Intramuros Learning Sessions episode no. 39



Overview

The recently mandated Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs of Manila (DTCAM) has prepared the Manila Tourism and Cultural Development Plan (Manila TCDP) 2020-2025 with technical support from BioDev, a team of urban, tourism and cultural planning specialists, which provides government and private organizations with alternative to conventional urban planning and management services. The MTCDP showcases the best of Manila through the 8 priority programs, 8 trails, and 8 loops located within the 8 tourism hubs. It combines culture and heritage conservation with innovations in tourism services such as tourist-oriented e-vehicles, digital tours, as well as mobile and web-based applications for booking, navigation, and in generating revenues for the local government for the succeeding years. It also features concrete strategies and measures to jumpstart the local tourism industry after Covid-19 phenomenon, and enable it to become resilient to other pandemics and health-related emergencies.


  • Guest speaker: AC Salonga
  • Panel discussants: Tina Paterno, Dante Eleuterio, Tobit Cruz, and Stephen Pamorada
  • Moderator: Rancho Arcilla and B.A. Dolores

About the Speaker: AC Salonga

A.C. Salonga is a tourism operations officer at the Department of Tourism, Culture, and Arts of the City of Manila. Aside from his work at the City Hall, he is currently the Vice Chairperson for External Affairs of Youth Reform Movement PH. He has a BA in English from the University of the East-Manila, an Associate of Arts in Language and Literature at Central Luzon State University, and is currently taking up an MA in Communication Management at Polytechnic University of the Philippines.


About the moderator: Rancho Arcilla

John Paul Escandor Arcilla, known professionally as Rancho Arcilla, is the author of the Intramuros Register of Styles (2021). He served as Chairperson of the Intramuros Technical Committee on Architectural Standards (TCAS) from June 2022 to May 2024. As TCAS Chairperson, Arcilla oversaw the review of all development, including new constructions, in the Walled City.

Arcilla was also the first Archivist of the Intramuros Administration. With a mandate from Atty. Guiller Asido, Administrator of Intramuros from 2017 to 2022, Arcilla established the Administration’s Archives and Central Records Section, serving as its first Section Head from July 2019 to June 2024.

He has an MA in Philippine Studies from UP Diliman and a BA in Asian Studies from the University of Santo Tomas. Arcilla specializes on colonial architecture.

In 2021, Arcilla was instrumental in the development of the Revised 2021 Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Presidential Decree No. 1616, the main framework and legal instrument in the management of Intramuros District. The architectural provisions of the IRR and the Intramuros Register of Styles (2021) is based on his MA thesis Walls within Walls: The Architecture of Intramuros (2021).


About the Intramuros Learning Sessions

The Intramuros Learning Sessions (ILS) is the educational lecture series of the Intramuros Administration (IA). The IA is an attached national government agency under the Department of Tourism. 

Topics are interdisciplinary and cover themes related to Intramuros and Manila studies, Philippine studies, as well as cultural heritage studies. Pursuant to IA’s charter, the ILS aims to contribute to the strengthening of the Filipino’s national identity and sense of belonging and pride.

For inquiries contact us at [email protected]


See Previous ILS Episode
Justice is Served, Court Victories for Women & Children
See Next ILS Episode
History-Writing With Bombs And Bulldozers

Check out our previous ILS episodes here


For more information contact the Center for Intramuros Studies via [email protected]
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