Message: Installation of the National Museum Important Cultural Property Marker at Avanceña-Camiña Balay nga Bato

Message of Senator Loren Legarda*
Installation of the National Museum Important Cultural Property Marker at Avanceña-Camiña Balay nga Bato
22 February 2019 | Iloilo City

*Delivered by Former Gov. Sally Perez

The Avanceña-Camiña Balay nga Bato has become a home to me whenever I pass by Iloilo to come home to my province, Antique. It is always a delight to be here because of the beauty of the place and the goodness of the heirloom dishes.

As an advocate of heritage preservation, I know that it is challenging to preserve our heritage especially in this era of rapid technological advancements. Our built heritage is always under threat of exploitation, neglect, apathy and even of nature’s wrath.

This is the reason that I have always promoted the concept of adaptive reuse so that instead of destroying our heritage structures, we can restore them and use them for a new purpose.

We do not always have to build new buildings, because we may find more beauty and purpose in our heritage structures. We do not always have to follow new trends, because traditional skills can be more unique and interesting. What we need is to discover about our past. We must learn to preserve and protect our heritage to be able to build a path towards more meaningful progress and sustainable future.

I admire how the Camiña family has kept this valuable heritage intact, not only the balay nga bato but also the authentic Ilonggo dishes, even practising farm to table and slow food principles.

To my dear friend, Luth, and to the rest of the family, congratulations on the installation of the National Museum Important Cultural Property Marker. Thank you for making the Balay nga Bato a place of history and culture. May you continue to be an inspiration to many Filipinos in finding the true value of our heritage.

Thank you.