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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, Albay, Philippines Carlo Gabriel R. Abante Bicol University Research and Development Management Division Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract This paper explored the influence of the Mayon 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 Camalig in the east-south- further chemical processes that may trigger respiratory east, Ligao City in the west-northwest, municipality problems in humans. These ash fall deposits, which of Jovellar 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.

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