13
SEC. 15. Conservation of Cultural Property. - All
intervention works and measures on conservation of national
cultural treasures, important cultural property, as well as
national historical landmarks, sItes or monuments and
structures previously marked by the National Museum
andlor the National Historical Institute before the
Implementation of this Act, shall be undertaken through the
appropriate cultural agency which shall supervise the same.
The appropriate cultural agency shall approve only those
methods and materials that strictly adhere to the accepted
international standards of conservation.
SEC. 16. Documentation and Preservation of Traditional
and Contemporary Arts. - Local government units shall
document traditional and contemporary arts and crafts,
including their processes and makers, and sustain the sources
of their raw materials. Local government units shall
epcourage and sustain traditional arts and crafts as active and
vtable sources of income for the community.
The Commission, the Department of Trade and Industry,
the Department of Tourism and other government agencies
involved directly or indirectly in the production of goods shall
assist the local government units in protecting their traditional
and contemporary arts and crafts, making them viable for
current and future markets, with a view to encouraging and
promoting the unique herItage and identities of said
communities.
The local government umt concerned shall submit an
annual inventory of these documentations to the Commission,
which will be included in the Philippine Registry of Cultural
Property, as established in Section 14 of this Act.
SEC. 17. Systematic Research in Natural History. The National Museum shall have the authority to collect,
maintain and develop the national reference collections of
Philippine flora and fauna, rocks and minerals through
research and field collection of specimens including important
cultural property within the territorial jurisdiction of the
Philippines. It shall be exempt from any and all permit
systems regulating the same.