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Requiem for Nabua's Gabaldon by Ms. Gemma Cruz Araneta

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

By Gemma Cruz Araneta

March 10, 2009, 12:16am
Manila Bulletin

http://www.mb.com.ph/node/198353

THIS depressing letter was in my inbox: "The local government demolished Nabua's Gabaldon [schoolhouse] despite the official letter from the National Historical Institute. In January this year, the Mayor Fernando Simbulan surrounded the Gabaldon with a very high fence that prevented townsfolk from seeing the demolition.

"Today, nothing remains of the 100-year old Gabaldon building in Nabua. It is sad that one of the few remaining links to our history in probably one of the oldest towns in the entire province of Camarines Sur has been torn down. An iconic structure that withstood the test of time has been reduced to nothing but a memory.

"It saddens me and the members of the Nabua Forum that we could not save the Gabaldon schoolhouse from demolition. Mayor Simbulan, who has been deciding in behalf of the town for the last 9 years (3 terms) was unstoppable in implementing his "development" plans. For the past nine months, Nabua Forum (http://nabuaforum.kulturavolunteers.org/) fought a lonely battle trying to preserve the remaining link of the town to its colonial past. Our elders have only good memories of their years of education at the Gabaldon building, the very first schoolhouse built in the town.

"The Nabua Forum has raised the issue of saving the said Gabaldon schoolhouse because of its architectural significance. Heritage conservation specialist Architect Melvin Patawaran declared the importance of restoring Nabua's Gabaldon because of its unique five-room design.

"Through the efforts of the Nabua Forum's founder, Dada Docot, the organization was able to solicit the participation of the Heritage Conservation Society and Ms. Gemma Cruz-Araneta, who wholeheartedly supported last year's public seminar on heritage conservation that was attended by various personalities not only from Nabua but the rest of Camarines Sur.

"It is unfortunate that the municipal officials of Nabua, tasked to protect not only its people but its heritage as well, understand the concept of development and progress in terms of the construction of a shopping complex which will only kill local businesses while sacrificing the town's historical monument.

"Mayor Fernando Simbulan preferred to disrespect Nabuenos and erase their link to history, a classic example of a politician's arrogance. He rammed through the local legislative council his idea of 'legacy,' as he completes his ten years of mismanaging the town. His action to destroy the Gabaldon is an insult to the people of Nabua that can never be forgiven nor forgotten.

"We denounce Nabua's political leaders who put their selfish interests first rather than the good of the public they have sworn to serve. Farewell to Nabua's Gabaldon. We refuse to end the fight. The mayor may have succeeded in destroying the Gabaldon schoolhouse but he only made us more angry. The real deal behind the demolition and the construction of the shopping complex remains to be investigated." (gemma601@yahoo.com This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )

PHOTOS OF NABUA's Gabaldon (June 2008)

http://nabuaforum.kulturavolunteers.org/component/option,com_zoom/Itemid,27/page,view/catid,69/PageNo,1/key,0/hit,1/

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