EXPERIENCE THE CITY OF LIFE: CULTURAL REAWAKENING THROUGH

INTERACTIVE MUSEUM IN BINAN, LAGUNA USING GARDNER’S MULTIPLE

INTELLIGENCE THEORY

A case study

Presented to

The Faculty of the program of Interior Design

De La Salle - College of St. Benilde

2544 Taft Ave., Manila, Philippines

Submitted to:

Mr. Randy Pabona

Submitted by:

Ronzy Augustine M. Barrera

April 2019

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

1.1 Background of the Study

1.2 Statement of the Problem

1.3 Scope and Limitations

1.4 Objectives

1.5 Significance of the Study

1.6 Definition of Terms

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

2.1 The Multiple Intelligence Theory by Howard Gardner

2.2 Museum

2.2.1 Origin and History of Museum

2.2.2 Role of Museum

2.2.3 Types of Museum

2.2.4 Interactive Museums in the Philippines

2.3 Binan, Laguna

2.3.1 History

2.3.1.1 Pre and Hispanic Period

2.3.1.2 American Administration and Japanese Occupation

2.3.1.3 First Stage of Development

2.3.1.4 Second Stage of Development

2.3.2 Geography

2.3.2.1 Topography

2.3.2.2 Climate

2.3.2.3 Soil Properties

2.3.3 Demographics

2.3.3.1 Population Composition

2.3.4 Local Government

2.3.4.1 Sentrong Pangkultura ng Binan

2.3.5 Heritage District

2.3.5.1 Museums in Binan, Laguna

2.3.5.1.1 School of Rizal Site & Museum

2.3.5.1.2 Binan City Museum

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CHAPTER III

FRAMEWORKS

3.1 Declaration of the Thesis Statement

3.2 Theoretical Framework

3.3 Conceptual Framework

3.4 Dialectic Development

3.4.1 Thesis

3.4.2 Anti-Thesis

3.4.3 Synthesis

CHAPTER IV

METHODOLOGY

4.1 Methodological Framework

4.2 Research Design

4.3 Focused Interview with Mr. Arvin Bongon

4.4 Survey Questionnaire

4.5 Site Analysis and Observation

Bibliography

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 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter includes the background of the study, statement of the problem, scope and
limitation, objectives, significance of the study and the definition of terms used.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Living in the city with busy environment, people tend to look for recreational activities that will
satisfy their needs and ease their stress. In the Philippines, museum is a popular destination for people
who want to learn, feed their curiosity, socialize and even to destress. Basically, Museum is an institution
that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific
importance. Many public museums make these items available for public viewing through exhibits that
may be permanent or temporary. (Alexander, 2007) According to UNESCO,

“A museum is a non-profit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development,
open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the
tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment for the purposes of education,
study and enjoyment.”

Museum is essential not only to preserve the culture of a specific place, but to educate the people as
well. Today, many museums are among the most visited sites in the world. In order to grasp how this
important cultural phenomenon came to be, it is important to understand its origins, explore its evolution,
and trace how its role has changed over time.

According to My Modern Met, The word “museum” is derived from Latin which was, in turn,
inspired by mouseion, the Greek term for “a shrine to the Muses”. In Classical Greek mythology, the nine
Muses are the goddesses of the art and sciences, making them perfect patrons for these knowledge-based
institutions. (Abdou, 2018)

The early museums were elitist, uninspiring and aloof as they encouraged only the educated people
to visit them. It began as the private collections of wealthy individuals, families or institutions of art and
rare or curious natural objects and artifacts. These were often displayed in so-called wonder rooms or
cabinets of curiosities. The general public was excluded.

In the 21st century, museum has different ways to educate people through the use of technology and
modern resources. Some have big LED screens to showcase the art installations of the artists and some
have touchscreen device each gallery to inform the visitors about the exhibit. Museum has also served to
entertain people in the modern world. Some museums are meant to be ‘instagrammable’ in social media
which makes a different approach in marketing. One example is the Dessert Museum in Pasay City. It is
a good strategy to make people visit a museum and to have a unique experience, however it may affect
the real purpose of the institution which is primarily, to educate.

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 Figure 1 Binan City Museum Entrance

The proponent’s target proposal, the Binan City Museum, is located at Sentrong Pangkultura ng
Binan (Binan’s Center for Culture and Art) in the heart of the town plaza. It also houses the Binan City
Studies Center and the City Culture, History, Arts and Tourism Office. Prior to being City’s Cultural
Center, the structure became the Casa Hacienda of the friars during the Spanish regime, a school during
the American times and a municipal hall in the 1940’s until 2010. The City Museum is open Monday to
Friday, 8:00 am to 5 pm and the admission is free.

The area size of museum is 167 square meter and it showcases the history, heritage buildings,
notable people of Binan, products like puto binan, shoes, sombrero,the maglalatik dance and the Puto-
Latik Festival. Adjacent to the museum is the Ambrosio Bautista Hall which is a function hall for various
events. The hall also holds temporary exhibit yearly. Across the museum is the mayor’s hall which has a
gallery inside about the politicians of Binan. It also functions as meeting room or seminar room for the
staff of tourism office. In the ground floor of the building, there is an information desk on the left side and
on the right side facing the façade, there is actually a small city jail intended for convicted women.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The Binan City Museum is supposed to give the locals and tourists a recreational experience
where it could not only make them aware about the cultural identity of Binan, but also they would be
motivated to really know about the past and present background of the City. Based on the proponent’s
visit in the museum, the space is barely visited by the locals and tourists. The overall space is in excellent
state for a local museum where it looks clean and accommodating. According to Sir Arvin, the head of the
tourism office, people who usually visit the museum are mostly highschool and college students and their
main intention is not the museum itself. They would just visit and use the space for photo and video
documentation because their school told them so (personal interview). The other minor problems of the
museum are the lack of space to showcase more of the cultural and historical background of Binan and it
resides in a heritage building so there are a lot of limitations in terms of materials used and the number of

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people visiting the museum. Since the problems of the existing museum are stated, the proponent would
want to address the following questions:

1. How will the interior environment contribute to the motivation of the visitors to enter a local
museum, specifically in Binan City Museum?

2. How will the multiple intelligence theory, specifically in interior design, make an impact in the
space as an interactive museum?

3. How will the proponent’s design proposal, which is an interactive museum, help the agenda of
the local government to promote the rich culture and history of Binan?

1.3 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

This study covers the issues of museums regarding with the function and current practice that
affect the motivation of the visitors. This study limits its coverage to the essence of museum in Philippine
setting.

The study has a limited timeframe of 14 weeks from the month of January to April 2019.

1.4 OBJECTIVES

This research paper aims to:

1. To further promote the cultural identity of Binan through interactive museum

2. To translate the multiple intelligence theory in the space through interior design
3. To develop the practice of local museums in the Philippines

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings of this study will be able to contribute to the development of local museums in the

Philippines, not only in the City of Binan. This proposal will help to promote the essence of a having an

effective local museum through the use of interior design. The study will open doors to more

opportunities for researchers who want to further improve and develop museums locally and globally.

1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Museum – is an institution that cares for (conserves) a collection of artifacts and other objects of

artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance.

Multiple Intelligence – differentiates human intelligence into specific 'modalities', rather than

seeing intelligence as dominated by a single general ability.

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Conservation - measures taken to keep the existing state of a heritage resource from destruction

or change; actions that prevent decay and prolong life; includes maintenance, repair,

consolidation, and reinforcement

Cultural Identity - Cultural identity is the identity or feeling of belonging to a group. It is part of a

person's self-conception and self-perception and is related to nationality, ethnicity, religion, social

class, generation, locality or any kind of social group that has its own distinct culture.

Heritage- features belonging to the culture of a particular society, such as traditions, languages,

or buildings, that were created in the past and still have historical importance:

Tourist – a person who is traveling or visiting a place for pleasure.

Local - an inhabitant of a particular area or neighborhood.

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 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

2.1 THE MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE THEORY

The theory of multiple intelligences was developed in 1983 by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of
education at Harvard University. It suggests that the traditional notion of intelligence, based on I.Q.
testing, is far too limited. Instead, Dr. Gardner proposes eight different intelligences to account for a
broader range of human potential in children and adults. (Armstrong, 2018) These intelligences are:

1. Linguistic intelligence (word smart)

Refers to a person’s capacity to use language effectively as a vehicle of expression and
communication. Examples: poets and writers.

