BU R&D Journal 23 (1): 1-14, July 2020 | ISSN (Print): 0016-4139 journal.bicol-u.edu.ph | ISSN (Online): 2719-082X

Mayon Volcano Cultural Heritage as a Source of Place Identity in Guinobatan, ,

Carlo Gabriel R. Abante Research and Development Management Division Correspondence: [email protected]

Abstract

This paper explored the influence of the Volcano in the cultural identity of the residents of Guinobatan, Albay [Philippines], and attempted to connect its Cultural Heritage Assets (CHAs), with topophilia (love of place), and the sense of place. CHAs with links to Mayon Volcano were identified and profiled through a cultural mapping methodology, and the cultural center (hotspot) of Guinobatan was identified. Hotspots of settlements were identified and were subjected to proximity analysis with the centroid of cultural heritage, as well as the centroids of land-uses that affect Topophilia, in a GIS platform. Coupled with the findings of interviews with the locals and the relationship of settlement and land-use patterns, this paper found multiple instances when the volcano directly influenced historical physical development, society, and identity. Mayon as a dominating natural feature is part of the local consciousness of cultural identity as it directly affected history and demography in the past and is tied still to their day to day living. Place Identity as it is moved and influenced by our physical sphere is something taken for granted, and with the extension of the homogenous urban place, the protection of our identity is connected to the protection of the natural and cultural places. To lose one’s place in space is to lose one’s identity, this is one of the considerations we make in placemaking, as towns and cities develop and expand.

Keywords: Cultural Mapping, Place Identity, Hotspot, GIS

Introduction and place of a people (Buttimer & David, 1980).

The conservation and protection of our heritage Cultural Mapping in the municipality of must begin with our knowledge and understanding Guinobatan focused on cultural heritage assets with of what we still have left of what was passed on to us. significant connections to the Mayon Volcano. By Much more than the patterns of settlement and our this we mean features that reflect how the most active economic divide, society and culture have often shaped volcano in the Philippines influenced and help shape the physical boundaries and form of our modern urban the lives and behaviors of the people of Guinobatan, as areas. Culture and the experience of the locals influence reflected in the pattern of settlements. the direction of tourism, education, and development (UNESCO, 2017). This research study, which began as a This paper focused on the function of topophilia bid to have the Mayon Volcano Natural Park listed as a in the place identity of the townsfolk of Guinobatan World Heritage Site, evolved to a deeper understanding (Guinobateño), and how Mayon Volcano is a source of of the need to study cultural heritage; the value of the identity for the locals. We understand topophilia as the volcano could not be solely based on aesthetics. The “love of land”—it is the affective bond people have with study of cultural heritage reveals the consciousness of his or her setting or place (Tuan, 1974). This concept local identity, the socio-cultural practices within our is used to try and establish a link between the natural environments. It is the first step to painting the picture setting of Guinobatan and its motivation to live at the of the Place Identity. One method of understanding base of the most active volcano in the Philippines and culture and the sense of place is through Cultural how that is seen in its history and culture. Place Identity, Mapping, a form of topo-analysis—a census of tangible however, is the intimate bond of a people’s personal and intangible moveable or immoveable cultural and cultural identity to the physical place—their sense heritage assets and its relationship to the personality of place (Buttimer & David, 1980). Although seemingly BU R&D Journal, Vol. 23, July 2020 ISSN (Print): 0016-4139 | ISSN (Online): 2719-082X Abante: Mayon Volcano Cultural Heritage as a Source of Place Identity in Guinobatan, Albay journal.bicol-u.edu.ph analogous, these two concepts are similar only to the according to the 2015 census (PSA, 2015). Its major affection ascribed to the physical space, but differ in economic activities, ranked in decreasing rank of the orientation of effect. Topophilia is a person’s love prevalence are: agriculture, mining, and commercial for a place, while place identity is the identity that and service industries (DILG, 2019). The town center is describes or is ascribed to one’s self. Moreover, as far as located approximately 12 kilometers southwest of the personal identity is concerned, the human experience Mayon Volcano crater. of space within his or her place is referenced not as a static cartographic map, but a mental one. Kevin Mayon (Figure 1) is a stratovolcano located in the Lynch, in his book Image of the City, presents that our province of Albay in the Philippines, surrounded by six identity within our cities is visualized with reference to municipalities and three component cities. It has an physical features like nodes, paths, edges, districts, and elevation of 2,463 m, and a base diameter of 20 km. monuments (Lynch, 1990). As the most active volcano in the Philippines; it has erupted 52 times over the last four centuries, including This paper was done not only to curate a the recent eruptions since January 2018. The volcanic collection of cultural heritage sites, but to also try to hazards associated with the increase in activity are explore a hypothesized relationship between these airfall tephra, lava flows, pyroclastic flows, and lahars. sites, the geophysical space, and the identity of the The most destructive eruption was in 1814, when the Guinobateño to the Mayon Volcano itself, and explore volcano destroyed four towns, including the former the motivations behind continuing their settlements in población of Guinobatan. In 2006, its devastating lahar what are considered as hazardous areas. At this point, flows contributed to the casualties of typhoon Reming it is important to note that Place Making must consider (international name Durian), counting to the hundreds the proclivities of people in their own spaces in which in the province of Albay. they have ascribed value and purpose. As towns and cities develop, there are tendencies to maximize the Several settlements stand at risk from volcanic use of land resources to their highest economic value eruptions, due mainly to their proximity to the volcano. and output. The globalized ideal of a city threatens During these events, these settlements within the to change how spaces are used, look, smell, and are designated danger zones are forcibly evacuated from seen (Sepe, 2013). The motivations of residents and the area, temporarily displacing them, and interrupting future inhabitants, plus the considerations of identity their livelihoods and regular activities. In the latest and culture, must be important considerations as eruptions since January 24, 2018, a total of 16,380 the town progresses towards economic and physical families were pre-emptively evacuated in Region 5 development. Although there have been works due to a phreatic explosion of Mt. Mayon. The volcano published about cultural heritage in place making, was very active between January 13 until March 6, these are models that have yet to be observed in 2018, when 41 eruption notifications were sent via contemporary urban and regional planning in this part Emergency Alert and Warning Messages (NDRRMC, of the Philippines where economic expansion is the 2018). primary goal of development. In the land use planning It is during heightened volcanic activity when the and development planning guidebooks followed by hazards of living near an active volcano become very local government units in socio-economic and physical apparent. One of the immediate concerns of the locals planning, studies of the cultural space and heritage are during a volcanic eruption is securing themselves mere optional sections that are not required in designing from the health impacts caused by particulate matter. how land is to be allocated, used, and protected. Particles coming from freshly erupted ash carry Guinobatan is a First Class Municipality in the with them condensed volatiles like acids, polycyclic Province of Albay, Philippines. It shares its boundaries hydrocarbons, and trace metals, which can go through with the municipality of in the east-south- further chemical processes that may trigger respiratory east, City in the west-northwest, municipality problems in humans. These ash fall deposits, which of in the south, and by the municipality of Pio can remain in the local environment for decades; and Duran in the south west. It is a land-locked town with disturbance caused by the wind or human activity vast agricultural, forest, and freshwater ecosystems, could re-suspend these particles in the air (Horwell & which serve as life-support systems to its inhabitants, Ragnarsdottir, 2003). This could affect the respiratory as well as areas for productive use. The town has health of the locals, worsening that of individuals 44 barangays (villages) and a population of 82,361, with pre-existing respiratory conditions like asthma

