Historical markers of the Philippines
Historical markers (Filipino: "panandang pangkasaysayan") are installed by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) in the Philippines and places abroad that signify important events, persons, structures, and institutions in Philippine national and local histories. The plaques themselves are permanent signs installed by the NHCP in publicly visible locations on buildings, monuments, or in special locations. Local municipalities and cities can also install markers of figures and events of local significance. Though they may have the permission of the NHCP, these markers are barred from using the seal of the Republic of the Philippines . While many Cultural Properties have historical markers installed, not all places marked with historical markers are designated into one of the particular categories of Cultural Properties. As of January 2012, the total number of historical markers listed by the NHCP is 459; however, the number of markers from all these lists is more than 1,500. History. Before 1933, several civic efforts have been initiated to create monuments and to mark historic sites and events, such as Cry of Balintawak, José Rizal Monument, and the birthplace of Andrés Bonifacio. However, many more historical sites have not been recognized or marked. The  earliest predecessor of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) was the Philippine Historical Research and Markers Committee (PHRMC). Established on October 23, 1933 via Executive Order 451 during the governorship of Frank Murphy during the American colonial era, one of its tasks was to mark cultural and historical antiquities in Manila, which was later expanded to cover the rest of the Philippines. The first markers were installed in 1934, including ones for Church of San Agustin, Fort Santiago, Plaza McKinley, Roman Catholic Cathedral of Manila, San Sebastian Church, Concordia College, Manila Railroad Company, Dr. Lorenzo Negrao, and University  of Santo Tomas (Intramuros site). Issuance of markers stopped during the Second World War. Some of these markers were either lost or destroyed during the war and new markers were installed as replacements for San Agustin Church and Manila Cathedral. Throughout the years, some markers have also been reportedly missing as they were stolen and sold as scrap metal. The installation of markers was continued by the successors of the PHRMC: the Philippines Historical Committee (PHC), National Historical Institute (NHI), and the National Historical Commission (NHCP). The standard style of markers has changed throughout the years.The language of the  markers are mostly and primarily in Filipino, with markers also in English and Spanish. The first marker to contain a regional language was installed to commemorate the Cebu Provincial Capitol in Cebu City. The markers, both in Cebuano and Filipino, were installed in 2008. The first marker in Ilocano was installed to commemorate Mansion House in Baguio City in 2009. The first marker in Kapampangan was installed to commemorate the Holy Rosary Parish Church in Angeles in 2017. Historical markers outside of the Philippines may also be written in the local language of the country where the marker is installed  such as German in Berlin, Germany and French in Ghent, Belgium (both markers commemorate José Rizal). Two of the first markers outside of the Philippines were installed in Ghent, Belgium, commemorating the residence of José Rizal when the El Filibusterismo was published, and in Dezhou, China, commemorating Paduka Batara, a King of Sulu who paid tribute to the Yongle Emperor and died there. Both were installed in 1959. Markers related to Rizal occur the most, and Filipino historian Teodoro A. Agoncillo revealed that during his time (he served the NHCP from 1963 to 1985), their efforts in the board were  mostly spent on approving, discussing, and rewriting the marker texts. With the number of marker requests relating to Rizal, he joked “"Aba! Pati ba naman eskinitang inihian ni Rizal ibig lagyan ng marker!"” (What, they even want us to mark obscure side streets where Rizal relieved himself!). In 2002, during the unveiling ceremony of the marker National Federation of Women's Clubs in the Philippines in Manila Hotel, former president Fidel Ramos joked that the curtain raising reminded him of striptease, and everybody laughed. That was the last time that the curtains were pulled upward, and from then, the unveiling  involves curtain pulling instead. In 2011, the NHCP stated that it will pursue more markers for Visayas and Mindanao for their further inclusion in national history, citing the concentration of markers in Luzon. The Kudan, the Philippine embassy building in Tokyo, has been declared a national historical landmark by the NHCP and was granted a historical marker on March 3, 2014. It is the first overseas site to be granted such status. During the unveiling of the marker, Ambassador Manuel Lopez called the building as "the crown jewel of Philippine foreign service." On June 3, 2016, the NHCP, for the  first time, installed a marker for a nameless personality. A marker was installed in Macabebe, commemorating the leader of the Battle of Bangkusay Channel, the "first native to give up his life for independence." Quincentennial markers. From March to October 2021, the NHCP and National Quincentennial Committee issued quincentennial markers as part of the 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines (QCP). Thirty-four historical markers will be unveiled among several sites in regions of Mimaropa, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Caraga, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Bangsamoro. The markers were installed on site with the help of the Department of the Interior and  Local Government (DILG) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Of these markers, ten were installed in Eastern Visayas. The first marker unveiled was the Suluan marker in the island of the same name in Guiuan, Eastern Samar on March 16, 2021. The markers collectively depict select events of the Magellan-Elcano voyage in the Philippine archipelago. Each marker consist of a pedestal with a globe motif on top as a finial. The tiltation of the globe element was also certified by the Philippine Space Agency. On one side of the pedestal is the commemoration plaque and on another side  is a dust marble relief which has a design dependent on the specific site of the marker. The reliefs are made by sculptors Jonas Roces and Francis Apiles and are based on sketches by muralist Derrick Macutay. The NHCP described the designs as a deviation from typical "orientalist" depictions by foreigners of pre-colonial Filipinos as savages. The markers are an attempt to depict events of the expedition from a Filipino point of view. Criteria and policies. The following are the policies issued by the NHCP on the installation of markers: Issues. Some historical markers have also caused issues and  controversies due to different reasons. Historical markers by region. These lists of historical markers installed by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) are annotated lists of people, places, or events in the Philippines that have been commemorated by cast-iron plaques issued by the said commission. There are markers installed by the NHCP outside the Philippines commemorating Philippine-related events, and there are separate lists on these markers, by region.