2. Logical-mathematical intelligence (number/reasoning smart)

Refers to an individuals capacity to think logically, use numbers effectively, solve problems
scientifically, and discern relationships and patterns between concepts and things. Examples:
mathematicians and scientists.

3. Spatial intelligence (picture smart)

Refers to the capacity to think visually and orient oneself spatially. In addition, spatially
intelligent people are able to graphically represent their visual and spatial ideas. Examples:
artists, decorators, architects, surveyors, inventors, and guides.

4. Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence (body smart)

Refers to the capacity of using one’s own body skillfully as a means of expression or to work
skillfully to create or manipulate objects. Examples: dancers, actors, athletes, sculptors,
surgeons, mechanics, and craftspeople.

5. Musical intelligence (music smart)

Refers to the capacity to appreciate a variety of musical forms in addition to using music as a
vehicle of expression. Musically intelligent people are sensitive to rhythm, melody, and
pitch. Examples: signers, musicians, and composers.

6. Interpersonal intelligence (people smart)

Refers to the capacity to appropriately and effectively respond to other people and understand
their feelings. Examples: salespeople, social directors, travel agents

7. Intrapersonal intelligence (self smart)

Refers to the capacity to accurately know one’s self, including knowledge of one’s own
strengths, motivations, goals, and feelings. Examples: entrepreneurs and therapists

8. Naturalist intelligence (nature smart)

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 Refers to the capacity to discriminate among living things (plants, animals) as well as to be
sensitive to other features of the natural world (clouds, rock configurations). Examples:
farmers, botanists, chefs.

Howard Gardner was born on July 11, 1943 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S. He is an American
cognitive psychologist and author, best known for his theory of multiple intelligences. First presented in
Frames of Mind (1983) and subsequently refined and extended in Intelligence Reframed (1999),
Gardner’s theory inspired teachers, school leaders, and special educators to embrace the notion that there
are many ways to be intelligent.
Gardner was the son of Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany. He was a studious child who loved to
read, and he developed into a gifted pianist. He retained a lifelong passion for music that contributed to
his nonunitary conception of human cognitive capacity.
Gardner undertook most of his formal training and graduate work at Harvard University, where he earned
a bachelor’s degree in social relations in 1965 and a doctoral degree in developmental psychology in
1971. His many academic appointments included a professorship of neurology at Boston University
School of Medicine (1984–2005) and a professorship of education at the Harvard Graduate School of
Education (1986–98), where he was appointed the John H. and Elisabeth A. Hobbs Professor of
Cognition and Education in 1998. (Gordon, 2018)

2.2 MUSEUM

2.2.1 ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF MUSEUM

As institutions that preserve and interpret the material evidence of humankind, human
activity, and the natural world, museums have a long and varied history, springing from what may
be an innate human desire to collect and interpret and having discernible origins in large
collections built up by individuals and groups before the modern era. (Lewis, 2018)

While the formal “museum” did not emerge until the 18th century, collections of objects
resembling this seemingly modern phenomenon date back thousands of years. In ancient
Babylon, Princess Ennigaldi—the daughter of King Nabonidus, who ruled the Neo-Babylonian
Empire in the 6th century BC—collected and even curated Mesopotamian artifacts with origins
spanning 1,500 years. Located in the ruins of Nabonidus’ palace, this curious collection was
discovered in 1925 by archaeologist Leonard Woolley. After noticing that the objects—which
ranged from inscribed clay tablets to figurative sculpture fragments—were organized and even
labeled with notes on their provenance, he deduced that he had stumbled upon the world’s oldest
museum. (Abdou, 2018)

The Cabinet of Curiosities

In the 16th century, collectors built upon this desire to display objects by creating
Kunstkammer, or cabinets of curiosities. Much like Princess Ennigaldi’s organized treasure trove,
these rooms were dedicated to housing unique artifacts. Unlike her hoard of Mesopotamian
antiquities, however, the collections exhibited in cabinets of curiosities were often eclectic and
encyclopedic in nature, ranging from natural history specimens and scientific wonders to works
of art and religious relics. Also known as “wonder rooms,” these one-of-a-kind spaces were
erected by the wealthy—namely, members of the nobility and the church—throughout the
Northern and Italian Renaissance as well as the Baroque period. In the late 18th century,

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however, they were replaced by public institutions, moving methods of object display one step
closer to the modern museum.

“Public” Institutions

In 1683, English antiquary Elias Ashmole donated the contents of his wonder room to
Oxford University, forming the basis of the Ashmolean Museum. Believing that “the knowledge
of Nature is very necessary to human life and health,” Ashmole aimed to educate the masses
through his unprecedented donation. Following in his footsteps, many likeminded collectors
across Europe shifted their focus from private use to public access during the Enlightenment.
During this time, world-class museums like the British Museum in London (1759), the Prado
Museum in Madrid (1785), and the Louvre in Paris (1793) began to make their art collections
accessible to the public. The opening of these institutions inspired a string of similar maneuvers
in the 19th century, including the debut of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (1852) and
New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art (1870).

The Modern Museum

Today, the importance of public institutions is stronger than ever before. In addition to
curating collections and making them available to the masses, many museums are utilizing new
technologies to transform their public programs, digitize their collections, and share their
research. With these modern methods, museums are able to engage audiences in new ways and
extend their missions beyond their walls.

2.2.2 ROLE OF MUSEUM

The purpose of modern museums is to collect, preserve, interpret, and display items of
artistic, cultural, or scientific significance for the education of the public. From a visitor or
community perspective, the purpose can also depend on one's point of view. A trip to a local
history museum or large city art museum can be an entertaining and enlightening way to spend
the day. To city leaders, a healthy museum community can be seen as a gauge of the economic
health of a city, and a way to increase the sophistication of its inhabitants. To a museum
professional, a museum might be seen as a way to educate the public about the museum's
mission, such as civil rights or environmentalism. Museums are, above all, storehouses of
knowledge. In 1829, James Smithson's bequest, that would fund the Smithsonian Institution,
stated he wanted to establish an institution "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge."
(Smithsonian Institution)

Museum purposes vary from institution to institution. Some favor education over
conservation, or vice versa. For example, in the 1970s, the Canada Science and Technology
Museum favored education over preservation of their objects. They displayed objects as well as
their functions. One exhibit featured a historic printing press that a staff member used for visitors
to create museum memorabilia.Some seek to reach a wide audience, such as a national or state
museum, while some museums have specific audiences, like the LDS Church History Museum or
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local history organizations. Generally speaking, museums collect objects of significance that
comply with their mission statement for conservation and display. Although most museums do
not allow physical contact with the associated artifacts, there are some that are interactive and
encourage a more hands-on approach. In 2009, Hampton Court Palace, palace of Henry VIII,
opened the council room to the general public to create an interactive environment for visitors.
Rather than allowing visitors to handle 500-year-old objects, the museum created replicas, as well
as replica costumes. The daily activities, historic clothing, and even temperature changes immerse
the visitor in a slice of what Tudor life may have been. (Lipschomb, 2010)

2.2.3 TYPES OF MUSEUM

General Museums

General museums hold collections in more than one subject and are therefore sometimes
known as multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary museums. Many were founded in the 18th, 19th,
or early 20th century. Most originated in earlier private collections and reflected the
encyclopaedic spirit of the times. Certain general museums reflect the influence of cultural
contact made through trade. Some museums hold a number of important specialized collections
that would qualify them to be grouped in more than one category of specialization. This is true
particularly of many of the large general museums, which may have collections in one or more
fields equal to if not exceeding both the quantity and quality of material exhibited in a specialized
museum. Some national museums display general collections within their main building; indeed,
many commenced in this fashion, but the necessity of finding additional space later caused a
division of the collections and encouraged the growth of specialized museums.

Most common among general museums are those which serve a region or a locality.
Many of these owe their foundation to civic pride and a desire to promote knowledge of the area.
They are widespread in eastern and western Europe and are found as well in India, Australia,
New Zealand, and North and South America. Their prime responsibility is to reflect the natural
and human history, traditions, and creative spirit of the area. In many cases the community thus
served is culturally homogeneous. Where it is not, the museum may develop specific programs to
foster mutual understanding among the diverse peoples. In cities that have a sizable immigrant
population, such as, for example, Bradford or Leicester in England, the regional museum has
engaged actively in such work. Sometimes special exhibitions prepared by the national museum
or other agencies provide opportunities at regional museums for the community to appreciate the
wider aspects of the national or even international heritage.

