'Save Calle Real' forum set
Stakeholders and concerned residents will have a chance to make their say on efforts to conserve one of Iloilo City's best heritage - its downtown central business district or popularly known as Calle Real.
The draft Iloilo City Downtown Central Business District Heritage Conservation Guidelines, which cover conservation, restoration and development measures for heritage buildings and sites, will be presented in a forum on May 25.
Aptly titled "Save Calle Real," it will be hosted by the Iloilo City Cultural Heritage Conservation Council in cooperation with the Iloilo City Planning and Development Office and the Canadian Urban Institute.
The forum, to be held at the Iloilo Grand Hotel at 1:00 PM, will draw together policy makers, urban planners, architects and stakeholders from the business community as well as the arts and culture circle.
Calle Real is home to Art Deco-styled commercial buildings built during the 1920s up to the 1950s. Originally, it refers only to J. M. Basa Street but has evolved as a nomenclature for Iloilo City's central business district.
The district consists of the streets of J. M. Basa, Aldeguer, Mapa, Guanco and Iznart, which has been declared as the Iloilo City Heritage Zone under the Ordinance No. 00-054 otherwise known as the Local Cultural Heritage Conservation Ordinance.
The ordinance mandates that the use, upkeep and preservation of these structures and landmarks as far as practicable shall always be the concern of the Iloilo City government. It also created the ICCHCC, the body responsible in advancing cultural heritage conservation and promotion in the city.
"Calle Real remains an important shopping destination in the city despite the opening of malls. Sadly, its heritage buildings and structures are slowly wearing out to the forces of nature and human neglect," says Jose Roni Peñalosa, Iloilo City Planning and Development Coordinator.
"There is a need to preserve these buildings because aside from being testimonies to Iloilo City's glorious past, they are potential tourist attractions that can bring in much-needed income for the city and its people," he adds.
A copy of the draft guidelines will be posted at the CUI website at www.philippines.canurb.com starting May 20 for the public to review so they can be properly informed before attending the forum.