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Saving the Nation’s Memory: UNACOM Leads the Call to Safeguard PH Documentary Heritage

MANILA 30 April 2025 – Every time a photograph fades, a film deteriorates, or an ancient script goes unread, we lose a piece of our nation’s memory. The stories that shape who we are – from films, manuscripts, books, photographs, audiovisual recordings, scientific discoveries, and exploratory voyages – are at risk of disappearing. To confront this pressing concern, the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines (UNACOM or PH NatCom), headed by Secretary-General Dr. Ivan Anthony Henares, is launching a nationwide campaign to promote the UNESCO Memory of the World (MoW) Programme, aimed at preserving and honoring the country’s documentary heritage.

On 29 April 2025, UNACOM formally launched the Philippine leg of this global campaign at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Pasay City. A key highlight of the event is a special tribute titled, “Pagpaparangal sa Pambansang Pamanang Dokumentaryo” to honor the owners, custodians, and institutions responsible for the nine Philippine documents and collections inscribed in the UNESCO MoW International, Regional, and National Registers.

Among UNESCO’s heritage initiatives, the MoW Programme highlights the need to preserve documents worldwide that are lost every minute due to neglect, natural calamities, technological obsolescence, wars, and many other reasons. Public awareness is necessary to help curb the loss of the world’s documentary legacy. This campaign finds urgent need in the country.

In the Philippines, hundreds of pre-World War II films have been gutted by war and by the lack of a film archive to preserve them. Ancient texts with indigenous syllabaries written on bamboo and bark, as well as antiquated printing systems, have disappeared over time. Song and dance notations of folk tunes and dances have been lost. Even photographs are hard to find in their original format. With every lost document, a piece of our personal, communal, or national memory vanishes. The notion of the nation rests on the collective memory of a people.

Established in 2006, the Philippine MoW Committee made a significant step towards the institutionalization of the programme. Several key documentary collections from the country have been inscribed in the MoW International, Asia-Pacific, and National Registers, underscoring the diversity and importance of Philippine documentary heritage. To date, only nine (9) documents and collections have been inscribed and more are needed to be recognized.

In the International Register, the Philippines is represented by the following:

  • Presidential Papers of Manuel L. Quezon – compiled writings by the Commonwealth President (also listed in the Regional Register)
  • Radio Broadcast of the People Power Revolution – radio transmission during the four-day EDSA revolt
  • Jose Maceda Collection – musical archive and field notes
  • Philippine Paleographs (Hanunoo, Buhid, Tagbanua, and Pala’wan) – ancient syllabary etched on bamboo

At the Asia-Pacific Regional Register, four (4) entries* showcase both historical and oral traditions:

  • Culion Leprosy Archives – museum and archives on leprosy located on Palawan Island
  • Doctrina Christiana (1593) – one of the earliest printed books in the Philippines
  • Hinilawod Epic Chant Recordings – oral narratives from Panay Island preserving pre-colonial chanted literature

The National Register includes:

  • Eddie Romero’s Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon? – a film classic chronicling Filipino identity during the epochal birth of the Philippine nation
  • The FPJ Film Archives – the cinematic legacy of Fernando Poe Jr., including his films, scripts, photographs, and other ephemera

Each of these inscriptions represents a vital part of the country’s identity and contributes to a broader understanding of Philippine and world history. Together, they highlight the rich variety of Philippine heritage – from political and revolutionary milestones to religious, musical, literary, and cinematic traditions.

To raise public awareness on the continuing loss of documents, a nationwide roadshow will also be launched to gather qualified documents for future inscription. Philippine MoW Committee Chairperson and filmmaker, Professor Nick Deocampo, urges submissions to enrich the country’s list of recognized documents. To encourage participation, nomination workshops will be held in three regional sites: Naga, Dumaguete, and Davao. The launch will outline how submissions can be made.

By strengthening the MoW Programme in the Philippines, UNACOM affirms the country’s commitment to UNESCO’s global mission, and more importantly, ensures that the documentary legacy of the Filipino people remains protected, remembered, and passed on to future generations. END