Six buildings in Far Eastern University (FEU) are National Cultural Treasures, said the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) through Museum Declaration-1-2018.
Along with the announcement, FEU unveiled in a small ceremony the special marker awarded to the university as a symbol of its historic and cultural significance.
The marker, given by the National Museum of the Philippines, serves as recognition of heritage buildings in the campus, namely: Nicanor Reyes Sr. Hall; Administration Building; Admissions Building, formerly the Engineering Building or the East Asia Building; Architecture and Fine Arts Building, formerly the Law Building; Science Building; and the FEU Chapel.
Present in the ceremony were FEU President Juan Miguel Montinola, FEU Chair Emeritus Dr. Lourdes Reyes Montinola, National Museum Deputy Director-General for Museums Jorell Legaspi, and National Museum Chief Administrative Officer of the Research, Collection, and Conservation Management Division Anne Rosette Crelencia.
“The FEU community is privileged to know that our university is the home of many national cultural treasures through its facilities and artworks. Moreover, these treasures are not in confined spaces. They are enjoyed daily by our students, who will carry with them the memory of our rich cultural heritage,” said FEU President Montinola.
“FEU, from its inception, has stood as a symbol of dedication to the harmonious blend of history and modernity. The National Cultural Treasure marker serves as a reminder of our collective duty to safeguard this heritage, which is not only a relic of the past but a bridge to a bright future,” Legaspi said, on behalf of the National Museum.
Aside from the heritage marker, FEU also unveiled a memorial plaque for the late Architect Pablo Antonio Jr., son of National Artist for Architecture Pablo Antonio Sr. who designed most of the university’s esteemed Art Deco structures.
A collective duty to safeguard cultural heritage
In 2005, FEU’s efforts in cultural heritage conservation were recognized when it was granted the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Asia-Pacific Honorable Mention Heritage Award, which considered five of its buildings as heritage structures.
Aside from its large collection of remarkable architectural structures, FEU also boasts several paintings and sculptures that depict important aspects of Philippine history and culture.
The FEU Chapel, the newest addition to the university’s list of heritage buildings, features two life-size mural paintings, “The Stations of Cross” and “The Crucified Christ” by National Artist for Visual Arts Carlos “Botong” Francisco.
Similarly, the Administration Building, where the new marker is installed, houses Italian artist Francesco Ricardo Monti’s sculptures of the different historical eras of the Philippines.
