The F. Mercado Street and J. P. Rizal Street in Philippine national hero Jose Rizal’s birthplace of Calamba City may soon be a heritage zone after the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture on Monday, March 6, approved a proposed measure for it.
During the committee hearing chaired by Pasig City Lone District Rep. Roman Romulo, House Bill (HB) No. 2368 got the approval to declare F. Mercado Street and J. P. Rizal Street in the City of Calamba in Laguna as historical and cultural zones.
The bill was authored by Calamba City Lone District Rep. Charisse Anne Hernandez, who said that the local government of Calamba is supportive of the bill, with the Sangguniang Panglungsod even passing a resolution.
The bill’s explanatory note said that both streets have historical significance, with F. Mercado Street named after Rizal’s father and J. P. Rizal Street named after the national hero himself.
“The significance of these landmarks needs to be preserved and made known not only to
the people of Calamba City, but also to the world,” it added.
“With the passage of this bill, it is intended that the Department of Tourism (DOT) and other suitable agencies would be able to put into place long-term plans to advertise and protect these cultural treasures, allowing cultural tourism to thrive.”
Maolen Karla Boholano of the Calamba Tourism Office appealed to the House panel to grant the legislation.
“Ito pong street na ‘to (This street) not only houses the Rizal Shrine, but we also have other important architectural artifacts from the colonial period,” she told lawmakers.
She added that their appeal to turn the streets into a heritage zone isn’t only for the Rizal Shrine, but also for the St. John the Baptist Church, which is also historical because it was where the national hero was baptized.
“We would like to protect this area because I know you already know that this is a tourist spot so there’s a lot of income this generates for the economy of Calambeños and besides, it is about time to also preserve our architectural artificats with historical and cultural importance,” she stressed in a mix of English and Filipino.
Under the proposed measure, turning the streets into historical and cultural zones would accord them priority development by the DOT, in coordination with the National Historical Institute, the National Museum, and other government agencies.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) would also be tasked to prepare the “necessary tourism development plan.”