2 BU R&D Journal, Vol. 23, July 2020 Abante: Mayon Volcano Cultural Heritage as a ISSN (Print): 0016-4139 | ISSN (Online): 2719-082X Source of Place Identity in Guinobatan, Albay journal.bicol-u.edu.ph and bronchitis (Horwell & Baxter, 2006). The Mayon study was to describe a part of the local identity through Volcano Natural Park is a protected area, by virtue of its cultural heritage assets and topophilia. It identified Presidential Proclamation No. 413 (2000), and by virtue hotspots of cultural heritage in Guinobatan, Albay, with of RA 7586 declaring the natural park as a part of the a connection to or relation to Mayon Volcano, and National Protected Areas System. It is home to multiple identify a geographical point of reference for Mayon species of plants, trees, and terrestrial vertebrates. Aside culture. This study also sought to identify the clusters from its dominance as a feature in the Albay biosphere, of settlements that exist near the Mayon Volcano using the volcano is also valued for its beauty. To fully hotspot analysis in QGIS, and tried to know if locals in appreciate the volcano’s value, however, as a heritage these Mayon cultural hotspots experience topophilia or site, is not limited to scientific value or aesthetics, this identify the volcano as part of their place identity. study sought its significance to the culture and lives of the people settled near it. The general objective of this

Figure 1. Mayon Volcano 6.5 km from its crater in , Albay, Philippines.

Materials and Methods created, declarations or legislations, descriptions, Cultural Mapping history, the status of occupation/use, stories associated, significance, conservation status, physical integrity, To be able to identify hotspots or areas of strong threats to the heritage, and conservation measures were clustering or concentration of cultural heritage assets collected, along with photos and recordings. To gather (CHAs), the location and attributes of these points leads on the cultural assets, the researcher consulted of interest were identified. This was done through a with the town museum and its cultural workers and cultural mapping activity, where cultural sites and local historians. With the help of the museum’s cultural features of both tangible and intangible in nature workers and volunteers, cultural mapping surveys were profiled using cultural mapping forms and were conducted in the 22 out of 44 barangays of the methods endorsed by the National Commission for municipality with known leads of heritage assets that Culture and the Arts (NCCA) of the Philippines. The may be related to Mayon Volcano. Thirty tangible and instruments used for this study are consistent with intangible assets with possible relationships to the the ones used by local governments to conduct their Mayon Volcano were investigated, with at least one mapping activities, which are submitted to the NCCA. person—either the owner or caretaker of the building, Data such as the type of cultural heritage, address or artifact, or a participant of the cultural heritage—being location, ownership or jurisdiction, year constructed/ interviewed for each CHA. Intangible CHAs such as dances and songs were recorded and involved the input

