways unpainted. Part of preserving the 16th century European baroque cultural icon was closing down the peripheral roads around the church to heavy vehicles. Light cars, however, are allowed to pass along the church. Structural engineers who inspected the church in early 2000 noted that ground movements caused by heavy vehicles may disturb the church’s foundation. The two-day launching rites that began on April 30 was uniquely remarkable, too, as it was opened by world-acclaimed pianist Cecile Licad in an evening performance inside the spruced up St. Augustine church. Sharing stage with Licad were tenor Lemuel de la Cruz, soprano Alexis Edralin, flutist Gj. Herman Gomez and assisting pianist Mary Anne Espina. A surprise performer was young Ilocano pianist Bianca Montañez, of Piddig town, who won in the National Music Competitions for Young Artists. Licad is said to have discovered Montañez during her (Licad’s) performance in Tuguegarao in Cagayan province in 2004. Licad and her group enchanted the festival crowd led by top legal luminary, Supreme Court Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban. Panganiban and other justices were in town on invitation of Ilocandia daughter associate justice Conchita Carpio-Morales, a Paoay resident and owner of one of the town’s heritage houses. Festival organizers jointly with local tourism groups put together a two-day parade of cultural shows and exhibits showcasing the town’s famous Inabel designs and well-preserved keepsakes. The group toured around three Paoay heritage houses whose unique architectural designs have been preserved. The festival committee reportedly prevailed upon the dwellers of a bubble-topped octagonal house, an American colonial house, to forego their plans to knock down the structure and replace it with another. The homeowners had reportedly told the National Historical Institute that the colonial house, north of the Paoay church, has shown structural decays after decades of being exposed to elements and was in danger of collapsing. The NHI is said to have promised the owners to provide funds to restore the heritage house. Visitors also sampled food that shows off traditional Ilocano cuisine such as “imbaliktad” (beef entrails cooked with the sauce from small intestines), “unnok” (clams from fresh water), “poki-poki” (sautéed mashed broiled eggplant with ground pork, tomatoes and native onions) and the famous Ilocano longganiza. Festival organizers also visited other heritage houses in San Nicolas, Sarrat and Batac towns. Cristina Arzadon
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