The general museum, particularly at the regional or local level, faces severe problems
because of the high cost of employing the large numbers of specialists necessary to care for the
variety of collections involved, particularly if a strong research program is maintained. In some
museums research has diversified as curators, particularly in archaeology, history, and the natural
sciences, have become involved in recording the environment of an area or in preparing data
banks in order to advise planners and developers who are considering projects to be conducted on
sites of scientific or historical interest. Other general museums have maintained their more
traditional roles but have concentrated their efforts on public services, as at the Kanazawa Bunko
Museum in Yokohama, Japan, where a multidisciplinary approach is apparent in its exhibitions.
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Among other developments fostered by many regional and local museums are the erection of on-
site museums to interpret archaeological or natural features; the provision of heritage centres,
particularly in urban areas, to tell the story of an aspect of the historic environment; or, as an
extramural activity of the museum, the development of heritage and nature trails.

Certain museums provide for a particular audience, often acquiring general collections to
suit the purpose. One of these is the children’s museum (also frequented by adults), which
routinely now features interactive exhibits. Notable examples include the Brooklyn Children’s
Museum in New York City, the Children’s Museum in Boston, the enormous Children’s Museum
of Indianapolis in Indiana (situated on a 29-acre [12-hectare] campus and attracting more than
one million visitors annually), and the National Children’s Museum of New Delhi. At the
opposite end of the spectrum are museums devoted to esoterica, designed for the specialist, or
museums founded exclusively for an adult audience, such as the Museum of Sex, which opened
to much controversy in New York City in 2002. (Lewis, 2018)

Natural History and Natural Science Museums

Museums of natural history and natural science are concerned with the natural world; their
collections may contain specimens of birds, mammals, insects, plants, rocks, minerals, and
fossils. These museums have their origins in the cabinets of curiosities built up by prominent
individuals in Europe during the Renaissance and Enlightenment. Specimens from the natural
world were also included (albeit as part of an encyclopaedic collection) in some of the earliest
museums: the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford, England, the British Museum in London, and the
National Museum of Natural History in Paris. With the development of the natural sciences in the
19th century, museums exhibiting objects from the natural world flourished and their number
multiplied. In the United States and Latin America their collections often included objects of
physical and social anthropology as well as the natural sciences. Later, natural science museums
responded to new trends of nature conservation and broader environmental matters. Some
established programs for recording biological data for the area they serve, to facilitate
environmental planning (often in conjunction with local planning authorities) and to provide
information to assist in the interpretation of ecological displays.

Major museums, such as the Natural History Museum in London, the Smithsonian
Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., and the American
Museum of Natural History in New York City, hold enormous comparative collections from the
natural world, including the type specimens from which species have been named. Such museums
are international centres of taxonomic work and sustain considerable research programs. (Lewis,
2018)

Science and Technology Museums

Museums of science and technology are concerned with the development and application
of scientific ideas and instrumentation. Like museums of natural science and natural history,
science museums have their origins in the Enlightenment. Some of them developed from the

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collections of learned societies, others from private collections such as the Teylers Museum at
Haarlem, Netherlands, in the 18th century. A later development in science museums involved the
applications of science, so that museums began to preserve the material evidence of technological
as well as scientific endeavour. Some science and technology museums concentrate on
demonstrating science and its applications; in these museums the preservation of process is
emphasized over the preservation of objects.

Science museums are particularly popular with children as well as adults and often provide
opportunities for their visitors to participate through demonstration models and interactive
displays. Well-known examples of these are at the Deutsches Museum in Munich, the Science
Museum in London, and (of a more specialized nature) the National Air and Space Museum in
Washington, D.C. Other specialized institutions include transport museums, such as the National
Railway Museum in York, England, or the Swiss Transport Museum on the shores of Lake
Lucerne. Of more recent establishment are industrial museums, which often include a large
technical component.

Museums devoted to modern science, such as the Palace of Discovery in Paris, also provide
demonstrations of scientific theory. In India, where museums of science and technology are seen
as having an important role in education, the National Council for Science Museums has
established a network of such museums across the country. Performing a similar function are
science centres where science is demonstrated but where there is not normally a responsibility for
collecting and conserving historical apparatus. A pioneer in this field is the Ontario Science
Centre in Toronto.

Some science and technology museums, such as the very popular Museum of Science and
Industry in Chicago or the Technological Museum in Mexico City, are of a more technical nature.
These museums are often sponsored directly or indirectly by industries, which occasionally found
their own museums in order to preserve their heritage and promote their work. Other museums
highlight a specific product resulting from the application of science and technology, such as the
American Clock & Watch Museum in Bristol, Connecticut. (Lewis, 2018)

History Museums

The term history museum is often used for a wide variety of museums where collections are
amassed and, in most cases, are presented to give a chronological perspective. Because of the
encompassing nature of history, museums of this type may well hold so many objects of art and
science that they would more properly be called general museums (see above General museums).

Museums dealing with specialized aspects of history may be found at the national,
provincial, or local level, while museums of general history are rare at the national level. One
example of the latter is the National Museum of History in Chapultepec Castle, Mexico City.
Other national museums of history can be found particularly among newer states, where they
have been used as a means of arousing national consciousness and providing historical
perspective. At the local and regional level there are many examples, of which the Museum of
London and the city museums of Amsterdam, Dresden, Luxembourg, New York City,
Stockholm, and Warsaw are but a few. In many cases, if artifacts are not available or are
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inappropriate, curators use reconstructions, models, and graphics, sometimes with multimedia
techniques, to maintain chronological continuity and to increase the opportunity for interpretation
within their essentially didactic approach.

While history museums may include archaeological material, there is nevertheless a

distinctive type that specializes in it: the antiquities museum. Collections of material of the
ancient world can be found in national museums in a number of cities—for example, Amman,
Jordan; Athens; Cairo; Copenhagen; Edinburgh; Madrid; and Mexico City. The antiquities
museum is particularly common in Europe and Asia. Specialized archaeology museums also are
found in areas of rich antiquity or as on-site museums. The archaeology museum is concerned
mainly with historical evidence recovered from the ground and in many cases provides
information on a period for which the written record can make little or no contribution.

Another specialized form of the history museum collects and exhibits material from an
ethnographic viewpoint. As the term suggests, emphasis is placed on culture rather than
chronology in the presentation of the collections. A good example of this is the Smithsonian
Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. When it opened in
2004, it was hailed as a unique institution, where in a single museum the cultural life of the native
peoples from all of the Americas—North, Central, and South—would be researched, analyzed,
and celebrated for the public on a scale unmatched by the many other museums devoted to the
Native American. Ethnography museums have been especially important to the newer nation-
states of Africa and Oceania, where they are seen as a means of contributing to national unity
among different cultural groups. Among the industrialized nations, and particularly in countries
that have been involved in colonization, the ethnography museum traditionally was a museum of
the cultures of other peoples. Many of these institutions were established in the capital cities,
which at the height of colonization were windows on a world otherwise distant and unknown.
(Lewis, 2018)

Art Museums

The art museum (called art gallery in some places) is concerned primarily with the object
as a means of unaided communication with its visitors. Aesthetic value is therefore a major
consideration in accepting items for the collection. Traditionally, these collections have
comprised paintings, sculpture, and the decorative arts. A number of art museums have included
the industrial arts since the 19th century, when they were introduced, particularly to encourage
good industrial design. It can be argued that aesthetics have subordinated function and association
to such an extent that objects often are presented in a totally alien context. In some countries this
criticism applies to archaeological material as well.

The display of works of art presents the curator with certain problems. Works of art are
exhibited to convey a visual message. While other disciplines tend to adopt didactic methods of
display, the art curator is concerned particularly with unimpeded presentation of a given work.
The ambience of the work is enhanced by highlighting its form and colour with proper lighting
and background. At one time, artificial light was preferred for paintings, both to create an effect
and to prevent exposure to harmful elements in natural light, but it sometimes provides an
unnecessarily theatrical presentation or creates an artificiality that can inhibit the visitor’s
appreciation and enjoyment of the work. Much greater use is now made of indirect natural light
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or—as at Tate Britain in London, for example—a controlled mixture of daylight and simulated
daylight. Some art museums have returned to the earlier custom of hanging paintings in a tiered
arrangement in order to exhibit more of their works. (Lewis, 2018)

Virtual Museums

A virtual museum is a collection of digitally recorded images, sound files, text documents,
and other data of historical, scientific, or cultural interest that are accessed through electronic
media. A virtual museum does not house actual objects and therefore lacks the permanence and
unique qualities of a museum in the institutional definition of the term. In fact, most virtual
museums are sponsored by institutional museums and are directly dependent upon their existing
collections. Nevertheless, through the hyperlinking and multimedia capabilities available via the
Internet, digitized representations can be brought together from multiple sources for enjoyment
and study in a manner largely determined by the individual user. Virtual museums of this type
can be a powerful tool for comparative study and for research into a particular subject, material,
or locality.