3 BU R&D Journal, Vol. 23, July 2020 ISSN (Print): 0016-4139 | ISSN (Online): 2719-082X Abante: Mayon Volcano Cultural Heritage as a Source of Place Identity in Guinobatan, Albay journal.bicol-u.edu.ph of multiple knowledgeable respondents. The results of in the same interview, what life in Guinobatan was the surveys were filtered to only include tangible and like during defining eras. This allowed the researchers intangible assets that have connections to the Mayon to match their present experience and their history Volcano or its history, with the assistance of the locals with their identity as a local and how it is connected and the cultural workers at the museums, who were to Mayon. Similar to the study conducted by Polat and trained to conduct cultural mapping by the NCCA. Dostoglu (2016), this study also considered the local These include Mayon’s influence in cuisine, architecture history of the place in measuring cultural identity. and building material, damage and destruction, belief This also provided a guide on extracting narratives on systems, economy, and demography. If a connection experience and identity in the interview of locals. could be established between the volcano and the CHA, the item was excluded from this study. The CHA had Spatial Analyses to be related to the volcano, or vice versa, in terms of historical, aesthetic, socio-economic, political, and/ The majority of the analyses were done in a or spiritual significance. The locations of these CHAs GIS platform using QGIS2.18.26 software and were recorded in paper forms, but later encoded, additional plugins. This is a free and open-source GIS stored, and analyzed in a GIS platform, and the details platform used for storing, transforming, analyzing, of which will be contained in an attribute table linked and visualizing geographical information (QGIS. to the now vector points for CHAs. The purpose of org, 2019). Since this study also touches on the place encoding the results of the survey was to be able to identity as a phenomenon in the physical space, the first connect the features (buildings, objects, practices) with features gathered and extracted were the clustering the geographic plane, represented by their location of buildings in the municipality of Guinobatan. The (coordinates). These were all represented as points or building footprints were sourced from Open Street vector objects, which allowed the study to explore the Map (OSM) (OpenStreetMap, 2019), and the hotspots connection of culture and heritage as a geographic of the settlements were identified using vector and feature, with the trends of the built areas. raster analysis techniques. A kernel density estimation or heatmap is calculated based on the number of Topophilia and Place Identity points in a location, with larger numbers of clustered points resulting in larger values. Heatmaps allow easy In this paper we searched for topophilia as the identification of hotspots and clustering of points motivations and attraction to staying in locations in (QGIS.org, 2019). A settlement hotspot is determined if proximity to the Mayon Volcano, or in areas where a group of buildings greater than five are clustered and Mayon-related cultural heritage exists. This was done if within about 40 meters. The goal of these metrics is to through an interview of elderly locals who decided identify the larger contiguous clusters of buildings that to build or live in identified clusters of settlements may concentrate on specific locations. Figure 2 shows and learn the reasons for living and staying in such the building footprints of structures in Guinobatan, areas. To be able to ask questions on the conditions Albay (black), while the hotspots of human settlement of life that existed in the last 50–100 years, the study and growth are shown in yellow. This was the baseline purposively interviewed senior citizens (>60 years old). of the analysis in connecting the place with culture and Nine residents agreed to participate in the interview identity since we will be able to relate the location of were able to completely answer all the questions and large clusters with possible links to Mayon cultural gave their consent to use the information gathered to heritage. be included in this study. The respondents have been residents of Guinobatan for 44–88 years and legally This study identified the center of cultural heritage own their residence by acquisition and construction of Guinobatan by performing a hotspot analysis in or inheritance, with most of them being born into the QGIS using the locations of CHAs recorded in the locality. Interest was given to how they value their place cultural mapping. The geographical center of the in the world, relative to the Mayon Volcano, places of resulting area (polygon) was identified to be the center of interest, and the town’s center of cultural heritage. They cultural heritage.Proximity analysis was done between were also asked of their motivation or demotivation in the geographical centroids of settlement hotspots and choosing a place of residence, staying in the area, and if topophilia features, such as access to forests, orchards, they identify themselves as a local. Guided by readings and the cultural center. This was done to reveal the in local history, the researchers tried to identify if they geographical displacement of centers of built areas to believe in or experience a sense of place by asking them, sites, which influence settlement patterns.

