“WITHIN THE WALLED CITY”

Gene Michael M. Atanacio (Co-Author), 4T1- Roxanne Faye Lapuz, Rose-Anne Lopez,
Alyssa Gail Manuncia, Beatrice Marie Mercado, Norely Umali
ABSTRACT

Intramuros was the center of political, military and religious power of the Spaniards
during the 16th century. During the 2nd World War, it was heavily damaged and was
used as prison and barracks. Today, Intramuros gains attention because of its
renovated infrastructures and sceneries while the historical essence of the old
buildings with Spanish influences is maintained.

As future tourism practitioners, it came to our attention that Intramuros can be a

potential site in promoting Philippine culture and heritage. With our eager desire to
help, we wish to identify and focus on the influences regarding the current progress
with the increasing number of tourists within the location. Through conducting
quantitative and qualitative methods of research we will have a lucid view of how
tourism growth is affected by the newest trends in the tourism industry.
INTRAMUROS - CENTER OF CULTURE AND HISTORY

Ciudad Murada holds the key to the door of our rich history. Because of our
eagerness to rediscover the city of our ancestors’ dreams, we have followed the
footsteps of our heroes and went to visit our past.

When someone says, ‘Manila Cultural and Heritage Tour’ one might think of
Ciudad Murada in an instant. In this walled city, people would usual go to Fort Santiago,
to Manila Cathedral or to the San Agustin Church. These places are the most preserved
and developed places in Ciudad Murada, but there is more in this place than those
‘usual’ locations.

In Sri Lanka, pollution is one of their major problems in the preservation of the
place. To address this problem, they established a hotel that is under strict municipal
guidelines. Sigria and Intramuros have this problem in common. Because just like in any
other site, may it be ecological or cultural, limitations have to be set and implemented in
order to preserve it. (http://environmentlanka.com/blog/2008/pollution-control-and-waste-
management-in-sri-lanka/) When our group went to Intramuros, in San Agustin Church to
be specific, we had a hard time crossing to the other side of the street because of the
seemingly unending cars and of the narrow road. There are also vacant lots that are
still kept unused and undeveloped which could affect the impression of the tourist.

A Cultural and heritage site shares a great role in the formation of a country’s
culture and history. It is expected that the Filipinos would uphold the institution that
history brought us. There has been a cultural property that includes the safe guarding it
from an intentional and on purpose destruction. “It has been suggested that greed and
violence are the greatest threats in cultural properties.” (Baxter, in Williams 1978; vii)
The physical care must also been preserved as a composition of the cultural property. It
has been significantly important to the community, however, to be effectively protected it
must deal with specific vulnerability.

Cultural heritage preservation started because of the desire of preserving cultural

relics in Europe to the enlightenment which led to the appreciation of the material
culture. It was mentioned that the Non-Western culture tends to value the spiritual view
more than the material view of the past. For effective heritage tourism, it must
emphasize the flexibility and adaptability with the site, enables to meet consumers'
needs and integrated with other systems. It must be from the society that wants to
conserve a specific place.

Conservation planning

It is pointed out that it needs to consider what is necessary and what is not. The

places that are seen to be important should be identified so that proper conservation

methods would be applied to the specific place. These said plans are meant to be

realistically appropriate to the cultural and social conditions of the society and of the

environment to uphold crisis conditions that may affect the place. (Sullivan 1998) Thus,

possibilities can be applied to Intramuros. For example, the Maestranza Wall that was

damaged during the war, (1941) is currently under restoration with the help of the

Japanese government. Also, according to Former Toursim Secretary Ace Durano, by

the first quarter of 2011 the walls will be connected and the public will be able to enjoy

it. (Joven 2010)

What should be preserved?

