MODULE: OLSS01 – READING IN THE PHILIPPINE HISTORY

CHAPTER 10 – CLINICAL EVALUATION AND PROMOTION OF LOCAL AND ORAL

HISTORY

A. Manifest interest in local history and show concern in promoting and preserving
the country’s historical and cultural heritage;
B. Appreciate local history of eventful places such as museums, landmarks, shrines,
etc.; and
C. Conduct an oral interview to authorized personalities knowledgeable of historical
facts on certain cultural heritage.

ONLINE HISTORICAL RESEARCH

Internet is
the mostly used tool
any student would
use to do research
for it, accessing
tons of available
information.
Cyberspace as well
is a great source for
research if you
know how to use it.
In doing historical
research online,
you must know
where to look and
how to look for
information. There are search engine websites such as Google (www.google.com) that
would lead you to a lot of sources with the right search strings. Search strings are
combinations of words that you use to come up with relevant results.
Google also provides its own scholarly research called Google Scholar
(www.scholar.google.com). It contains electronic journal articles, materials from

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institutional repositories, and book chapters from many different sources. Google Books
(www.books.google.com) also provides sources for scanned books which can help you
read some chapters for free. Meanwhile, a simple search online is all you need in
finding the data you needed. And most often, one of the first results that will come out
will be pages from Wikipedia. Wikipedia is the biggest open-source encyclopedia in the
whole cyberspace. It has 40 million articles in 293 languages. Anyone could contribute
or edit articles that make the site unreliable.
There are also websites you may use to legally download scanned copies of
books and other materials for free. One of which is Project Gutenberg
(www.gutenberg.org), the oldest digital library in the world with more than 50,000 items
in its collection, which includes many works concerning the Philippines such as the
Doctrina Cristiana (first published book in the Philippines). Another online archive you
may use is the Internet Archive (www.archive.org), an online library that sought to
archive web history and contains 279 billion web pages, 11 million books and texts, four
million audio recordings, three million videos, one million images, and 100,000 software
programs.
Philippine government websites (www.gov.ph) are starting to be enriched with
sources that may be used for historical research, on laws, and other government
issuances. Websites of newspapers, magazines, broadcasting stations, and other
media outlets usually keep an archive of their articles from a particular site.
HISTORICAL RESEARCH IN LIBRARIES AND ARCHIVES
Research in libraries and archives is
necessary in the study of history as these are
repositories of primary and secondary
sources that allow us to create narratives of
the past through accepted methods of
historical scholarship. Libraries and archives
provide a more variety of sources in different
formats such as books, journal articles,
newspapers, magazines, photographs, and
even audio and video recordings.
Nowadays, the digital version, Online
Public Access Catalog (OPAC) yields the
holdings of the library related to what you are
searching for. Searching by subject will give
you a list of sources, primary and secondary,
to aid in creating a preliminary biography.
However, a problem could arise when the
search yields too many results. The catalog
lists down all kinds of materials available

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based on the subject used in the search such as books, journals, maps, and other
materials. And so, do not limit yourself to using books and other published materials
when you may be able to utilize other forms of sources. The National Library of the
Philippines in Ermita, Manila provides a rich treasure trove of materials in Philippine
history, especially in their Filipiniana section.
Research in archives may be a lot more difficult and proved to be too advanced
because it provides you with many sources not available in the usual libraries. The
National Archives of the Philippines in Manila is an agency of the government collecting,
storing, preserving, and making available records of the government and other primary
sources pertaining to the history and development of the Philippines, such as materials
about Spanish colonialism.
The libraries in the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, have
collections particularly in the Main Library in Gonzales Hall that is rich in resources,
especially the Filipiniana section, serials, theses, and dissertations. Other university
libraries are also accessible to the public. The Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon
City holds the American Historical Collection, a rich source for the American period in
the Philippines. The University of Santo Tomas in Espana, Manila, the oldest Catholic
university has collections from the sixteenth century.
Private libraries and institutions also have archives such as the Family History
Center at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which has a generous
resource for research on genealogies. The Chinben See Memorial Library in Kaisa-
Angelo King Heritage Center offers resources on Chinese and Filipino-Chinese in the
Philippines and in Southeast Asia. The Archdiocesan Archives of Manila has immense
Church data sources.
LIFE HISTORIES AND BIOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH
Studying history is always focused on the history of nations and different
collectives. Life history is an oft-neglected sub-discipline of history because it is seen as
trivial to larger narratives of nations, societies, and civilizations. The individual is a
significant contributor to various historical breakthroughs across periods of time.
Individuals make up societies, and individual actions can cause large-scale social
change. An individual’s influence can span centuries and generations. Their lives,
exploits, and legacies had a huge impact on the society where they belonged.
Nevertheless, writing life history should not be limited to great individuals like heroes,
prophets, or world leaders. Ordinary individuals should also be able to locate
themselves in the pages of history in the larger social life.
Life history is not an easy task due to different factors that affected the life of the
person. The life history of an individual will also lead to questions about his family and
genealogy, a person’s socioeconomic status, religious belief, character, interests, and
values. Institutions where the individual belonged should also be looked at in studying