4 BU R&D Journal, Vol. 23, July 2020 Abante: Mayon Volcano Cultural Heritage as a ISSN (Print): 0016-4139 | ISSN (Online): 2719-082X Source of Place Identity in Guinobatan, Albay journal.bicol-u.edu.ph

Figure 2. Clusters of Settlements in Guinobatan, Albay (Yellow) Identified Using a Hotspot Analysis of the Building Footprints

Results and Discussion Buenaventura, now in ruins, shares the same material with the church. The impressive 230 x 120 2m two- Center of Mayon Cultural Heritage story structure was made of large blocks and bricks of The cultural mapping activity done in Guinobatan volcanic rock. The Colegio was built in 1895, only to be revealed at least five tangible-immoveable CHAs, burned in the 1900s during the height of the Filipino- which include the Roman Catholic Parish Church, American War. Another site that was destroyed in the the Municipal Hall, the ruins of the Colegio de San 1814 eruption is the old municipal cemetery, which Buenaventura, the old municipal cemetery, and the was established and used during the 1700s. The old Guinobatan Museum. Numerous Spanish colonial– cemetery was buried in pyroclastic material when the era houses were also identified. Inside some of these volcano violently erupted. The devastation was great structures are multiple tangible-moveable CHAs such that the site fell to disuse. as century old bells, religious figures, work implements, Other structures, at least 100 years old, still stand and paintings. in the town center, which are still in use. The Municipal Except for the museum, which was only recently Hall built in the style prevalent during the Spanish built, the commonalities of the tangible-immoveable colonial era is made with volcanic rocks as the main structures are that they are (a) made of volcanic stone building material; the second floor is made of hardwood, masonry and (b) severely damaged or destroyed in the probably narra (Pterocarpus indicus). The building is still 1814 eruption. The buttresses and main frame of the the center of local government in Guinobatan, as it was parish church are still made of large volcanic rocks as during the 1800s. It was also the site of Gen. Simeon bricks. Looking at other churches in the province, built Ola’s surrender—he was the last Filipino general to in the same era, it is assumed that the entire structure surrender to the American forces, having fought as a (which was destroyed at least once) would have been Katipunero since Spanish colonial times. mostly made of volcanic rock. The Colegio de San Heritage houses also stand to this day in multiple

5 BU R&D Journal, Vol. 23, July 2020 ISSN (Print): 0016-4139 | ISSN (Online): 2719-082X Abante: Mayon Volcano Cultural Heritage as a Source of Place Identity in Guinobatan, Albay journal.bicol-u.edu.ph

Table 1. Tangible Immovable Cultural Heritage Assets

Cultural Ownership/ Status/ Description Heritage Asset Jurisdiction Condition This church is the seat of the Parish of the Our In good condition Lady of Assumption—the center of religious life (rebuilt); The Our among the Roman Catholic population of the The Roman Lady of the Municipality. Located at the of Guino- Catholic Church Located in the original Assumption batan, Albay, it was inaugurated in December 8, in the Philip- site; Parish Church 1906. The structure itself is only 113 years old, but pines, Inc. the history of the parish itself goes back all the way Presently occupied/ to the founding of the Spanish Pueblo in 1668. in-use The school was built in 1895 as a learning institution to serve the settlements in the nearby towns. It was made of adobe rock (volcanic rock) Needs and mortar, in the style common to large buildings verification Ruined in the Spanish Colonial Era. In its present state The Colegio is a ruin of the former structure; only scattered Portions of Located in the original de San remains of the posts, walls, and doorways remain the original lot site; Buenaventura in an area of about 230 x 120 m2. By rough parcel have been estimates the doorways and the walls that have sold, donated, or Presently occupied/ survived are about 4 m tall. A portion of the ruins titled to private in-use was built on by a new college that stands today, owners. beside the church, although it is much smaller in scale than the former Colegio. The former Catholic Municipal Cemetery Needs of Guinobatan is an abandoned and almost Ruined verification forgotten cemetery in Purok 3, San Rafael, Guinobatan, Albay. The exact date of the Located in the original The Old Portions of Old Cemetery’s construction is unknown, since site; Municipal the original lot no historical record is yet to be found to describe Cemetery parcel have been its dimensions and construction. What can be Presently occupied as a sold, donated, or assumed, however, is that the cemetery would school, and residential titled to private have been built in the 1700s, at the same time the area owners. settlements in Guinobatan was founded. In good condition The town’s municipal hall is believed to be located (rebuilt); in the original site where the colonial government established its base of operations. The structure Local Located in the original Municipal Hall itself is made from rocks and timber sourced from Government of site; the Mayon Volcano. In 1814, it was destroyed, Guinobatan along with much of the town, only to be rebuilt Presently occupied/ four years after Guinobatan was abandoned. in-use In good condition The museum is a fairly new structure that houses (original structure); many of the artifacts dating to the Filipino- Local Museo de American War. It also contains tangible-moveable Located in the original Government of Guinobatan CHAs such as a large stone mortar made from site; Guinobatan a volcanic rock, as well as multiple paintings of landscapes depicting Mayon Volcano. Presently occupied/ in-use