"Preservationists are not against growth and development. Rather they see
growth as built on the past." (Tyler, Norman; historic reservation: an intro to its history,
principles and practice; 2009) In Intramuros, development is vital to preserve the place,
in a sense that the development should be in line with its historical aspect focusing on
its past rather than the modern development. History talks about tradition. "Tradition is a
matter of much wider significance." To see oneself only in one's own time period and as
a product of that time period is to deny the richness of history and the meaning of that
history to one's own time. (historic preservation: An introduction to its history, principles
and practice; Tyler, Norman)

The historical place of Intramuros has been facing a dilemma of deciding what
and how to protect the area. Standards, needs, and interest change overtime and tend
to reflect the current, the political, social and economic climate (Daifuku 1968
Kristiansen 1989, Lipe 1984) In general terms, the people who sustained its great
culture may also change in time as the people who consume its production may have
diversity in taste as researchers having new focus on under-appreciated places. There
are various threats that may affect its cultural heritage such as religious changes,
research technology and preservation of various types of values ( Costin, 1991). The
cultural heritage act preserves Intramuros and provides for the maintenance and
affective acquisitions of officials to the area. Its function to balance its cultural heritage
must be observed and recognized.

That is why our aim for this study is to inform the citizens of the recent
developments in Ciudad Murada for the past few years and to remind them of its
importance and value as a historical site.
 This paper also intends to explore the downsides and benefits of the place to
clearly show and critically analyze the development that has been formed with the
people’s effort in developing the walled city.

“The lack of a unified policy also means that recording will be based on a local
subjective decision about what is 'deemed' important.” (Costin, 1991) People who
desired for the place to be more enriched and beautified were composed of the 53%
from the target population. For the place to have more growth, specifications for the
improvement are enlisted by the tourists in Intramuros. The 15% of tourists think that
the place doesn’t need improvement and is enough for everyone. Meanwhile, 30% of
them think that, Intramuros could be more developed.

Glance at the Past

Based on the book ‘Ciudad Murada’ written by Jose Victor Z. Torres, this city,
which is popularly known as Intramuros, had been the center of commerce because of
its strategic location beside the Pasig River and the Manila bay. The first inhabitants
were the Tagalogs which became traders. With Miguel Lopez de Legaspi’s rule, on the
24th of June 1571, Manila was founded and shortly came Intramuros. In 1589,
Governor-General Gomez Perez Dasmariñas went to the Philippines with King Philip’s
order to enclose the city with stones and a suitable fort should be erected at the junction
of the sea and the river. The City then became the capital of Manila, Philippines.

It became the home for peninsurales and insulares. The name ‘Intramuros’ that
was given to the city is originally a Latin word that literally means, ‘the walled city’. By
the 18th century, the city was thoroughly enclosed but some additional renovations were
done after some years. And, seeing that the city is located by the Pasig River,
Portuguese and Sulu pirates tried to take control of the city but the high walls, which are
6 meters high and 3 kilometers long, served as a defense for any kind of invasion from
anyone. By the end of this century, the Spaniards started to excavate the city and by the
start of the 19th century, the Filipinos gradually began to reside inside the city. And since
the major universities are situated here, most of them rent-out accesorias or
dormitories. However, on 1863 a great earthquake obliterated the whole Manila. This
calamity has highly affected Intramuros and reconstructions took sometime to finish.

In fact, when Jose Rizal went to Manila for the first time in 1868, he thought of it
as a chaotic city. The city has settled down until the time when Katipuneros infiltrated
the Maestranza arsenal in Intramuros to take weapons. The war lasted for six hours
with intense injuries on both sides. Foreigners and the officials, including the Governor-
General, prepared to leave the city in case of a rebel attack again.

The Pact of Biak na Bato in 1897, was the signal of turning over of the
Philippines to the Americans. But this doesn’t mean that the Spaniards already fully
surrendered. Then Spanish-American war erupted. During this time, the Spaniards
chose to surrender and sign an agreement. The ceremony was held at the
Ayuntamiento with the generals of Spain and America. During American occupation,
Intramuros was revolutionized; they stayed at Fort Santiago, churches and convents,
they filled the moat and turned it into a Golf course, causing the occasional floods in the
city. They applied major alteration to the city so that they even destroyed a part of the
wall. If it wasn’t for the citizens, they would have destroyed it all.

In 1904, American architect Daniel H. Burnham proposed the preservation of the

walls and of the old Spanish structures because according to him, “they possessed
singular, historical and archaeological interest, while their imposing appearance gives
them great monumental value.” In 1932, there was an incident wherein buildings like
Ateneo, Augustinian Provincial House, and parts of Sta. Isabel College were burned
down. This explains the open spaces in the city today. All these were relocated to other
parts of Manila.

