Torrijos, Marinduque (PIA) -- Grupo Kalinangan Inc. (GKI) recently wrapped its validation process in the community of Torrijos, Marinduque.

It has involved 25 villages in said town during the course of the three-day validation proceedings. Torrijos is gearing for its 143rd foundation by May 25, coinciding with the National Heritage Month.

The Torrijos cultural mapping project has begun since 2019 with a memorandum of understanding with the National Commission for Culture and Arts and the lone state college in Marinduque.

It has progressed with the scoping and negotiation, orientation of local mappers and targeting of cultural elements from built heritage, movable heritage, intangible cultural heritage including personalities and cultural institutions. But in 2022, the local government of Torrijos has disengaged with NCCA and inked an agreement with GKI to complete the cultural mapping process.

GKI has conducted an orientation last Feb. 15 and stayed in the field ever since. They scheduled field visits from barangay to the next with lead and co-facilitators with LGU employees and some interns from higher education institutions.

Barely one month from the deadline, from April 24 to 26 they proceeded with the validation of initial findings about the Torrijos tangible movable, movable, intangible and natural heritage.

planning and management framework and the NCCA Cultural Mapping Toolkit, as well as its innovative IT solutions for cultural mapping, LGU Torrijos is on its way to becoming a digitally-enabled leader in the province for heritage development and conservation.

All validated information shall form part of the local cultural profile of the town and will be submitted to the LGU and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts' PRECUP office for compliance and heritage tourism development.

GKI has distilled the historical events which happened since May 25, 1880. Day 1, April 24, enlisted the help from the village folks from Poblacion, Buangan, Cagpo, Dampulan, Makawayan, Mabuhay, Marlangga, Poctoy and Tigwi. On the  next day, April 25, GKI included Bangwayin, Bolo, Bonliw, Kay Duke, Malinao, Matuyatuya, Pakaskasan and Suha.

On the third and last day, April 26, the cluster of barangays were Bayakbakin, Cabuyo, Malibago, Maranlig, Nangka, Payanas, Sibuyao and Talawan.

GKI is a non-stock, non-profit organization for the heritage development of the country. It recommended for built heritage to provide incentives to heritage house owners, installation of markers, inclusion for cultural properties in NCCA and creation of guidelines for protection of the significant structures.

Moreover, on the movable heritage, it was recommended to teach proper storage and handling, write down history of objects, designate people to take care of the items, continue usage of household items and prevent exposure to harmful elements. Then, for natural heritage, GKI have suggested to schedule clean-ups, keep natural sites safe and consider sustainable tourism. About intangible heritage, it was also suggested to document the practices, translated existing documentation, provide support to culture bearers, write down history and prevent watering down of the traditions.(PIA Mimaropa/PR from MSC)