6 BU R&D Journal, Vol. 23, July 2020 Abante: Mayon Volcano Cultural Heritage as a ISSN (Print): 0016-4139 | ISSN (Online): 2719-082X Source of Place Identity in Guinobatan, Albay journal.bicol-u.edu.ph sites in the municipality, but mostly clustered in the After including all Mayon-related CHAs into a Poblacion area. These houses were mostly built in geodatabase, this study was able to perform a hotspot- the same era as the town hall and made of the same analysis to observe the clustering of these cultural volcanic rocks that form the base of the structure. While features across the entire municipality. We can see some of these heritage houses are still occupied for both that the analysis in QGIS identified the Poblacion residential and commercial use, others have fallen to area as the only hotspot of cultural heritage related to disrepair, thus, are no longer occupied. Considering Mayon Volcano. Figure 5 shows the results generated these details in the building material and the prevalence by analyzing the clustering of cultural heritage assets of work implements and kitchen wares crafted from and giving us the following location, as the center volcanic rocks, we see how the volcanic material was of Mayon-related cultural heritage: 13.191041339 used not only in their aggregate form for construction, N, 123.60064913 E, or just outside the main gate but for crafting and masonry as well. This is evidenced entrance to the Catholic parish church. This location by the remaining features of the ruined Colegio de San is interpreted as a reference point of cultural heritage, Buenaventura (Figure 3), and by the Lusong (mortar), much like how the volcano itself is used in cultural and which is a common household item (Figure 4). local identity.

Figure 3. Ruin feature of the former Colegio de San Buenaventura.

Figure 4. Lusong (Mortar) used in Rice Milling

7 BU R&D Journal, Vol. 23, July 2020 ISSN (Print): 0016-4139 | ISSN (Online): 2719-082X Abante: Mayon Volcano Cultural Heritage as a Source of Place Identity in Guinobatan, Albay journal.bicol-u.edu.ph

Figure 5. Cultural Hotspots found in Guinobatan, Albay

Figure 6. Center of significant cultural hotspot identified by this study.

8 BU R&D Journal, Vol. 23, July 2020 Abante: Mayon Volcano Cultural Heritage as a ISSN (Print): 0016-4139 | ISSN (Online): 2719-082X Source of Place Identity in Guinobatan, Albay journal.bicol-u.edu.ph

This geographical center of the identified hotspot soil has its benefits, it also faces the negative effects of may be interpreted as one of the reference points Mayon’s constant eruptions. of cultural identity and sense of place. This hotspot implies that this is where a significant amount of In our hub analysis, we see how settlements are cultural heritage assets is located. Its shape (which is built along roads made to access forests and orchards not a perfect circle) and the location is influenced by in the Mayon Volcano. Settlements in Barangays the number and location of each CHA that clustered in Muladbucad Grande, Muladbucad Pequeño, Doña this part of the municipality. In Lynch’s Image of the Tomasa, Manilla, and Maraswag lie within and City, people navigate and remember their position in a just outside the eight-km extended danger zone. town or place based on the features of the area that they Meanwhile, the denser Barangays, Calzada, Inamnan remember (Lynch, 1990). These include intersections Grande, Inamnan Pequeño, Morera, Ilawod, Poblacion, of activity like public markets, nodes like a business Iraya, San Rafael, and Travesia—which form the town district, and points like churches. What this study center—are a mere 12 km from the crater. Referencing proposes is that this may be one of the reference points these pattern with local history, we know that these that locals remember or visualize when they imagine a roads accessing Mayon and the Poblacion existed and location for their culture and identity. were expanded for agriculture and in compliance with the zoning guidelines provided by the Spanish Laws Settlement Patterns Around Mayon Volcano of the Indies. Of the 34 identified settlement hotspots, only 13 settlement hotspots lie outside the 12-km buffer The town of Guinobatan, as the town proper is distance from Mayon, which is historically the distance located today, was formally founded as a Spanish of farthest extent of damage. Pueblo in the 1600s. Its location relative to the volcano rich soil made it valuable to the Abaca (Musa textilis) Referring to the history written by Gerona (2011), trade (Gerona, 2011). Soil resulting from volcanic ash the 1814 eruption of Mayon caused such a devastation fall possesses a variety of pore structures which aide to the town center that its inhabitants had to relocate nutrient and water adsorption. This characteristic the entire town to Mauraro (15 km from Mayon), and allows a variety of crops to grow on volcanic ash soil even further to present-day , at the province’s (Shoji & Takahashi, 2002). However, the case is different western seaboard. It would be only in four years until when volcanic ash compounds on agricultural areas (like the displaced population would decide to return to in 2018), because depending on different factors this the original townsite. This internal displacement of will cause a negative impact on the soil, crops, livestock, peoples caused even a split, as some families decided and agricultural support equipment and infrastructure to permanently reside in their newfound settlements. (Lebon, 2018). Although establishing farms in volcanic Life in the pueblo would, however, take more than two

