Pila Historical Society

Pila Historical Society Foundation, Inc.

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The Pila Historical Society Foundation Inc. was organized in 1993 by a group of concerned citizens with the objective of preserving the town’s heritage, cultural, environmental and historical landmarks.

The Foundation was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on November 10, 1993 as non-governmental organization (NGO). On December 27, 1993, it was accredited by Pila’s Sangguniang Bayan (SB) and appointed as the caretaker of the town plaza.

Using funds raised and provided by the Foundation, and with the cooperation of the late Mayor Querubin Relova and the Sangguniang Bayan, the Foundation undertook the demolition or relocation of structures that detracted from the plaza’s historical relevance. A portion of the old school building was also repaired to house the artifacts retrieved from the Pinagbayanan excavations of the 1960s. Then, with additional funds solicited from Senator Rodolfo Biazon, a new pathway was built around the plaza. Subsequently, development continued with funds approved by then Governor Lina for the construction of the Pila arch and installation of lights and benches at the park. More recently, Senator Biazon granted new funds to enable the rehabilitation of the plaza’s old water fountain.

The Foundation is proud that its efforts in researching and documenting Pila’s culture and history played a major role in securing the declaration of the town as a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Institute on May 17, 2000.

NHI DECLARATION

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DECLARING THE TOWN OF PILA IN LAGUNA AS A NATIONAL HISTORICAL LANDMARK

RESOLUTION NO. 2, S. 2000

WHEREAS, the Constitution of the Philippines provides that The State shall promote and popularize the nation’s historical and cultural heritage and resources;

WHEREAS, Presidential Decree No. 260, dated August 1, 1973, specifically vested the National Historical Institute with the power to declare sites and structures as national historical landmarks;

WHEREAS, the town of Pila, an early pre-Hispanic center of culture and trade in Laguna, has been recognized as one of the country's more important archeological sites where clay potteries were discovered in excavations made in Pinagbayanan ni 1967;

WHEREAS, the town of Pila was honored with the name of La Noble Villa de Pila by the Spaniards because of the genteel customs, refined manners and traditions of its people;

WHEREAS, Pila is one of the few existing towns in the Philippines that preserves the Spanish colonial town planning system of the Indies, where the center of the town was the plaza complex with the surrounding church, tribunal, school and large houses;

WHEREAS, the structures of Pila reflect a rich and varied architectural history which remains relatively intact in its town center, from the Philippine-Baroque church of the Spanish period to the charming chalets of the American period;

WHEREAS, the town center of Pila is a living monument and testimony to the residents of Pila who were builders, craftsmen, artists and artisans of such elegant, historic structures;

NOW THEREFORE, the National Historical Institute by the virtue of the powers vested in it by Presidential Decree No. 260, hereby declares the historic town center of Pila in Laguna, bounded by General Luna Street in the north, M. H. del Pilar Street in the east, Mabini Street in the south, and Bonifacio Street in the west, and including the Pila Elementary School, and the Juan Fuentes and Santiago Fernandez houses as a National Historical Landmark.

APPROVED: May 17, 2000

PABLO S. TRILLANO III
Chairman

GABRIEL S. CASAL
Ex-Officio Member
MICHAEL O . MASTURA
Member
AMBETH R. OCAMPO
Member
ONOFRE D. CORPUZ
Member
ADORACION B. MENDOZA
Ex-Officio Member
SERAFIN D. QUIASON
Member

National Historical Institute Mandate

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By virtue of Presidential Decree No. 1, dated September 24, 1972, the National Historical Institute (NHI) is mandated to promote and preserve Philippine cultural heritage by undertaking, among others, history-related activities and maintaining national shrines, monuments and landmarks.  The Institute, through its Historical Preservation Division, also implements Presidential Decree No. 260, and Presidential Decree No. 1505.

Presidential Decree No. 260 declares specific structures as national shrines, monuments and/or landmarks and vests the NHI with the right to declare historic sites as National Shrines, Monuments and/or Landmarks.  PD 1505 amends Presidential Decree No. 260 by prohibiting the unauthorized modification, alterations, repair and destruction of original features of all national shrines, monuments, landmarks and other historic edifices.

The status of the town center of Pila as a National Historical Landmark is also shared by two other historic town sites: a portion of the town of Taal in Batangas, which was declared by virtue of NHI resolution No. 2 S. 1987, and a portion of Silay City in Negros Occidental, which was declared by virtue of NHI Resolution No. 2, S 1990.  Vigan, for its part, has been distinguished with the status of a World Heritage Site declared by the UNESCO-ICAMOS.

Map of Historic Structures in Pila, Laguna

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LEGEND:

SAN ANTONIO DE PADUA PARISH CHURCH

LICEO DE PILA

MUNICIPAL HALL OF PILA

LORENZO / CANDIDA RIVERA HOUSE

APOLONIO AGRA / REMEDIOS ZORILLA HOUSE

CORAZON RIVERA HOUSE

TEODORO RIVERA ALAVA / SOLEDAD AGRA HOUSE

JOSE AGRA / ROSARIO VILLARICA HOUSE

HIPOLITO RIVERA / JOSEFA VILLARICA HOUSE

PILA MUSEUM (ESCUELA PIA)

PILA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

IÑIGO RELOVA / SATURNINA NOROÑA HOUSE

MANUEL RIVERA /ESPERANZA (CHATA) RELOVA HOUSE

RAMON DIMACULANGAN / MARIA PAZ RELOVA HOUSE

MESITON RIVERA / MARIA ORDOVEZA HOUSE

LUIS RIVERA / FRANCISCA RIVERA HOUSE

JUAN BARTOLOME / ANTONIO RIVERA HOUSE

REGINO RELOVA / TEODULA BARTOLOME HOUSE

JOSEFA DIMACULANGAN VDA. DE RAMON AGRA / VICENTE RUIZ

EUSEBIO ALAVA / ALVADORA BARTOLOME HOUSE

EUTIQUIO FUENTES / PACITA NOROÑA HOUSE

ARCADIO RELOVA / BENITA DIMACULANGAN HOUSE

JUAN FUENTES / ROMANA SANTIAGO HOUSE

CASTO MACEDA / CONCHA MONSERRAT HOUSE

JUAN MADRIGAL/PAZ RIVERA HOUSE

PACIENTE AGRA / PRESENTACION RELOVA HOUSE

CLEMENTE SANTIAGO / VENANCIA KAMPITAN HOUSE

VICENTE MENDOZA / EMILIANA RIVERA HOUSE

PAULINO FRANCIA / JOSEFA ALVAREZ HOUSE

VALENTIN CODERA / DOMINGA DEL RIO HOUSE

CONSUELO RIVERA / FRANCISCO MILLENA HOUSE

ANTONIO FRANCISCO / GABINA ALABAT HOUSE

CORNELIO NAPIL / JUSTINA FUENTES HOUSE

SEVERINO AGUILAN / GERTRUDES ARCO HOUSE

SANTIAGO FERNANDEZ / SALVADORA SANTOS HOUSE