Community-based cultural heritage preservation through the Purok system
A mixed-methods case study in a Philippine municipality
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19487845 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Emily Costan (0000-0001-5327-5671, Cebu Technological University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 11 |
| Pages | 1813600-1813600 |
| Publication date | 2026-06-16 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Frontiers in Sociology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2297-7775 • E-ISSN: 2297-7775 |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3389/fsoc.2026.1813600 |
| PMID | 42381662 |
| OpenAlex | W7164937611 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 34 |
The preservation of cultural heritage is a universal concern that has to reach the local community to protect its history, identity, and pride. But despite various national and local heritage initiatives in the Philippines, limited research has examined how micro-level units function, such as the Purok system. This study employed a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design to examine the cultural heritage preservation of the Municipality of Liloan, Cebu. A survey of 264 members from six puroks was analyzed using linear regression models, and a focus group discussion with 20 purposively selected participants was conducted. The quantitative results show that awareness plays a more critical role than participation in influencing local government initiatives, indicating a positive relationship with the independent variables. This implies that higher awareness and greater participation are generally associated with more substantial government-led preservation efforts. Further, the participation in cultural activities has a positive, statistically significant effect on community initiatives; however, awareness of cultural heritage preservation shows a negative relationship, suggesting that awareness alone may not translate into active community preservation initiatives. The qualitative analysis emphasizes themes of lived engagement, stewardship, and motivational pathways, demonstrating that preservation is reinforced through shared responsibilities, social interaction, collective identity, continuity, and community meaning rather than solely through knowledge. The findings also reveal that younger residents show lower levels of engagement, yet their digital skills offer opportunities for innovative documentation and promotion of heritage assets. These results indicate the potential of the Purok system as a community-based framework for strengthening participatory and sustainable cultural heritage preservation efforts
Citizen journalism · Cultural heritage · Cultural heritage management · Documentation · Focus group · Government (linguistics) · Local community · Participatory action research · Promotion (chess) · Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation · Digital and Traditional Archives Management · Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Agriculture
Uses of Heritage
The Forms of Capital
Unlocking cultural tourism
The purok system of San Francisco, Camotes
Current challenges and opportunities in cultural heritage preservation through sustainable tourism practices
Development and validation of moral ascendancy and dependency in AI integration (MAD-AI) scale for teachers
On Defining the Cultural Heritage
Bridging generations
Museums lobbied by local communities
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |