labour shapes the way our built environment
is experienced.”
The University of San Carlos explores these
ideas through “Sulog: Currents of Unity,”
focusing on Colon Street in Cebu, the oldest
street in the Philippines. Though now a shadow
of the thriving commercial district it once was,
the exhibition explores it as an ideal area for
future redevelopment. In “HyGrids: Projecting
the Future of Cities in the Philippines,”
the University of the Philippines-Diliman
presents hyperrealist projections of how its
campus might look should the built (concrete
structures) and the natural (green areas)
intersect through optimised context-driven
design. Images showing scenes of everyday
urbanism in Manila, Cebu, and Davao by Marvin
Maning and Jinggo Montenejo cap off the
exhibitions under this navel.
It is Yason Banal’s multi-channel video
installation, housed within the 14-metre wedge-
shaped structure that holds the exhibited works,
that serves as the intersection of colonialism and
neoliberalism. “Untitled Formation, Concrete
Supernatural, Pixel Unbound” weaves conceptsLegarda, its principal advocate,
agrees, stating that our pavilions
donotsignifytheendofa
discussion, but the start of lengthy,
complex conversations
of historical and contemporary Philippine
architecture together. It presents the built
environment not just as a multitude of
structures, but a coded design that translates
into technological developments such as
Google Earth and real-time CCTV, where
architecture lends its hand to pinpointing
locations and profiling identities.
Almario sees the exhibition as a means
of showing the world how the Philippines
navigates its realities. “The representation of
the Philippines on an international exposition
has always been problematic,” he said. “We
have long been seen as a people that lives in
nipa huts, wearing loincloths, and dancing
in circles. But anyone who has visited our
three major cities knows that we have been
expanding and negotiating our spaces.”
The curator himself makes it clear that the
Pavilion’s purpose is not to answer questions,
but to elicit discussions and encourage
all who might see it to question their
perceived national identity. “There are many
perspectives on display and not everybody
will agree with what has been presented,
but this is exactly what I intended,” Cabalfin
expressed. “Opposing ideas are necessary
in holding important discussions that will,
hopefully, instigate positive change in
Filipinos.” Legarda, its principal advocate,
agrees, stating that our pavilions do not
signify the end of a discussion, but the start of
lengthy, complex conversations.CONCEPTUALISING
A VISION
Senator Legarda
wtih curator Edson
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14-metre long, wedge-
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194 philippine tatler. august 2018