Many virtual museums have their roots in a museum’s Web site. At their most basic, these
sites offer administrative information such as opening hours, policies, and services; some even
include a floor plan of the museum. Virtual museums in this limited sense join the exhibition, the
guidebook, the photograph, and the video as a medium for promoting and interpreting a museum
and its collection. But these sites are growing in sophistication. Many offer “virtual
exhibitions”—that is, online tours of certain key exhibits. Still other museums or administrative
organs provide access to databases on collections—for instance, the Joconde database,
maintained by the French Ministry of Culture, from which information can be obtained on
important works of art held by more than one thousand French museums.

Several institutions collect representations of widely dispersed objects that may or may not
be found in museums. One of the pioneers in this field was ArtServe, a collection of thousands of
images, particularly of classical art and architecture, made available by the Australian National
University for teachers and students of art history. Virtual museums in this sense offer the student
many benefits—not least in the selection of material for detailed study—even though final
recourse may be necessary to the original material.

Virtual museums in the fullest sense of the term consist of collections that take full
advantage of the easy access, loose structure, hyperlinking capacity, interactivity, and multimedia
capabilities of the Internet. Indeed, some early electronic collections were used to promote
Mosaic, the first graphical Web browser, when it was introduced in 1993. One of the first was
EXPO, which originated in 1993 with an online guide to artifacts from the Vatican Library that
were on display at the U.S. Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. EXPO was later maintained
on servers outside of the Library of Congress network and was expanded into several
“pavilions”—including archaeological, architectural, historical, and paleontological exhibits—
which have been donated by several organizations. Another pioneer was the WebMuseum, an
exhibition of artworks by Western painters from medieval times to the present day that began in
1994 by a computer scientist at the École Polytechnique near Paris. The WebMuseum grew to

15
incorporate reproductions of paintings, background text, and musical selections submitted by a
large number of contributors. (Lewis, 2018)

2.2.4 INTERACTIVE MUSEUMS IN THE PHILIPPINES

2.2.4.1 THE MIND MUSEUM

The Mind Museum is located at Bonifacio Global Center, Taguig City, where it
focuses on science education. They are open from Tuesdays to Sundays, 9:00am to
6:00pm. Bonifacio Art Foundation, Inc. started planning for the first world-class home
for science in the country in January 2007. It officially opened its door to the public on
March 16, 2012. The Mind Museum's mission is to provide an extraordinary educational
experience that inspires the public to understand nature. The Mind Museum's exhibition
takes off from a narrative that presents science in over 250 interactive exhibits through
five interconnected stories. The galleries span nature in scale, from the smallest of things
to the largest, and everything in between. The exploration also continues in Science-in-
the-Park outside. It also has a Botanical Garden as a venue for other educational
programs.

Galleries

Atom Gallery: The Strange World of the Very Small

The Atom Gallery is the gallery with the most number of interactive exhibits. It
contains the very elemental forces that are so familiar that we take them for granted like
gravity and electromagnetism. It also presents the counterintuitive quantum world that
resembles nothing in everyday experience, yet serves as the basis for much of the
technology of today.

Life Gallery: The Exuberant Varieties of Life

The Life Gallery showcases the exuberance of a living planet in all its forms. It
features the various habitats and the astonishing number and variety of organisms that
thrive on our planet.

Earth Gallery: Nature across the Breadth of Time

The Earth Gallery features the first permanent T. rex exhibit in the country along
with other unique exhibits that focus on the forces at work in shaping and reshaping the
Earth.

Universe Gallery: The Beginning and Majesty of the Cosmos

The Universe Gallery showcases humankind’s wondrous fascination with outer

space. It features exhibits that show how all of life, as we know it, found its atomic
beginnings in the stars. It enfolds visitors in the fundamental elements at play in the
cosmos.

Technology Gallery: The Showcase of Human Ingenuity

The Technology Gallery is the largest of all the galleries. It is the only exhibition
space on the second level, overlooking the other four galleries. This gallery presents
16
 technology not as a mere tool, gadget or industrial advancement but as means to flesh out
human values and to help us become better humans.

The gallery is divided into five major themes with each theme occupying a Node.
The themes of the Nodes are: How We Live, Who We Are, How We Know, How Things
Work, and Here to There.

2.2.4.2 THE UPSIDE DOWN MUSEUM

Established in 2017 by a Korean couple, Insun Park and Kyu Sung Yi, and designed
by a Korean professional, Upside Down Museum houses around 22 attractions—spaces
that feature different kinds of optical illusion that are waiting to be deciphered. Some of
the most popular attractions are the 90-degree house, mirror house, Goliath’s shoe, the
upside-down highway, and the fully-furnished upside down house. Upside Down
Museum’s inspiration was taken from Malaysia, Thailand , Taiwan and USA. This 1,700
square feet interactive museum is located at CCP Complex, Pasay City. (Anonymous,
2018) The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00am to 9:00pm and the
admission fee is 450 pesos.

2.2.4.3 QUEZON CITY EXPERIENCE

QCX or the Quezon City Experience is an interactive and socio-cultural green

building-compliant city museum which was inaugurated in November 9, 2015 within the
Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. QCX has 16
interactive galleries where it primarily displays the history and culture of Quezon City. It
is touted as the first interactive museum of the city. The museum concept was conceived
in 2006. Aside from the museum, the complex also has a business center with restaurants
and shops, a 100-seat theater, a 60-seat lecture room, conference rooms, and rooftop
gardens for events and outdoor exhibits. (Tantuco, 2015) The museum is open from
Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00am to 5:00pm.

2.2.4.4 THE DESSERT MUSEUM

Located at S Maison, Pasay City, The Dessert Museum has 8-themed studio
rooms where each focuses on a particular dessert namely; The Donut Room
Marshmallows Candy Canes Ice Cream Bubble Gum Gummy Bears Cotton Candy
Chocopop

2.2.4.5 ART IN ISLAND

In December of 2014, Korean Yun Jae Kyoung founded "Art in Island," which is
dubbed as the biggest 3D museum in Asia as far as number of paintings is concerned.
The two-storey museum features more than 180 paintings completed by 14 Korean artists
in a span of four months. In terms of land area, the Trick Art Museum Korea in Jeju
Island boasts of its 4,100 square meter property, which is 300 square meters greater than
the Philippine version. The museum has varied themes divided into places such as their
Fantasy Zone, Aqua Zone, Religion Zone, Masterpiece Zone, Animal Zone and the
Central Hall. Using optical illusions or Illusion Art, Art in Island has paintings on the
walls and floors that deceive and mislead the mind giving them a 3-dimensional effect.
17
 Playing around with shadows, they encourage visitors to participate in the art itself as
taking photographs are highly encouraged. By standing alongside the paintings in various
angles, the patrons themselves get to be a part of the experience as the pictures are taken.
The spectators on the other hand experience excitement as they see paintings effects in
different angles. The museum is located at Cubao, Quezon City and it is open from
Tuesday to Sunday, 9:30am to 9:30pm

2.2.4.6 MUSEO PAMBATA

The Museo Pambata is a children's interactive museum. Unlike traditional museums

where items are stored behind glass and touching is highly discouraged, Museo Pambata
invites visitors to learn with the exhibits by using their total senses. It envisions itself as a
discovery museum and resource center promoting Filipino global culture, children's
advocacy programs, and creative educational programs with linkages to global
communities. The museum also has regular programs and events for various sectors. The
museum opened its doors to children, youth and parents as the country's pioneering
children's museum on December 21, 1994, at historical Elks Club Building in Manila. It
is owned by Nina Lim-Yuson, an early childhood educator. The museum is open from
Tuesday to Saturday, 8:00am to 5:00pm.

