The University of Northern Philippines (UNP) College of Architecture and Built Environment (CArBE) held its inaugural cohort of Heritage Stewards during a poignant Investiture Ceremony on January 30, 2026, at Tadena Hall. This milestone honored architecture students dedicated to heritage conservation, weaving cultural responsibility into their education and future practice.
UNP President Dr. Erwin Cadorna and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Rolando Navarro voiced firm institutional support for embedding historical stewardship in curricula. Assistant Dean Ar. Mon-Cres Toje hailed the event as an evolving commitment to dynamic heritage tied to community identity. Under the theme “Honoring the Past: Empowering Future Architects to Reimagine Heritage Beyond Today,” CArBE Dean Dr. Fatima Nicetas Alonzo stressed architecture’s ethical core: every structure embodies identity, every restoration demands accountability, and every design holds purpose.
Vigan City Vice Mayor Atty. Glendale Benzon, as guest of honor, urged architects to embrace conservation as a professional obligation, warning that progress without the past erodes collective identity.
Central rites—vesting, pinning, hard hat, and token presentations—equipped students for fieldwork. Organizers plan expansion via academic and community initiatives in documentation, advocacy, and culturally responsive design.
