The Colonial Department

← The Colonial Department23 May · 51 min

INTERVIEW: Restoring historical markers with Project Panandito

INTERVIEW: Restoring historical markers with Project Panandito23 May51 min
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<html><p>You pass by them every day: plaques of metal set onto walls and plinths, heavy with text and history. You may have wondered—how do you maintain these historical markers?</p><p>A group of students in the University of the Philippines Diliman wondered the same thing. So, for their required NSTP initiative, they formed Project Panandito, a student-led project that, during the sweltering summer months of 2026, went around historical sites in Manila to clean and restore some of these markers. In this interview, I talk to them about the nuts and bolts of cleaning a plaque, what to expect in Manila when you show up to do conservation work on a hot day, how to highlight history in a time that seems determined to forget it… and why restoring a marker can actually be—therapeutic?</p><p><em>The Colonial Dept. Interview is a series where I talk to researchers and authors shining a light on our past.</em></p><p></p><p>Support the podcast: <u><a href="https://patreon.com/thecolonialdept" target="_blank">patreon.com/thecolonialdept</a></u></p><p>Follow us on IG:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/thecolonialdept/" target="_blank"> </a><u><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thecolonialdept/" target="_blank">@thecolonialdept</a></u></p><p>Follow us on TikTok:<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thecolonialdept" target="_blank"> </a><u><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thecolonialdept" target="_blank">@thecolonialdept</a></u></p><p>Email us: <u><a href="mailto:thecolonialdept@gmail.com" target="_blank">thecolonialdept@gmail.com</a></u></p><p></p><p>The Colonial Dept. just celebrated its fifth birthday! To celebrate, I’m giving away discounts for new Patreon members. Subscribe now to any tier and get 50% off your first month. Just use the promo code 5YRS. To know more, go to <u><a href="https://patreon.com/thecolonialdept/membership." target="_blank">patreon.com/thecolonialdept/membership</a></u><a href="https://patreon.com/thecolonialdept/membership." target="_blank">.</a></p></html>