There are eight theme rooms in Museo Pambata, namely:

 Kalikasan (Environment) and Karagatan (Under the Sea) - Contains a simulated

rain forest and seabed where visitors can learn about environmental concerns and
ecological conservation.
 Maynila Noon (Old Manila) - Visitors can learn about history by looking at
artifacts and simulated exhibits depicting turn-of-the-century Manila.
 Paglaki Ko (Career Options) - Showcases various careers and encourages
visitors to visualize themselves doing a particular career. Currently it features
writers and illustrators.
 I Love My Planet Earth - Where visitors can learn about climate change and how
one can take part in caring for the planet.
 Pamilihang Bayan (Marketplace) - Features a row of play stores and shops. One
can pretend to be a store owner and practice their entrepreneurial skills.
 Katawan Ko (My Body Works) - Features the human body, how various organs
work, and pointers on healthcare.
 Bata sa Mundo (Children in the Global Village) - Dolls from around the world
are displayed in this room.

The museum also has a children's library, changing exhibits hall, gift shop, three venues
for various events, playground, and parking space.

2.3 BINAN, LAGUNA

2.3.1 HISTORY

2.3.1.1 PRE AND HISPANIC PERIOD

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 When the Philippines was re-discovered in 1521 in the name of Spanish
Monarchy, by Portuguese explorer – Ferdinand Magellan, there were already early
settlements of people in the Lake area they called La Laguna which is the early
beginnings of the province. The Chinese contact with the Philippines were merchants
from either Bay, Laguna or a site on the island of Mindoro bringing their wares to
Guangzhou and Quanzhou.

Along the shoreland of Laguna Lake, Chinese porcelains and potteries were
excavated indicating the Chinese influence and culture in Laguna. Many Chinese
descendants like the Lim, Sy, Loo, Tan, Go, Sun and Lu started their trading business in
Biñan.

A month after Miguel Lopez de Legaspi established Manila, Kapitan Juan de

Salcedo together with Mexican soldiers explored first the eastern areas of Laguna Lake in
Rizal conquering the settlements of people in Morong before proceeding to Pagsangjan,
Nagcarlan, Majayjay and Bay in Laguna. Bay was made the first capital town until 1688.
Moving on, the Spaniards sailed northwest landing in an area called Tabuco now
Cabuyao. They travelled further north of the Lake where they encountered fierce
resistance from the native people armed with bows, arrows and bolos in an area called
Manlalaban now Malaban in Biñan.

Eventually, the Spaniards prevailed and occupied the center of the area. To
celebrate their conquest, Kapitan Juan de Salcedo together with Father Alonzo Alvarado
planted a big wooden cross in a place where the present church of San Isidro Labrador is
located. With a concelebrated mass, the local people were immediately baptized from
which the name Biñan was adopted referring to Binyagan or place of Christian baptism.

Biñan was then established as a town under the jurisdiction of Tabuco with the
Cabezas de Barangay as the head of certain areas. With the transfer of the capital town
from Bay to Pagsangjan in 1769, Biñan separated joining Santa Rosa known as Barangay
Bukol. During the time of Kapitan Pablo Faustino in 1747, Biñan became an independent
town.

For a time, the Spanish priest from Cabuyao hold mass in Biñan until the
Augustinian priests took control of the church of Biñan until 1637 when Dominican
priests took over. In 1757, the parochial priest, Father Jose Monroy appointed Antonio de
Santa Rosa as the first “kapitan” of Biñan. The town was named Parroquia de San Isidro
de Biñan, its patron saint.

The San Isidro Labrador Church was built by the Augustinian but destroyed by a
lightning in the 1800s. The church became the reference point where the casa hacienda,
plaza, streets, market and houses were to be built. The means of transportation is the
kalesa driven by horses. The Casa Real now the old City Hall and Museum was the
residence of the Domican friars administering the large farm land under the Encomienda
System of Hacienda de San Isidro Labrador de Binan. Tax money was kept in the Casa
Real by the Dominican religious order.

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 During the time of Laguna Governor General Gomez Perez de Dasmariñas, the
whole province was divided into 12 encomiendas, among which is Hacienda Tabuco with
thousands of hectares of land covering the towns of Calamba, Cabuyao, Santa Rosa,
Biñan and San Pedro administered by the Spanish friars. A big dam still existing today
that can be made a heritage site, was constructed in the elevated terrain barangay of
Timbao in the west supplying substantial irrigation water to the thousands of farm lands
of the hacienda in the midstream and lowland areas of Biñan through a network of rivers,
gullies and canals.

Between1869–1871, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, the national hero, received formal

education in Biñan under Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz showing keen interest in
schooling. He stayed in the house of Don Jose Alberto (per Book Lolo Jose, authored by
Asuncion Lopez Bantug) at the town plaza near the church of San Isidro Labrador. There
was a large farm land in Tubigan where the Mercado family had established residence.
They travelled to Biñan from Calamba by boat called casco in the Lake or the horse
driven kalesa or caruwaje.

In Biñan, old ancestral houses, part of the heritage district of Binan, are existing
to the present day built during the Spanish period by influential and rich insulares and
peninsulares now descendants of Don Jose Alberto, Jacobo Gonzales, Francisco Almeda,
Conrado Potenciano, Filomeno Gana, Maria Paz Mercado, Oscar Yaptinchay, Guido
Gana Yaptinchay, Francisco Baylon, among others.

When the Philippine Independence was proclaimed in Cavite by General Emilio

Aguinaldo on June 12, 1898, Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista from Biñan authored and read
the Act of Declaration of Philippine Independence. He was a member of the La Liga
Filipina, Cuerpo de Compromisarios and La Propaganda.

2.3.1.2 AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION AND JAPANESE OCCUPATION

During the American Insular Government and Commonwealth Period in the

1900s, the Encomienda System was abolished and all friar lands were purchased,
subdivided and sold to tenants. In Laguna, the thousands of hectares of friar lands of
Tabuco and other areas were bought for 14.4 million pesos in 1901. The Casa Real was
converted into a public school run by the American Thomasite teachers sent by the
American government to the Philippines to establish the public education system. A piece
of land donated by the Garcia, Yatco, Almeda and Nuque families became the site of the
Doňa Aurora Elementary School in Barangay Santo Domingo on September 29, 1937.
The monument of Dr. Jose P. Rizal at the public plaza was finished in 1918 during the
incumbency of Mayor Agustin Gana who became the governor of Laguna.

General Mateo Capinpin commanded the 21st Division of the USAFE receiving
the general star even before the start of WWII. When Bataan fell to the Japanese forces,
he was captured and joined the Death March. The Doña Aurora Elementary School was
occupied by the Japanese Army where many Filipino and Japanese soldiers died.
Liberation of Biñan by the American forces on February 4, 1945.

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2.3.1.3 FIRST STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT

The post WWII period in the 1950’s and 1960s can be regarded as the first wave
economic development of Biñan consisting of small and medium and light industries.
Biñan developed rapidly involving of a few original Barrios or Nayon such as Poblacion,
San Antonio, San Vicente, Canlalay, Malaban, De La Paz, San Jose, Tubigan, Timbao,
Mamplasan and Langkiwa that expanded to outlying barangays such as Biñan, Malamig,
Ganado and Loma, others, with a total of 24 barangays.

The public market in the Poblacion, the largest in Laguna, became the center of
trade and commerce where people from the towns of San Pedro in the north, Carmona in
the west and Santa Rosa in the south do their marketing for cheap products. Farm
products and dry goods as far as Manila, Batangas, Cavite and Quezon goes to Biñan
public market by jeepney, trucks and bus with transport terminal in Biñan.

The PNR passenger and cargo trains stop in San Vicente from Tutuban to Bicol.
Kalesa making was pioneered by the Perez family. The Almazora made truck and the
Classic front seater “Jardinera” bus bodies originated in Biñan. Laguna and Biñan Transit
buses later De La Rosa Transit, Tritran and JAM travel throughout Metro Manila, Luzon
and other island provinces. The Chinese business community also contributed to the rapid
growth of commerce and trade in Biñan centered in the Poblacion area with annual
Chinese festivals of fireworks and dragon dances. Movie houses such as Biñan Theatre,
Ligaya, Victory, Midtown, Vygy’s and Zenith provided celluloid film entertainment.

The home based puto making industry started in Barangay San Vicente and
pinipig or rice crispies of Canlalay, became trademarks of Biñan. Barangay Malaban, De
La Paz, San Jose, San Antonio and Platero were producing thousands of labors intensive
making of slippers, footwear and garments distributed in Baclaran and Divisoria. In
Barangay Platero, the hat making industry was exporting their products throughout the
country. The handmade stainless owner and passenger jeepney along the national
highway of Platero became famous emulated by Sarao Motor in Las Piñas and Amante
Motor in San Pablo. Laguna Mills manufacturing towels and garments for export and
domestic use.

