The academic and heritage event "PRESA: The History and Heritage of Spanish Colonial Dam Building in the Philippines, 1688-1898" will be held on July 18, 2026. It takes place at the Museo De La Salle in De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, Cavite, aiming to educate educators and students on local Spanish-era engineering. This gathering—which is officially supported by the Department of Education (DepEd)—coincides with the ongoing "PATUBIG: Cavite Heritage Irrigation System" exhibit running until August.
The PRESA Event and Its Context
The event is built around the book "Presa: The History and Heritage of Spanish Colonial Dam Building in the Philippines, 1699-1898" by historian Edgar Allan M. Sembrano . This work, derived from Sembrano's master's thesis, examines Spanish-era dams and irrigation systems, particularly in Cavite and Laguna provinces . The event is supported by the Department of Education (DepEd), a key agency for promoting cultural heritage education . Cavite is home to numerous Spanish colonial dams, many of which are still functional today and include structures like the Casundit Dam (c. 1780), the Molino Dam, and the Tres Cruces Dam.
Museo De La Salle and the PATUBIG Exhibit
Museo De La Salle, a lifestyle museum dedicated to preserving 19th-century Philippine ilustrado culture , serves as the venue for the PRESA event. This is fitting as it is also hosting the "PATUBIG: Cavite's Heritage Irrigation System" gallery exhibit . PATUBIG highlights the irrigation networks that once sustained Cavite's farms, livelihoods, and communities . The PRESA event will complement this exhibit, offering deeper academic insight into the historical and engineering significance of these structures.
