The Samar provincial government has initiated a robust campaign aimed at conserving the historical defense structures from the Spanish colonial period. This initiative, named ‘Safeguarding the Sentinels of the Samar Seas: Conservation of the Samar Fortifications,’ is a collaborative effort with the University of Santo Tomas Graduate School Center for Conservation of Cultural Property and Environment in the Tropics (UST-CCCPET). Funded by a USD245,000 grant from the United States Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, the project focuses on protecting 22 documented defense structures across Samar, including 13 sea or river-facing sentinels, seven fortifications, one naval garrison, and one unidentified structure.
Eric Zerrudo, Executive Director of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), emphasized the importance of these structures as vital pieces of Samar’s heritage. He encouraged the local community to act as guardians of this history, suggesting that understanding the past is crucial for a promising future. The project stems from a comprehensive cultural mapping effort started in 2017, which uncovered fortifications in nearly all of Samar’s coastal towns, such as Gandara, Zumarraga, Tarangnan, Catbalogan, Jiabong, Paranas, Pinabacdao, Villareal, Santa Rita, Basey, and Pagsanghan.
Before his role at NCCA, Zerrudo was involved with the UST team that conducted the initial cultural mapping. Regalado Trota Jose, Chair of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), stressed the importance of studying historical sources in their original language to better understand and protect these fortifications. He recommended that the provincial government send scholars to the Franciscan archive in Spain to gather and disseminate crucial historical information.
Governor Sharee Ann Tan expressed gratitude to all involved in the cultural mapping project and highlighted the importance of educating the youth about Samar’s history in collaboration with the Department of Education (DepEd). Karina Rosa Tiopes, Regional Director of the Department of Tourism (DOT), praised the provincial government for involving their agency in the project, emphasizing the significance of preserving these structures for future generations and promoting tourism by sharing Samar’s rich history.
The initial phase of the project will focus on preserving a naval garrison and watchtower in Sta. Rita, and a medium fortification and watchtower in Gandara. These structures played a critical role in protecting early Samar settlers from Moro raiders during the Spanish-Moro conflict.