Over the years, these home-based and light industries especially the shoes,
slippers and garments disappeared gradually severely affected by the boom and bust
cycle of business dislocating residents and creating unemployed workers with chain
reaction effect on the local economy. Blame its demise to globalization, foreign
competition, low prices of finished products, peso value fluctuations, smuggling, among
others. From light industry, employment shifted towards services in transport,
construction, factory manufacturing, retail and wholesale trade and even overseas
employment as option of last resort for some.

2.3.1.4 SECOND STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT

The second wave of economic development occurred in the 1970s with the
national policy of dispersal of industries outside of Metro Manila especially in the
southern portion of Laguna, Quezon and Batangas. The construction and opening of the

21
South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) from Nichols to Alabang later to Calamba triggered
the past face commercial and industrial development of the first and second district of
Laguna. Entrance and exits were opened along the SLEX especially Carmona,
Southwoods and Mamplasan in Biñan.

It was a new era of modernization, commercialization and industrialization. It is

characterized by massive conversion of privately owned agricultural lands into
commercial, industrial and residential uses in the 1980’s. Some lands sequestered by the
government were given to farmers with Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA)
under the land reform program. These lands were later bought and consolidated by big
corporations like Ayala Land, Eton, Greenfield and LIIP. Eventually, agricultural
production of rice, poultry and livestock substantially declined over the years as a result
of massive conversion. Residential areas significantly increased in many barangays with
many housing subdivisions.

The Laguna Technopark Inc. (LTI) located in Barangay Biñan, Loma and
Timbao was a partnership between Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan and Ayala Land.
Santa Rosa’s territory occupied a portion of the LTI bounded by a river. The Laguna
International Industrial Park (LIIP) situated in Barangay Mamplasan, is a joint venture
between Solid Industries and Samsung of Korea. The locator companies many of which
were Japanese and Korean sub-contractors started operating in the 1980’s and 1990’s
until today.

The multinational companies involved in electronics, semi-conductors,

automotive spare parts, metals, tires, food and logistics accredited by PEZA makes Biñan
a part of the global business community. United Laboratories established its operations in
Barangay Zapote. Brand name companies such as Toshiba, Samsung, Honda Parts,
Furukawa, Takata, TDK, Hitachi, Isuzu, Amkor Anam, Gardenia, DHL, Cummins,
Daiwa Seiko, SC Johnson, Atlas Copco, among others, were the big locator companies.
Modern telecom facilities were installed by Intelco, PLDT, Globe and Smart with
landlines and wireless services.

Modern shopping malls and super markets like Pavilion, Puregold, SM Savemore
and Umbria; fast food centers of Jollibee, Mcdonalds, Chowking; colleges, universities
like Brent International School, De la Salle, University of Perpetual Help, San Agustin,
Don Bosco; hospitals like Perpetual Help and Biñan Doctors; and high end residential
housing communities like Verdana, Jubilation, Ayala Villages can be found and
operating in Biñan. Commercial banks like BDO, BPI, PNB, Metro Bank, Security Bank,
others including GFIs – Land Bank and DBP are doing business.

Migrants from all over the country as well as Metro Manila established their
residence particularly transients working in the industrial barangays of Mamplasan,
Malamig, Bungahan, Biñan, Loma, Ganado, Timbao and Santo Tomas. Pavilion Mall
provided modern lifestyle shopping. A new business district in San Francisco Halang
with the Megaworld investments in the Southwoods Center is now rising complementing
the water theme park – Splash Island. One Asia Business Center is envisioned to become
a master planned community within the Jubilation New Biñan. The construction and
22
 completion of the Cavite Laguna Expressway (CALAX) that will start in Mamplasan to
Aguinaldo Highway in Cavite will open new economic and business opportunities for
Biñan.

Gross sales of registered firms in Biñan reached Pesos 27.4 billion (US$ 549
Million – Pesos 51 per dollar) in 2016 and total capitalization of Pesos 13.2 billion (US$
254 Million) for new business.

Biñan faces new challenges, issues and concerns with the impact of rapid
urbanization over the last 16 years. It has done well in fulfilling its vision and mission
with recognition and awards in national and regional standards of good governance best
practices. These includes the enforcement of the Anti-Red Tape Law of 2007, the Full
Disclosure Policy Portal conferred by the Seal of Good Governance (SGLG) of the
DILG, the Gawad Kalasag Award on disaster management and the National Competitive
Council (NCC) Index on economic dynamism, government efficiency, and infrastructure
facilities. In 2017, it is No. 1 as the Most Improved City in the Province of Laguna and
No. 7 Overall Rank in the NCC Competitive Index.

Biñan became a component City of Laguna February 2, 2010 and lone district by
virtue of RA 10658 dated March 27, 2015. From the Barangay Poblacion, the new City
Hall Building was transferred in Barangay Zapote. The old city hall formerly the Casa
Hacienda of the Spanish friars became the City Museum and Tourism Office. A world
class sports arena and track and field with grandstand were constructed in the New City
Hall compound.

The City Government has a total budget of Pesos 1.5 Billion (US$29.4 Million-
P51 per US$)) in 2016 with income from business tax and license, real property tax and
internal revenue allotment, in that order, making Biñan a member of the elite billionaire
cities of the Philippines.

Population in the 2015 Census reached a total of 333,028 in 24 barangays in a total

land area of 4,350 hectares (43.5 square kilometer) with a slope of 0 to 2.5 percent. It lies
within 121 degrees’ latitude and 14 degrees’ longitude about 40 kilometers south of
Manila. It is bound in the north by San Pedro, on the south by Santa Rosa and on the west
by Carmona, Cavite. On the eastern side and north horizon lies Laguna Lake.

Biñan celebrates its Puto Latik Festival (rice cake and coconut jam) May 15 to 23
with street dancing festival. The city hood anniversary February 2 and Liberation Day
February 4 called Araw ng Biñan. February 15 is the town/city fiesta of San Isidro
Labrador, the patron saint of farmers.

2.3.2 GEOGRAPHY

Biñan covers a land area of approximately 4,350 hectares, one of smallest in the
Province. The City is composed of 24 Barangays. These barangays are the following: Binan,
Bungahan, Canlalay, Casile, Dela Paz, Ganado, Langkiwa, Loma, Malaban, Malamig,
Mamplasan, and Platero. The remaining 12 barangays are Poblacion, San Antonio, San Francisco,

23
San Jose, San Vicente, Santo Domingo, Santo Nino, Santo Tomas, Soro-soro, Timbao, Tubigan,
and Zapote. It is accessible by land through the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) with three exits
in Carmona, Southwoods and Mamplasan while the Manila South Road (Old National Highway)
traverses Biñan north to south from San Pedro to Calamba. It is within a 45–minute drive from
the Makati CBD and 30 kilometers from the City of Manila. It is bounded in the north by San
Pedro, east by Laguna Lake, Santa Rosa in the south and Carmona in the west.

2.3.2.1 TOPOGRAPHY

Biñan is mostly lowlands in the east which makes it flood prone with flood
waters emanating in the upland areas of Carmona and Silang, Cavite. Laguna Lake
shallow waters overflow due to siltation during the monsoon season dislocating the shore
land barangays of Malaban and Dela Paz.

Biñan’s topography is generally plain with about 83.55 percent of the total area
has a slope of 0.0-2.5 percent. The terrain ranges from level to undulating lands. This
slope covers all of the 24 Barangays except for small portions of Barangay San Francisco
to the northwest and Barangay Biñan to the southwest. There, the slope ranges from 2.6
to 25.0 percent denoting sloping to strongly sloping terrain. Landslide occurrence though
were not observed to present day.

Carmona and Gingua series compose the land area of Biñan. Carmona series
covers about 2,577 hectares or 59.24 percent. Agricultural land in these areas is devoted
to rice and sugar production. Gingua series especially the fine sandy type covers 315
hectares where a variety of crops especially vegetable are grown profitably. The other
two basic soil series covering 660 hectares are Lipa series with 798 hectares.

The Marikina Valley Fault System crosses Biñan which makes it risky to
earthquake shaking. The fault traverses the following Barangays: Biñan, Malamig, and
San Francisco. From there, it can be traced northwestwardly parallel to the lakeshore of
the Lake.

