Speech of Senator Loren LegardaTurnover of the Restored Casa Tribunal de Patnongon | Patnongon, Antique | 17 July 2025 |9:00 AM

Mayad nga adlaw kaninyo nga tanan!

The old Casa Tribunal de Patnongon stood in ruins for decades. People passed by it every day without a second glance—no attention, no reverence—just another old structure slowly crumbling under the weight of time, as though it had already been lost.

But this was once the center of governance during both the Spanish and American colonial periods. And then it went on to witness the Japanese occupation and the brutalities of war, where many of our own were detained and tortured. Yes, it carried the imprint of a heavy history—but memory, no matter how difficult—must be preserved, for within it lies the truth.

Those who reduce heritage to mere sentimentality miss its essence. Heritage is about clarity. When we understand where we came from—what we built, what we lost, what we survived—we begin to understand who we are. And that understanding is vital to how we move forward.

This structure could have continued to decay. It could have remained a relic of neglect, but of course, I could not allow that. Instead, we took notice and believed it was worth saving, and with our support through the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), it is now a symbol of what we choose to remember.

In essence, this place began humbly—as a casa made of bamboo, wood, and straw—built to mark Patnongon’s birth as a town. This origin story matters. It reminds us that we are a people who fought for our freedoms and held onto an identity distinct in its own right—wholly Filipino, and fiercely refusing to be diminished. Are we now to allow ourselves to be the ones who forget?

Not while I draw breath.

This is what I have long stood for: to find value even in what others overlook. To ensure our culture, stories, and communities are not lost to apathy.

And this effort does not end in a building. Let young Patnonganons come here and ask the most complex questions:

What happened here? What do I owe this history? Let them learn, let them reflect, and let them challenge. Because that’s how heritage lives, through participation. It reminds us that each of us has something to contribute.

That is why I championed the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, the Cultural Mapping Law, the Philippine Tropical Fabrics Law, the Gabaldon School Buildings Conservation Act, and the operation of Schools of Living Traditions. It’s why I’ve supported the preservation of vanishing traditions—through books, television programs, museums, galleries—as well as our cuisine, weaving, music, literary work, komiks, textiles, languages, landmarks, pottery, indigenous knowledge systems, and practices. These are investments in our cultural infrastructure that preserve our tangible and intangible heritage, making accessible, relevant, and functional in today’s economy, education, and identity formation.

Ladies and gentlemen, no effort is too small—not a building, not a story. To restore heritage is to restore historical integrity and national self-worth. This is how we build a resilient l nation, with people who live with purpose and govern with depth, whether on the global stage or in the most intimate circles of daily life.

Today, through this turnover ceremony of the restored Casa Tribunal de Patnongon, we continue to empower what must persist.

Duro duro gid nga salamat at isang luntiang Pilipinas sa ating lahat!