Figure 7. Barangays with More Than 100 OSM buildings

9 BU R&D Journal, Vol. 23, July 2020 ISSN (Print): 0016-4139 | ISSN (Online): 2719-082X Abante: Mayon Volcano Cultural Heritage as a Source of Place Identity in Guinobatan, Albay journal.bicol-u.edu.ph decades to return to normal. anomaly in urban development, as the site has been home to locals as early as 1781. At present, the settlements and the expansion of the built areas in Guinobatan concentrate on major Of the 44 barangays, only 18 have more than 100 roads that connect Guinobatan with its neighboring buildings, based on the latest OSM data. Except for towns. Only Barangay Mauraro is relatively distant Mauraro, these 18 barangays are located inside and at from major highways and the town proper, with a the base of the volcano. Figure 7 shows these barangays, high population. The resettled families in Mauraro highlighted in yellow. The figure reveals how the built caused the barangay to have the highest population in area focuses on the old site, which was once abandoned the municipality, with 5,980 persons (PSA, 2015). This due to a violent eruption in 1814, and in areas within National Housing Authority resettlement site is 15 km the volcano itself. This is consistent with the settlement from the Mayon Volcano and is considered as a safe site hotspot generated, where the large clusters of buildings for the families previously at high risk from volcanic are located within less than five kilometers of the activity. However, the location of this site is not an identified center of Mayon cultural heritage.

Table 2. Settlement Clusters and Their Distance to Specific Points of Interest

Distance to Cluster no. Barangays included Cluster land area (km2) Center of Mayon Heritage Mayon Crater Binogsacan Upper, 1 Binogsacan Lower, 1.12 2.38 12.39 Morera

Ilawod, Poblacionm Calzada, Inamnan Grande, Inamnan 2 3.38 0.00 11.05 Pequeño. Iraya, Travesia, San Rafael, San Francisco Muladbucad Grande, Muladbu- 3 3.02 3.02 8.35 cad Pequeño, Doña Tomasa, Maraswag

The clustering of settlements and buildings as Topophilia and Place Identity described in Table 2 reflect the attraction of residents to live in these spaces. These areas, despite being historically Guinobatan is a first-class-income municipality, exposed to volcanic hazards and have historically been with civil, social, and commercial services mainly abandoned, cluster due to the immediate access to available at the town center. Eleven rural and major roads, and services. Meanwhile, the settlements commercial banks and two ATM-only facilities are at Cluster 3, which are only eight km away from the present (BSP, 2019). Meanwhile, the town has access crater, are likely attracted to their space due to the to the following educational institutions: one state presence of a developed road and their proximity to university, nine secondary schools, and 35 primary forestry and orchard resources in the volcano. The schools (DepEd, 2019). It also hosts the basic services barangays included here are all considered as upland required of a municipality such as peacekeeping barangays by the local government unit, due to their services and health service facilities. There exists a elevation and nearness to the volcano’s crater. positive motivation for settlers to remain in this site despite being exposed to natural hazards brought by a volcano and its attached features in the watershed. This was revealed in the interviews conducted with the locals

10 BU R&D Journal, Vol. 23, July 2020 Abante: Mayon Volcano Cultural Heritage as a ISSN (Print): 0016-4139 | ISSN (Online): 2719-082X Source of Place Identity in Guinobatan, Albay journal.bicol-u.edu.ph who have been residents of Guinobatan for 40–60 years. him, the experience of suffering through ash explosions These respondents who consented to be included in this and other calamities had helped him build knowledge study all came from the barangays that were included in and wisdom on resiliency, also in times of mass the identified settlement clusters, listed in Table 2. Their evacuation. He no longer wishes to be relocated or to inputs in the study were important in looking for Mayon change address because his current location makes topophilia and place identity since their locations are it easier for him to access the services he needs from consistent with the settlements that have historically the town center. Another female respondent who has been evacuated due to volcanic activity. Investments been living in the same area said that the effects of the in land development, commercial interests, and socio- volcanic related calamities do affect their lives, but they cultural needs all contribute to the residents’ desire to have learned to always be alert of the volcano’s activities remain in these locations. Sentimental attachments and and understand the risks involved in choosing to stay. family history are increasing the love of place in areas She has even referred to the volcano as the “symbol of that should be avoided due to existing hazards. Albay.”