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2.3.2.2 SOIL PROPERTIES

Of the eleven-soil series that compose the land area of Laguna, Carmona and
Gingua series covers about two types that can only be seen in Biñan. Carmona series
covers about 2,577 hectares or 59.24 seen in Biñan's land area. Agricultural land in these
areas is primarily devoted to rice and sugar production. Gingua series, on other hand,
specifically the fine sandy type covers 315 hectares which is one of the most productive
soils in Laguna where a variety of crops especially vegetables are grown profitably. The

25
 other two basic soil series comprising Biñan City are Guadalupe series covering 660
hectares and Lipa series with 798 hectares. (Wikipedia)

2.3.2.3 CLIMATE

The climate of Biñan is characterized by two pronounced seasons; dry from

November to April and wet during the rest of the year. Maximum rainfall occurs from
June to September with an annual average rainfall of 200 mm. Biñan is protected by
mountains in the peripheral areas, and thus it is making the area cooler. Highest
temperatures usually occur during the month of May at 30º C. Lows occur during the
month of January. The average relative humidity is 81%, lower than that of Metro Manila
indicating cooler temperatures for the City.

2.3.2.4 MAP

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2.3.3 DEMOGRAPHICS

Based on the 2015 Census of Population and Housing (CPH), Biñan posted a population
of 333,028 persons. This is bigger compared to its population of 283,047 persons counted in the
2010 CPH. This increase is equivalent to an average annual population growth rate (PGR) of 3.49
percent.

Population density is quite high at 77 persons per hectares per person based on the 2015
CPH. Biñan is rapidly urbanizing, commercializing and industrializing due to in- migration,
higher birth rate and increasing life expectancies as experienced in the 1st and 2nd District of
Laguna.

The increased growth rate and high density are attributable to internal migration rather
than natural birth as Biñan attracts more people and workers from the provinces, cities and
municipalities including Metro Manila for employment in commercial and industrial
establishments.

The doubling of population in 23 years (2041) at more than 3 percent annual growth rate
will be more than 600, 000 requiring new housing units, resettlement sites, sites and services to
accommodate the population increase due to natural birth rate and migration with possible
scarcity of land for housing.

With the rapid growth of population of Biñan comes increase in the working age
population. This would mean that the proportion of dependents would decline that would range
from 75 to 50 young age dependents per 100 working persons. However, old age dependency
would remain from 6 to 7 persons per 100 working persons.

Biñan is assured of continuing supply of young labor force which will be able to support
the manpower needs of various industries in view of the high population growth. However, the
quality of labor force should be addressed to ensure the needed human capital would match the
industry requirements.

The prevalence of underweight children able to complete primary and secondary

education should decrease when they go to higher education as they will later contribute to the
future labor force. Labor force coming from malnourished children will not be able to contribute
much to greater productivity and quality output.

Adoption of Population in Development Approach focused on family planning, health,

education, social welfare, responsible parenthood, among others. With the lifting of the technical
restraining order through the long-delayed decision of the Supreme Court, the family planning
program using the approved methods can now be implemented.

2.3.3.1 POPULATION COMPOSITION

Population by Age Group and Sex

Latest population census of 2015 reveals that Biñan City has a total population of
333,028 and has a total household population of 73,106. Of the total household
population recorded, 166,039 are male and 166,989 females. Between 2010 and 2015

27
 censal years, the Philippine Statistics Authority estimated a population growth of 2.58%.
Using the said population growth, the total population and household population in 2015.

The City has a young population distribution. The table shows that people aged 1-29
years old mostly comprise the City’s population. Age groups 5-9, 10-14 and 15-19 are the
most numerous. This implies that the population is mainly composed of children and
teenagers and are assumed to be the school-going population in elementary and high
school. As widely observed among population compositions, Binan City follows the
common pattern of a decline in population as the age groups go higher.

2.3.4 LOCAL GOVERNMENT

2.3.4.1 SENTRONG PANGKULTURA NG BINAN

This building used to be the old municipal building that stands in Barangay
Poblacion. It now houses the city museum, library and still classified as government
building. BCHATO houses its headquarters here as well. Prior to being the City of
Biñan’s Cultural Center, the building became the Casa Hacienda of the friars during the
Spanish regime, a school during the American period, and a municipal hall in the 1940s
until 2010. The structure is Spanish Colonial and is assumed to have been constructed
between 1560 and 1898.

2.3.4.1 BIÑAN CITY CULTURE, HISTORY, ARTS, AND TOURISM OFFICE

Biñan has been placed in the nation's history as one of the earliest towns in the
archipelago and there is a need to address the City Government's commitment to it
cultural, historical, artistic, and tourism heritage conservation and preservation.

With this in mind, the City Government lead by City Mayor Atty. Walfredo R.
Dimaguila Jr., ordered the creation of the Biñan City Culture, History, Arts, and Tourism
Office (BCHATO) through the Executive /order 04-(2016) on July 1, 2016. The
Sangguniang panlungsod ng Biñan presided by Vice Mayor Angelo B. Alonte approved
City Ordinance 12-2016 authored by Coun. Alexis H. Desuasido establishing BCHATO

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 as the Tourism and Cultural Affairs Department of the City Government of Biñan on
October 25, 2016. (BCHATO, The City of Life, Issue No. 1, July - December 2016)

Biñan City Culture, History, Arts and Tourism Office (BCHATO) was officially
launched on August 29, 2016, during the celebration of the National Heroes Day in Binan
City. The office was created to address the City’s commitment to its cultural, historical,
artistic, and tourism heritage conservation and preservation.

BCHATO was created through Executive Order No. 2016-04 on July 1, 2016.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) presided by the Vice Mayor approved the City
Ordinance 12-2016 establishing BCHATO as the Tourism and Cultural Affairs
Department of the City of Binan.

BCHATO is under the office of the City Mayor. It is headed by the City Tourism
and Cultural Affairs Officer. Currently, the City Tourism Office holds office at the Old
Municipal Building in Barangay Poblacion.

Vision

A City that is aware of its cultural, historical, and artistic heritage towards sustainable
tourism.

Mission

 To encourage the continuing and balanced development of a pluralistic culture

by the Biñanenses;
 To conserve, promote and protect Biñan's historical and cultural heritage;
 To ensure the widest dissemination of artistic, cultural and tourism products
among the people of Biñan, and other provinces, for their appreciation and
enjoyment;
 To boost and support studies and discussions on local heritage through symposia,
workshops, publications, exhibitions, and performance; and
 To preserve and integrate local history and culture and its various creative
expressions as a dynamic part of Biñan's sustainable tourism.

2.3.5 HERITAGE DISTRICT

2.3.5.1 MUSEUMS IN BINAN, LAGUNA

2.3.5.1.1 SCHOOL OF RIZAL SITE & MUSEUM

The School of Rizal Site and Museum was opened to the public on August
1, 2016 after the City Government of Binan acquired the property from the
Gonzales Family in 2015. It is located along Gen. Capinpin Street in Barangay
Poblacion. The site is adjacent to Gonzales ancestral house that turned into a
congressional office. The NHCP installed a National Historical Marker on the
site in 1948 to memorialize Rizal’s stay in Binan as a young student. The site is
where Dr. Jose P. Rizal received his first formal education under Maestro
Justiniano Cruz in years 1869-1871. (Torres, 2017) The museum is open from
Tuesday to Sunday, 8:00am to 5:00pm and the admission is free.

29
2.3.5.1.2 BINAN CITY MUSEUM

The Binan City Museum is located at the second floor of the old municipal
building, now known as Sentrong Pangkultura ng Binan where it also houses the
Binan City Studies Center and the tourism office.

30
 CHAPTER III

FRAMEWORKS

3.1 DECLARATION OF THE THESIS STATEMENT

Incorporating Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory as an interactive way of learning in

Binan City Museum will be an opportunity to develop local museums in the Philippines and to

further aid the local government’s vision in making the locals and tourists to be culturally aware

of the history and identity of Binan.

3.2 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

31
3.3 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

3.4 DIALECTIC DEVELOPMENT

3.4.1 THESIS

Proposing an interactive museum by incorporating multiple intelligence theory in the

museum activities can help further showcase the history and cultural identity of Binan.

3.4.2 ANTI-THESIS

The effectivity of Binan City Museum can be dependent on the visitor’s motivation

and intention that could affect the real purpose and role of museum.

