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Easter Monday, March 24, 2008 was the oathtaking of
the new Intramuros Administration appointee, Ana Maria L. Harper,
known to all as Bambi.
In the culture universe of
Manila, the Intramuros Administration that manages the heritage
sites of Intramuros and Fort Santiago, this is a significant
appointment. Intramuros after all is where Manila as a city
literally began as well as figuratively existed for several
centuries. In Philippine history, be it at the levels of government,
economics, education, religion, art and culture, Intramuros is an
integral and iconic element. Its churches, schools, convents, the
government offices and the residential enclaves that it contained
are part of our racial memory. Or, should be.
Intramuros was almost completely
destroyed by World War II shelling and burning, leaving only one of
its dozens of churches as a survivor as well as its thick walls as a
tangible legacy of the past. After World War II, a law was enacted
with the purpose of rebuilding and restoring it as a heritage site.
It was honored mostly in the architecture of the new buildings which
had to echo the designs of the past. Otherwise, it was an unruly,
neglected and abandoned part of Manila. Sometime in the 70’s a
presidential decree sought to make a serious attempt to do what the
law had envisioned and the Intramuros Administration was born. With
government funding walls were rebuilt, heritage houses were restored
and opened to the public and activities were programmed to bring
life and interest to what had been the heart of ancient and historic
Manila. However, political events and subsequent changes of
government and, lately, a less-than credible administrator somehow
caused a dulling of the vision and a lull in the sense of mission
that was initiated by the presidential decree.
Among the observers of this
dismal turn of events was Bambi Harper, who has blossomed into a
cultural historian through her research and interpretation of
Philippine history through decades of newspaper columns, articles
and other publications. She has as well immersed herself in heritage
conservation. She was a founding member of the Concerned Citizens
for the National Museum (now the Museum Foundation of the
Philippines) as well as the Heritage Conservation Society. She has
for the past few years been director of the Heritage Month
activities that take place annually in May. In other words, she has
paid her dues to the conservation and propagation of our best values
and valid historic antecedents.
Her work has been cut out for
her. The Intramuros Administrator is like a little mayor of
Intramuros in command of what can happen and what should not happen
supposedly with the support and cooperation of other government
agencies, including the police which in this case is the Western
Police District.
Last Monday, just as we were
sitting down to lunch to congratulate Bambi and witness her
oathtaking, an urgent call interrupted to inform her that the legal
department head of the Comelec, a long-time Intramuros tenant, had
been shot dead in broad daylight. Of course, it is a police matter
but the Intramuros Administrator had to be informed. Law and order
are in the scope of her jurisdiction, aside from art and culture,
conservation and preservation, tourist activity, commercial
enterprises and management of open spaces. It will be a complicated,
many-layered balancing act and we wish Bambi the best as she rolls
up her sleeves and meets the challenge of accepting to be the
Intramuros Administrator.
mlatimes@gmail.com
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