Few years later, the Japanese arrived in the Philippines. They wanted the
Westerners to leave, since they believed that “Asia is for Asians only”. This triggered the
occurrence of World War II. Since then, the Japanese caused more destruction in
Intramuros. There were aerial bombings that damaged the fortification of the city, but in
other accounts, it was said that the end of Intramuros was caused by the artillery
cannons that were aimed inside the district and the walls.

Major events took place in Intramuros and this gives it a place in the historical
core of the country. This includes events in World War II, when it served as a Japanese
barracks, leaving a disastrous image of the place. Calamities and human-made
disasters made it a tough city all throughout the foreign invasions and occupancy until
we soon redeemed our freedom. The aftermath of these destructions could be seen
among the sites that are now being visited in the place.

During the post-war years, Intramuros was embraced to the modern environment
and adapted the economical sustainability of the country. It had become the hub of
informal settlers and parking for cargo trucks, and the deterioration continues.

Several bills and executive orders have been passed for the improvement of the
places in Intramuros and these enhance the site as truly a historical and cultural
environment. It underwent a dramatic change through the years with the cooperation of
the people and maintaining the tourist influx. (http://www.philippines-travel-
guide.com/intramuros.html)
RESTORING THE GLORY

We went to the Intramuros Administration and inquired about the tourist arrivals.
The trend shows that in 2003, visitors increased. We note, however, that in 2009, there
was a decrease in the tourist arrivals. This is significant because we expect the trend to
continue to improve as shown in the past figures. Our group saw this as an opportunity
to study this issue to use our findings to remind citizens and stakeholders about the
need to improve the current state of Ciudad Murada.

Figure 1. Number of Tourist Arrivals in Intramuros from 2000-2009

 According to the “Cultural Heritage Act”, there should be no changes made in a
cultural heritage site once it was declared as a National Heritage. An example of which
is the University of Santo Tomas, wherein the institution cannot add more edifice within
its area. Before any renovations that must be done, the institution needs to ask
permission from the NCCA (National Commission for Culture and the Arts) first.

Based on our experiences as tourists in Intramuros, we easily saw the problems

that made Intramuros unpleasant and unsafe. The quality of the air was bad and quite
suffocating. Illegal settlers made some areas very unsightly. Unmaintained vacant lots
due to relocation of previous tenants gave some areas a deserted look. A new building
replacing an original structure stood out like a sore thumb among the dated architecture.
There were some ruins that were still unattended, perhaps, awaiting development plans
from the administration. These only made us understand and aware of the critical
situation where Intramuros really needs the government’s full attention.

During the survey that we conducted, foreign and local respondents gave their
insightful comments about Intramuros. Among the suggestions for improvements are: to
add public maps, banning of tricycles from the streets and relocation of the illegal
settlers to maintain orderliness and cleanliness. There is a need to also have more
approachable guardia civil and security personnel. It was also pointed out that the
administration should not over-develop the existing structures. We also saw remains of
a modern building in the area, near the Clamshell, that was full of graffiti.

Intramuros Administration is only operational four days a week. This must be

reconsidered because tourists come throughout the seven days of the week. In the
Administration Office was a museum but the absence of visitors made us believe that
public is not aware of its existence. We also visited their library and we got additional
information about the Intramuros Administration.
 On April 10, 1979, Presidential Decree 1616 was released. This Decree states
that; The Intramuros Administration will be responsible for the orderly restoration and
development of Intramuros as a monument to the Hispanic period in Philippine History
and to promote the Walled City as a prime tourist attraction. This was amended by the
Presidential Decree 1748 on December 10, 1980. The P.D. 1748 includes the
Intramuros Master Plan.

With this immense responsibility that has been bestowed upon them, the
Intramuros Administration wasted no time and came up with their own Vision Mission in
the development and preservation of the said historical place. Their Vision is to:

• Re-awaken sense of oneness and pride among Filipinos.

• Preserve Intramuros as Cultural oasis and model heritage site.

• Ensure partnership with Intramuros community for Mutual Upliftment.

• Maintain professionalism and dedication as public servants.

And their Mission is to:

• Ensure planned development management and promotion of

Intramuros as National Heritage Site.