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his life history. Other aspects that may also be studied are sector, ethnic group, and
culture.
Understanding all of these makes sense of the facts and established connections
about different aspects of the individual’s life to understand the person that he has
become.
LOCAL AND ORAL HISTORY RESEARCH
The history’s coverage is always expansive and taught in broad strokes of
historical periods, large spaces, and prominent personalities. Little is known about the
sub-discipline of local history. Local history is the study of the history of a particular
community or a smaller unit of geography. Local historians study the history of local
institutions like churches, local economies, local heroes, and local events. Thus, it is a
broad and dynamic field of inquiry that aims to have an in-depth understanding of a
certain locale.
Local history can serve as a balancer of tendencies by showing the peculiarities
in certain locales in a particular nation, region, or continent. It can provide new and
alternative interpretations on the different aspects of a nation’s history and also
facilitates a historical narrative from the. Thus, local history is not just aimed at opposing
the discourse in the national histories but is also a tool for enriching these national
narratives.
Doing local history is not an easy task. Historians are often faced with challenges
in locating sources for local and specific objects of study. Sources abound on subjects
of national importance but tend to be scarce on local subjects. So, this limitation should
encourage historians to innovate and recreate local history methodology and this is oral
history. Oral history is important in the midst of scarcity in written sources, historical
documents, and other material evidences. This method uses oral accounts of historical
subjects, witnesses, members of the communities and primarily relies on memory.
Memory is seen as something that is faulty and inaccurate; therefore, positivist
historians should criticize the methods of oral history.
Oral history is important in writing the history of underprivileged sectors and
communities like the urban poor or indigenous people, for it is left out in records.
Historians, therefore, search for alternative methods that will capture the experiences
and collective pasts of these communities. Local and oral history are important
endeavors in the development and enrichment of the discipline of history toward a more
holistic, inclusive, and progressive study of the past.

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HISTORY THROUGH HISTORICAL SHRINES AND MUSEUMS

Places that can be visited to broaden our knowledge of the Philippine history and
culture include government- and private run museums:
The National Museum Complex is composed of:
A. the National Museum of Fine Arts (Old Legislative Building)
B. the National Museum of Anthropology (Old Finance Building)
C. the National Museum of Natural History (Old Agriculture and Commerce Building)
D. and the National Planetarium
Private museums and other institutions also have their share of contributing to
the preservation of our heritage. Many of these places are limited to special collections
but are themselves a significant part of history and in the study of it. Some examples of
these museums are as follows:
A. UST Museum of Arts and Sciences located at the University of Santo Tomas
campus
B. Ayala Museum located in Makati
C. The Lopez Museum and Library located at the Benpres Building, Ortigas
D. Complex in Mandaluyong
E. The Kaisa Angelo King Heritage Center located in Intramuros which highlights
our Tsinoy or Chinese-Filipino heritage
F. The Museo Iloilo in Iloilo City which focuses on cultural and historical artifacts not
only from Iloilo but also from Panay Island

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G. The Juan D. Nepomuceno Center for Kapampangan Studies, which focuses on

the study of Kapampangan language, history, and culture, located in the campus
of the Holy Angel University in Angeles City, Pampanga
H. The Cultural Center of the Philippines, though recognized as a performance
venue, which houses art galleries for exhibits and a collection of artworks by
recognized Filipino artists including those by the National Artists of the
Philippines.
The increasing awareness of the remnants of our historical and cultural heritage has
led Filipinos to place significant importance on preserving old buildings and districts
nationwide. This culminated in the enactment of the National Cultural Heritage Act
(Republic Act No. 10066) on March 25, 2009, establishing the Philippine Registry of
Cultural Property and guidelines for safeguarding historic structures over 50 years old.
Prior to this legislation, efforts were made to conserve historical artifacts. The
Intramuros district, once the Walled City of Manila, was the first to be declared a
National Heritage site, followed by Vigan City in Ilocos Sur and Silay in Negros
Occidental. These areas adhere to heritage laws aimed at preserving their historic
buildings, open spaces, and local traditions while integrating with modern surroundings.
Historic structures dating back to the Spanish and American colonial periods, which
survived World War II, have been preserved by the government or private institutions.
Examples include University of Santo Tomas campuses, the Philippine General
Hospital, provincial capitol buildings in Leyte and Pangasinan, and private residences
like the Gota de Leche Building in Sampaloc, Manila. Spanish colonial churches in
various towns and cities across the country are also included.
Monuments from colonial eras are also undergoing preservation efforts, many
located in plazas and parks in Manila and provincial urban areas. These monuments
hold significance not only for commemorating places, people, and historic events but
also as markers of our past. Notable examples in Manila include the Carriedo Fountain,
King Carlos IV Monument, Legazpi-Urdaneta Monument, Queen Isabel II of Spain
Monument, and Simon de Anda Monument.
Historical shrines and museums serve as vital guardians of a nation's heritage.
Preserving these repositories of the past is crucial for honoring our history, educating
present and future generations, and maintaining a strong cultural identity. These sites
stand as timeless monuments, fostering a deep connection with our roots and enriching
society with a profound appreciation for our collective history.

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Fernandez, E. C. (2018). Clinical Evaluation of Local and Oral History: Methodological

Considerations. Oral History Journal, 22(1), 33-50.
Tan, R. M. (2022). Promoting Local History: Strategies and Challenges. Community
History Review, 8(3), 121-138.

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