Intramuros Learning Sessions episode no. 17

Overview

With the Philippines as her adoptive country, Spanish painter Betsy Westendorp is, together with Fernando Zóbel, the contemporary artist who best represents the fusion between Spanish and Filipino art. Instituto Cervantes de Manila is organizing an exhibit in recognition of her artistic career and in gratitude to the artist for her generous gift to the institute – her painting Passages. In this exhibit, the aforementioned work of art will be presented to the public, and Filipino and Spanish artists will pay homage to Ms. Westendorp with some of their most representative works of art.

  • Featuring: Betsy Westendorp de Brias
  • Guest speaker: Javier Galvan, Ph.D.
  • Panel of artists: Carmen Brias, Phyllis Zaballero, Marivic Rufino
  • Moderator: Rancho Arcilla

About the Speaker: Javier Galvan, Ph.D.

Javier Galván Guijo is the current director of the Instituto Cervantes (IC) in Manila. He is an architect by profession. He has an MA from the Centro Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid, and a PhD. from Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid. Among numerous awards, he has an honorary doctorate from the University of Santo Tomas Legazpi, as well as a Presidential Medal of Merit from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and the Order of the Cross of Isabel the Catholic from King Juan Carlos of Spain.

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 webinar 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
Rediscovering Biodiversity in Manila Urban Jungle During the Time of Pandemic		See Next ILS Episode
Philippine Coffee: A Case for Conserving our Coffee Heritage

Check out our previous ILS episodes here

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