• Contribute to Cultural/Spiritual enrichment of Filipinos and socio-

economic progress of Intramuros community.

• Integrate historic preservation with urban renewal and cultural

tourism.
 In the year 1990, the Intramuros Administration has come up with a plan to
beautify Intramuros, and they called this plan the, ‘Urban Development Plan 1990’.
According to them, their three ultimate goals are for Land use, Urban Design and
Circulation Proposals. Countless information about the said city can be found in this
plan, including the population of the residence, the office workers, and the students and
of the squatters in the area. They have also declared the tourist influx of the different
tourist destinations inside the Walled City. In addition, they have quite a lot of designs
drawn in some specific pages that illustrates their plans in revamping the Walled City.
Their plans are mostly focused on the infrastructures and road development.

They have also stated some plans concerning the residence and squatters inside
the city, like for example, it is stated there that, by educating the said people about the
historical importance of the place would help in promoting and preserving the Walled
City. They even made organizations for the marginalized people in the area and one of
which is the ‘Samahang Maralita ng Intramuros’. Intramuros Administration also gained
help from several people and institutions like, The Global Heritage Fund Mission, a non-
profit conservation group that gives their aid to particular countries in preserving their
cultural and heritages sites; and from Mayor Alfredo Lim, whom, during his 2007
governance in Manila, persuaded people to go to Intramuros instead of going
somewhere else. And with the Presidential Decree no. 1763, the Philippine Tourism
Association is now responsible for the administration of the golf course inside the city.
Former DOT Secretary Richard “Dick” Gordon suggested that a walking tour is best for
highlighting the cultural attraction with the purpose of enjoyment and education.

They also have Gaceta de Intramuros, which is the official newsletter which they
publish every three months. This newsletter contains various articles about their latest
projects and even their personal stories about Intramuros. Unfortunately, lack of
promotion makes us unaware of these kinds of events.
 Aside from the proposed projects coming from the urban development plan, they
should have a centralized administration for tour guides who can build trust in the
clients, both foreign and local. We have experienced an incident wherein foreigners
refused to answer our survey, or even talk to us, just because they thought we were
pestering them and that we were one of those so-called ‘fake tour guides’. This plan for
tour guides may help in improving the situation of Intramuros since they will be the
people who will give information, and in a way, promote the city.

With this, a more developed and ecological Intramuros will soon attract the tourist
and encourage the local to patronize the place. Because of the increase in the tourist
influx, commodification is being established in the city. Despite of this fact, their income
may have come from this and thus, they can fund their projects in regards to the
development and preservation of Intramuros. For example, there are a lot of commercial
establishments found in Intramuros, namely: Jollibee, Max’s, Starbucks, and the like.
On the contrary, it can also cause a negative effect since it may contribute in spoiling
the authenticity of the city.

In addition with that, clash of technologies may occur. One example is the
utilization of electricity. Another is the possibility of exploitation of the walls by drilling
holes in it. These may contribute to the destruction of the city’s genuineness.

Plans for Intramuros:

Escuela Taller Intramuros is a project of the Philippine and Spanish governments

through the Agencia Española de Cooperaciòn Internacional para el Desarollo (AECID),

the National Commission for culture and the Arts (NCCA), the Technical Education and

Skills Development Agency (TESDA), the Intramuros Administration (IA), the

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the City Government of

Manila represented by the Manila Department of Social Welfare (MDSW).

It was created in order to train the future artists, artisans and craftsmen and
women who will work on the conservation and restoration of historic buildings in
Intramuros and the rest of the Philippines.

It has 73 scholars from the BASECO compound and its core academic subjects include
English, Spanish, Mathematics and Values Education, while its specialized workshops
(“talleres”) are centered on woodworks, plumbing, masonry, electrical installations, and
painting. Retrieved from http://etintramuros.wordpress.com/

According to Mr. Zerrudo (head of, the Center for Conservation of Cultural
Property and Environment in the Tropics (CCCPET) and Escuela Taller), they are still
making use of the traditional techniques to preserve the dignity and authenticity of the
Cultural Heritage site. They are only a supporting buddy that aids Intramuros
Administration in preserving Intramuros.