One of the respondents is a married woman who Most of the study’s respondents have been residents has been a resident of Maraswag, Guinobatan, since of Guinobatan since birth and have grown to raise 1972. Aside from strong typhoons like Reming in 2006, their own families in the same. Almost all interviewees her family experiences dangers and inconveniences due inherited their present homes and real properties from to increased volcanic activity such as ash explosions. their grandparents, which bring their family’s residence According to her, her family intends to stay in their to about 100 years old. The most common opinion held present location, despite their proximity to the volcano, by these locals with regards to their identity relative because it is close to services in case of emergencies. to Mayon is that the volcano has always come to Their house has good access to a clinic or hospital, symbolize a provincial identity. Also, for most of our schools, and public transportation, which are positive respondents the volcano has always affected their lives features for residential areas. and livelihood, expecting a disturbance of at least every three years. They have come to terms that living near Almost all the interviewees experience a positive an active volcano has multiple downsides, especially attraction or motivation to stay in their present in health with one senior citizen interviewee acquiring addresses due to their proximity to protective services asthma as a result. Despite the inconveniences that such as police or tanod outposts, public markets, they faced, and expect to face in the future, most of the groceries, and public services. When asked when she respondents wish to remain in their respective places. had any attachments, sentimental or cultural, to her The motivations to staying in their areas include their place, she answered, “Lahat ng hirap ay dito nararanasan,” easy access to their livelihood, public services, and (We experience all kinds of hardships here), referring utilities, and especially the proximity of relatives and to the difficulties brought by living close to an active the memories and sentimental value that they ascribe volcano and being in a part of the country frequented to their place. Only one of our respondents said that by typhoons. Despite these “hardships” affecting their she was willing to move to a new place, but only with health (due to ashfall) and sometimes disturbing their the assurance of a subsidy or support from the local lives, they are not willing to relocate because of her government or housing authorities. endearment to her place. When asked if relocation would affect her identity, she said that “Hindi na Despite the multiple hazards experienced by these mawawala dahil sobrang mahal ko ang lugar (It won’t locals, such as severe flooding due to Typhoon Reming in disappear because I really love the place).” This is also 2006 and ash explosions most recently in 2018, residents complemented by her love of the place when she shared who have come to legally acquire real properties in risky that the view of the volcano made her feel peaceful and areas are unwilling to relocate. Their current exposure in awe of the beauty of it. to multiple hazards increases their risks to disaster (Abante & Abante, 2019). This insistence to stay in their Most of our respondents made similar responses, present location, despite the multiple hazards present, even though they were interviewed separately and can be compared to the decisions of the townsfolk in using open ended questions. One male respondent who 1818 when they decided to return to the abandoned is 92 years old and has been a resident for 80 years of town, only four years after it was devastated. In the Brgy. Poblacion, shares similar experiences in volcanic accounts of Franciscan priest that made a report to hazards as with the previous respondent. According to Spain, as explored by Gerona (2011), the people would

11 BU R&D Journal, Vol. 23, July 2020 ISSN (Print): 0016-4139 | ISSN (Online): 2719-082X Abante: Mayon Volcano Cultural Heritage as a Source of Place Identity in Guinobatan, Albay journal.bicol-u.edu.ph rather live with the dangers posed by the volcano than the historical changes in the settlement of the town, and to live in an unfamiliar place, where another more the testimonies of the elderly homeowners, there seems menacing danger lurks—referring to pirates in the to be a balancing scale where the aesthetic and socio- Gulf. Settlements also grew in the areas close to economic attraction to the volcano and the town’s the volcano (Cluster 3), which is linked to their desire to present location outweighs the dangers presented by it. be closer to forest resources. Combining the findings in

Figure 8. Hub Analysis of Settlement Hotspots with the Identified Center of Mayon Cultural Heritage

Conclusion and Recommendations the people of Guinobatan have, since its foundation, consistently chosen to live in the same risky areas due This paper explored the possibility of connecting to their attachments to their place. We see this in the the Mayon Volcano to the place identity of the locals motivations of our respondents in choosing to build of Guinobatan, Albay. By looking at the town’s cultural their residences and in choosing to stay in these same heritage assets, we discovered that most of its tangible places. This love of place and the identities developed assets were either primarily made of volcanic material by the locals is attributed to the past and present or destroyed by a volcanic event. We determined this settlement patterns. In this study, we have seen the when we identified that the geographical center of concentration of tangible cultural heritage assets these CHAs is located at the original site of the once related to Mayon Volcano in the town’s center where destroyed and abandoned town. By looking into the we have identified a geographical location for the factors of topophilia or the love of place, as it occurs in experience and presence of this culture. Also, we’ve the site of the study, we know that there is still a clear seen that two of the three major clusters of settlements and consistent exposure to the negative effects of living exist very close to this identified center of Mayon in Mayon. Regardless, however, of these circumstances, cultural heritage, where our respondents ascribe strong

