A BYUH senior advocates for heritage preservation in his hometown, Gumaca, Quezon, Philippines and has successfully saved one building so far
Historic buildings are given new life and purpose in Denver, Colorado, said Jerameel Recodig, while similar buildings in his hometown in the Philippines are demolished and replaced by soulless structures. Recodig, a hospitality and tourism management senior from Gumaca, Philippines, said Gumaca's heritage needs more community attention, acknowledgement, and restoration. "The trip to Denver made me realize that mourning is not the only option,” he said, “but I can do something and make a change."
So far, our group has stopped the demolition of one of the most historic structures in our city.
With a team of 10 BYU-Hawaii students on campus, Recodig said he established "The Historic Gumaca," a nonprofit organization committed to preserving the rich historical legacy of Gumaca, Philippines. According to Recodig, the organization is in the process of registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission, together with the board of directors and incorporators, including a professor from the University of the Philippines, an officer of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, a city councilor, and a regional officer of the Department of Tourism. "So far, our group has stopped the demolition of one of the most historic structures in our city," he said.
Dare to act
Recodig said the Historic Denver organization transformed historical structures such as old train stations, barns and houses, into vibrant hotels, restaurants and museums. "The organization is fundraising to save the Molly Brown house,” he said, “a residence of one of the survivors of the Titanic.” The house offers guided tours and shares stories from its past to inspire the current generation, he said.
When Recodig said he went home for a visit, he saw his favorite historic building demolished and replaced by a generic building. His sadness, he said, inspired him to advocate for his hometown's legacy. "I remember the times when I was a kid and stood in the distance just looking at it and admiring its beauty. It was the most unique and beautiful architecture in our hometown," he said. Recodig continued, "If Historic Denver could save the Molly Brown House, [then] I could too."
Initiatives and challenges
Starting his advocacy was challenging, said Recodig, because he didn’t know where to start. "I researched different platforms, joined Facebook heritage groups, and directly messaged individuals to see who was the right person to talk to for specific information and action to be taken," he said. Recodig said he was so grateful for the technology that made his project possible. "I get to do things and help my hometown now, even though I'm thousands and thousands of miles away," he said.
Recodig drafted an ordinance that preserves the town’s cultural and historical heritage structures. The ordinance would impose rules and regulations on buildings’ conversion of use, development, demolition and other related activities, he explained. "The heritage house ordinance I drafted is now under government review,” he said, “If everything goes according to plan, it will be an official law in my city before this month ends."
Collaborating with the city councilor, Recodig said he aims to establish a permanent tourism department to support heritage preservation. "Tourism is a lot of work,” Recodig explained, “and we need an officer with a wholly staffed department with an undivided responsibility in the local government unit."