We have also inquired in Intramuros Administration regarding their future plans

and projects that can also attract more tourists. Engr. Jai Altillero said that they have
been planning to restore the Old Intramuros. Though the purpose of the buildings or
structures may not be the same at least they will try to bring back its image based on
the archives that can be found on their library. If there are not available images that
were left, then they will make use of those proposed design made by their own
architects and make use of it.

Ayuntamiento and Maestranza are the examples of the buildings that the
government were started renovating. They already came up with the plan and started
since 2009 and this will help in building new direction for our country’s sake. And these
will encourage more tourists to visit the place.

They also held events monthly like the “Pasyal Aral” which can be associated to
fieldtrip. The students coming from the public schools participates in this event and it is
held every third week of September. This kind of project can help on promoting the
place at the same time, can give information. The budget allotted for these events
usually comes from the local government itself.

Intramuros as a Tourist Destination

The recent improvements that have been made through the years invoke certain
changes in the place, from its infrastructure to the marketing strategy. Selling
Intramuros’ appeal to the masses may generally obtain tranquility as its ex-modern
intuition is set to the consciousness of the society. Contemporary places have been the
place for the present generation. The factors have been dominantly caused a great part
for the tourists to be unaware of the recent developments; giving 70% of the tourists
who answered the survey did not know that there is such a progress.

After an order for developments of the previous secretaries of tourism, the place
that is incumbent with top number of tourists is the Fort Santiago which took part of the
53.38% of the survey respondents. 21.8% goes for its nearby destination landmark
which is the Manila Cathedral, and third place for another historical church, the San
Agustin Church and San Agustin Museum which accumulated 12.0%, followed by the
places that is given slight importance like the lights and sound museum, Bahay ng
Tsinoy, Baluarte, and other places. Two (2) people did not answer the particular
question.

Frequent travelers, locals and foreigners alike, have been in Intramuros for quite
some time and they have been revisiting the place always which is as of the 9% of the
people. 11% of them were often there, 42% visits seldom while the 38% of the
respondent’s population is their first time.
 When asked if they plan to go back again soon to Intramuros, 85% of the tourists
answered yes. Respondents were foreigners and locals.

Those who wanted more improvements in the place composed 53% of the target
population. 15% were satisfied with the present condition of Intramuros while 30% think
that Intramuros could be more developed.

After our survey, we saw that there was a huge number of whoopees (wealthy,
healthy, older people). They have more leisure time at their disposal and more money,
which they like to spend on holidays. Their visit to Intramuros underscores the
statement by Munsters and De Klumbis in 'Culture as a component of the hospitality
product. “With respect to demographic factors, the strong increase in numbers of
senior citizens in the Western World has significantly extended the market for historic
hotels, since the interest for history and culture grows with age.”

Fabric pertains to the buildings and walls of Intramuros. Due to its historical
significance, there shall be a use value wherein tourist who shall visit the place will feel
a nostalgic satisfaction in experiencing the heritage and there would be an use value in
which a monetary value is given in exchange for that satisfaction. Use value is a
concept in economics which states that the value of a good or service is related only to
its manner of use, or to an equivalent value in cash, and not to any intrinsic value.
(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/use-value.html 2010).

We can take Fort Santiago as an example. We can take Fort Santiago as an

example. Tourists pay a cartain fee to visit the place to see the old landmarks to obtain
that historical feel of the place. And because Fort Santiago served as a prison during
the pre-colonial era, that one of the country's national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, was even
imprisoned here, gives the place a more nostalgic feature in its cultural and historical
aspect.
REBUILDING THE WALLS OF HISTORY

We cite the situation of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. It was restored using cement
not knowing that Angkor Wat was a structure made from stones hence, sensitive to
chemicals. When cement is soaked in water it becomes acidic and causes the
deterioration of the stones. Based on this situation, it is encouraged to use the ancient
techniques on how the structure was formed. Specifically for Intramuros, we propose
that the ancient techniques that the Spaniards used, which is mixture of egg white and
cement, plus adobe stones, in establishing the structures should be applied in restoring
the city.

