A TRIPARTITE archaeological survey and excavation project has started in San Remigio and other parts of Cebu’s northern portion as part of collaborative efforts to preserve the heritage of the province.
The Northern Cebu Archaeological Project, a joint initiative of the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) and Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (AFI), in partnership with the University of San Carlos (USC) in Cebu, seeks to establish a protocol and methodology for systematic archaeological studies in the “Queen City of the South.”
Through this project which commenced last month, a template for continuing studies and resources to archive and preserve data of archaeological sites and landscapes will be developed. Its main goal is to create a geospatial database to record all archaeological sites and resources in Cebu using state-of-the-art archaeological methods and applications.
Further, it aims to create a comprehensive catalogue of archaeological findings in the province, especially those belonging to the Metal Age, that will serve as useful reference for further studies, for the development of a comprehensive preservation program, and for crafting sustainable information dissemination drives through local and foreign publications.
Amid the current quarantines and travel restrictions, the NMP Project Team led by Deputy Director General for Museums Dr. Ana P. Labrador and aided by Alexandra de Leon of the Archaeology Division decided to continue implementing the project with Cebu-based archaeologists: Drs. John A. Peterson and J. Eleazar R. Bersales of USC’s Department of Anthropology, Sociology and History.
“We’re excited to have the support of the Aboitiz Foundation and the NMP to conduct intensive field studies in [our area of operations],” said Dr. Peterson, principal investigator of the Northern Cebu Archaeological Project 2021. “Previous work has always been scattered and unfocused; this [now] gives us a very systematic way to survey archaeological sites.”
“[Remaining grounded in our roots…the Aboitiz Group is proud to partner with the NMP and the USC for this] archaeological initiative to preserve the Cebuano heritage,” added AFI President and COO Maribeth L. Marasigan.
The two-year project is scheduled in four phases. Toward its last stage, collected cultural resources will be presented publicly through an exhibition that will showcase the stories of those sites in the planned Central Visayas Regional Museum in Cebu.