12 BU R&D Journal, Vol. 23, July 2020 Abante: Mayon Volcano Cultural Heritage as a ISSN (Print): 0016-4139 | ISSN (Online): 2719-082X Source of Place Identity in Guinobatan, Albay journal.bicol-u.edu.ph value and feelings for their place with the volcano. The way for the town to plan for a cultural heritage zone built environment is expanding inside and at the foot where tourism activities and conservation projects may of Mayon; its resources and the price of living near it focus on. There are interesting sites such as ruins that are accepted norms in the lives of the locals. The Mayon may need protection and a buried cemetery that may Volcano is a feature valued not only for its biological require excavation. These sites can only be properly assets, agricultural contribution, and aesthetic beauty. protected if a more comprehensive study is done to This giant has caused the dispersal of peoples and the merit the establishment of a special zone in the town modification of the geographical space, livelihood, and that can be protected by the force of law. practices of its inhabitants. Had Mayon never existed in the first place, the culture and identities of Guinobatan would drastically have been different, as the locals’ place References identity is not only dependent on their actual space, but on the proximity of grand features that affect its real Abante, A., & Abante, C. (2019). Topophilia-Exposure and sentimental value. When we look at the physical Central Space Concept Model. Int. Arch. Photogramm. manifestations of culture in the presence and location Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., 42(4), pp. 1–8. https://doi. of tangible cultural heritage, in the historical patterns org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-4-W19-1-2019 of settlement, resettlement and urban development, Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). (2019, July 30). List of and in the beliefs, feelings, and self-associations of the financial service access points ATM ONLYs at Bicol locals to the Mayon Volcano, we can see a promising Region Albay, Guinobatan. http://www.bsp.gov.ph/ifas/ presence of a love of place ascribed towards the volcano listoffis_dirsrch.asp and hints of place identity being affected by Mt. Mayon. This can be seen not only in the views of the locals, but Buttimer, A., & David, S. (1980). The human experience of space and place. Croom Helm. in how the town expands in specific locations. Department of Education. (2019, July 30). List of schools. This study sought to profile any existing cultural https://ebeis.deped.gov.ph/beis/reports_info/masterlist heritage assets that have a relation to the Mayon Volcano, and see if the factors of topophilia and place Department of Interior and Local Government. (2019, June). identity can be observed or seen by looking at the Basic Facts and Figures–Guinobatan. region5.dilg.gov. relationships of the found cultural heritage assets, local ph/attachments/article/64/Basic_Facts_and_Figures. history of the volcano, and patterns of settlement. Of pdf the other cultural mapping activities conducted in the Gerona, D. (2011). Albay: Winding down the historic abaca province of Albay, this study incorporated the use of GIS trail. The Provincial Government of Albay. tools and techniques in storing and analyzing cultural heritage data. To make sense of how culture exists or is Horwell, C. F., & Ragnarsdottir, K. S. (2003). Surface reactivity experienced in the physical space, it recommended that of volcanic ash from the eruption of Soufriere Hills future endeavors by the academe or the government volcano, Montserrat, West Indies with implications for health hazards. Environmental Research, 93(2), 202– to use GIS in cultural mapping as well. Aside from 215. offering data management tools, it also has the potency to visualize intangible cultural heritage which was Horwell, C., & Baxter, P. (2006). The respiratory health excluded from this study and offer new perspectives hazards of volcanic ash: A review for volcanic risk on its prevalence and conservation. This study only mitigation. Bulletin of Volcanology, 69(1), 1–24. focused on leads that have a connection to the volcano; Lebon, S. L. (2018, May 9). Volcanic Activity and Environment: thus, it is recommended that the effort to document Impacts on agriculture and use of geological data to the tangible and intangible cultural heritage assets of improve recovery process [Master’s thesis, University Guinobatan be continued to include even those which of Iceland]. https://skemman.is: https://skemman.is/ are not related to Mayon Volcano. This may require bitstream/1946/3303/1/Sylviane_Lebon_fixed.pdf setting up the necessary capital outlay, data structures, and trainings, but it will ensure that all efforts in Lynch, K. (1990). The image of the city. Twentieth Printime. documenting the assets will not be damaged, lost, or National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. destroyed. The identified center of Mayon cultural (2018, May 9). Situational Report Re: Mayon Volcano heritage offers a pilot to identify a more accurate Phreatic Eruption. http://ndrrmc.gov.ph/8-ndrrmc- cultural center for Guinobatan, once most of the town’s update/3293-situational-report-mayon-volcano- cultural heritage has been documented. This paves the phreatic-eruption

13 BU R&D Journal, Vol. 23, July 2020 ISSN (Print): 0016-4139 | ISSN (Online): 2719-082X Abante: Mayon Volcano Cultural Heritage as a Source of Place Identity in Guinobatan, Albay journal.bicol-u.edu.ph

OpenStreetMap. (2019). About OpenStreetMap. https:// www.openstreetmap.org/about

Polat, S., & Dostoglu, N. (2016). Measuring place identity in public open spaces. Urban Design and Planning, 170(5), 1–14.

Philippine Statistics Authority. (2015). 2015 Census. Author.

QGIS.org. (2019). About QGIS. https://qgis.org/en/site/ about/index.html

Sepe, M. (2013). Identity, planning, and place in the city: Mapping place. Routledge.

Shoji, S., & Takahashi, T. (2002). Environmental and agricultural significance of volcanic ash soils. Global Environmental Research–English Edition, 6(2), 113– 135.

Tuan, Y. (1974). Topophilia: A study of environmental perceptions, attitudes, and values. Columbia University Press.

UNESCO. (2017, July 4). Cultural mapping. UNESCO Bangkok–Asia Pacific Regional Bureau of Education. https://bangkok.unesco.org/content/cultural-mapping

14