Intramuros Learning Sessions episode no. 76 – The Big One: The 1863 Earthquake of Corpus Christi
Overview:
Are we prepared for the Big One? In 1863, after a long time of relative calm, Manila was struck by a devastating earthquake that forever changed the fabric of the walled city.
- Guest Speaker: Christian Emmanuel Catahan
- Panel Discussant: Renato U. Solidum, Jr., Ph.D.
- Moderator: Rancho Arcilla
About the Guest Speaker:
Christian Emmanuel Catahan is a researcher. He was previously the Coordinator for the IA Center for Intramuros Studies from 2020 to 2023.
He has a BA in History with a cognate in Anthropology (cum laude) from the University of the Philippines Diliman. Currently, he is taking his MA in Archaeology at the same university. He is a lifetime member of the Philippine Historical Association
The Hon. Dr. Renato U. Solidum, Jr. is a geologist. He is currently the head of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) as well as an undersecretary at the Department of Science and Technology.
He has a BS in Geology from the University of the Philippines, an M.Sc. in Geological Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and Ph.D. in Earth Sciences from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego.
In recognition of his contributions to disaster risk reduction in the Philippines, Dr. Solidum has been awarded the Presidential Citation for Public Service, the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award by the Civil Service Commission, the Professional of the Year in the field of Geology by the Professional Regulation Commission, the Excellence Award for Government Service by the Philippine Federation of Professional Associations and the Presidential Career Executive Service Award by the Career Executive Service Board.
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 Pilgrimage with the Intramuros Pedicab Drivers: Art, Tourism, and Religion | See Next ILS Episode Los Indios Philipinos: Early Filipino Migrant Workers in Acapulco in the 16th & 17th Centuries |
Check out our previous ILS episodes here
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