3.4.3 SYNTHESIS

Majority of the people who visit Binan City Museum are students and their main

intention why they are motivated to visit is for photo and video documentation only, as an

educational requirement for their class.(according to personal interview). By translating

Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory in museum activities, it can inflict interest to the

locals and tourists that can motivate them to visit the museum.
32
 CHAPTER IV

METHODOLOGY

4.1 METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK

4.2 RESEARCH DESIGN

Both qualitative and quantitative type of research will be applied to the study to establish
the design proposal as interactive museum in the existing space. These two research design
approach will aid to seek answers and information toward the development of local museums not
only in Binan, but in all the cities and provinces in the Philippines. For the qualitative approach,
focused interviews and site visit will be the method used to gather some information that is only
relevant to the study. The proponent will hold an interview with the head of the tourism office to
know about their long term plans for the tourism of Binan and their management with Binan City
Museum. For the quantitative approach, survey will be given to the locals and tourists who
usually visit the Binan City Museum to acquire information about the effectivity of the space.

4.3 FOCUSED INTERVIEW WITH MR. ARVIN BONGON

Interview with Mr. Arvin Jay Bongon,

Head of BCHATO Historical, Conservation and Preservation Division

Interviewer: How do you see our town in five years po?

Mr. Bongon: The city, well technically kasi currently, in the current age of industrialization,
parang kasing Binan was known for its booming industrial capacity. Diba parang trading and

33
commerce capital kasi, parang Manila’s extension ang Binan sa South. As I have mention, I
believed nasabi ko ‘to sayo before na parang yung department namin is magti-three years pa lang
ngayong taon and five years from now, in that span of three years, we have been into, we have
dealt into heritage preservation and I believed five years later, or sooner or later, I think we are
more than what we are today when it comes to heritage preservation, where in, umm handa na
ang bayan or ang city namin na i-preserve parang mag-co-exist yung commercialization,
industrialization, and with the same time heritage conservation. So yung ganon, so mas handa na
yung city.

Interviewer: What is the long term plan or goal of the local government in preserving the culture
of Binan?

Mr. Bongon: Well, technically kasi it was written in our vision that we want a city that is aware
of its historical, cultural and basic heritage towards sustainable tourism development. So, I
cannot, umm parang specify a long term plan but what we really wanted kasi talaga is just to
make our people aware. Kasi kapag aware sila na may ganito, na may ganyan, everything follows
e so madali na yun e. So yun siya. So whatever it takes, be it public programs, preservation of
structures, and other activities related to heritage preservation, we will do it to the best of our
capacity.

Interviewer: Aside from preserving the ancestral houses in Binan, what are the actions of current
administration to further promote the history and identity of Binan?

Mr. Bongon: Well, technically first, the establishment of our department. Kasi, mas maganda na
yung currently ha na nakikita ko na best na nagawa ng city kasi ki-create yung department namin
kasi maganda kasi na if you are loving into heritage preservation, there must be someone or
agency na nagco-control and andun na kami ngayon, so that’s number one. We have our own
budget to conduct public programs, yung parang ano kami, independent man kami na
departamento kami technically so that’s one. Okay so yung na-create na kami, kinonvert itong
structure na to into the cultural center of Binan. Actually we just recently, last year, we were
regarded as the regional art center of CCP. So, nag-aaffiliate na kami sa mga national agencies
when it comes to promoting culture and arts. So yun yon, hinaharness namin. Aside from that,
meron kaming full of volunteer artists. Yung BCHATO kasi yung department namin, we have
this so called BCPA, or the Binan Center for Performing Arts, wherein we have 8 groups na ng
mga performing artists na volunteers. Meron sa music, sa theater, sa dance, and musical
instruments. So ayun, mga ganun.

Interviewer: Who funded the museums in Binan, specifically the Binan City Museum and School
of Rizal Site & Museum?

Mr. Bongon: Well, technically since we are an LGU, it’s the LGU, it’s the city. Unlike any other
museums, actually it’s, we find it hard to operate it kasi nga, wala kaming pang-benchmarkan.
There is no such thing as success story of an LGU na nagmamanage ng museum. Usually kasi
yung mga nakikita nating museums, for instance, in Calamba, yung shrine ni Rizal, nasa Calamba
siya pero hindi naman local government unit ng Calamba yung nagmamanage, it’s the National
Historical Commission of the Philippines, so national agency. So wala kami pang-benchmarkan
34
na how to manage a museum. Now, perspective ng isang LGU, so ang nagfu-fund niyan LGU
technically and we are sourcing actually help from the outside. Actually I wrote a letter to CCP,
National Museum, and NHCP to give us technical assistance. So when it comes to technical
assistance, we were guided by national agencies but when it comes to funding, government, city
government yan.

Interviewer: So kelan lang po nabuo yung Museum?

Mr. Bongon: umm, naging city kasi kami nung 2010. So eto ay old municipal hall. So nung
naging city ang Binan, nalipat na siya dun sa bagong City Hall na pinutahan mo ngayon. So na-
vacate to, so from then on, kinonvert siya into museum and library. Pero 2016 lang ‘to napapunta
sa amin. So nung naturn-over sa amin to, ganyan na siya but the managing records, wala so back
to zero kami.

Interviewer: Who usually visit the museum here and what’s the intention nung mga nagvivisit?

Mr. Bongon: Well, technically the main purpose for umm una, madalas na visitors ay mga
students, schools and uni – umm primary schools, secondary schools, and even colleges and
universities outside Binan, nagvivisit dito. Tapos technically, for educational purposes and ayun
ganun naman talaga e, parang for tour, touring, and everything, for educational purposes. Madalas
patungkol kay Rizal, yung parang nagtatravel lang sila about Rizal kasi Rizal is very instrumental
here in Binan and meron naman kaming mga foreigners usually, they are investors. Diba as
everyone may know, we have the LIIP. So usually nag-vivisit sila, mga potential investors, they
want to know more about Binan na aside from real estate dyan, may mga ganito pala. So they
want to see, may mga ganung nagvivisit dito, mga foreigner investors.

Interviewer: So mas dadami yung visitors pag nabuo na yung Alberto Mansion?

Mr. Bongon: Technically, kasi mas mabubuo na yung ano, yung itinerary niya.

Interviewer: Paano nakakaapekto yung number of visitors ‘dun sa pagmamanage niyo ng

museum?

Mr. Bongon: What do you mean na nakakaapekto?

Interviewer: I mean, diba usually hindi ganun karami yung tao, I mean paano nakakaapekto po
yung sa pagmamanage niyo ng museum?

Mr. Bongon: Umm, di ko alam kung paano ko sasagutin yung nakakaapekto pero kasi, parang ano
e, parang come what may, parang kung ano yung naandyan, yun naman yung ginagawa namin e.
So di ko siya makuha kung pano pero technically umm, ganito na lang magbibigay ako ng
situation. May time kasi na parang, before kasi kakaunti lang yung tao ng department namin.
Technically, kapag may nagto-tour na group, yung may mga buses, it’s very difficult to manage
since limited. But now, we were given, dami na namin, so I don’t think umm, people
management lang yan e. Umm, naii-schedule lang namin so we don’t find it ano, a problem, yung
mga pagdagsa or ano. Actually, the more, the merrier, yun yung perspective namin so parang pag
maraming turista, maraming visitors, parang opportunity siya samin, so I don’t see the problem.

35
4.4 SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE

4.5 SITE ANALYSIS AND OBSERVATION

PHOTO DESCRIPTION

Façade of Museum. The entrance is located at

the second floor of the building. The details

and design of the heritage site have been

adapted to the museum. It has a typical Spanish

colonial style door (sliding door).

36
Front of Museum. The visitors will be

welcomed with grand looking aura of the

museum. There are two boards that highlight

the products of Binan.

Timeline of Binan. Displayed on the left front

side wall of the museum is the history of Binan

with a scale model of the town proper.

Built Heritage Area. The area where the

museum highlights the ancestral houses of

Binan and their rich history.

Display Shelf. The shelf showcases the old

pictures of the schools in Binan, specifically

class picture.

37
Back Side of the Shelf. This side showcases

the products of Binan, particularly the Puto

Binan and shoes.

Info Boards at the Middle Part of the

Museum. The boards in tarpaulin print also

showcases the products of Binan. This area is

well-lit since the one side of the wall is full of

windows.

Old Photos of Binan. Collection of old photos

in black and white and sepia. It highlights the

old structure in Binan.

Back Side of the Museum. There’s a city seal

in the middle part and a long board where the

information about Puto-Latik Festival is

displayed.

38
Middle Side of the Museum. There are table

and chairs in the middle part but their only

function is for display. The visitors are not

allowed to sit on the chair.

Infographics. Hidden in the middle part of the

museum is the infographics and photos of

notable people in Binan who made an impact in

the history of the Philippines.

39
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