Bobby Orillaneda from the National Museum of the Philippines:China-Philippines Underwater Heritage Cooperation Holds Great Promise
- CAobservation
- Aug 7
- 6 min read
Bobby Orillaneda, Curator of the Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage Division at the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP), recently spoke with China-ASEAN Observation in an exclusive interview. He discussed the preservation of the Philippines’ underwater cultural heritage and the ways in which archeological discoveries beneath the sea can be brought before the public. He also shared his insights on the potential of digital technology and the cultural exchange and cooperation between China and the Philippines through their shared history along the Maritime Silk Road.
Orillaneda has devoted much of his career to the study of underwater cultural heritage and maritime archeology. His work has included surveying historic shipwreck sites, carrying out underwater archeological excavations, and safeguarding the Philippines’ maritime heritage. He has also collaborated with research institutions in Australia, China, and elsewhere. As Orillaneda observed, the Philippines is an archipelagic country and is endowed with a wealth of maritime cultural remains. More than a millennium of seaborne trade and cultural encounters between China and the Philippines provides a strong basis for the two countries’ future collaboration in underwater cultural heritage research and preservation.
The Philippines is home to rich maritime and underwater cultural heritage. And you are the Curator of the Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage Division at the National Museum of the Philippines. Could you draw on your work to share an example of underwater archeological excavation or heritage conservation?
Bobby Orillaneda: As an archipelagic country, the Philippines comprises more than 6,700 islands, has the fifth-longest coastline in the world, and is crossed by over 50 major river systems. For centuries, these waters have been routes of commerce and migration and sources of livelihood for local communities. They have also been closely woven into rituals, belief systems, and the social and cultural life of the Filipino people. Their many roles demonstrate just how important underwater cultural heritage is to the Philippines.
The National Museum of the Philippines has nationwide responsibility for safeguarding this heritage, and the work is undertaken by its Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage Division. Since the 1980s, we have carried out a sustained program of underwater archeology, investigating and excavating numerous shipwreck sites as well as other forms of submerged cultural heritage. The discoveries have later been interpreted for the public through exhibitions and publications and shared with professional communities at international conferences, seminars, and workshops. Together, these findings have deepened our understanding of the Philippines’ maritime past and revealed the extensive seaborne connections that have linked the country with the wider world over many centuries.
Underwater archeological discoveries only realize their wider value when they are shared with the public. How does the National Museum of the Philippines use exhibitions, education events, and digital media to make underwater cultural heritage accessible and meaningful to society?
Bobby Orillaneda: The National Museum of the Philippines is a major national repository for the country’s archeological collections. Our role, however, extends far beyond mounting exhibitions. Education and public engagement are equally important parts of our mission. After significant cultural relics from archeological sites have been studied, they are brought before the public through exhibitions at the NMP complex in Manila and at our regional museums across the archipelago, from the northern islands to the south. These exhibitions are not limited to archeology. They also explore ethnology, natural history, and other aspects. We complement them with lectures, community programs, and public education activities that enable us to engage with local communities, people across the Philippines, and visitors from overseas.
In recent years, digital outreach has become another major priority. Our museum now operates an official website and maintains an active presence on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X. Through these platforms, we can share cultural content with more audiences. The impact has been extremely encouraging. More Filipinos are taking an active interest in NMP, while a growing number of private organizations are also supporting cultural promotion. Physical attendance has risen alongside our online reach. Today, our museums receive more than one million visitors annually.
Museums and cultural heritage were once relatively peripheral to mainstream public interest in the Philippines. But digital platforms have helped us expand their reach and influence. We have also recognized that traditional display methods alone are no longer enough to capture the attention of younger audiences. Both exhibition content and methods of interpretation must continue to evolve. Many exhibitions now incorporate QR codes, digital guides, interactive features, and online extensions. These allow young people to explore cultural heritage through forms of communication that they are familiar with. Young people and emerging technologies are now driving important changes at the NMP.
Underwater cultural heritage is threatened by a wide range of factors, from looting and illegal salvage to environmental change. The Philippines experiences more than 20 storms a year as well as frequent earthquakes. How does the country respond to these risks, and what lessons has it learned from international cooperation?
Bobby Orillaneda: The Philippines has been dealing with the effects of climate change for many years. We are struck by more than 20 storms in an average year, and earthquakes are also a frequent occurrence. Such natural disasters pose a serious threat not only to submerged archeological sites but also to the cultural environment as a whole.
As a result, we have established long-standing partnerships with research institutions overseas, combining archeological investigation with the conservation and preservation of heritage sites. Our work includes regular assessments of environmental conditions and systematic surveys and mapping of shipwreck sites. The information gathered provides the evidence we need to formulate future conservation and site-management strategies. One recent example is our collaboration with GIRT, an Australian organization, on a Second World War wreck in Subic Bay, north of Manila. Using photogrammetry, the team produced a large-scale digital record of the site. This documentation enables us to generate a detailed three-dimensional model of the wreck. More importantly, it provides a reliable baseline against which we can monitor changes in the site’s structure over time.
Because this is a Second World War wreck, our monitoring also covers the corrosion of its metal components, the potential leakage of oil, and any unexploded ordnance that may remain inside.
The Philippines was an important crossroads on the Maritime Silk Road. How do you view the prospects for China-Philippines cooperation in underwater cultural heritage, and what kinds of collaboration would you like to see developed?
Bobby Orillaneda: I see tremendous potential for future cooperation between China and the Philippines in this field.
Our countries share deep cultural ties. The earliest Chinese ceramics unearthed in the Philippines can be traced to the ninth century. In the centuries that followed, Chinese ceramics and other China-related archeological materials appeared widely in burial grounds, settlements, ritual sites, and many other settings. By the 15th century, and especially during the Manila Galleon era from the 16th to the 19th centuries, maritime trade and cultural exchange between China and the Philippines grew even more intensive. Ships carried more than merchandise across the sea. They also carried knowledge, beliefs, customs, and traditions. These long-standing encounters with China have become an integral part of Philippine history. Today, the Chinese community in the Philippines continues to make an important contribution to the country’s economic development.
China and the Philippines are linked by profound cultural ties, giving rise to a rich shared heritage. Knowledge sharing can help us understand and strengthen this connection. Academic conferences, seminars, workshops such as this one, and jointly developed research projects can all contribute to improving our capacity to survey and study underwater cultural heritage. Most of the shipwrecks we have discovered contain Chinese goods in some form, particularly those dating from the eighth century and from the 13th through the 19th centuries. Our two countries should therefore deepen exchanges and mutual learning and explore one another’s cultures. This will help foster a stronger understanding between our peoples.
I am also very grateful to have been invited to Dunhuang. The visit has introduced me to an entirely different field of knowledge. My own research is centered on maritime history, while Dunhuang preserves a history shaped by the Gobi Desert. That contrast has made this a completely new journey of discovery for me, and I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to experience it.
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