Malacañang signed the National Cultural Heritage Act designed to protect and preserve the country’s cultural treasures last Monday, Senator Edgardo J.Angara said Thursday.

The law, principally authored by Angara, provides a comprehensive framework for the preservation of Philippine cultural heritage including cultural sites, old buildings, monuments, shrines, and landmarks that have cultural significance and historical value.

“The signing into law of the National Cultural Heritage Act is a serious step in preserving our cultural treasures. In a deeper sense, the law affirms our identity as a people," Angara said.

The former Senate President noted that there have been observations of “cultural neglect”, as many cultural heritages have been destroyed over the years.

“The country has painfully witnessed the defacement, if not complete destruction of buildings and other historically or artistically significant structures, bridges, parks and other public spaces or landscapes. Catholic churches have been unsystematically renovated, and relieved of precious and significant materials such as beautifully wrought religious images of ivory, and wood, relleves, even the silver frontals of altars,” he explained. (Mario Casayuran)