Bicam approves final version of Cultural Mapping Bill

The bicameral conference committee has approved the reconciled version of the bill seeking to further develop the preservation of the Philippines’ cultural assets through cultural mapping.

The Cultural Mapping Bill seeks to amend the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 by mandating local government units to conduct a cultural heritage mapping of their areas whether tangible and intangible, and natural and built heritage, and to address new threats from a fast-changing cultural landscape due to digital transformation.

“Cultural heritage affirms our identity as a people. Our history and traditions reflect our values and beliefs. But, more than the cultural demonstration of our heritage, the wealth of knowledge that has been passed on from one generation to another to the next is much more significant and valuable as this knowledge would be the proof of our uniqueness and what will define us as a human race,” said Senator Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate committee on culture and the arts.

According to Legarda, the promotion and preservation of cultural heritage through an integrated education approach is one of the significant provisions that was adopted from the House version of the bill.

“And so, we are working hard for the Cultural Mapping bill to be passed because we believe this is one of the best legacies that we could give the future generations of Filipinos,” she added.

Under the proposed measure, the LGUs will coordinate with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), other cultural agencies, and specified national agencies in the country.

The bill is now up for ratification in the Senate and the House of Representatives. After which, the bill will be sent to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to either approve or veto the measure. —VAL, GMA Integrated News