Intramuros Learning Sessions episode no. 5
Overview
Join us as we re-visit the history of Intramuros’ monuments and on how they graced not only the story but also the very life of the Walled City through the centuries.
- Guest speaker: Jose Victor Torres, Ph.D.
- Moderator: Rancho Arcilla
About the Speaker: Jose Victor Torrres, Ph.D.
Prof. Dr. Jose Victor Z. Torres is a multi-awarded writer, Palanca award-winning playwright, and essayist. He has a M.A. and a Ph.D. in History from the University of Santo Tomas.
He is currently a full professor at the Department of History of the De La Salle University where he also serve as associate director for Drama and History at its Bienvenido N. Santos Creative Writing Center.
A former researcher of the Intramuros Administration, his book Ciudad Murada: A Walk Through Historic Intramuros (Vibal Publishing) won the National Book Award for Travel Writing in 2006 and in 2017, his collection of essays To the Person Sitting in Darkness and Other Footnotes in Philippine History (UST Publishing House) was awarded the National Book Award for Essays in English. He is the author and editor of books on Philippine history and culture and a contributor of articles on history and culture to local magazines and journals.
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.
| See Previous ILS Episode Intramuros and the Making of the Filipino Nation | See Next ILS Episode Ang Fort Santiago sa Kasaysayang Pilipino |
Check out our previous ILS episodes here
For more information contact the Center for Intramuros Studies via [email protected]
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