In relation with the centralized administration for tour guides, we are concerned
about the proliferation of ‘fake tour guides’. During peak seasons when there is a lack of
trained tour guides, we can ask them to help in touring the visitors. They should,
however, undergo training in guiding and handling the tourists in an appropriate way.

In Washington D.C., a rule was set that there should be no building higher than
that of the dome. This is to avoid overlapping of the main attraction. In line with this, we
also realized that the government can set strict and reasonable rules in Intramuros, and
make sure that the visitors, residents, and administration would follow these.

From our experience in Intramuros, we make mention that on many occasions,

we found ourselves walking on the streets because the sidewalk was quite narrow.
Perhaps, motor vehicles must be regulated and allowed only in specific lanes so that
pedestrians would be safe to walk around. Air pollution would be lessened and the
roads that were meant for horse carriages during the Spanish era would not be
damaged by the heavy cars. As an alternative for that, we thought of using the calesa
as a means of transportation. With this kind of amenity, it may also attract more tourists
and it may also add activities in the city. It is also better. There should be uniformity and
limited number of the calesa to manage congestion. Horse stations should also be
provided where horses can be cared for and the carts are maintained.

We also experienced an incident in the Intramuros Visitor’s Center located inside

the Fort Santiago, wherein we felt unwelcomed and somehow uncomfortable on how
they treated us. There are many restrictions given to us, and there came to a point that
they threatened to ban us if we do not comply with the proper courtesy. We felt that they
wanted us to leave immediately and they did not handle us with hospitality.

The store employee was sleeping and she is careless with what she is selling since
there may be a possibility that someone may shoplift. We thought that, since it is the
only food store in Fort Santiago, it should be managed well and upgraded, in a sense
that it would be pleasing for the tourists to rest there after a long walk. It would also be
better if the food sold there are delicacies and not just junk food and sodas.

"Tradition is a matter of much wider significance." To see oneself only in one's

own time period and as a product of that time period is to deny the richness of history
and the meaning of that history to one's own time. (Historic preservation: An introduction
to its history, principles and practice; Tyler, Norman)
INTRAMUROS – LEGACY TO THE FUTURE GENERATIONS

We, the researchers, address the following for the restoration, improvement, and
preservation of Intramuros.

Our group suggests that, in order for Intramuros to fully become a heritage site,
they should oblige with Housing and Urban Development and that the government
should be hands-on in helping the Intramuros Administration in implementing such
plans and rules.

For the government, we would suggest that they should focus on the
undeveloped areas in Intramuros particularly the residential area. They are a part of this
heritage site; therefore, they should give importance to the said vicinity to be able to
aesthetically develop Intramuros as a whole. For the Intramuros Administration, they
should give importance to the slowly deteriorating heritage site. Coming up with
developments in Intramuros such as providing security, eliminating squatters,
decreasing pollution, improving the streets, etc., would be of great help to restore what
Intramuros has to offer. We also suggest that they should promote more to be exposed
to the public, especially those relics in their office and the different establishments within
the area.

For the locals, they should be well-informed about their responsibility as

residents of the area since they are one of the aspects who shall maintain the place. For
future researchers, we would like them to continue on suggesting probable answers to
the problems concerning Intramuros and to help in the development of the site through
their suggestions. For students, especially those in line with the travel and tourism
industry, they should also be familiar with the historical significance of Intramuros and
that they should help promote and/or preserve this site.
REFERENCE:

Ciudad Murada, Torres 2005

Conservation Policy Delivery by Sharon Sullivan

Intramuros and Beyond, Joaquin 1998

Reconnecting the walls of Intramuros by Vernadette Joven (philstar.com)

Updated June 17, 2010 12:54 AM

Intramuros Administration, Palacio del Gobernador, Intramuros, Manila

Department of Tourism archives

Foreign and Local Tourists

Web articles:

etintramuros@wordpress.com

http://www.philippines-travel-guide.com/intramuros.html

http://www.intramurosadministration.com

http://getty.edu/conservation/publications/pdf_publications/cultural_heritage_asi
a.pdf
http://environmentlanka.com/blog/2008/pollution-control-and-waste-management-
in-sri-lanka/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exchange_value

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/use-value.html

http://www.asiarooms.com/en/travel-guide/philippines/manila/manila-
sightseeing/fort-santiago.html